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Dedicated to Meeting the Demands of an Interconnected World

Austin International School’s educators, paraeducators, and staff members are committed to developing students who have the academic foundations, lifelong social skills, and international perspective needed to succeed in our global community. 

Meet the Executive Leadership Team

Ariane Baer-Harper

Head of School

abh@austinis.org

Lara Schupack

Upper School Principal 

lara.schupack@austinis.org

Cédric Hervé

Lower School Principal 

cedric.herve@austinis.org

Nikl Burke

Director of Advancement & Communications 

nikl.burke@austinis.org

Tessy Wassmann

Director of Enrollment Management

tessy.wassmann@austinis.org

Natasha Thomas

Business Office Manager

natasha.thomas@austinis.org

Tiffany Beaufreton

Public Relations Manager & French Affairs

tiffany.beaufreton@austinis.org

 

Eduardo García

Director of Learning Technology and Innovation Design

eduardo.garcia@austinis.org

Sharon O'Neal

HR Manager/Operations Coordinator

sharon.oneal@austinis.org


 

Meet our Board of Trustees

Our Board's Mission

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the general and long-term policies of real estate, fundraising, business and financial matters. This includes:

Legal responsibilities for the school’s activities

  • Preparation of the school’s mission statement
  • Review and maintenance of the bylaws and policies which are consistent with the school’s mission and the guidelines set by the State of Texas
  • Compliance with applicable laws and regulations
  • Approval of the school policy which the school’s administration implements
  • Accountability for the financial well-being of the school, including capital assets, operating budgets, fundraising, and endowment

Austin International School, a private school, is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization governed by a Board of Trustees. Board members volunteer their time and contribute resources to the school. They do not gain monetarily or otherwise from any aspect of the Board’s activities.

AIS's Board of Trustees benefits from the expertise of Austin community members and the insights of parent members. For the 2023-2024 academic year, the AIS Board of Trustees is composed of the following members:

AIS' 5-year Strategic Plan 2023-2028

Dustin Hindman

Board Chair

Gary Miller

Audit & Risk Committee Chair

Veruna Stanescu

Chair of the Campus Planning and Arts & Culture Committees

Darcy Pedetti

Pathways Task Force Chair

Mahya Farnia

Chair of the Advancement Committee

Jon Sampson

Evaluation and Governance Committee Chair

Greg Stein

Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair

2024-2025 Board Meeting Dates

Unless indicated otherwise, board meetings start at 6:00pm CST and begin with a public open session; public comments are welcome at the end of the open session. 

Please check back prior to a board meeting, as dates are subject to change.

September 19, 2024

Open and Closed

October 19, 2024

Board Retreat

November 19, 2024

Closed Meeting

January 16, 2025

Closed Meeting

January 22, 2025

Future of AIS

February 27, 2025

Closed Meeting

April 10, 2025

Closed Meeting

May 22, 2025

Open and Closed