Kelli Valdez

Kelli Valdez is thrilled to join Reading Partners as the managing director of regional operations. A lifelong believer in the power of education to change lives, Kelli brings more than 15 years of experience helping organizations strengthen their people, systems, and impact. In her new role, she’ll focus on building the structures and supports that allow regional teams to thrive and ensure every student receives the high-quality literacy tutoring they deserve.

Kelli began her career as an elementary school teacher with Teach For America, where she saw firsthand the transformative power of strong instruction and caring relationships. That experience inspired her to spend more than a decade working on regional and national teams at Teach For America, where she helped launch and scale teacher training programs across the country and led initiatives that supported thousands of educators and staff in growing their leadership and impact. She later brought her expertise in strategy and change management to Boston Consulting Group, where she partnered with education and public sector clients on transformation and workforce development initiatives. Throughout her career, Kelli has been guided by a deep commitment to equity, collaboration, and creating environments where people and purpose align.

Kelli holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, an Ed.M. from Harvard University, and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland. She lives in Maryland with her husband and three children and is a proud musical theater enthusiast—currently counting down the days until the epic conclusion of the Wicked saga.