Kelsey Freidel Nelson brings more than 15 years of enrollment and fundraising experience to RNL. In her current role as vice president, she leads key client relationships and serves as a strategic advisor to institutional partners across the country. In this role, Kelsey aligns institutional priorities with RNL’s solutions by identifying growth opportunities throughout the student lifecycle and coordinating cross-functional teams to deliver measurable outcomes.
Previously, as associate vice president of campus engagement, she served as the primary liaison between campus leadership and RNL service units, maintaining a deep understanding of partner goals and success metrics. Kelsey has collaborated with public and private institutions across the U.S. on graduate and online program development, undergraduate student search, digital lead generation, and student success.
Before joining RNL, Kelsey served as executive director of marketing and communications at Mount Marty University, where she helped oversee a 56 percent increase in applications and an 11 percent rise in enrollment. She also held roles as director of annual giving and alumni relations at the University of Sioux Falls and as regional director of Admissions at the University of South Dakota.
Education
Kelsey holds a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of South Dakota, where she also received her bachelor’s degree. She is currently completing her PhD in human development and psychology in education at the University of South Dakota.