EVENTS

Monday, January 26, 2026

The speaker will be: Dr. Stefan Bean

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“The Many Challenges That God Has Brought Me Through.”

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Stefan Bean was abandoned in Vietnam when he was a child, evacuated during the

war, and adopted into a foster home in San Diego that took in more than 150 children.

He spent much of his early schooling out of class due to surgeries and language

barriers. One teacher made a different call. She saw potential in him, that he had

excellent speaking skills.

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Years later, Bean leads the education of 450,000 students in Orange County, California.

In this conversation, he reflects on the small moments that shaped his path and how

those early experiences still guide his decisions today. He also challenges how we

define student potential and shares what most people don’t see about how California’s

education system works behind the scenes.

 

Talking Points:

 Abandoned as an infant.

 Sent to a foreign country and a foreign language.

 Had multiple surgeries due to polio.

 Is confined to a wheelchair.

 A teacher told him that he had excellent public speaking skills.

 He became a straight-A student, and earned a scholarship to USC.

 His wife died leaving him to raise their four children.

 He now leads 450,000 students across 28 districts in CA.