Jill Kelley

Gilberte "Jill" Khawam Kelley (born June 3, 1975)^[1] is a Lebanese-American socialite and privacy advocate in Tampa, Florida. Kelley, a Florida socialite with connections to military circles, had issued a complaint to the FBI in May 2012 over a series of anonymous stalking emails [1]. The threatening emails were traced to Petraeus' biographer Paula Broadwell. Kelley became a focus of media coverage when an FBI investigation related to e-mails she had received led to the public becoming aware that General David Petraeus was having an affair ^[2] and a further investigation of e-mail communications General John R. Allen sent to Kelley.^[3][4] In January 2013, the Department of Defense Inspector General cleared Allen of all allegations involving Kelley, stating that the claims against Allen were "unsubstantiated".^[2]

Jill Kelley was born Gilberte Khawam in Beirut, Lebanon^[5] on June 3, 1975. Kelley, the Honorary Ambassador to United States Central Command's Coalition Forces, is known to be someone with 'connective tissue' to the diplomatic world [2] Diplomats used Jill Kelley's connections with Central Command Senior Generals to secure briefings for visiting foreign dignitaries. [3] Kelley, a regular on the DC diplomatic circuit and frequently attended embassy events [4] Known to be the go-between for Lebanese and other Middle Eastern government officials, she was active with dignitaries from the region and invited to functions at various embassies in Washington [5]

Since moving to Tampa, Kelley has devoted considerable time to community service, both to the local homeless as well as to the large community of servicemen and women in the Tampa area.^[6]

In March 2011, she received the Joint Chief of Staff Award for public service for "building positive relationships between the military and the Tampa community".^[7]

In 1999, Kelley married cancer surgeon Dr. Scott Kelley. Dr. Kelley completed his undergraduate degree at Dartmouth College, attended Columbia University Medical School, [6]and completed surgical residency at the University of Pennsylvania [7]. They live with their three children in Tampa, Florida. Her family includes her identical twin sister, Natalie Khawam,^[8] a brother, David Khawam, and sister, Caroline.^[9] Jill's parents ^[10] are Lebanese-American Maronite Catholics who immigrated to the United States from Jounieh, Lebanon in the mid-1970s.^[11] Kelley lived in the Philadelphia area until her mid-20s.^[12] She was studying to be a Doctor as she researched and published medical research at the University of Pennsylvania, in addition to medical course work at Hahnemann Hospital [8] Jill Kelley put her medical studies on hold at one point to have a baby.

Kelley has an identical twin sister, Natalie Khawam, who obtained a Georgetown University Law School Juris Doctor, with an MBA and a Masters in Finance, while Jill remained focused on her aspirations of becoming a Doctor. In H.S. Jill and Natalie founded Future Doctor's of America. They competed in numerous athletic and academic arenas and clubs. Competitively driven, both twins were "Dean's list" recipients and while dominating the athletic arena. Jill and Natalie came from a very conservative, tight knit immigrant family. Out of respect to their parents’ wishes, they attended a small, private Beaver College to commute to their suburban family home. During her Pre-Med studies, she was advancing Medical Research for the Department of Anesthesia at the University of Pennsylvania. Jill wrote a variety of Clinical and Scientific papers for the Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania (where she met her Dr. Scott Kelley). Her research was published in a number of prestigious and national Medical journals, and she presented at several scientific forums. Recognizing her exceptional understanding in Medicine, she was invited to collaborate studies with scientists at the University of Pennsylvania with other elite medical universities. She attended Hahnemann University Hospital's medical courses all while continuing to publish her research out at University of Pennsylvania. Kelley unexpectedly interrupted her medical studies when her husband matched in Tampa FL at Moffitt Cancer Center to continue his training for his Surgical Oncology fellowship training in 2001. That same month, Jill learned she was pregnant with their first daughter which terminated her medical studies. She then began starting her family.

While raising her family, Jill has been an honorary Board Member for a number of Profit, Non-for-Profit Boards, and Trustees, which allows her to give back to the community. In her capacity, she took the initiative to successfully venture in business and real estate developments. However, she continues to use her extensive medical knowledge to presently consult, invent and develop Medical patents; several of which are waiting commercialization. In addition, she is writing her first edition of a Cancer Book as an educational tool for recently diagnosed patients. She created a research team of over 40 Medical Students from 3 different Medical Schools. The book is designated for an audience-that is not a physician, which she stated was the problem with medical information available today.

One of Jill's special causes is her humanitarian efforts to feed the homeless. On Holidays, she provides a hot buffet for hundreds of homeless, with live-music, holiday prayers, and her ear to hear their struggle. She initiated a long-term promise to increase public awareness about the rise in homelessness in the local community. Her campaign was to bring awareness to the impoverished.

Throughout her residency in Tampa, Jill has been a steadfast supporter of the military as well as Central Command.

During her role with the Commanders at Central Command, Jill became increasingly interested in promoting international exchange and understanding for the US and Military Leaders with the Coalition and the rest of the International World. She has also been particularly vocal about the importance of cross cultural dialogue, to foster greater understanding, tolerance and acceptance across the world. With her lingual abilities, and her proficiency in cultures, Jill has noted ability for fostering communication, within the international community.

Her qualities, inclusive with her affinity for building foreign relations and natural conflict-prevention, enables her to successfully assert leadership, values, and support to our Allies and other Foreign Leaders.

Jill founded and gave patronage to her Annual Coalition & Multi-National Forces Appreciation Reception that includes the Senior National Representative (SNR’s) from over 60 countries promoting camaraderie, support and appreciation since 2009. Jill has stayed focused on her caliber and quality of acting as a goodwill ambassador to these Foreign Representatives. She continues to advocate building global trust, and re-enforcing relations between the Coalition Nations and the United States.

In 2011, she received the highest honor by Director of the Coalition and Multi-National Forces for her diplomacy, ambassadorship, dedication and ground efforts. That honor was immediately followed by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Award for Outstanding Public Service for her tremendous support to United States Central Command, the MacDill Air Force Base community and the Department of Defense.

Subsequently, she was the first Honorary Ambassador to US Central Command's Multi-National Coalition.

In 2012 she was appointed by the Republic of South Korea as an official diplomat. She was bestowed with the title Honorary General Consul in efforts to strengthen US-Korean economic, political, military, and cultural ties.

On behalf of her civic leadership, and variety of altruism, Jill was awarded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) a honor of exclusive invitation to their Citizens Academy.

Jill is an avid runner and has a zest for enjoying life. She is married to Dr. Scott Kelley, her soul mate.

In May 2012, Kelley complained to an FBI investigator of harassing e-mails sent by an anonymous person. In her communication with the FBI, Kelley stated that the e-mails appeared to be an attempt to blackmail General Petraeus. This sparked an investigation.^[13] Kelley later asked for the investigation to be stopped, citing concern that she and her family might also come under scrutiny. Her requests were nonetheless ignored. This set off a chain of events that eventually led to the resignation of David Petraeus on November 9, 2012.

The anonymous woman was identified as Petraeus biographer Paula Broadwell, who investigators discovered had been having an affair with him. During the course of that investigation, the FBI found emails between Kelley and General John R. Allen, Petraeus's successor as top commander in Afghanistan. On November 13, 2012, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that the nomination of Gen. Allen for the post of Supreme Allied Commander Europe would be delayed.

News agencies said Allen was being investigated due to alleged "inappropriate communication" between Kelley and Allen that was "flirtatious in nature".^[14] ABC News reported on November 14 that Kelley's security clearance at nearby CENTCOM Headquarters had been revoked. On January 22, 2013, General Allen was cleared of accusations of inappropriate communication with Mrs. Kelley in a misconduct inquiry.^[15]

Kelley called 911 several times, attempting to invoke diplomatic immunity. She told the dispatcher, “I am an honorary consul general, so I have inviolability".^{[why?][16][relevant?]}

According to a lawsuit Kelley and her husband filed against the FBI, Department of Defense and other governmental agencies on June 3, 2013, "By disclosing the contents of the Kelleys' emails, by either directly sharing contents of the emails or making statements suggesting that the content of the emails was lurid, government officials served Mrs. Kelley up on a platter to be devoured in a frenzy of salacious speculation regarding the nature of her relationship with Director Petraeus." ^[17]

Kelley and her husband have been active socialites in the Tampa area, appearing in local society news items and making television appearances.^[18][19][20] Kelley became a volunteer social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.^[21] Kelley and her husband were known for hosting cigar and caviar parties for military leaders at their home near the United States Central Command, a theater-level Unified Combatant Command of the U.S. Department of Defense established in 1983.^[22]

In July 2013, she was sought out by an Afghan Parliament member to create a dialogue between his government and the U.S. around the possibility of the withdrawal of U.S. troops after 2014. In response to the request Kelley said,"I am honored to resume my focus to promote cross-cultural dialogue and global trust for a peaceful and strategic exit to help our U.S. and Coalition forces transition out of Afghanistan".^[23]

Kelley is the former Honorary Consul General for the Republic of Korea, a title she was given in thanks for her volunteer work with coalition troops.^[24][25][26]

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