Kelly McManus

Kelly McManus leads Arnold Ventures’ Higher Education team, driving efforts to increase the return on investment in the higher education system for both students and taxpayers. Under Kelly’s leadership, the team manages a portfolio of research, policy, advocacy, and litigation investments to create lasting policy change in higher education. Kelly brings more than 15 years of education policy and advocacy expertise to this role, consistently working to expand opportunities for access to a high-quality education for all students, and especially for underserved students.

Prior to joining Arnold Ventures, she served as the director of government affairs for EdTrust, directing strategy and legislative advocacy across early childhood, K-12 education, higher education, and appropriations issues. Before coming to Washington, D.C., Kelly worked extensively in state-level education policy and advocacy in Arizona. She also served as a middle school English teacher with Teach For America in Philadelphia.

Kelly earned a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Wake Forest University.