Kelly is passionate about all aspects of the student experience, with a particular focus on widening participation and student retention. Kelly graduated from The University of Melbourne with a BSc (Hons) in Physiology and continued on to complete her PhD in the department of Physiology examining the role of AMP protein kinase and nitric oxide on contraction-mediated glucose uptake. Kelly commenced at Charles Sturt University in 2008 and worked as a senior lecturer teaching Anatomy and Physiology into many of the health courses including Nursing and Physiotherapy. In 2019 Kelly received an Australian Award for University Teaching citation for her work in creating engaging adaptive learning lessons in Anatomy.
Since 2017 Kelly has worked in a range of leadership roles including Sub Dean Learning and Teaching in the Faculty of Science & Health, and now leads the Retention Team in the Division of Student Success.
Analyzing data across the institution to build a true picture of student engagement and using targeted, scripted reporting for meaningful insights has significantly impacted student retention at Charles Sturt University.