Dr. Elisa Stephens became President of Academy of Art University in 1992, the third generation of the Stephens family to lead the school since her grandparents founded it in 1929.
Under her leadership, the university has expanded its distinctive, career-focused art and design programs and built a state-of-the-industry campus in downtown San Francisco, supported by advanced technology and a thriving online global presence.
More than 25 years ago, Dr. Stephens pioneered the Academy’s proprietary online education platform for art and design. Today, she has expanded that vision with hybrid classes that enable students around the world to study alongside classmates on campus, using the technology and creative tools located in the Academy’s San Francisco studios.
Focused on preparing students for the future of creative work, Dr. Stephens is now leading the integration of AI into art and design education. She recently launched AI-driven BA and MA programs in Marketing and Advertising and has expanded AI teaching across the university’s schools, which now offer more than 18 courses with AI at their core.
Dr. Stephens is active in national and local organizations, including the Council on Competitiveness in Washington, D.C., Vistage International, the Rotary Club of San Francisco, and the San Francisco Opera Guild. She is also a Smithsonian National Board alumna, having served from 2014 to 2017.
She earned her B.A. in Political Science from Vassar College and her J.D. from the University of San Francisco, where she became a member of the California Bar Association. She also completed the Foundations curriculum at Academy of Art University.
