Bio
Kathleen Stimely serves as the Director of Program Administration for the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University, bringing fifteen years of specialized experience in character-research grant management to this role. Currently, Kathleen strategically leads the administrative, financial, operational, and talent management functions that support the Program’s mission and growth. Her progressive career trajectory in character-related research initiatives at Wake Forest includes roles as Program Coordinator and Program Manager for the Character Project (2010-2015), Program Manager for the Beacon Project (2015-2018), and Program Manager for the Honesty Project (2018-2020).
Kathleen holds a B.A. in Psychology from Francis Marion University and an M.H.R. from the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. She recently completed an M.A. in Character Education at the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues at the University of Birmingham, supported by the Kern Family Foundation. Her area of focus during her MA program was character education with university staff, work she continues at Wake Forest by developing character-related programming for staff. In 2025, Kathleen completed the Wake Forest Inclusive Leadership Development Program, further strengthening her commitment to fostering collaborative and inclusive leadership practices.