Kelly Bidle joined the Lawrence Hopewell Trail Board of Trustees in June 2026, where she contributes her expertise to the organization’s grant writing and fundraising efforts. She is the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Rider University.
Before assuming her current leadership role, Kelly served as a National Science Foundation-funded researcher and professor from 1996 to 2019, followed by six years as Dean of Rider University’s College of Arts and Sciences. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Maryland.
Kelly has a long history of community service in Lawrence Township. She previously served on the Board of the Lawrence Township Community Foundation and held several leadership positions with the Lawrence Township Education Foundation, including Vice President and President.
An avid runner, walker, and cyclist, Kelly and her family enjoy the Lawrence Hopewell Trail nearly every day. She believes the LHT is one of Mercer County’s hidden gems and is passionate about helping preserve, expand, and promote the trail so it can be enjoyed by generations to come.