Elisa Stephens

Elisa Stephens
Born 1959
San Francisco
Residence San Francisco
Citizenship American
Education BA and JD
Alma mater Vassar College and University of San Francisco
Occupation Lawyer and university president
Years active 1992 to present
Title President of Academy of Art University
Board member of Smithsonian National Board[1]
Website Academy of Art University

Elisa Stephens (born 1959)[2] is a California lawyer and the president of Academy of Art University.

Education

Stephens attended the Crystal Springs Uplands School, a private high school located in Hillsborough, California.[3] She received her Bachelor of Arts in political science at Vassar College. Stephens received her JD from the University of San Francisco in 1985. From 1985 to 1986, she served as a law Clerk at the San Francisco Superior Court.[4]

Career

After passing the California State Bar, Stephens worked as in-house counsel at Cellular Holdings, Inc., as a contributing editor to Barclays Law Publishers, and as counsel for the Academy of Art University until 1992.[4] She is the third generation of Stephens to own and operate the university. Her grandfather, Richard S. Stephens, founded the university in 1929, and her father, Richard A. Stephens, became President of the university in 1951. Stephens herself became President of the university in 1992.[5] Since the beginning of her tenure, Stephens has increased the student enrollment at the university by more than ninefold.[6] She has also aligned the university with technological developments in the artistic industries, offering new courses for new technologies that are shaping those industries.[2][7] Stephens also developed the country’s first accredited online professional and fine art education program.[8] Under her tenure, the university has become the largest privately owned university of art and design in the United States.[9][10] Stephens is also a contributor to the Huffington Post.[9]

Personal life

Stephens is an avid collector of antique cars, which are exhibited in the university's Classic Car Collection museum. Stephens began her personal collection in the 1990s, focusing on the period of cars produced in the 1930s.[11]

Stephens resides in the Nob Hill neighborhood of San Francisco. Her house has been described as "a work of art" by the San Francisco Chronicle.[5] Historically known as the 'Jewel Box', it was built in 1913 for a San Francisco bachelor.[5] Legend says there once was a tunnel that ran under California Street from the residence’s bar room to what is now the Pacific-Union Club, so that mistresses could enter and leave the residence without drawing attention.[5] According to the Chronicle, it "stands as a tribute to Bay Area high society".[5] Stephens shares the Beaux Arts style home with her husband and their son.[12][13] In 2015 Stephens was named to the Haute 100 by Haute Magazine in the Commanders category, citing her university presidency and her position on the Smithsonian National Board as of 2014.[14]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.si.edu/giving/leadership/smithsonian-national-board
  2. 1 2 Mike Aldax (March 4, 2010). "Elisa Stephens is changing the role of art". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  3. ↑ Seán Martinfield (October 7, 2010). "Dr. ELISA STEPHENS – My Visit with the President". San Francisco Sentinel. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Who’s Who: DR. ELISA STEPHENS, PRESIDENT". Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Sophie Brickman (May 22, 2011). "Elisa Stephens of Academy of Art University". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  6. ↑ Lee Romney (July 9, 2012). "San Francisco rule would encourage building student housing". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  7. ↑ Complete Book of Colleges, 2005. Princeton Review. 2004. p. 974. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  8. ↑ Sarah Duxbury (July 10, 2006). "Executive profile: Elisa Stephens". San Francisco Business Times. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  9. 1 2 "Elisa Stephens". Huffington Post. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Academy of Art University Raises Significant Funds with Fine Art Auction". Art Daily. November 8, 2008. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  11. ↑ Shilpika Lahri. "Elisa Stephens In The Fast Lane". Soma Magazine. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  12. ↑ Jenny Bradley. "Inspire Me: Renovated San Francisco Home". Traditional Home. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Done Deals: Metro Phoenix priciest home sales". The Arizona Republic. March 15, 2013. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  14. ↑ Kelly E. Carter (January 30, 2015). "Haute 100 San Francisco 2015". Haute Living. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
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