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Dr. Stella Kemp
Dr. Stella Kemp is a transformative educational leader with over 30 years of experience advancing equity, innovation, and operational excellence in K–12 public education. She is a visionary strategist whose leadership has driven system-wide improvement.
Dr. Stella Kemp brings an unparalleled breadth of experience in public education, having served as Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Principal, and Executive Director across multiple California districts. With a strong foundation in both instructional and operational leadership, she has led districts through transformative strategic planning, equity-based budgeting, and facilities modernization, managing budgets up to $550 million and bond programs exceeding $1.1 billion. As Superintendent of Santa Clara Unified, she championed Vision 2035, opened three new schools, expanded professional development systems, and led pandemic response efforts with clarity and compassion. In San Bruno Park, she facilitated fiscal recovery, workforce housing exploration, and district rebranding, while driving innovative PreK–8 transformation and labor collaboration. Her background in educational services and charter oversight is matched by her deep expertise in PLCs, MTSS, equity systems, and instructional leadership. She is a sought-after speaker and thought leader, with published work on school transformation, finance, and governance. Dr. Kemp holds a doctorate in Education Administration and Applied Technology, is CASBO-certified as a Chief Business Official, and is actively engaged in mentoring future leaders across California.
Dr. Stella M. Kemp is a nationally recognized educator and visionary systems leader with more than three decades of transformative impact in public education. From her beginnings as a science teacher to her roles as Superintendent and Chief Business Official, Dr. Kemp has led with a commitment to excellence, equity, and innovation. Her leadership journey spans Texas and California, with notable success as Superintendent in Santa Clara Unified School District and San Bruno Park School District, and as Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations in San Ramon Valley Unified School District.
In Santa Clara, she pioneered Vision 2035—a comprehensive roadmap for instructional innovation, equity-based budgeting, and student-centered redesign—resulting in the launch of new schools, professional learning ecosystems, and one of the state’s most effective pandemic responses. Dr. Kemp has managed budgets exceeding $550 million, overseen more than $1.1 billion in bond-funded capital improvements, and led strategic facilities master planning initiatives to modernize infrastructure in alignment with instructional goals.
An expert in both educational and operational systems, Dr. Kemp blends strategic foresight with fiscal acumen, as evidenced by her CASBO Chief Business Official certification and recent graduation from the FCMAT CBO program. She has built collaborative labor-management cultures, championed social justice initiatives, expanded access for underrepresented students, and helped districts recover financially and reputationally. In parallel to her executive roles, she has served as a mentor with ACSA, faculty member for leadership preparation programs, and a national speaker on leadership, finance, and systems change.
Dr. Kemp holds a Doctor of Education in Education Administration and Applied Technology from the University of North Texas, and a Master’s and Bachelor’s from Texas universities. She continues to give back as a board member, community advocate, and mentor—shaping the future of educational leadership with wisdom, compassion, and unrelenting focus on student success.
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