Fadia Desmond serves as President/CEO of St. Francis Catholic High School. She entered the field of Education as a high school English teacher in the Rocklin Unified School District. After spending time in the classroom, Fadia completed a Ph.D. program in Education. The focus of her doctoral research was pathways to success for educationally and economically disadvantaged students in higher education. After several years of working in higher education on the academic and student services sides, Fadia entered Catholic education, drawn to it as a result of her own experience at an all-girl Catholic high school in Los Angeles. Fadia served for three years as an Assistant Principal at St. Francis, followed by four years as an Assistant Prinical at Jesuit High School. Between those two positions, Fadia has overseen 9th and 10th grade Academics, Athletics, Campus Ministry, Facilities, Faculty Professional Development and Growth, Service & Justice, Student Activities and several academic departments including English, Theology, and Visual & Performing Arts.

Education:

• B.A. English, Minor Education – University of California, Los Angeles, 1994
• M.A. Education – Stanford University, 1995
• Ph.D. Education – University of California, Davis, 2004

Credentials:

• CA Clear Single Subject Teaching Credential – English
• Cross-Cultural Language & Academic Development (CLAD) Credential

First year working at St. Francis: 2022