School Leaders

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Jennifer Emerson is the Head of School at Andrew Briscoe Elementary School, an International Baccalaureate® World School in San Antonio, Texas. Her focus is teacher development and efficacy. She is committed to the improvement of student outcomes. She works to ensure students grow to be internationally minded contributors and advocates for their communities and the world. Mrs. Emerson believes in bringing community together to share leadership and in working with others to develop them as leaders. Mrs. Emerson has worked in the San Antonio Independent School District for 10 years, starting as a student teacher at Briscoe. In 2014, she received her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Trinity University.

Irene Talamantes is the newly selected Head of School, at Luther Burbank High School, an International Baccalaureate® World School in San Antonio, Texas. She was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, where she graduated from Coronado High School.  She earned a bachelor’s degree at University of Texas at El Paso and earned a master’s degree in Educational Administration from Concordia University. She has been serving the SAISD community as an educator and later as an administrator since 1998.  She is a firm believer that building relationships with students and parents is the foundation of student achievement. 

Tambrey Ozuna is the Head of School at Marin B. Fenwick Academy, an International Baccalaureate®   candidate school in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Ozuna holds a Bachelor of Science from Oklahoma State University, a Master of Arts from the University of Texas San Antonio, and a Doctor of Education from Baylor University.  During her studies at Baylor, she had the opportunity to spend a summer in Europe studying educational systems through an international lens.  Her time in Europe introduced her to the IB programs and inspired her to provide access to an IB education for the students at Fenwick Academy.

Carol G. Velazquez is Head of School at Joel C. Harris Middle School, an International Baccalaureate® World School in San Antonio, Texas. Under her leadership, the campus has transitioned from a traditional middle school to a fully authorized International Baccalaureate®  World School. The school completed IB authorization in the spring of 2018. Dr. Velazquez has worked for 23 years as a public educator in the San Antonio ISD, She has been a teacher, Special Education Supervisor, and high school administrator prior to becoming a middle school principal at Harris in 2014. Dr. Velazquez has made it her mission to ensure all her decisions are student-centered and that minority students are given equal access to quality education.

Linda Rios-Garcia is the Head of School at Mary Huppertz Elementary, an International Baccalaureate®   candidate school in San Antonio, Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Learning and Development from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Arts in Bicultural-Bilingual Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Ms. Rios-Garcia serves her school community with high energy and is relentless in her quest to build relationships and empower others.

Ralf Halderman is the Head of School at Thomas Jefferson High School, an International Baccalaureate® World School in San Antonio, Texas. He holds a Bachelor’s from Southwest Texas State University and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. His experience in education includes teaching, coaching, and administrative positions in Texas school districts. Under his leadership, Thomas Jefferson High School became the first International Baccalaureate® World School in Bexar County to offer both the IB Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. 

Martha Leticia Martinez-Silva is the Head of School at Woodlawn Hills Elementary, an International Baccalaureate® candidate school in San Antonio, Texas. She was reared by hard-working immigrants who instilled in her the belief that education is a way of life. Ms. Martinez-Silva holds a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and a Master of Arts in Bilingual-Bicultural Studies, both from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her goal is to empower students by creating learning relationships, providing tailored instruction and instilling a universal need to help others.

Karen Rose is the Head of School at Woodlawn Academy, an International Baccalaureate® World School in San Antonio, Texas. She holds a Bachelor’s in Education from the University of Indiana at Bloomington and a Master’s in Education Leadership from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She has 30 years of experience as a teacher, instructional coach and administrator in elementary schools and academies.  Her entire career has been dedicated to the students and communities of the San Antonio Independent School District. From a young age her goal has been to make a difference in the lives of children.