James A. Kelly is Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. President Bush nominated Mr. Kelly on April 3, 2001; he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 26, 2001 and sworn in on May 1, 2001.

From 1994-2001, Mr. Kelly was president of  the Pacific Forum, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) of Honolulu. The Pacific Forum has analyzed and led dialogue on Asia-Pacific political, security, and economic/business issues since 1975. It is the autonomous Pacific arm of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC.

From 1989 to 1994, Mr. Kelly was President of EAP Associates, Inc., of Honolulu, which provided international business consulting services with an Asia/Pacific focus to private clients. Previously, Mr. Kelly served at the White House in Washington, DC  as Special Assistant for National Security Affairs to President Ronald Reagan, and as Senior Director for Asian Affairs, National Security Council, from March 1986 to March 1989. From June, 1983 to March 1986, Mr. Kelly was at the Pentagon as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (East Asia and Pacific.)

James A.Kelly earned a M.B.A. from the School of Business Administration of  Harvard University in 1968.  He is also a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy (B.S., 1959) and the National War College (1977). He served in the U.S. Navy from 1959 to 1982, concluding his active duty as a Captain, Supply Corps.