Growing up, she watched her mother progress from classroom teacher to assistant principal and eventually school district administrator. Keener began following that path at an early age, helping teach Sunday school classes at her family's church.
"I've always valued education and working with kids. I've wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of others," Keener said.
Nearly 30 years into her career, Keener has reached a major professional milestone. She was recently named assistant principal at Bulverde Creek Elementary School in the North East Independent School District (NEISD).
Her promotion follows the completion of a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from A&M-San Antonio. The degree is part of the University's Educational Leadership Program, which prepares aspiring school leaders through master's degrees and principal and superintendent certification programs. This fall, the program will expand even further with the launch of A&M-San Antonio's first doctoral degree, Ed.D. in Educational Leadership.
Keener began teaching in NEISD in 1997 and later enrolled her four children in district schools. After taking time away from the classroom to raise her family, she returned to Bulverde Creek Elementary in 2013.
When the time came to pursue school leadership, A&M-San Antonio was a natural choice. Already familiar with The Texas A&M University System through her bachelor's degree in elementary education from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Keener saw the Educational Leadership Program as the ideal next step in her career.
"At the end of the 2023-24 school year, my life was at a point where I felt like I could move forward," she said. "My last child was getting ready to finish high school, and I thought, 'I finally have the time to dedicate to going through the program.'"
Keener said one of the program's greatest strengths was learning directly from experienced educators, including University faculty, school principals and district administrators.
"We learned what is really going on in our schools from the administrators," she said.
Wowek Kearney, professor of educational leadership, taught Keener during the program and said she distinguished herself both in and out of the classroom. As a graduate research assistant, Keener collaborated with faculty to identify common characteristics of high-performing schools across South Central Texas.
"We are so proud of Kelley, and we have no doubt she is going to represent herself and the University well as she serves her campus community," Kearney said.
Lawrence Scott, associate professor of educational leadership, also praised Keener's ability to translate what she learned into meaningful improvements on campus.
"She has an unparalleled ability to meld theory and practice," Scott said. "She led several groups and created real-world solutions to challenges faced on her own campus, based on research that informed the practices learned in class."
Keener credits her experience at A&M-San Antonio with strengthening her confidence as a leader and preparing her for the transition from classroom teacher to school administrator.
"It's going to be different for me because I've been a teacher for so long," she said. "But Bulverde Creek has a great culture, and through building relationships and supporting others, I hope to continue to influence the school in a positive way."