Kelly Webster Email and Phone Number

Kelly Webster believes in people, in tackling challenges in partnership with others, and in working hard to get it right, not to be right. She believes we are at our best when we invest in people and their ability to have a cumulative impact for good. Most of all, she believes in future generations, which is why she champions public higher education and its potential to create more equitable systems for the benefit of all. Kelly serves as the University of Montana President's Chief of Staff, and the University's Associate Vice President for Strategic Planning and Implementation. In both of her roles, she facilitates the University's efforts to promote inclusive prosperity for all and to help ensure planning, budgeting, implementation, assessment, and evaluation practices advance this mission. Prior to her current role, Kelly led the University of Montana's Writing and Public Speaking Center where she managed a team of professionals who worked with undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members as they sought to think deeply across disciplines and communicate the impact of their work for varied audiences. She also co-led the transformation of UM's approach to writing assessment by turning attention toward assessment of teaching and learning and their impacts on student outcomes. Before coming to UM, Kelly's heart was in serving the broad, diverse, brilliant community college populations of California and Oregon. A faculty member who taught writing and literature, Kelly worked with students, faculty, business leaders, and elected officials not only in the classroom but also in state prisons, in state and local government, in private businesses, and at partner universities.Kelly's husband, Joel, and daughter, Wenonah, are devoted Montanans, her comic relief, and her wise teachers!