Dr. Nicole Whetstone, Superintendent – nwhetstone@austin.utexas.edu
Dr. Nicole Whetstone currently serves as the Superintendent of The University of Texas–University Charter School System. Her professional background includes experience as a special education teacher, special education director, and campus principal. Her research interests focus on culturally responsive behavior interventions, special education administration, juvenile justice, and trauma-informed classrooms. Dr. Whetstone earned a Ph.D. in Special Education from The University of Texas at Austin and holds a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University. During her time teaching secondary special education in the Austin Independent School District, she also facilitated professional development workshops for teachers
Dr. Autumn Leal-Shopp, Assistant Superintendent – autumn_leal@austin.utexas.edu
Over the past 27 years, Dr. Leal-Shopp has served the Central Texas community as an educational consultant, School Psychologist, Special Education Director, Principal, and Educational Leader, beginning her career in Austin ISD as a school secretary in 1998. She leads district operations and business development with new school partnerships. Dr. Leal-Shopp is passionate about teacher recruitment/retention, coaching and developing campus principals, creating safe and supportive schools, and driving innovation for student success.
She empowers students to achieve high academic excellence through systematic support of the whole child using trauma/grief informed practices and the Neurosequential Model of Education™. Dr. Leal-Shopp received the University of Texas-University Charter School Staff of the Year Award and is a liaison with the Southwest Texas Fusion Center. She regularly collaborates with police departments, first responders, and the Department of Public Safety across the State of Texas and directs all aspects of school safety and security to ensure safe schools. The Commissioner of Education appointed her to serve on the Special Education Allotment Advisory Committee with Texas Education Agency.
Dr. Leal-Shopp earned a doctorate degree in Leadership in Educational Administration from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and a master’s degree in School Psychology from Texas State University.
Lucy McCoy, Assistant Principal – lucy.mccoy@austin.utexas.edu