Kathryn Kelly
Assistant Dean, Assessment and Accreditation, University of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences
Kathryn Kelly, EdD serves as the Assistant Dean for Assessment and Accreditation at the University of San Diego’s School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES). Specializing in institutional effectiveness and specialized accreditation, Dr. Kelly oversees the rigorous standards and compliance requirements for a wide range of programs, including those governed by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
In her role at SOLES, Dr. Kelly leads programmatic assessment and strategic and long term planning efforts. She is a key contributor to institutional growth, serving as a project manager for new program development and reimagination, shepherding new and redesigned programs from conceptualization through WSCUC approval and launch. Her expertise lies in creating and reenvisioning processes and policies that enhance program quality and sustainability. Prior to joining USD, Dr. Kelly was the Assistant Director of Institutional Effectiveness at the College of the Florida Keys, where she played a central role in the institutional accreditation reaffirmation, institutional strategic planning, new program development, and the redesign and implementation of programmatic and institutional assessment practices.
Dr. Kelly earned her EdD in Educational Leadership from Gwynedd Mercy University with a concentration in Higher Education where her dissertation research focused on professional preparation and post-graduation student success. With over 13 years of higher education experience, Dr. Kelly is dedicated to building resilient and equitable institutional frameworks and ensuring that institutional structures are not only high-performing but also deeply responsive to the diverse stakeholders and partners they serve.