Stefanie Phillips is an expert in innovative talent management systems and system change efforts. As Chief Talent Officer, she leads WestEd’s Human Resources, Learning & Development, and Employee Experience and Belonging teams, and she is responsible for developing and implementing innovative strategies for the agency and modernizing the agency approach to talent development and management.
Phillips is the former Chief Executive Officer of the Chamberlin Education Foundation (CEF), where she directed grant-making and programmatic investments that support West Contra Costa (WCC) Unified School District’s (CA) educators and leaders, WCC charter school quality, local community leaders, and education advocates.
Additionally, Phillips served as Superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD). As the first African American to serve as Superintendent of SAUSD, she focused on increasing leader efficacy to drive instructional improvements. Coupled with her expertise in financial management and system leadership, Phillips increased supports to students while balancing budgets and rightsizing the organization.
Before serving as Superintendent, she served as both an Assistant and a Deputy Superintendent (Ontario, Chino, CA; Clayton County, GA, respectively), a Chief Business Officer (Grant Joint Union High School District, Sacramento, CA), and a staff analyst at the California Department of Finance
