Claire Stoermer is an American teacher, jewelry maker, and the mother of actress Zendaya. She worked as an educator in Oakland, California, and was also connected with the California Shakespeare Theater.
Claire shares Zendaya with her former husband, Kazembe Ajamu Coleman. She has supported her daughter since the early years of her acting career while maintaining a much quieter public life.
Claire Stoermer’s Profile Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Claire Marie Stoermer |
| Date of birth | March 24, 1964 |
| Age | 62 years old as of 2026 |
| Birthplace | Oakland, California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac sign | Aries |
| Profession | Teacher, jewelry maker |
| Reported university | Santa Clara University |
| Business | Kizzmet Jewelry |
| Former husband | Kazembe Ajamu Coleman |
| Daughter | Zendaya |
| Known for | Being Zendaya’s mother and her teaching career |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Net worth | Not reliably known |
How Old Is Claire Stoermer?
Claire Stoermer was born on March 24, 1964, according to multiple published biographies.
Based on this date, she is 62 years old as of 2026. Her zodiac sign is Aries.
She was reportedly born and raised in Oakland, California.
Claire Stoermer’s Early Life
Claire grew up in Oakland, California.
Secondary sources identify her parents as Philip Hillary Stoermer and Daphne Carol Whitelaw. However, reliable public information about her parents and their lives is limited.
Some sources say Claire grew up with five siblings. Two names reported online are Hillary Andrew Stoermer and Mark Andrew Stoermer, but complete and well-supported information about all of her siblings is not publicly available.
Claire Stoermer’s Education
Claire reportedly attended Oakland High School.
She later studied at Santa Clara University in California. One published profile says she graduated in 1987.
Detailed information about her degree or field of study is not widely available.
Claire Stoermer’s Teaching Career
Teaching is an important part of Claire’s professional life.
She worked as a teacher in Oakland, including at schools serving communities with limited resources.
Zendaya has publicly spoken about watching her mother teach when she was young. She said Claire worked hard to give her students experiences beyond their regular classroom lessons.
According to Zendaya, Claire introduced students to the arts, Shakespeare, and nature. Her approach to teaching had a strong influence on Zendaya.
Some secondary sources identify Fruitvale Elementary School in Oakland as one of the schools where Claire taught. However, claims about her current teaching position are not well documented.
Her Work at California Shakespeare Theater
Claire also worked at the California Shakespeare Theater in Orinda, California.
Secondary sources say she became a house manager there around 1998. Her work reportedly included overseeing parts of the theater and helping with its student programs.
Zendaya was exposed to theater at a young age partly because of her mother’s work there. She spent time around theatrical productions before beginning her own professional acting career.
This early connection to theater became an important part of Zendaya’s childhood.
Claire Stoermer’s Kizzmet Jewelry
Claire is also a jewelry maker.
She created a handmade jewelry business called Kizzmet Jewelry. Her designs have used crystals and stones, including amethyst, hematite, and chrysocolla.
Zendaya has publicly supported her mother’s business. She has worn Claire’s jewelry and promoted Kizzmet online.
Zendaya has also said that her mother understands the meanings associated with different stones and creates customized pieces.
Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman
Claire was married to Kazembe Ajamu Coleman, Zendaya’s father.
Kazembe also worked as a teacher before later becoming involved in managing Zendaya’s career.
Published sources disagree about exactly when Claire and Kazembe married. Some say 2006, while others report 2008.
Reports from the time of their divorce said Claire filed for divorce in August 2016 after about eight years of marriage, which points to a marriage around 2008.
Zendaya responded publicly to news about the divorce. She explained that her parents had already been separated for a long time and remained on friendly terms.
The former couple continued to support their daughter despite no longer being together.
Claire Stoermer’s Daughter Zendaya
Claire and Kazembe have one child together, Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman.
Zendaya was born on September 1, 1996, in Oakland, California.
She became widely known after playing Rocky Blue in the Disney Channel series Shake It Up, which began in 2010.
Zendaya later starred as K.C. Cooper in Disney’s K.C. Undercover from 2015 to 2018.
Her career expanded into major film and television projects. She has played MJ in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man films and Rue Bennett in HBO’s Euphoria.
Her other major projects include The Greatest Showman, Dune, Dune: Part Two, and Challengers.
Zendaya has won major acting awards, including Emmy Awards for her work on Euphoria.
How Claire Influenced Zendaya
Zendaya has often spoken about the influence of both her parents.
She has credited Claire and Kazembe with teaching her important values and helping her remain grounded while growing up in the entertainment industry.
Claire’s work as a teacher had a particularly strong influence on her daughter.
Zendaya has said that if she had not become an actress, she would likely have become a teacher.
Claire also influenced Zendaya’s approach to beauty. Zendaya has said her mother rarely wore makeup when she was growing up.
Seeing her mother comfortable without makeup helped Zendaya develop an appreciation for natural beauty.
Is Zendaya Claire Stoermer’s Only Child?
Zendaya is the only child Claire and Kazembe share together.
Kazembe had five older children from a previous relationship. They are Katianna, Annabella, Kaylee, Austin, and Julien.
This means Zendaya grew up with five older half-siblings through her father.
Some online biographies incorrectly or confusingly list all six children as Claire’s own children. The better-supported information is that Zendaya is Claire and Kazembe’s only shared child.
Zendaya has spoken positively about growing up in a large family and has said that her older siblings influenced her.
Claire Stoermer’s Relationship With Zendaya
Claire and Zendaya have maintained a close relationship.
Claire has attended public events with her daughter, including ELLE’s Women in Hollywood celebration in 2019.
Zendaya has also shared photos of her mother on social media and publicly supported Claire’s jewelry business.
Claire, however, generally maintains a more private lifestyle than her daughter.
Claire Stoermer and Tom Holland
Claire has also received some attention because of Zendaya’s relationship with actor Tom Holland.
Reports said Holland proposed to Zendaya in December 2024 at one of Zendaya’s family homes.
In 2026, Zendaya’s longtime stylist Law Roach made public comments suggesting that Zendaya and Holland had already married. Claire later shared a clip of the moment on her Instagram Stories.
Claire herself did not publicly confirm the couple’s marital status in the material provided.
Claire Stoermer’s Social Media
Claire has used Instagram, where she has shared personal posts and content connected with her jewelry.
Her social media has also occasionally included posts about Zendaya and family matters.
She does not maintain the same level of public online presence as her daughter.
Claire Stoermer’s Net Worth
Claire Stoermer’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
Different online biography websites have estimated her wealth at $100,000, $300,000, and $500,000.
These figures conflict with each other and are not supported by verified financial records.
Her known sources of work have included teaching and her Kizzmet Jewelry business.
Facts About Claire Stoermer
- Claire Marie Stoermer is best known as Zendaya’s mother.
- She was reportedly born on March 24, 1964.
- She grew up in Oakland, California.
- She reportedly attended Oakland High School.
- She later studied at Santa Clara University.
- Claire worked as a teacher in Oakland.
- Zendaya has praised her mother’s work with students in underfunded schools.
- Claire also worked with the California Shakespeare Theater in Orinda.
- Her theater work helped expose Zendaya to acting and live theater at a young age.
- Claire created a handmade jewelry business called Kizzmet Jewelry.
- Zendaya has worn and publicly promoted her mother’s jewelry.
- Claire was married to Kazembe Ajamu Coleman.
- She filed for divorce in August 2016.
- Zendaya is the only child Claire and Kazembe share together.
- Zendaya has five older half-siblings through her father.
- Claire has appeared with Zendaya at public events.
- Zendaya has credited her parents with helping keep her grounded.
- Claire’s approach to makeup and beauty influenced Zendaya’s appreciation for natural beauty.
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