Meet the Team
Professional headshot of Keli Books, with a blurred landscape background.

Keli Books

Associate Vice President for Philanthropy
Phone (605) 697-7475

Keli Books is an Associate Vice President for Philanthropy at the SDSU Foundation. She joined the team in 2015 and spent her first eight years as the Development Director for the College of Education & Human Sciences. Keli is from both Brainerd, MN and Sioux Falls, SD – living parts of her childhood in both. She attended the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, MN and was also a swimmer. She graduated with a BA in Elementary Education. For 9 years, Keli was an elementary teacher with the Brookings School District. While teaching, she developed a deep passion for building connections with children and their families. She worked to develop and deliver an individual-centered approach to math education. Keli now serves on the Brookings School Board. Keli lives in Brookings with her husband, Peter, and their two daughters, Stella, and Nellie. They all love cheering on the Jackrabbits! In her free time, Keli loves being at the lake with her family, cooking for friends, and chasing her girls around the backyard.

"Raising a family with SDSU as a part of your village is a blessing. How lucky are we to experience the joy of being part of the Jackrabbit family daily? Lucky."

- Keli Books