Kelly Gerstbacher works in WestEd's Regional Educational Laboratory West (REL West), 1 of 10 RELs funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

Gerstbacher works primarily in the Fast Response Applied R&D Unit, which focuses on getting evidence-based information and unbiased analyses about current education issues and trends to policymakers and practitioners served by REL West and nationally. She supports the REL West team in adhering to Institute of Education Sciences guidelines for research study styles and helps track the progress of research studies from their proposal stages through publication. She also provides other administrative support.

Prior to joining WestEd, Gerstbacher worked for the Stupski Foundation, a social justice driven foundation focused on education reform.

Gerstbacher received a BA from Boston University and a MA in consciousness with a concentration in dreams at John F. Kennedy University.