Linfield University Athletics

The longest-serving sports information director in Northwest Conference history, Kelly Bird is transitioning to a new role as Athletics Marketing and Events Coordinator for the 2025-26 academic year, his 37th as a member of the Linfield University staff.

Embracing a hybrid position which he helped design, Bird continues to manage the external communications and game-day operations for the Linfield football, softball and track & field programs. He remains as the lead contact for developing and maintaining community partnerships and continues in a vital role as a valuable information resource with the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame Executive Committee. 

A longtime College Sports Communicators member, Bird has participated in 23 national conventions. He served for 12 years as a regional voter on the Associated Press Division III All-America football team. During his 36 years at Linfield, Bird has produced 22 nationally award-winning sports brochures, including five that were judged "Best in the Nation."

Bird is a three-time recipient of the Jack Saurealt Award, honored following the 2007-08, 2014-15 and 2020-21 academic years as heading the Northwest Conference's top sports communications program. In 2007, he was honored as Linfield's Administrator of the Year for the McMinnville campus.

Bird was a sports-statistics editor for 14 years at The Oregonian newspaper in Portland. He also worked as an announcer for five years at KUIK radio in Hillsboro. He earned an associate of applied science degree in radio broadcasting from Portland Community College in 1983.

A graduate of Tigard High School, Bird was a two-year letterwinner at defensive tackle for the Tigers' football team. He served as Tigard's baseball and softball public address announcer for six seasons.

Born in Calgary, Alberta, Bird maintains Canadian citizenship but has lived in the United States for more than 50 years. He and his wife, Jolene, live in McMinnville and have two daughters. Karlee graduated in 2022 from Corban University with a bachelor's degree in music education. Jillian completed a bachelor's degree in design and illustration from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle in 2025.