Jamie Heilingoetter (Program Director)

Jamie Heilingoetter has been a Texas educator for nearly 20 years. A native of Chicago, Jamie graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Journalism and decided to make the Austin area her home. After a couple of years working in media, Jamie’s desire to teach became undeniable. She pursued alternative certification and began her classroom career as a special-education teacher serving students with Autism and behavior-related disabilities. During her years as a teacher, Jamie taught students at all grade levels with the same goal: to ensure every student has access to rigorous, evidence-based instruction designed to prepare them for their chosen path. Jamie’s unwavering commitment to serving all learners and ensuring educational equity inspired her to pursue school leadership; she has since served as a middle-school principal and district special education administrator. Most recently, Jamie served in a leadership role with the Texas Education Agency, where she had the privilege of supporting the launch of Texas Reading Academies. When not educating Texas students, Jamie loves to spend time in her garden and cook for family, friends, and neighbors!