Holly Kelly is a Human-Centered Technology Specialist with the Learning Technology Center. She works in partnership with ROE 9 and the Illinois State Board of Education’s Social-Emotional Learning Hubs, where she collaborates with superintendents, Regional Offices of Education (ROEs), administrators, educators, and students across Illinois. Holly is vital in helping school communities foster responsible digital citizenship, create thriving online spaces, and integrate social-emotional learning within an AI-driven, tech-enhanced world.
Holly is deeply passionate about digital thriving, the balance between leveraging technology for growth and maintaining essential human connections. Through nearly 20 years of experience, she has committed herself to helping educators and school leaders navigate this complex intersection, ensuring that technology enhances well-being rather than overwhelms it. Her work is rooted in the belief that thriving in a digital world requires technical skills, emotional intelligence, thoughtful reflection, and a clear sense of purpose.
A former Regional Educational Technology Coordinator, secondary-level English teacher, and high school library media specialist, Holly brings a broad, well-rounded perspective to her work. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island College and a master’s from Eastern Illinois University. Holly is certified as a Google Education Trainer, Google Certified Educator, and Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIEE). Her love of research and discovery fuels her mission to integrate evidence-based practices into every facet of her work, ensuring that educators, administrators, and students are empowered to thrive in their digital and oxygenated lives.
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