Influential Woman · Education

Stephanie Keaney

Executive Director, North Carolina Association of Independent Schools

Greensboro, NC

2Awards received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Elementary Education degree Degree Appalachian State University Degree 1996 Degree MBA Degree University of North Carolina at Greensboro Degree 2021 Member Council on American Private Education (CAPE) Member North Carolina Representative Member Independent School Association Network (ISANET)

Her Story

About Stephanie

I've been in education for 30 years, and it's been an incredible journey. I started my career in the classroom as a kindergarten teacher, then moved into first grade, and later became a science teacher and department chair. I led our reaccreditation team before joining NCAIS in 2011. At NCAIS, I've held a variety of roles - Director of Professional Development, Director of Operations, Associate Director, and now Executive Director. Most days include legislative advocacy, governance consulting for schools, helping connect schools to each other and to potential resources, and leading workshops and retreats. I'm most proud of what we accomplished during the COVID crisis in spring 2020, when I pulled together a group of education experts and thought leaders across the country to quickly put together a robust program to help teachers navigate the changing educational landscape. We were able to touch several thousand teachers in independent schools across the United States and the globe. Even though I'm far removed from a classroom now, I'm still a teacher at heart, whether I'm leading a retreat for boards that lead schools or, like last week, leading a workshop for administrative assistants on how to leverage AI to help them do their jobs better.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Stephanie

01What do you attribute your success to?

I think other people giving me an opportunity to lead in circumstances where I hadn't had a chance to lead yet. That's really what made the difference for me - having people believe in me and trust me with leadership roles even before I had proven myself in those areas.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I ever received was to be curious. When there's a new opportunity or a potential conversation that you can have with someone, just be curious and see where that conversation or that opportunity takes you. That curiosity has opened so many doors for me throughout my career.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would say speak up for yourself. Advocate for what you need in order to grow as a professional, and make sure you let your light shine. Don't hold back or wait for others to notice you - be proactive about your own growth and let people see what you're capable of.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

I think education in general is under a microscope, and teachers in particular are not always held in the highest regard as professionals. Part of my job is making sure that educators are given the autonomy to be professionals, to teach their students in the ways that they know can reach their students. That's one of the biggest challenges we face right now - ensuring teachers get the respect and professional autonomy they deserve.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

The values that I hold most closely are integrity, responsibility, and compassion. I think being accountable and doing what you say you're going to do is so important. And compassion matters deeply to me - everybody is doing the best they can, and I ask myself, what can I do to help ease that burden? That's what I try to do every day.

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