Stephanie A. Royal

Academic administrator Stephanie A. Royal was born on October 18, 1964 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to James E Royal, Jr. and Joan Peterson Royal. She received her B.A. degree in English and finance from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville in 1986; her M.A. degree in educational leadership from Cabrini College in Radnor, Pennsylvania in 2004; and, her Ph.D. degree in executive leadership from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York in 2011.

Royal started her career in 2004 as the chief operating officer at the nonprofit business development firm Axis Partners. In 2007, she joined the National Association of Independent Schools as a diversity trainer and consultant. Then, in 2014, Royal served as director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the Cathedral School of St. John the Divine in New York City, New York and as director of the New York State Youth Mentoring Program. Royal joined the City University of New York (CUNY) LaGuardia Community College in 2016 as an executive director. That same year, she became managing partner at Ravenscourt Partners. In 2018, Royal joined Robin Hood, a New York City-based anti-poverty organization, where she served for more than five years as chief people and culture officer and oversaw human resources and organizational strategy.

Royal taught at Chestnut Hill Academy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 2006 to 2011 and served as an adjunct professor of graduate education at Cabrini College, her alma mater, from 2009 to 2011. She was a board member of the National Association of Independent Schools, Hudson Library, York College, Art OMI, and Nexus Contemporary Art Center. Royal joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in 1984, serving as president and treasurer. Beginning in 1993, Royal served for eight years as vice president and teen advisor at Jack and Jill of America.

Throughout her career, Royal has received numerous awards and honors including the Mover, Shaker, Groundbreaker Award from AKA Sorority, Inc. in 1986; the Community Leadership Award from the Forsyth School in 1998; the New Jersey State Recognition Award from the State of New Jersey in 2008; and the St. John Fisher College Leadership Award from St. John Fisher College in 2011.

She resides in New York City, New York.

Stephanie A. Royal was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on July 19, 2023.