Today, the Center for Economic Inclusion announces Suzanne P. Kelly as Chief of Staff.
Suzanne joins the Center as a respected regional, senior-level administrative leader in education. For nearly 25 years, Suzanne has served as a revered, trusted executive within the Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Memphis public school districts. With deep community roots in the Twin Cities, Suzanne has held primary responsibility for management of the large, diverse staff of public-school employees, and championed and led transformational, systemic change to achieve equitable service to, and outcomes for, communities of color in the region. Under her leadership, extensive progress has been made to identify and change institutional policies and practice that disadvantage students and communities of color from achieving parity with white students in Minneapolis-St. Paul public schools.
"Author Robert Bella describes three types of work," said Suzanne. "There is the job, where the goal is simply to support you and your family; the career, which allows you to track success through titles and accomplishments; and lastly, there is the calling, which he describes as the 'ideal blend of activity and character that makes work inseparable from life.” I am honored to join a leader and a team who have collectively found their calling in service to our region."
As the Center’s Chief of Staff, Suzanne will be a trusted advisor and thought partner to Founder and CEO, Tawanna A. Black. She will fortify and reinforce the Center’s integrated leadership culture and values of shared leadership, shared power, and shared accountability to make time, information, and decision-making processes — up, down, and across the organization — streamlined and more effective to the CEO and entire organization.
"I am honored to welcome and partner with such a principled and accomplished leader to the Center as we grow to equip more employers and policymakers to transform and build racially equitable and inclusive workplaces and regional economies," said Tawanna A. Black, Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "Suzanne is a fierce champion for racial equity. Her purposeful leadership and experience building high-performing teams and systems for sustainable results will harness and anchor the Center’s entrepreneurial spirit, vision, and ambition."
As a principal representative of the CEO, Suzanne will partner closely with the executive leaders of Finance & Operations, Impact & Accountability, External Affairs, and Systems Innovation to ensure cohesion, congruency, and consistent application of the Center’s vision, standards, strategy, and tools throughout the organization.
Prior to her new position at the Center, Suzanne served as Chief of Staff for Minneapolis Public Schools (2016-2021), Minnesota Philanthropy Partners (2013-2016), St. Paul Public Schools (2007-2009, 2010-2012), and Memphis Public Schools (2003-2007). She was Interim Superintendent at St. Paul Public Schools from 2009-2010.
Suzanne has dedicated her talent and time to many nonprofit, community, civic, and faith-based boards and committees since 2007. Today, she serves on the board of Christ Temple Apostolic Church (Roseville).
Suzanne holds a Master's in Educational Leadership from Minnesota State University at Mankato, and a Bachelor’s in Journalism from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Fla.