Kendra Stearns O'Donnell (born 1944) is an American

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

and painter who served as the 12th

principal Principal may refer to: Title or rank * Principal (academia), the chief executive of a university ** Principal (education), the head of a school * Principal (civil service) or principal officer, the senior management level in the UK Civil Ser ...

Phillips Exeter Academy Phillips Exeter Academy (often called Exeter or PEA) is an Independent school, independent, co-educational, college-preparatory school in Exeter, New Hampshire. Established in 1781, it is America's sixth-oldest boarding school and educates an es ...

Biography

She attended

Emma Willard School Emma Willard School, originally called Troy Female Seminary and often referred to simply as Emma, is an independent university-preparatory day and boarding school for young women located in Troy, New York. Located on Mount Ida, it offers grade ...

, graduating in 1960,

Barnard College Barnard College is a Private college, private Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college affiliated with Columbia University in New York City. It was founded in 1889 by a grou ...

, graduating in 1965, and

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, where she received an M.A. and Ph.D. degree in English. As an assistant professor of English at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

, entering the faculty in 1971, she received, as the first woman to do so, the title of university

marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...

. She served as a program officer at the

Markle Foundation Markle Foundation is a New York–based private foundation established in 1927 by American industrialist and financier John Markle and his wife, Mary. Its focus is technology, health care, and national security National security, or natio ...

, the program director of the

Arthur Vining Davis Arthur Vining Davis (May 30, 1867 – November 17, 1962) was an American industrialist and philanthropist, for many years president, chairman and largest stockholder of the aluminum producer Alcoa. Early history and education Arthur Vining Dav ...

Foundations, and as a consultant and special assistant to the president of the

Rockefeller Brothers Fund The Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) is a philanthropic foundation created and run by members of the Rockefeller family. It was founded in New York City in 1940 as the primary philanthropic vehicle for the five third-generation Rockefeller brothe ...

. She became the first female principal of Exeter in 1987, and served until her retirement 1997. During her time at Exeter, she received significant press coverage over her handling of a scandal involving the firing of a drama teacher, Larry Lane Bateman, over

child pornography Child pornography (also abbreviated as CP, also called child porn or kiddie porn, and child sexual abuse material, known by the acronym CSAM (underscoring that children can not be deemed willing participants under law)), is Eroticism, erotic ma ...

charges in 1992. She currently serves as a member of the board of trustees at the

Hotchkiss School The Hotchkiss School is a private college-preparatory day and boarding school in Lakeville, Connecticut. It educates approximately 600 students in grades 9–12, plus postgraduates. Founded in 1891, it was one of the first English-style boardi ...

;

, where she served as the president of the board prior to becoming principal of Exeter; and the

Currier Museum of Art The Currier Museum of Art is an art museum in Manchester, New Hampshire, in the United States. It features European and American paintings, decorative arts, photographs and sculpture. The permanent collection includes works by Picasso, Matisse, Mo ...

. Past positions of hers include the director of the

New Hampshire Charitable Foundation The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation was established in 1962 as a community foundation and tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity. It is one of the United States' largest community foundations and was formed to build social capital by making grants ...

and the vice-president of the board of the

Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF) is a private, non-profit, land conservation organization, conservation and sustainable forestry organization based in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It purchases or is given easements ...

. O'Donnell is married to Patrick O'Donnell, with whom she has three children, two of which are from a previous marriage. She has received honorary degrees from

New England College New England College (NEC) is a private liberal arts college in Henniker, New Hampshire. It is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. As of fall 2020, the college enrolled 4,327 students (1,776 undergraduate and 2,551 grad ...

and

Hamilton College Hamilton College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Clinton, Oneida County, New York, Clinton, New York. It was established as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy in 1793 and received its c ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:ODonnell, Kendra Stearns 1944 births Living people Emma Willard School alumni Barnard College alumni Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni Princeton University faculty Phillips Exeter Academy faculty 20th-century American women educators 20th-century American educators American women academics 21st-century American women