Kelsey Elder is an educator, typographer, and type-technology enthusiast based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA). He is currently an Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, where he teaches graphic design, critical studies, and typeface design and history. He has previously taught at the Rhode Island School of Design, Purchase College of the State University of New York, and Virginia Commonwealth University. He received his BFA in Graphic Design from the Minneapolis College of Design, his MFA in 2-d Design from the Cranbrook Academy of Art, and is a graduate of the Typeface Design Intensive at the University of Reading and the Expert Type Design Class at the Plantin Institute of Typography.
He regularly gives workshops on type design (including variable fonts and color fonts) in schools and professional venues; most recently at ATypI Brisbane (Association Typographique Internationale) and for educational institutions. His research on the socio-cultural impact of typographic technology and pedagogical approaches to teaching the subject have been shared through venues such as TypeCon, LAABF, the Herb Lubalin Center at Cooper Union, Museum Plantin-Moretus, The New School, Mercedes-Benz, Boston University, and the University of Texas.