Kelli Rainey

Kelli S. Rainey, Ed.D. serves as the Senior Director for Grants Management at NACUBO.  In her current role she is leading a multi-foundation, multi-campus, project to develop frameworks, tools, and models that will change how higher education institutions strategically and sustainably finance equitable student outcomes.

Having worked in higher education for more than two decades, Rainey has an extensive background in enrollment management, student development, and institutional effectiveness.  During her near 15-year tenure at Johnson C. Smith University, she provided strategic leadership in a dual role as Vice President for Academic and Student Support Services and Chief Operating Officer. In her role linked to institutional effectiveness, Kelli supported new ways for the University to implement a revised data-informed planning and budgeting model.  She also served as principal investigator for multiple foundation-funded initiatives, working with diverse funders including Duke Endowment, United Negro College Fund, and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Additionally, Rainey served as the University’s senior administrator focused on strategies and initiatives to support student learning, retention, completion, service delivery, workplace efficiencies and organizational effectiveness. As a former accreditation liaison, Kelli is well versed in regional accreditation standards, regulations, and procedures for effective demonstration of institutional compliance. 

Prior to joining NACUBO, Rainey served as Senior Director for Analytics to innovate services at Anthology (legacy Campus Labs), providing specialized consultation for campuses implementing business intelligence strategies and tools.

Rainey holds a doctorate in higher education and organizational change from Benedictine University and a graduate certificate in institutional research from The Pennsylvania State University. She earned a master’s degree in applied psychology with a concentration in industrial and organizational development from Fairfield University and a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Lynchburg College.