Kelle Stewart

Hometown – Memphis, TN
Undergrad – Emory University, BA, Economics and Education
Graduate School – New York University School of Law, 2004, JD
Current – Instructional Support, Cybersecurity – Trilogy Education, Digital Assessment Manager, WSET Americas – Wine & Spirit Education Trust

Kelle was on her way to becoming a Wall Street attorney when watching the September 11 attacks happen right in front of her set her on the path to transforming American Education. In the more than a decade she spent as an teacher, Math Specialist and District Administrator she negotiated for increased teacher benefits, revolutionized instruction, brought a campus out of School Improvement on the strength of a 25% increase in Math scores and successfully integrated educational technology not only for students but also for teachers, principals and district-level staff.

However, she noticed the software solutions available to school districts weren’t agile, adaptable or customizable and didn’t meet their needs. The disconnect between developers and public servants motivated her to enroll in the Thinkful bootcamp where she gained valuable web development and data analytics skills.

Her company Alva IT, provides these services along with graphic design and creative digital marketing to businesses and non-profits. You can visit the new Ron Brown Scholar Alumni website at alumni.ronbrown.org to see her work in action. The opportunity to harness the power of data, technology and art to connect Ron Brown Scholars as a force for good has been the highlight of her new journey! 

Kelle continues to work with schools in the areas of Computer Science education, STEM Outreach and Technology. She also specializes in creative services including video and music production.

Music is of the utmost importance to Kelle and being born in Memphis, the Birthplace of Soul, it runs through her veins. A classically trained pianist, she composes in numerous genres ranging from country to reggaeton with a particular focus on film scoring. She has studied music production, orchestration and arrangement with the Berklee College of Music and has composed for several commercials.  

Kelle is passionate about the intersections of art, science and service. She believes all of these things unlock the magic of who we are today and inspire us to be greater in the future.