Nashotah House Welcomes Lt. Col. Kelly O’Lear

Nashotah House is pleased to welcome Lt. Col. Kelly O’Lear to Nashotah House as our new Director of Formation and Leadership Development. Father O’Lear will be drawing upon his own chaplaincy and leadership development experience to support the spiritual formation, vocational development, and well-being of members of the student body and their families, with a particular emphasis on their vocational formation as leaders.

Lt. Col. Kelly O'Lear received his Master of Divinity at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in 2003. Lt. Col. O’Lear, an Iowa native, received a Master of Theology at Duke University in 2014 and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in 2019. He has since served as chaplain for twenty years in multiple units around the world, including Burial Chaplain at Arlington National Cemetery, where he conducted 930 burial services for Army veterans and their families.

Fr. O'Lear also served as Command Chaplain, Special Operations Command Africa, where he provided religious support, leadership and oversight for all Special Operations religious support teams and service members operating in Africa. The Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JAFC) is a Diocese of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and, through protocols and agreements, continues to serve the wider church to include functioning as the “Special Jurisdiction” in and with the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

He also served as professor of world religions and director of regional and cultural education at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center of Excellence at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He has served in combat with Special Operations, the 82nd Airborne Division, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and the 2nd Infantry Division. His most recent assignment was as Command Chaplain for the U.S. Army Sustainment Command, located at Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Illinois.

Among other awards, he has received two bronze stars for his meritorious service in a combat zone, the Legion of Merit for a career of service, and is a member of the military orders of St. John and St. Martin of Tours.

Dr. O’Lear and his wife, Jennifer, have four children and two granddaughters.