Kelsey Kunkle joined SHEEO in 2021 and currently serves as a Senior Policy Analyst. Kunkle first started with SHEEO as a state policy intern. She currently leads the State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) project and supports several other finance and policy projects at SHEEO. Her research interests include higher education finance, equity, governance, and access and affordability.

Prior to joining SHEEO, Kunkle served in multiple student and academic affairs roles at the University of North Texas. In these positions, she primarily supported the academic transitions of community college transfer and returning adult students.

Kunkle earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and master’s degree from Western Carolina University. She is currently completing her Ph.D. in higher education at the University of North Texas where she most recently served as a graduate research assistant prior to joining SHEEO.