Kelli graduated from Shasta College in 2015 with an AS in Agricultural Trades and a Certificate in Forestry/Natural Resources. Following graduation, she immediately went to work with the US Forest Service as a Range Technician. Hired by the RCD in August 2016 as a Forestry Technician, she now serves as  a Project Manager who has overseen the completion of fuel breaks, mitigation sites, and restoration projects. She also serves as the Conservation Manager for the WSRCD Conservation Easement program.