Kathy Kemper
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kathy Kemper | |
|---|---|
 Kemper in 2025 | |
| Born | July 17, 1953 Northfield, Illinois, U.S. |
| Other names | Coach |
| Occupations | Executive, Tennis Coach, Writer, Philanthropist |
| Organization | Institute for Education |
| Spouse |
James I. Valentine
(m. 1990; died 2021) |
| Children | Kelsey Kemper Valentine, Christina Kemper Valentine |
| Parent(s) | James Kemper, Joan Sealy |
Kathy "Coach" Kemper (born July 17, 1953) is an American executive, tennis coach, writer, and philanthropist. Kemper rose to prominence in the tennis scene, eventually heading the women's tennis team at Georgetown University, where she earned the nickname "Coach". Kemper has spent more than 30 years coaching movie stars, professional athletes, monarchs, Supreme Court Justices, Ambassadors, members of Congress, intelligence agency directors, and individuals from seven White House administrations.[1]
In 1992, Kemper founded the Institute For Education (IFE), a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that recognizes and promotes leadership, civility, and the search for common ground locally, nationally, and in the world community.[2] The institute has come to host many famous guests, including Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Arianna Huffington.[1]
Kemper is also an op-ed writer and columnist, and has a regular Huffington Post blog.[3] Her work has been featured in The Globalist, The Hill, USA Today, Roll Call, The Washington Examiner, Newsday, Bangkok Post and The Washington Diplomat.[4]
In 2024, Kemper released a tennis dress in collaboration with the fashion brand Tuckernuck.[5]
In 2025, Kemper was inducted into the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin.
Kathy Kemper was born in Northfield, Illinois to Joan Sealy and James Kemper. She attended Marillac High School, where she captained the basketball team and graduated in 1971. Soon after, Kemper enrolled in Marymount College near Boca Raton, Florida on a tennis scholarship. During her time there, she was denied entry into a collegiate tennis tournament due to her athletic scholarship. Kemper's coach, Peachy Kellmeyer, among others, challenged the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women on their anti-scholarship policy. The resulting court case helped bring about essential reform in women's athletics in the form of Title IX legislation.
Kemper was the head women's tennis coach at Georgetown University from 1978 to 1990, coaching Georgetown's No.1 player to a four-year undefeated match play streak and to the Big East and NCAA National Women's Division II title in 1983.[6]
During her time as Georgetown's head women's tennis coach, Kemper helped launch Women at the Net: a celebrity benefit tournament where participants would play against Georgetown's current team. In 1986 alone, the New York Times reported that seven U.S. senators, the Secretary of the Treasury, four Ambassadors, and the Republican National Chairman would be in attendance.
After Georgetown, Kemper began to focus on private tennis lessons, entrepreneurship, and the development of her nonprofit, the Institute for Education. For this work, Kemper has been honored by the Swedish, Japanese, and Chinese governments.
Kemper is a board member and Champion of Journey to Lead, an organization for scouting women in leadership positions.[7]
In 2022, Kemper was one of the first two women inducted as a “Friend” of the selective Gridiron Club.
In 2025, the Washington Post Intelligence Global Security Council announced its founding membership, with Kemper among those named.
Kemper is currently an AI Ambassador for AIGrrls, a trustee emeritus for Learn Serve International, and an investor focusing on biotech and healthcare with Family Futures LLC.[8]