New Head of School
After more than six months of diligent searching, Austin Jewish Academy has officially selected a new head of school:
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2025:
Dear AJA Community,
As we continue to celebrate Hanukkah and prepare for winter break, we are excited to share important news about our school’s future—news that reflects the stability we have built over the past several years and positions Austin Jewish Academy for continued growth and excellence.
After an extensive national search, Dr. Karyn Hopper Rayburn has accepted our offer to serve as Austin Jewish Academy’s next Head of School, beginning July 2026.
Dr. Rayburn currently serves as Academic Dean at Trinity Episcopal School in Austin, where she has held a variety of leadership roles since 2013. Prior to Trinity, she served as Language Director and Spanish teacher at The Girls’ School of Austin. She brings more than two decades of experience in K–8 education, holds a Ph.D. in linguistics from The University of Texas at Austin, and is deeply supportive of the Jewish values and ties to Israel that are core to our mission.
In her leadership roles, Dr. Rayburn has guided significant academic initiatives, including curriculum and schedule redesign, competency-based grading, and cross-disciplinary, project-based learning. Her work has led to measurable gains in student achievement, strengthened faculty development, improved retention, and guided a school culture that emphasizes rigor, creativity, and community.
“From the moment I stepped inside AJA, I was struck not only by the student artwork hanging on the walls but also by the pride students show in their school, their learning, and one another,” Dr. Rayburn told us. “I’m energized by the opportunity to join such an inspiring school, partner with your dedicated faculty and staff, and support students as they learn and grow. I’m honored to help build AJA’s next chapter together.”
Our search was far-reaching. A search firm identified more than 500 candidates nationally and directly engaged with over 20. Our committee then interviewed six candidates through multiple rounds.
Throughout the process, Dr. Rayburn emerged as the clear choice for AJA at this moment in our school’s journey, demonstrating a deep commitment to academic excellence and whole-child education. Many of you had the opportunity to meet her a couple of weeks ago, and she received 100% support from parents, faculty, Shalom Austin leadership, AJA supporters, the search committee, and the Board of Trustees. We are thrilled for her to join our community.
We are deeply grateful to the members of our Head of School Search Committee for their extraordinary commitment. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Kari Loya, who has served as Interim Head of School for the past three years. Kari’s professionalism, stability, and dedication have been instrumental in guiding our community to this moment. We look forward to continuing to work with him over the next six months as we prepare for this important transition.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Rayburn and celebrating this exciting next chapter for Austin Jewish Academy.
With gratitude and confidence in our future,
Abby Rapoport
Chair, Board of Directors
Michelle Riskind
Co-Chair, Head of School Search Committee
Dr. Hila Tal Avitan
Co-Chair, Head of School Search Committee
PREVIOUS UPDATES:
AJA is delighted to be working with DRG to conduct a Head of School Search. The search will take place over the 2025–2026 school year, with the goal of seating a new Head of School for the 2026–2027 academic year.
We are deeply grateful to Kari Loya, who has led our school with commitment and care during the past two years as interim Head. We are thrilled that he will continue to guide AJA through the upcoming 2025–2026 school year, helping ensure a smooth and strong transition.
After interviewing five highly recommended search firms, we have selected DRG to facilitate our search. Our lead co-consultants Tani Weissman and Shanna Jadwin bring extensive experience in Jewish day school leadership searches and will help us shape an inclusive, transparent process.
Search Committee
These eight members reflect the diversity and strength of our community, including current AJA parents as well as representatives from our faculty, the broader Jewish community, and our valued partners at Shalom Austin. We are confident in this committee’s ability to steward an inclusive, thoughtful, and community-minded process.
Hila Tan Avitan
Committee Co-Chair | 6th Grade Parent
Michelle Riskind
Committee Co-Chair| 3rd & 6th Grade Parent
Barb Altman
Past Board, AJA and Levine Academy in Dallas
Refael Bitton
3rd and 6th Grade Parent
Lindsey Friedlander Gregg
1st and 5th Grade Parent
Rabbi Alan Freedman
Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Beth Shalom
Heather Kantrowitz
Head of Jewish Studies, AJA
Rachel Stern
Executive VP / Chief Strategy and Impact Officer, Shalom Austin
Search Timeline
May 2025: Announcement to Board and Community
May 19-20, 2025: DRG to visit AJA and conduct discovery
End of May 2025: Draft Opportunity Statement and Post Role
Summer 2025: Research & Outreach: DRG will find and screen candidates
Early Fall 2025: Candidate Presentation & Search Committee Interviews
Mid-Fall 2025: Finalists interviews on campus collection of community feedback, reference and background checks, and search committee discussion. Search committee will make recommendation to Board for selected candidate.
Late Fall/Winter 2025/26: Selected Candidate Announced to the Community
The future of Austin Jewish Academy is bright, and this search marks an important step in setting the course for our school’s next chapter. We’ll continue to keep you informed as the process unfolds, and we welcome your input and questions at any time. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the committee at HOSSearch@austinjewishacademy.org.
Note from Co-Chairs
May 13, 2025 We are honored to take on this responsibility on behalf of the AJA community, and we do so with deep respect for your trust. Your partnership, insights, and support will be vital as we work to identify a leader who can steward AJA’s mission and values into the future.
As we look ahead, we are inspired by the strength of our community and the promise of our students. Our next Head of School will be charged with building on a strong foundation and helping AJA continue to grow as a center of academic excellence, Jewish identity, and community connection.
We are committed to a transparent process and will share regular updates with the community as key milestones are reached. Your voices will be heard, and your feedback will be instrumental throughout this journey. Please reach out to us with your thoughts and ideas.
We believe this is an ideal time to begin the search. With Kari’s continued leadership and the school’s recent momentum, we are well-positioned to attract a visionary leader who will guide AJA into its next chapter.
Best,
Hila and Michelle, Co-Chairs, HOS Search Committee
