Katya Armistead

About

Katya Armistead brings over three decades of leadership experience in education and community engagement to her role as Co-Executive Director of Programs at Leading From Within. After serving UC Santa Barbara for 35 years—most recently as Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Life—Katya now leads LFW’s program strategy, recruitment, alumni engagement, and leadership development efforts. She works closely with staff and board members to support innovative programming and strengthen organizational effectiveness.

A lifelong advocate for equity and inclusive leadership, Katya is passionate about cultivating spaces where leaders can thrive. She is a co-facilitator of LFW’s Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) and a proud alum of the Katherine Harvey Fellows (KHF). Her community leadership includes a decade on the Board of Family Service Agency (including as co-chair), co-creating Youth Making Change, a youth-led grantmaking program of The Fund for Santa Barbara, and is currently serving on the Boards of Women’s Economic Venture (WEV), The Association For Women in Communication (AWC-SB), and The Women’s Fund.

Katya earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and her doctorate in Educational Leadership from UC Santa Barbara. She is also a certified trainer for The Leadership Challenge® Workshop, and continues to invest in people and programs that build a more connected, compassionate, and just community.