About:
Daniel G. Kelly II, Ph.D., is the Academic Director of Graduate Programs at NYU's Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport. Prior to joining NYU, Dr. Kelly was the Faculty Director of the Sports Industry Management Program at Georgetown University, Washington DC.
We asked Daniel Kelly to share some fun facts about himself—here’s what he revealed:
🏀 The late Kobe Bryant would be my choice for a dream dinner party invite. His ability to navigate a Hall of Fame 20-year professional basketball career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and transition with the same fortitude and due diligence to his post-athletic career as a businessman (Bryant-Stibel venture capital), author (Mamba Mentality), and creative contributor to podcasts (The Punies) are unique to any celebrity, athlete, or activist the world has ever seen.
Above all, I would have loved to speak to him about his ability to nurture healthy and loving relationships with his wife, Vanessa, and his four daughters (Natalia, Gianna, Bianca, and Capri). With his passing at the young age of 42, there was so much more he was destined to accomplish, but I was happy to cover his career during my time as an author and academic.
🇶🇦 The best destination I have ever been to would be without a doubt Doha, Qatar.
During my dozen-plus visits to the country as part of the Josoor Institute’s Football and Sports Management diploma program, I have been fortunate to see the country transform its global footprint into an international hub for sporting excellence.
Attending the 2022 FIFA World Cup in person changed my life for the better and provided many opportunities for personal reflection on my 6-years’ worth of experiences. The fact that I have friends, colleagues, former students, and business associates in Doha is a testament to my experiences in the country and the role my travels to Qatar have played in not only my professional career but my personal life.
I am excited about the future of the country of Qatar and can’t wait for my next visit.
❤️I believe empathy is something the world could use more of and would greatly improve the human experience. Issues like racial injustice, gun violence, gender inequality, and geopolitical differences could all be remedied by improved levels of thoughtfulness and care for all human beings. My belief in bringing empathy to my work as a writer has been a motivating factor for my foundation as an author.
🌎 I am fortunate that my life as an academic and author provides me the opportunity to travel the world to amazing places like Doha (Qatar), Barcelona (Spain), Madrid (Spain), Dortmund (Germany), Tokyo (Japan), Mumbai (India), New Delhi (India), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and London (United Kingdom) to name a few.
These experiences have laid the foundation for my life as a global citizen and have opened many doors for me to share these experiences with my wife and son. I wouldn’t change anything about my life as I have been able to reflect on these experiences and share them with my students as I help guide them in their respective learning journeys toward finding their dream careers.
🧘🏿 My personal self-care practices are spending time with my wife and son, a personal investment in being a voracious reader and consumer of leadership and management content, and taking time each day for mindfulness. These three practices have been a blessing for prioritizing my personal health and allowing me a chance to recharge and recover from daily stresses.
My personal belief in improvement each day has provided me with a sense of accomplishment which has been paramount for goal setting.
