Alumni Stories: Kelsey Warner ’15

We had the pleasure of having Kelsey Warner on campus for this interview. She got to visit past teachers and meet some new faces.

When Kelsey Warner arrived at Portsmouth Christian Academy as a freshman, she was navigating more than a new school. Kelsey was surviving one of the hardest seasons of her life. What she found at PCA was not just academic excellence, but a community that quietly surrounded her with care, consistency, and Christ-centered love. Today, Kelsey is a dual-licensed attorney, an adjunct law professor, and a bride-to-be, but she credits PCA as a place that quite literally saved her life. Her story is a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of faithful educators, intentional community, and the hope God plants in even the darkest moments.

When and how did you first find yourself at PCA?

I started at PCA as a freshman during the 2011–2012 school year. My family moved to this area before I started high school, first to Milton, then shortly after to Dover. We discovered PCA and felt like it would be a good fit.

What are some moments or memories that stand out from your time here?

I was definitely an over-involved student. I played on the girls’ soccer team for three years and was varsity captain my senior year. I loved the team, it was such a formative experience. I was also part of Quiz Bowl and competed with the school team on the TV show Granite State Challenge, which was incredible.

Later on, I served as team manager and helped organize Quiz Bowl tournaments with schools across the state. What’s really cool is that when I got to college, I reconnected with many of the students I’d met through those competitions.

Academically, I have so many memories from Mr. Foley’s and Mr. Beals’ English classes, and Dr. Gamble’s history classes. The level of rigor here really sticks with you. But what stands out most is how deeply the faculty cared about students beyond academics.

What are some ways PCA impacted your life while you were in attendance?

PCA’s writing program is phenomenal. I didn’t fully appreciate it until I got to college.

When I arrived at Saint Anselm College, there were students from all over the country who didn’t know how to cite sources, format papers, or structure an argument. Those were things we had drilled into us at PCA. Because of that foundation, I was miles ahead of many of my peers.

It felt exhausting and annoying at the time, but if you actually do the work here, it pays off in a huge way.

I’m nearly fluent in Spanish, and PCA played a huge role in that. I had some exposure before coming here, but PCA is where I really practiced and developed it. That skill carried into college, into mission work, and even into professional life.

PCA academics were paired with opportunities that helped me discover things I didn’t know I loved: service, missions, leadership, even teaching.

During my time at PCA, I went on mission trips to New York City and Guatemala. In Guatemala, we taught in a school, and that was the first time I realized I enjoyed teaching. I also got to practice my Spanish in a real-world setting, which was incredible.

Those experiences shaped who I became.

When I came to PCA, I was going through an incredibly hard personal season. My family was fleeing a domestic violence situation. About a month into my freshman year, my mom, sister, and I left home and spent about a month living in a convent while we figured out next steps.

Throughout my freshman year alone, we moved three times. PCA became the one consistent place in my life.

What I didn’t know until years later was how much the staff knew about my situation and how much they quietly cared. My mom had reached out to the school to explain what was happening and asked them to keep an eye on me. Teachers and administrators showed up for me in ways I never realized at the time.

Teachers and administrators showed up for me in ways I never realized at the time.

Years later, I learned that Mr. Foley and the headmaster at the time, Mr. Bell, attended my soccer games to make sure I was safe and that certain people didn’t come onto campus. I thought they were just really into soccer.

How did that experience affect you personally?

That season took a serious toll on my mental health. I lost my faith, and I was struggling deeply to the point I did not want to live anymore.

One Friday morning during chapel, back when chapel was first thing on Fridays, Mr. Foley shared his life story. At the end, he said something simple: “You absolutely deserve to be here. Don’t ever think you don’t.”

He had no idea what I was going through, but those words changed everything. I wasn’t healed overnight, but I decided I could at least try to keep going for a while. PCA quite literally saved my life.

Years later, while I was in college, I returned to PCA and shared this story with students in chapel, a full-circle moment I’ll always be grateful for. It was also the first time some of the faculty learned my full story, and getting to thank them for what they did by sharing my story was really an amazing opportunity.

Did you feel supported by PCA Faculty during those years?

PCA felt safe when nothing else did. I didn’t always know how to talk about what I was going through, so I would leave notes on my desk for teachers, just saying something like, “I’m not okay today.” Without making it a big deal, they would quietly check on me the next day.

That kind of care stays with you…That sense of community doesn’t disappear after graduation.

Later in high school, one of my childhood friends passed away. I remember Dr. Gamble pulling me aside after class to tell me no one expected anything from me that day, and that he was here for me if ever I needed to talk. Dr. Joe, who was Dean of Women at the time, also checked in on me. That kind of care stays with you. Even now, many of my former teachers, some retired, some in different roles, still keep in touch. That sense of community doesn’t disappear after graduation.

Where did life take you after PCA?

When I decided to go to college, my mom and I had a very honest conversation. She told me she wanted me to go, but we couldn’t afford it. So, I spent every study hall and lunch period in the library with Donna Capern applying for scholarships. I earned 15 small scholarships in my freshman year.

Later, when I was already in college and trying to navigate which scholarships renewed and which didn’t, I reached out to Diane Sipp. She didn’t have to help me, I wasn’t a student anymore, but she took time to walk me through my options and help me plan financially.

That kind of support is rare.

Because of the Donna and Diane’s support, I went on to attend Saint Anselm College in Manchester. I became deeply involved on campus; academically, in campus ministry, theatre, and service work. I went on multiple service trips, something I first discovered I loved while at PCA.

During my senior year, I was awarded the Melucci Scholarship, a full-tuition scholarship given to one male and one female student per class. I was nominated by one of the monks on campus. The first two people I called were my mom and Mr. Foley.

What did you study?

I majored in English and History, with minors in Theology and Gender Studies. The writing foundation I received through PCA carried me through college, law school, and now into my career.

Legal writing is everything. The ability to think clearly, argue persuasively, and write effectively is central to what I do every day. PCA taught me how to think and write, not just what to memorize.

What was the path that led you to law?

I originally thought I wanted to work in museums, so after graduating college in 2019, I moved to Salem, Massachusetts, and worked at the Salem Witch Museum.

When COVID shut down tourism, I had to pivot. I began working at St. Anne’s Children’s Home, caring for children in state custody. Through that work, I saw firsthand how different my life could have been if I hadn’t had the stability and support PCA provided

Later, I took a receptionist job at a small law firm in Manchester called Klug Law. Within a year, the owner recognized my strengths and trained me as her head paralegal. She even represented my family in a legal modification case, which made the work deeply personal.

She eventually asked me if I’d ever considered law school, and recommended that I apply to the school she had attended. I applied to Massachusetts School of Law, worked full-time during the day, attended law school at night, and graduated in December 2024. I passed the bar in February 2025 and am now licensed in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

What are you doing now?

I landed my dream job. I’m a full-time attorney practicing family law and advocating for survivors of domestic violence. Given my life experience, this line of work, which is emotionally demanding but incredibly meaningful. I’m also an adjunct writing professor at Massachusetts School of Law, teaching the same courses I once took alongside the professors who taught them to me.

Tell us about life outside of work.

I’m engaged to my fiancé, JJ. We’re getting married this summer. We own a home in Manchester, which is incredibly meaningful to me because it’s the longest I’ve lived anywhere since my childhood home. After moving more than a dozen times, having permanence matters.

We have a small terrier named Jack, who basically runs the house. We’re active in our church and preparing to help lead a young adult faith formation class together.

I’m also a lifelong book nerd. Right now, I’m reading The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe and recently finished The Tattooist of Auschwitz. I am still a trivia enthusiast and often participate in bar trivia nights with my friends.

What advice would you give to the Upper School students?

You don’t always realize what you have while you’re in it. PCA’s writing program is exceptional. When I got to college, I was miles ahead of many of my peers simply because of the foundation PCA gave me.

Take advantage of the opportunities here; mission trips, service work, academics, relationships. During my time at PCA, I went on mission trips to New York City and

Guatemala, experiences that shaped my faith and introduced me to teaching and service in ways I never expected.

You will never again have this many opportunities at your fingertips without having to organize or fund them yourself.

And remember: high school feels like everything, but it’s not the end of the story. It’s the foundation.