The Principal
Cynthia Bruno
Cynthia Bruno took the helm at Rise STEM Academy in July 2024 with close to two decades of experience in education. She spent the previous three years as principal of Dixie Magnet Elementary, which under her guidance become one of the fastest-growing academically in the state and among the highest-achieving schools in Fayette County Public Schools. Before Dixie, Bruno was assistant principal at Maxwell Spanish Immersion Elementary.
Bruno is a Kentucky native who spent 10 years as a classroom teacher and instructional leader in Nashville, Tennessee, before joining FCPS in 2015 as assistant principal at James Lane Allen Elementary. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Kentucky, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Tennessee State University, and her National Board Certification in Early/Middle Childhood Literacy.