Kelly Craft

Kelly Craft
Born	Kelly Dawn Guilfoil 2/24/1962
Birthplace	Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Diplomat, businesswoman, politician
Known for	United States Ambassador to the United Nations (2019–2021), United States Ambassador to Canada (2017–2019)
Education	University of Kentucky (BA)
Children	2
Awards	First woman to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Canada

Kelly Dawn Craft (née Guilfoil; born February 24, 1962) is an American businesswoman, politician, and former diplomat who served as the 30th United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2019 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. Before her appointment to the United Nations, she served as the 31st United States Ambassador to Canada from 2017 to 2019, becoming the first woman to hold that post. Her career in diplomacy began earlier, when President George W. Bush appointed her as an alternate delegate to the United Nations in 2007, a role in which she focused on U.S. engagement in Africa. Beyond her diplomatic service, Craft is the head of Kelly G. Knight LLC, a business advisory firm based in Lexington, Kentucky, and serves on the advisory board of the Canadian American Business Council. She entered electoral politics in 2023, running in the Republican primary for the Kentucky gubernatorial election, but lost to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Together with her husband, Joe Craft, she has been a prominent figure in Kentucky philanthropy and Republican Party fundraising, and the couple has made headlines for their multimillion-dollar charitable contributions at events such as the annual Kentucky Country Ham Breakfast.

Early Life

Kelly Dawn Guilfoil was born on February 24, 1962, in Lexington, Kentucky. She grew up in a family with deep roots in Kentucky. Her father, Bobby Austin Guilfoil, was a member of the local community in the state.

Craft was raised in the Lexington area and maintained strong ties to the state throughout her life. Her upbringing in Kentucky would later inform her professional and philanthropic interests, particularly her connections to the state's business community and political landscape. She has remained a resident of Lexington throughout much of her adult life, and her business advisory firm, Kelly G. Knight LLC, is based there.

Her early life in Kentucky placed her in proximity to the state's prominent industries, including coal mining and agriculture, sectors that would later become intertwined with her personal and professional life through her marriage to Joe Craft, a coal industry executive.

Education

Craft attended the University of Kentucky in Lexington, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Her connection to the University of Kentucky has remained a significant part of her public identity. She and her husband Joe Craft have been notable supporters of the university and its athletic programs, with their involvement extending to prominent public displays of support for university sports teams and coaches. The Craft family's ties to education in Kentucky also extend to Morehead State University's Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, which bears the family name.

Career

Early Career and Business

Craft established herself in the business world through Kelly G. Knight LLC, a business advisory firm headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. She also became involved in Republican Party politics and fundraising, which eventually led to her entry into diplomatic service. Her connections within the Republican Party, combined with her business acumen, positioned her as a candidate for appointed government positions.

Through her marriage to Joe Craft, the president and chief executive officer of Alliance Resource Partners, one of the largest coal producers in the eastern United States, she became associated with the coal industry. The Crafts became known as a Republican fundraising power couple, with significant financial contributions to political campaigns and causes.

Alternate Delegate to the United Nations (2007)

Craft's first foray into diplomacy came in 2007, when President George W. Bush nominated her to serve as a United States alternate delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. In this capacity, she focused on issues related to U.S. engagement in Africa, gaining her first significant experience in multilateral diplomacy. This appointment provided Craft with exposure to the workings of the United Nations, an institution she would return to in a much more prominent role over a decade later.

United States Ambassador to Canada (2017–2019)

On June 15, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Craft to serve as the United States Ambassador to Canada. Her nomination attracted attention both in the United States and Canada, in part because of her and her husband's status as prominent Republican donors. The nomination was reported by multiple international outlets, including the BBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The United States Senate confirmed her nomination, and she was officially sworn in on October 23, 2017, becoming the first woman to serve as United States Ambassador to Canada. Her tenure as ambassador coincided with a period of significant tension in the U.S.-Canada relationship, particularly surrounding the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and trade disputes between the two countries.

Canadian media outlets devoted considerable coverage to her appointment and tenure. Maclean's magazine published an analysis examining the reasons behind her selection as ambassador. The CBC also covered her arrival and activities in Canada.

Craft served as ambassador to Canada until August 23, 2019, when she departed to take up her new role at the United Nations. Her predecessor in the Canada post was Bruce Heyman, who had been appointed by President Barack Obama, and she was eventually succeeded by David L. Cohen.

United States Ambassador to the United Nations (2019–2021)

Following the resignation of Nikki Haley as United States Ambassador to the United Nations in late 2018, the Trump administration initially nominated State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert for the position. However, Nauert withdrew her name from consideration in February 2019. President Trump subsequently nominated Craft for the position on February 22, 2019.

Craft's nomination hearing was held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 19, 2019. During her confirmation hearing, Craft stated that she would fight anti-Israel bias at the United Nations, signaling one of the priorities of her ambassadorship.

The United States Senate confirmed Craft's nomination by a vote of 56 to 34, and she was officially sworn in on September 12, 2019. During her tenure, she served alongside deputies Jonathan Cohen and Richard M. Mills Jr.

Craft served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations during a consequential period in international affairs, including the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and heightened geopolitical tensions. She participated in discussions at the Milken Institute Global Conference in 2020, where she addressed issues related to her role.

Her term ended on January 20, 2021, coinciding with the end of the Trump administration. She was succeeded by Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who was nominated by President Joe Biden.

2023 Kentucky Gubernatorial Campaign

After leaving her diplomatic posts, Craft entered electoral politics. She ran in the Republican primary for the 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial election. The primary featured a competitive field of Republican candidates. Craft ultimately lost the nomination to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who went on to face the incumbent Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, in the general election.

Business Interests and Coal Industry

Craft's business interests are closely tied to those of her husband, Joe Craft, who serves as president and chief executive officer of Alliance Resource Partners, L.P., one of the largest coal producers in the eastern United States. The couple's connection to the coal industry has attracted both attention and scrutiny. In November 2025, a coal miner was killed at the Mountain View Mine in Tucker County, West Virginia, a mine owned by Joe and Kelly Craft, according to the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

The New York Times reported on the connections between the Craft family's coal industry interests and federal energy policy during the Trump administration.

Personal Life

Kelly Craft has been married to Joe Craft, a billionaire coal industry executive who heads Alliance Resource Partners. Together they have two daughters. The couple resides in Lexington, Kentucky, and has been a prominent fixture in the state's social, political, and philanthropic circles.

The Crafts are known for their significant charitable giving in Kentucky. They have been recurring participants in the annual Kentucky Country Ham Breakfast, a charity auction held during the Kentucky State Fair. In August 2025, Joe and Kelly Craft, along with Central Bank, placed a winning bid of $10 million on a country ham, with the proceeds going to charity. This marked the fifth consecutive year the Crafts had placed the winning bid at the auction.

The Crafts are also prominent supporters of University of Kentucky athletics. In November 2025, Kelly and Joe Craft attended the Kentucky football game at Auburn to show support for then-head coach Mark Stoops, celebrating the team's 10–3 victory. Kelly Craft has publicly praised Stoops and other Kentucky coaches for their contributions to the university's athletic programs.

The Craft family's philanthropic interests extend to education. The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics at Morehead State University, which bears the family name, provides advanced educational opportunities for high school students in Kentucky. The academy celebrated its graduating class of 2025 in May of that year.

Recognition

Craft's appointment as United States Ambassador to Canada in 2017 was a historic milestone, as she became the first woman to hold that post. Her subsequent appointment as the 30th United States Ambassador to the United Nations made her one of a small number of individuals to serve in two ambassadorial roles under the same president.

Her diplomatic career drew attention from international media outlets across North America. The Globe and Mail, the BBC, CBC News, and Maclean's all provided coverage of her appointments and activities. Her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and her work at the United Nations were subjects of coverage by Reuters, CNBC, the Times of Israel, and other outlets.

The Milken Institute invited Craft to participate in its 2020 Global Conference, where she discussed her role as U.N. ambassador and matters of international diplomacy.

In Kentucky, Craft and her husband have been recognized for their sustained philanthropic contributions, particularly through their repeated record-setting bids at the Kentucky Country Ham Breakfast charity auction and their support for educational institutions such as the Craft Academy at Morehead State University.