Kelli's interest in design first began as a child when she would make clothing for her porcelain dolls and stuffed animals.

She attended Robert C Byrd High School, where in her senior year she participated in the Junior Theater and contributed in the making of costumes for the productions of  "Little Women","Jungle Book", and "Funny Girl".

Kelli was encouraged by one of  her teachers to enter a dress design in the
Star Search Competion that was being held at the school.  She won 3rd place and a scholarship from that design.

She went on to attend West Virginia University where she majored in Design Tech, and was part of the props and costume crews for several of WVU Division of Theatre & Dance Productions such as "Macbeth", "Broadway","Flyin West", and "Pippin".

Kelli has also worked on the production of
"The Merchant of Venice" at the Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre in New York .  
"Richard the III",." Mousetrap", and "Twelfth Night:" at the
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival in Allentown Pennsylvania,
and on "Annie", "Anything Goes", and "Fiddler on the Roof" for
The West Virgina Public Theatre in Morgantown West Virginia.