[1][2] Kelles worked in Ecuador between her degrees as a high school biology teacher and Amazon basin ecological guide.

[1] Kelles served in the Tompkins County Legislature 2015–2020, where she drafted legislation on subjects including public health and environmentalism.

Kelles visited the Auburn Correctional Facility in February 2021 in order to "bear witness" to conditions at the prison, one of the oldest in the United States.

She and other legislators advocated for the Justice Roadmap, which includes measures to reform solitary confinement and ensure fair and timely parole.

[4] Kelles was among a number of New York State politicians to criticize Governor Andrew Cuomo after allegations were published that he had sexually harassed several women, first calling for him to resign if found guilty by an investigation led by State Attorney General Letitia James,[5] then calling for him to resign immediately, signing on to a letter along with 58 other Democrats in statewide elected offices.