Meet the Dean
Meet the Dean: Kimberly Mayfield Lynch, EdD
Dr. Kimberly Mayfield Lynch joined KSOE as Dean on July 1, 2026, following a national search. A transformative educational leader, she brings three decades of experience spanning K-12 teaching, higher education administration, and public service, with a distinguished record of advancing educational equity, supporting diverse educators, and building mission driven community partnerships.
Most recently, Dr. Mayfield Lynch served as Deputy Mayor for the City of Oakland, where she mobilized cross sector coalitions connecting education to living wage career pathways. She also served as Chief Learning and Innovation Officer for Oakland Natives Give Back, leading evidence-based learning strategies and partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and community organizations.
In higher education, she was the Founding Dean of the School of Education and Liberal Arts at Holy Names University, where she led successful WASC and CTC accreditation cycles and became the institution's first African American tenured professor. As principal investigator for the federally funded Teacher Apprenticeship Program, she helped train and credential 60 culturally and linguistically diverse teachers for Bay Area districts.
A widely published scholar practitioner, Dr. Mayfield Lynch has written and presented nationally on teacher diversity, urban education, culturally responsive pedagogy, and educational leadership. Her leadership philosophy reflects Saint Mary's Lasallian, Catholic mission, emphasizing transparency, collaboration, and equity centered innovation as she leads KSOE into its next chapter of educational justice and community partnership.
Contact Us
Phone: 925-631-4700
Fax: 925-376-8379
Email: ksoe@stmarys-ca.edu
Mailing Address: PMB 4350, Moraga, CA 94575-4350
Physical Address: 1928 St. Mary's Rd., Moraga, CA 94556
Building: Filippi Academic Hall (FAH), 2nd Floor