Mrs. Kimberly Vaught has served for 24 years as a classroom teacher, teacher coach, school turnaround principal and Executive Director of Leadership Development. Kimberly is a results-driven educational leader with a proven record of converting low-performing schools to the highest-ranking schools in the district and state within just one academic year. Kimberly most recently served as the turnaround principal in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District, where she led the schools to historical academic gains, growing schools from the state’s low performing-list to the second highest growing elementary schools in the state of North Carolina and the highest growing elementary schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School. Under Kimberly’s leadership, Allenbrook Elementary moved from a letter grade of ‘F’ to a ‘B’ in just under two school years, performing in the top 1% of all schools in the state of North Carolina. Additionally, under Kimberly’s leadership at Allenbrook, the school achieved 100% retention rate for classroom teachers for two consecutive years (21-22 and 22-23). Kimberly has successfully led several turnaround initiatives and has a proven track record for developing school communities that have historically underperformed. At the state level Kimberly served as a guest fellow with the North Carolina ACCESS Fellows institute sponsored through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Further, in 2020 Kimberly was recruited to serve as a member of the North Carolina State Board of Education Literacy Task Force. Kimberly has worked in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District for 24 years, having launched her educational career in eastern North Carolina. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and Masters of Education in Reading Education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Additionally, Kimberly earned a Masters of Education in School Administration from Gardner-Webb University. Kimberly was named Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ West Learning Community Principal of the Year in September 2022. As a three-time Principal of the Year recipient and Ed.D. candidate, she utilizes her outstanding motivational and collaborative abilities to energize teachers and staff to provide the highest-quality learning environment for all students. She is a driven, solutions-oriented principal who brainstorms innovative solutions, and unites her team to drive these ideas to fruition. As a trusted mentor, she routinely provides professional development for school districts, schools, principals, assistant principals, and staff members across the nation, leading to the creation of lifelong learners and future community leaders. Kimberly and her husband Lewis are the proud parents of two daughters, Kaylah and Kylee.