Kelli was raised in Montgomery County, Maryland, and attended Elon University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. A devoted alumna, she is a member of the Black Life Advisory Council and the President’s Council. She received her Master’s Degree in Counselor Education from Wake Forest University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Virginia. A lifelong learner, she studied at Oxford University and earned graduate certificates from Boston College and Harvard University.
Kelli is an active contributor to numerous local and state nonprofit Boards, including the Community Climate Collaborative (C3), Peabody School, and the Piedmont Virginia Community College Foundation. She has previously served as a member of the Boards of the United Way of Greater Charlottesville, Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, Live Arts, and the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, among many others.
Kelli is a proud, long-term resident of Charlottesville, Virginia, where she resides with her husband and their children. In addition to her professional accomplishments, she is a classically trained vocalist and former member of the Washington Opera Company.
