Kelli Thuli Crane

Kelli Thuli Crane has substantive knowledge in the development and implementation of transition-related strategies to improve post-school outcomes for transition age youth with disabilities. She is currently directing a random control trial funded by the US Department of Education on work-based learning initiatives for students with disabilities.  She brings two decades of experience serving in significant leadership roles on several highly visible research and model demonstration projects for OSERS, SSA, and NIDILRR, including serving as the co-principal investigator for the Maryland PROMISE from 2016.

In 1996, Kelli completed her Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in vocational special needs education.  She received masters from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in rehabilitation psychology and graduated with high honors from University of Wisconsin-Stout with a bachelor’s degree in vocational rehabilitation and secondary special education. Early in her career she worked as a transition specialist for an urban school district.