Caryl M. Stern (born October 30, 1957) is an American author, child advocate, civil and human rights activist, and non-profit executive.

Stern graduated from high school at age 16 and went on to receive her bachelor's degree at the State University of New York at Oneonta, when she was 20.

[2][3] In her early career, Stern served in several leadership positions at Polytechnic University in Brooklyn, New York, including dean of students from 1985 to 1987.

[18] Stern is the co-author of Hate Hurts: How Children Learn and Unlearn Prejudice and Future Perfect: A Model for Professional Development.

[2] I Believe in Zero: Learning from the World's Children, a collection of Stern's accounts from areas affected by crisis, war, and disaster was published in 2013.