User Profile

Chief Executive Officer, KIPP Bay Area Schools

Beth Sutkus Thompson is KIPP Bay Area’s founding executive director. Previously, she was the West Coast Trailblazer at KIPP, where she was responsible for creating and implementing KIPP’s strategic growth plan for the west coast. During Beth’s time at KIPP, she secured six charters for new KIPP schools in California, negotiated operating agreements with school districts, raised $2.6 million in public start-up funding, sourced suitable school buildings and partnered with nonprofit, public and private entities to lease them, and developed broad-based community support for KIPP. Prior to her work at KIPP, Beth was on the founding team of NewSchools Venture Fund, a venture philanthropy firm investing in entrepreneurial ventures that are transforming our public education system. At NewSchools, Beth provided strategic consulting and operational support to several non-profit ventures in the portfolio, managed the due diligence and business plan review process, and spearheaded various events and initiatives to engage NewSchools’ network of business, education, and policy leaders. Beth also has experience in social enterprise, international education, and as the volunteer leader of an after-school program. Beth has a BA in political science, MA in education, and an MBA with a certificate in nonprofit management, all from Stanford University. She is a Fellow of the 15th class of the Pahara - Aspen Education Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.