Emily is a Partner of School Design with Transcend. In this role, she supports school stakeholders to create and implement community-driven designs that result in extraordinary, equitable learning experiences.
Previously, Emily was the Executive Director of the Innovation Zone and an Executive Director of School Leadership in Austin Independent School District where she empowered school principals to design and implement innovative programming that is responsive to student needs and community interest. Committed to the belief that the school is the unit of change, she successfully coached school leadership teams to significant growth in student achievement and climate.
Prior to her work in central office administration, Emily was the principal of Sunset Valley Elementary School in Austin ISD. Mindful that dual language bilingual education is reparation for the oppression inflicted on linguistically diverse student communities, she designed an inclusive, schoolwide 2-Way Dual Language program that was piloted by four schools in the district. Under her leadership, Sunset Valley Elementary became a model for 2-Way Dual Language implementation.
Emily has been a bilingual educator for over 18 years. In addition to her years as a bilingual school administrator, she was a bilingual kindergarten teacher, bilingual literacy coach and bilingual reading specialist. She has a B.S. in Radio, Television and Film from the University of Texas at Austin and her M.Ed. in Bilingual/Multicultural Education from Texas State University. Emily lives in Austin, TX with her three children. You may find Emily (and sometimes the whole family) swimming in rivers, treasure-hunting at estate sales, creating art within their home, contemplative walking or listening to live music.
Continue Your Journey
Leaps for Equitable, 21st-Century Learning
Transcend’s Leaps for Equitable, 21st-Century Learning describes the key ways we believe the student experience must change so that schools can prepare all young people to thrive in and transform the world.
Transform Learning with Community-Based Design
Community-based design is a collaborative and local process that brings together young people, educators, administrators, caregivers, and experts to redesign learning. It goes beyond traditional school improvement initiatives by involving the entire community in reshaping...
