Biography
Kimberly Conley was born in Van Nuys, California in 1972. She grew up in Southern California with her parents and brother. As a young child, Kimberly attended Granada Hills Baptist Elementary and Los Angeles Baptist High School. She enjoyed activities such as gymnastics, horseback riding, and swimming. In 1985, at the age of 13 her parents decided to move the family to a more rural environment, Merced California. Here Kimberly attended Hoover Junior High, Merced High School, and California State University, Stanislaus. While at Stanislaus, Kimberly found her passion in History and was a member of the Phi Alfa Theta Honors Society. She graduated from Stanislaus with a Bachelor of Arts in History.
After Graduation, Kimberly married her husband Michael and moved to San Luis Obispo, Ca where she pursued a teaching credential from Chapman University. She began teaching at Mesa Middle School in Arroyo Grande, Ca. After receiving her teaching credential from Chapman University, Orange, Kimberly began teaching Honors English at Los Alisos Intermediate School. She soon rose to leadership and became Saddleback Valley Unified School District’s Writing and Technology Education Director. As part of her leadership role she participated in UCI Writing Project, Pathway instructor, and began presenting her process for the use of technology when teaching writing. She presented at UC Irvine Writing Project, and CTE (California Technology Education) Conferences in Palm Desert, Ca and Monterey, Ca. As a director, Kimberly was also introduced to the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program where she became a huge advocate.
In 2006, Kimberly sought a master’s degree at Concordia University, Irvine. She used her knowledge of writing and AVID to conduct a study for improving students’ school success. This approach looked at the whole student not just the academic aspects. She received a Master of Arts in Education Degree with a focus on Educational Administration in 2008.
With her husband’s job driving where her family lived, they moved back to Merced, Ca. Kimberly was able to teach English and AVID at her alma mater Merced High School. Here she grew the AVID program leading to successful graduation rates for college bound students. Another leadership opportunity came when the district opened an all-technology high school, El Capitan. This high school was one of a kind, using technology to drive the learning process. Because of this unique feature, students had access to more tools than the typical high school offered. Kimberly was put in charge of community outreach, and faculty training. The drive was to AVIDize the school, giving every child access to a lifelong learning attitude. Kimberly took the concepts that she studied in her master’s project and spread them school-wide creating one of the most successful high schools in the nation. The school won many awards for the forward-thinking concepts she and the staff implemented.
During Covid her husband was presented with several opportunities to move the family across the country, eventually settling in West Palm Beach. Looking for a change of pace, Kimberly decided to look for a position in Higher Education. After meeting with Dr. Tobin, she decided to take the Physician Associate Program Specialist position where she will have an opportunity to develop PBA’s PA Medicine program and its corresponding Student Success Program known as Refuge.