Before joining Zarzaur, Kelsie practiced business litigation and clerked for the Honorable Abdul K. Kallon in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. She earned her J.D. (magna cum laude) from Washington University School of Law, where she served as a senior editor of the Washington University Law Review. Kelsie was a Dean's Fellow and graduated with a certificate in Public Interest Law. She was also a member of the women's law caucus and served on the public service advisory board. Kelsie received CALI Excellence for the Future awards in Legal Practice, Health Law, Education, Equality, and Fairness, and the Immigration Law Clinic. She was also inducted into the Order of the Coif.
Kelsie received her B.A. (magna cum laude) from Birmingham-Southern College, where she was a Harrison Honors Scholar and received the Hubbs Award for Academic Excellence and Selfless Service. Upon graduation, she was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society.