Betty Burks has more than 30 years of experience in public education. She has served as a teacher, principal, and administrator in large urban, suburban and rural districts throughout Texas. Betty’s last position in a Texas public school system was deputy superintendent for teaching and learning in San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). Before joining SAISD, Betty served as Associate Executive Director of Instructional Support and Leadership Development for the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA).
As an independent educational consultant, Betty specializes in leadership coaching and strategic planning for results-oriented organizations. She is an experienced facilitator of:
- Executive Leadership Coaching – Certified Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching
- Strategic Planning
- Curriculum Consultation Services
- School Board Training
- The Effectiveness Institute Certified Trainer (People Skills, Leveraging Team Dynamics, Teams That Work, Navigating Conflict)
- VitalSmarts programs (Crucial Conversations, Crucial Accountability, Change Anything, and Influencer)
- The Work Itself Group–work processes for strategic alignment and execution
- Customized Facilitation Services
With a wide range of experience in curriculum, instruction and professional learning at all levels, Betty has shared her knowledge through presentations at national and state conferences. Well known for her expertise in leadership development of campus and district administrators, she was awarded the 2011 Excellence in Educational Leadership by the University Council for Educational Administration. The first book she has co-authored, Stop Fake Work in Education: Creating Real Work Cultures That Drive Student Success, will be published July 2020 by Corwin Press.
Betty holds bachelor’s degree in education from Texas Tech University and Master of Education Administration from Sul Ross State University. Her life’s work as an educator has been focused on the improvement of educational opportunities for children by developing and supporting leaders at all levels.
Betty is married to Joe Burks and has two grown children: Emily Allen, a high school English teacher, and Robert Sieker, a consultant for the oil and gas industry.
