Kelly Butts-Elston

Kelly Butts-Elston is the Chief Executive Officer of Connections Area Agency on Aging serving 20 counties in western, southwestern, and south-central Iowa.  Kelly’s motivation for working in the aging network is to ensure that everyone can age on their own terms with dignity and respect. 

Kelly has worked as an aging professional for nearly 25 years beginning in activity coordination in a skilled nursing facility. Kelly has worked for her current agency since 2003 and assumed various program coordination and leadership roles before becoming the C.E.O. in February of 2017. Kelly was honored in 2010 as the Human Services Professional of the Year by the Southwest Iowa Human Services Advisory Committee. Kelly’s professional affiliations and board service in addition to serving on the USAging Board include board membership for the Visiting Nurse Association/Easter Seals; Alzheimer’s Association, Midlands Chapter; and the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors.  

Kelly, her husband Greg, and their rescue terriers, Maggie and Jack reside in Omaha.