Stephany Baker

Stephany D. Baker joined External Relations in February 2023.  As our inaugural Assistant Vice President for Culture and Community, she leads External Relations’ commitment to fostering a culture and community that cultivates opportunities for collaboration, learning, development, and workforce appreciation in the service of Stanford University as a purposefully people-centered workplace.

Stephany has over 23 years of experience in higher education administration and driving DEIB change initiatives. She returned to Stanford University from UC Berkeley after serving three years as the Executive Director for the Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership. As Executive Director, she was responsible for setting the institute's strategic vision and developing mission-aligned partnerships. Continuing her work in leading DEIB change initiatives, she developed the course Creating Inclusive Workplaces for the College of Engineering, Executive and Professional Education program and has presented as a guest lecturer for several graduate leadership classes and external events.

Stephany is a native Californian. She received her Master of Science in Leadership from Grand Canyon University, College of Business, and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a minor in Criminal Justice from San Jose State University. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, whose mission is to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship among college women, to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women to improve their social stature, to maintain a progressive interest in college life, and to be of "Service to All Mankind." She has dedicated her life to being a servant leader who encourages and invests in the dreams of others to maximize their greatest potential and perform for a higher purpose to meet the greater good. Before her arrival in higher education, she was a long-time activist in social justice reform. Stephany worked for the Santa Clara County Juvenile Probation Department, focusing on restorative justice programs and juvenile drug treatment courts.