Kellen, hailing from Kirkland, is a student in the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. He has long been a civic advocate in Washington State, especially on youth issues, and has served in various capacities with the Washington State Legislative Youth Advisory Council, the Washington State Leadership Board, the Washington State PTA, and several political campaigns. He is also an advocate for student journalist free expression in state legislatures across the country. For his work, he has received various recognitions, including: Emerging Leader (Harvard Institute of Politics); Courage in Student Journalism Award (National Scholastic Press Association and Student Press Law Center); Bryan Cameron Impact Scholar (Bryan Cameron Education Foundation); National Superior Award in Press Law and Ethics (Journalism Education Association and the National Student Press Association); and Outstanding Student Advocate of the Year (Washington State PTA). Outside of advocacy, Kellen is a passionate numismatist, and serves as a Representative of the General Public on the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. His enthusiasm for the Oxford comma is limitless.