San Diego, California, United States
Dr. Kimberly A. White-Smith is a professor, speaker, and nationally recognized leader in education, community engagement, and leadership development. She serves as Dean of the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) at the University of San Diego, where she has led transformative initiatives that expand opportunity, strengthen communities, and reimagine the role of higher education in advancing the public good. With more than 30 years of experience spanning urban schools, higher education, nonprofit leadership, and philanthropy, Dr. White-Smith has dedicated her career to advancing academic justice and creating pathways of access and belonging for historically marginalized communities. Her work focuses on building systems that recognize and celebrate diverse ways of learning, leading, and thriving. Under her leadership, SOLES has launched and expanded several nationally recognized initiatives, including the Black InGenius Initiative (BiGI), which welcomes youth of all backgrounds and their families who face barriers to educational success; the Center for Embodied Equity and Neurodiversity (CEEN); the expansion of the Tele-Mental Health Training Clinic serving military personnel, veterans, and their families; and the Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) 2.0, which supports communities and school systems across California in building trust, collaboration, and meaningful engagement. A former public school teacher and lifelong advocate for urban education, Dr. White-Smith is a sought-after speaker on leadership, educational transformation, community engagement, neurodiversity, and women in leadership. She serves as Vice President of Division K of the American Educational Research Association and is the immediate past president of the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education. She also serves on the boards of WestEd, the Monarch School Project, and the Kinship Fund. Her leadership has been recognized through numerous honors, including being named one of San Diego's 50 Black Leaders of Influence, receiving the Edward C. Pomeroy Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teacher Education, and the Karen and Tom Mulvaney Spirit of Community Award. Dr. White-Smith continues to build a legacy dedicated to expanding opportunity, cultivating belonging, and preparing leaders who strengthen institutions and communities alike.
I lead transformative higher education initiatives, building programs, partnerships, and pathways that expand access, strengthen outcomes, and connect institutions to communities.
Kimberly White-Smith was the inaugural Dean of the La Fetra College of Education at the University of La Verne. The University has a population of Latino students that exceeds 40 percent, and is a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). The LaFetra College of Education serves to recruit and train high quality education professionals to support the children, youth and families in our urban and rural schools and communities.