Commissioner Dr. Kelly Peppard

Kelly serves as a substitute teacher and is authoring a book about living with mental illness and her experience getting help. She previously taught in Denver Public Schools and instructed at Front Range Community College and the School of the Rockies. Her experience includes consulting and titles as HR director, controller, and accounting and finance manager. 

She earned a Doctor of Management degree from Colorado Technical University in Colorado Springs. Her dissertation, inspired by her personal experience with the criminal justice system, focused on the strategies that nonprofit leaders need to improve the well-being of those who suffer from mental health conditions. 

“This traumatic experience profoundly changed my perspective on mental health, the justice system, and the urgent need for compassionate support for individuals facing similar challenges,” Kelly said of her involvement with the criminal justice system.

Kelly also holds a master’s degree in Communication from Southern New Hampshire University and a bachelor’s degree in Social Justice from Metropolitan State University of Denver.