Kelliann Beavers is a Research Associate at The Lincy Institute and Brookings Mountain West. She received her doctorate in Public Affairs in 2021 from UNLV's School of Public Policy and Leadership. Her dissertation and its subsequent research focus on the policy factors influencing the regional development of transit. Her research is informed by an expertise in metropolitan studies, urban form, and governance. These intellectual foundations were cultivated through mentorship by Dr. Robert Lang, whom she supported with research and teaching throughout her doctorate. Kelliann's commitment to nuanced, impactful qualitative research is continued through her role in a Brookings Institution and UNLV collaborative study researching Nevada's economic recovery from and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This research emphasizes the imperative for an equitable recovery, conscious of how societal crises amplify inequity. This amplification is a call for more equitable policy in non-crisis times as well as during societal upheaval.

Kelliann holds a Master of Science in Community & Regional Planning from the University of Texas, Austin, where she studied issues of environmental justice, theories of democracy, and community engagement. She is an instructor at UNLV teaching Organization Theory, with prior experience teaching Civic Engagement in Urban Communities, Intergovernmental Relations, Urban Planning Theory, and Governance in the United States. Her professional background in urban planning informs her teaching and research, as does her background with the startup company, State of Place: an urban design data analytics company providing data-driven assessments of spatial equity, pedestrian safety, and livability.