Kelli Finglass

Finglass married Joel Finglass in 1996. The family settled in Coppell, Texas, and attends Tambourine Church.

The couple raised two children. Their daughter, Samantha, was born on June 25, 1997, and their son, Ryan, was born on December 12, 1998. Samantha earned degrees from Texas A&M University and the University of Washington before pursuing a career in sports marketing and marrying John McKean in 2024. Ryan also attended Texas A&M University, graduating in 2021 with a finance degree before working as a wealth advisor.

Born Kelli Cecile McGonagill, Finglass grew up in Lindale, Texas. She began dancing and baton twirling at an early age. She graduated from Lindale High School.

She attended two Texas universities. At Texas Christian University, she studied modern dance and joined the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She completed her studies at the University of North Texas, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in international marketing.

Finglass joined the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in 1984. She performed with the squad through 1989. During her tenure, she became the first cheerleader in franchise history invited back to the team without undergoing the standard audition process.

Owner Jerry Jones hired her as assistant director of the cheerleaders in 1989. Finglass then moved to the franchise sales and promotions department before taking over as director and business manager in 1991 at age 27. She overhauled the squad's business operations. Her commercial strategy attracted national corporate sponsorships and established new programs, including Camp DCC, Cheers for Years, Cheers for Fitness, and the DCC Dance & Drill Team Competitions.

Finglass brought the squad's audition and training process to television as an executive producer of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team. The reality series aired on CMT from 2006 to 2021. She appeared on camera throughout its run.

Her screen appearances extended beyond CMT. In 2000, she played herself in the Robert Altman film Dr. T & the Women. She later appeared alongside Judy Trammell in the Netflix docuseries America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.