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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

Mathilde  Sonnier

Admissions Coordinator

mathilde.sonnier@austinis.org

Natasha  Thomas

Business Manager

natasha.thomas@austinis.org

Meet our Board of Directors

Austin International School, a private school, is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors. 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.

The board is composed of members of the community-at-large and parents. While the Head of School also attends meetings, he or she does not have a vote.

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

Dustin Hindman

Board Chair, Audit & Risk Committee Chair

Ed Kim

Vice Chair, Advancement Committee Chair

Gary Miller

Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair

Veruna Stanescu

Campus Planning & Arts, Culture Committee Chairs

Mahya Farnia

Secretary 

Jess Mateo-Smith

Governance & Marketing Committee Chairs 

Jon Sampson

Evaluation Committee Chair

Darcy Pedetti

Strategic Planning Committee Chair

Eric Horn

 

Catherine Gavin

Yassir Abousselham
 

Greg Stein

Joe James

Our Board's Mission

The Board of Directors is responsible for the general and long-term policies of real estate, fund raising, 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