Kelli Best-Oliver has worked in education in St Louis for over fifteen years, and has worked in in suburban, charter, and district public schools.  Most recently, she spent six years working for St Louis Public Schools Central Office, first as an ELA curriculum coordinator for schools under a federal School Improvement Grant, then as a literacy curriculum coordinator and the supervisor of libraries. Kelli is passionate about literacy and equity in urban education and believes that all students are capable and deserving of rich literate lives. Her work at LitShop allows her to help girls create their own means of construction and direct their own hands-on learning. Kelli is a proud alumni of Truman State University, and her four years on the TSU women’s soccer team laid the groundwork for her belief in the power of women in pursuit of a common goal. She lives in the Carondelet neighborhood with her family and is the parent of two SLPS students.