Kelsey Black, Program Associate, joined ABA ROLI in April 2024. She is originally from Tucson, Arizona and recently completed her MA in International Studies at the University of Wyoming. Her coursework centered around refugee and migrant experiences and related polices, with her thesis focusing on Muslim refugee and migrant perspectives post-2019 Christchurch, New Zealand terrorist attacks. This involved field research, including interviewing and meeting with members of the Muslim community in Nelson and Christchurch, New Zealand. While completing her master’s degree, Kelsey also worked as graduate assistant and ombudsperson from 2022-2023 to assist fellow graduate students with any conflicts in addition to helping them adjust into the graduate program and into the town.
Kelsey worked for three years as the STEM Curriculum Coordinator at a STEM-based non-profit in Cheyenne, Wyoming providing school aged children opportunities for hands-on activities along with engaging with professionals in the community to learn more about STEM educational and career tracks. She worked to build collaboration programs with the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium, Microsoft, and Department of Defense Starbase Youth Program based in Cheyenne.