ICA Cristo Rey Academy Announces Kirra Steel as President

The Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose are excited to announce the appointment of Kirra Steel as President of ICA Cristo Rey Academy in San Francisco (ICA).

Kirra assumed the role of Interim President in June 2025, after serving as ICA’s Vice President of Development from 2023 to 2025. Her deep understanding of the school’s mission, students, and community, combined with her proven fundraising expertise and effective leadership of ICA’s unique Cristo Rey Corporate Work Study program, are significant strengths that will ensure continued strong leadership of ICA Cristo Rey Academy.

On behalf of the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose, Sister Celeste Marie Botello, Congregational Prioress, shares: “Kirra’s proven executive leadership, respect for the school’s 143-year history, and understanding of its integrated academic and Corporate Work Study program enable her to advance the school’s charism and mission. With the continued partnership of our community and donors, we are confident that Kirra will expand opportunities for students, foster their academic and personal growth, and uphold the enduring values that define ICA Cristo Rey. We look forward to continuing our work with her as President and supporting a future in which every student is empowered to thrive.”

Jim Moloney, Chair of the Search Committee and Vice-Chair of the ICA Cristo Rey Board, affirms: “The ICA board has been impressed with Kirra’s leadership as the Interim President and is excited to partner with Kirra as our next school President. Our Board has worked closely with Kirra over the past year, and we are thrilled that Kirra will continue to lead ICA Cristo Rey through this next chapter of our school’s long history.”

As a member of the Cristo Rey Network of high schools, ICA Cristo Rey launches students into corporate careers the same day they open their textbooks. Every student works one day a week at one of the 120+ Corporate Work Study partners. Every young woman graduates with a high school diploma and a resume with four years of real-world experience. Real work in real corporate offices, one day out of the week.

Kirra is excited to continue to foster this important mission in the San Francisco community: “Over 140 years ago, ICA Cristo Rey’s founders and religious sponsors, the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose, set a clear vision. I am honored to lead ICA Cristo Rey to provide a high-quality Catholic education and invaluable corporate work experience for every single student, regardless of financial circumstances. I am grateful to our sponsors, board, and supporters who invest in our students and their futures. Our young women arrive rooted in the families that shaped them. As we watch our students rise, we witness the community rise with them. I am grateful to be a part of this powerful vision.”

About Kirra Steel

Ms. Kirra Steel has dedicated the past 21 years to nonprofit fundraising in the arts and education fields. She served with organizations committed to bringing equity and accessibility to these fields, with a passion for serving students and families from under-resourced communities. Kirra’s drive to create access to educational and professional opportunities for the next generation of women leaders began with her work with the Jesuit Volunteers Corps after college. She volunteered for one year with Chicago Legal Aid for Incarcerated Mothers and organized and led their weekly classes at Cook County Jail. She then served for two years with Jesuit Volunteers International as a middle school teacher at Queen of Peace Elementary School in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Her professional journey includes key roles at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the International Center of Photography, and Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory. At these institutions she helped secure multi-million dollar gifts for programs and new building projects. Most recently she served on the board of Marin Girls Chorus (2021-2024). Additionally, she has had the great fortune to work with leaders in the Catholic Education field and the opportunity to steep herself in the charisms of the Jesuits, Daughters of Charity, the De La Salle Christian Brothers, and the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose.

Kirra holds a B.A. in English Literature and a Minor in Germanic Languages from UCLA. With her love of linguistics, she is fluent in Italian and proficient in Spanish, Modern Icelandic, Dutch, and Marshallese. She lives with her husband and nine-year old daughter in Mill Valley, California.