Kelly Susanne Geer
Kelly Susanne Geer is an accomplished Upper School English Teacher and CEO of KG Academics with more than two decades of experience across public, private, and international education settings. She brings extensive expertise in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and college-level instruction, and is highly regarded for her ability to teach a diverse range of courses, including honors, advanced, and college preparatory classes. Her students consistently achieve exceptional academic outcomes, including top-tier AP performance, reflecting her commitment to rigorous instruction, research-based pedagogical strategies, and continuous professional growth.
Throughout her career, Kelly has held impactful roles with institutions such as Bartlett City Schools, Gestalt Community Schools, Shelby County Schools, and Memphis Academy of Science & Engineering. She has taught a comprehensive range of secondary English courses, served as an English Department Chair, and supported student success through mentorship and leadership. Her instructional approach emphasizes higher-order thinking skills—including analysis, synthesis, and evaluation—while incorporating cultural context to deepen students’ understanding of literature and the learning process. She remains actively engaged in professional development to ensure her teaching practices evolve alongside the needs of her students.
Kelly’s journey is defined by resilience, determination, and a strong commitment to advocacy for children. Raised in Detroit by a young single mother in conditions of extreme poverty, she overcame significant adversity, including surviving childhood abuse, to build a meaningful and impactful career. Living independently from the age of 17, she financed her education through scholarships and employment, ultimately paying off her education in full. These life experiences have shaped her passion for empowering students, as she believes education is the most powerful vehicle for both personal and professional success. She is deeply committed to inspiring and mentoring younger generations to overcome challenges, emphasizing the importance of perseverance, opportunity, and the transformative power of learning.
• Secondary Education, English 7-12, Certification in Secondary Education, English
• Michigan State University - Eli Broad College of Business - BA Mktg/Hum
• New College of California - MA, Poetics (literature)
• Grand Canyon University - MEd
• National Education Association
• Tennessee Education Association
• Bartlett Education Association
• Tennessee Shakespeare Company
• Tennessee Department of Education Committees
• National Evaluation Association Committees
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my belief in God. My maternal grandfather pretty much raised me, and I live my life to make God proud, myself proud, and my grandpa proud. I grew up in a very religious Catholic family, and in a lot of ways, I think it saved my life. My grandparents were French immigrants, and my grandfather dropped out of school when he came to America when he was in sixth grade, so he was completely illiterate until he was 40 when I was born, and he taught himself how to read and write. I was raised by a tradesman - he was a roofer and had a roofing company, and then when he retired, he became a janitor at our Catholic Church. He was married to my grandma for 64 years. They had 7 kids, 22 grandkids, and they raised us in a tight family. We said Grace before every meal, all the nuns in the community knew our family. My own parents had a lot of their own issues and were very young, so I'm thankful for my grandparents because they provided the stability I needed.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I don't know if I've ever received specific career advice in the traditional sense, but I came from such a tough upbringing that I really had to re-parent myself and go to trauma therapy. I've had some really great mentors - principals and supervisors who saw my talent and recognized that I was a really committed, hard worker. They extended a lot of compassion and help, helping me mature professionally. I never did anything wrong because I'm kind of a goody-goody - I think people who grow up from my background either become extreme perfectionists like me or have a lot of struggles. I became the extreme perfectionist, but with that, I think they understood that I did need some emotional nourishing. Some of them acted like surrogate parents to me with subtle guiding, because they knew I was very talented and they wanted to keep me on track, without me really having to say anything. I think administrators who've worked with children understand and pick up things without having to know the full story. I'm really thankful for that - I really think I've had some quality mentors who saw in me things I couldn't see in myself at that time. I don't think I'd be here without them.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I'm really into health and fitness - I work out every day. I love cooking whole foods. I love reading, writing, and swimming, and I like riding my bike. I love to travel - I've taught internationally and traveled all over the world. It was amazing and I'm glad I did it in my younger years because it's fun and amazing, but it grows you. In my work, I try to see my role as a facilitator to a child's education. I'm fiercely at a stand for our civil liberties, so I strive to really foster a healthy bond with parents and students because I do feel the most important educators in a child's life is the family unit. I've maintained really healthy, positive relationships with former students and former families - some have become like family friends to me. That's something that's been most inspiring to me because I'm not a jealous person at all. I think because I come from such humble beginnings, I really like to see the outcome and results of a quality education. When I see my former students winning, it just inspires me and motivates me even more to keep doing the job. I think it's really important that older generations subtly mentor younger generations, not just in education but in community in general.