With BFA and MFA degrees from the University of Chicago, Lelde has taught art, art history and humanities at a number of colleges and universities, while participating in group and solo exhibitions in the Midwest. She first exhibited her work in Latvia in 1993 and will have a dual exhibition with the work of her father, Janis Kalmite, at the Valmiera Museum in 2007. Returning to graduate school in mid-life, Lelde earned a Ph.D. in art education at the University of Minnesota. Since1995 she has worked as a nonprofit arts administrator. She was president of the American Latvian Artists' Association for six years, and is currently working to establish a center for Latvian diaspora art in Latvia. 


Legudama bakelaura un magistera gradus Cikagas Universitate, Lelde stradaja ka pasniedzeja maksla un makslas vesture vairakas augstskolas, un piedalijas grupu un personal izstades Amerikas Vidiene. Pirmo reiz savus darbus izstadija Latvija 1993. gada, un 2007. gada piedalisies kopiga izstade ar teva, Jana Kalmites darbiem Valmieras muzeja. Kops daktera grada iegusanas makslas pedagogija Minesotas universitate 1995. gada, Lelde strada ka administratora bezpelnas makslas centros. Lelde bija ALMAs prezidente 6 gadus, un sobrid vada projektu dibinat diasporas makslas centru Latvija.