Kaladon Stewart serves as the Director of Athletics at Long Beach City College (LBCC), where his leadership has propelled the athletic department to unprecedented success. Stewart joined LBCC on July 1, 2021, as Interim Athletic Director after spending 13 years at Riverside City College as Director of Compliance and Acting Director of Athletics. He became the permanent Athletic Director in May 2022 and has since led LBCC to remarkable achievements, driving transformative success on and off the field. Under Stewart?s leadership, LBCC athletics has maintained a department-wide GPA of 3.01 since the implantation of the student success program, The Game Plan and Student-Athlete Success Team model 2021?2022 academic year, reflecting a strong commitment to academic success. The department has achieved an 88% persistence rate, a 25% transfer rate, and a 64% priority registration rate, positioning LBCC among the top-performing community college athletic programs in the state. The athletic roster has grown to 500+ student-athletes, sponsoring 18 3C2A sports programs, cheer and esports. Boasting an impressive 89% sense of mattering among student-athletes underscoring the department?s supportive culture. The department hosted the 2024 3C2A Water Polo State Championships the first time earning its 94 state championships as part of its ?Road to 100? goal. Under Stewart, the department LBCC earned 6th place in the 2024 National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) Cup?the highest national finish since the 2005-2006 season. The department?s overall win percentage stands at 62% across all programs, averaging more than 130 academic and athletic awards, with 89% of sports programs earning playoff births annually. Beyond athletic performance, Stewart has strengthened the department?s focus on equity, mental health, and academic support. He partnered with two of Long Beach State?s Kinesiology Department Masters programs; the (MS) in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology and MA in Sports Management programs to provide interns the opportunity to work directly with the LBCC athletic department, foundation, and sports programs. These partnerships allows student-athletes to benefit from mental performance training, including strategies for resilience, focus, and competitive readiness, in addition to proving local university students a solid foundation in the business of sport resulting in meaningful employment. Stewart has also expanded mental health resources by strengthening the connection between the athletic department and LBCC?s Psychological Services. This includes providing on-site counseling and mental health support tailored to the needs of student-athletes, along with workshops on mindfulness and stress management. In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Stewart was honored with the League for Innovation Excellence Award for 2023-2024, which celebrates individuals who have made a significant difference in the lives of students and their communities. With a clear vision for continued success, Stewart remains focused on elevating LBCC?s athletic and academic excellence, reinforcing the transformative power of athletics in shaping student success. "I consider accountability, collaboration, and transparency as cornerstones of my leadership," Stewart said. "I will take concrete action to continually increase goodwill between faculty, coaches, student-athletes, administrators, and stakeholders, both college and community-wide. Altogether, I plan to leverage my expertise, strategic planning, and partnerships with the city of Long Beach's incredible supportive community to further enrich Long Beach City College's historic athletic department and its long-standing reputation as one of the premier athletic and academic programs in the state." Stewart has been very active at the conference and state level, helping co-found the Association of California Community College Eligibility Specialists (ACCCES) in 2017 and serving as the inaugural president of the association. He has also served on the 3C2A Management Council for seven years, Equity and Inclusion Committee for the South Coast Conference (SCC), and the Orange Empire Conference (OEC), as well as the OEC secretary. A Long Beach native, Stewart was born at the Long Beach Naval Station. He is the son of two-tour veteran Michael Stewart and career educator Carla Overstreet-Hanson. He received his Associate's degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Riverside City College before earning a bachelor's degree in Psychology from California Baptist University. He was a MBA Fellowship Recipient at the Anderson Graduate School of Management, where he earned his MBA with a focus on Sport Management and Fundraising. Stewart is currently a Doctoral Candidate at Arizona State University?s Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, focusing on innovative and holistic interventions for student-athlete and students of color academic success. He is proudly married to UCLA Public Policy professor, Dr. Jasmine Hill-Stewart.