Rosemary Campbell-Stephens MBE

Speaker Summary

Rosemary Campbell-Stephens is an educator who received her professional training in England, but her breadth of experience is international. She is a Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Education, University College London, and a professional associate at Leeds Beckett University; she started her teaching career as a teacher of English.

Her groundbreaking leadership work as part of the UK government’s multi-million pound London Challenge Initiative in 2003-2011 was developing a leadership preparation programme focusing on increasing the numbers of Black and Asian leaders in London Schools, for the IoE, UCL. Investing in Diversity became the catalyst for all subsequent leadership programmes addressing the under-representation of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic leaders in England’s schools’ sector. In 2009, a sister programme, Leading for Equity, was launched at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Canada.

Campbell-Stephens frames her work through a critical race lens and describes herself as an anti-racist, Pan African paradigm shifter. She is a keynote speaker in her areas of expertise and passion, focused on the concept of developing a Global Majority mindset in leadership, decolonising leadership preparation and addressing inequity and social justice in education. She currently speaks, writes and delivers leadership development programmes for clients across the globe.

In 2016 she was awarded an MBE for thirty-five years’ service to education in the United Kingdom –  she was honoured to accept the award for her activism. As a junior elder, she embraces the label disruptor and activist and is rarely in her lane.

Areas of Expertise

Equity and Inclusion – Leadership and Management