Board of Directors

Kelley helped lead the effort to organize The DOME Project/Strycker’s Bay partnership and co-authored the The Commons Concept Paper. Her experience in the youth development field grew from her work as a community and tenant organizer and as a parent in need of affordable quality afterschool programming. Kelley is an alumnus of The DOME Project’s 1978-79 Drop-Out Prevention Program, which offered her the opportunity to be paid for the volunteer work she was already doing at Strycker’s Bay, and obtained her GED before the program ended. She continued to work with Strycker’s Bay after graduating from the program and became the Executive Director in 1987 at age 25. Kelley went on to found Strycker’s Bay’s after-school program and other youth serving programs now operating at The Commons as part of its portfolio of programs. She also co-founded The Community Action School (middle school) located in the Joan of Arc School Complex on West 93rd Street. She has a strong background in program development and operations and believes in developing strong long-term relationships with community residents, including children, to ensure they have a safe space to learn, play and discover the world around them. Because of her bi-racial background and life-long connection to the Latino community on the Upper West Side, she is able to communicate with diverse audiences and creates a personal connection with the people and groups she works with. Kelley attended BMCC and studied philosophy, anthropology and sociology.

Valley Lodge