Today we’d like to introduce you to Colleen Lynch.
Hi Colleen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
After graduating from Brown University in 1992, I felt a deep calling to the teaching profession. Education has been woven into my life from the very beginning. I vividly remember the nuns at my elementary school telling me, “You’re going to be a wonderful teacher,” well before I fully understood what that path might mean. My mother, a dedicated teacher for 40 years, inspired me daily through her unwavering belief in education as a force for good and a source of empowerment for future generations.
After earning my post-graduate degree in education, I began my teaching career in Dallas, where I taught theology and social studies. In 1997, I moved to Austin and began what became a 17 year chapter at St. Andrew’s. Teaching 4th and 6th grade brought me tremendous joy. There is nothing quite like witnessing a child discover their strengths, embrace new challenges, and find confidence in who they are becoming.
Today, in 2025, I am celebrating 30 years in education, a milestone that fills me with gratitude. I have been blessed to watch countless students walk through classroom doors with curiosity and leave prepared to change the world for the better.
One of the greatest privileges of my career has been serving the St. Michael’s Prep community since 2014. During my time as Head of School, I have helped guide our community through a merger between St. Gabriel’s Catholic School where I served as Head of School and St. Michael’s Catholic Academy. Along with our Board of Trustees and Leadership Team, I led the development of a five year strategic plan which will guide our campus master plan, and a comprehensive accreditation review, twice. With the support of an extraordinary faculty, staff, and parent community, it has been both humbling and rewarding to help cultivate a joyful, rigorous, and faith-filled learning environment for our students.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Like many leaders in education, my journey has included both uplifting milestones and meaningful challenges. Two of the most defining came in recent years. Leading our community through the COVID-19 pandemic, and making the bold, courageous decision to educate children in person, required extraordinary resolve from our faculty, trust from our families, and unwavering commitment to doing what was best for students. Similarly, guiding the merger of two thriving Independent Catholic schools demanded thoughtful communication, deep listening, and a shared belief in the long-term strength of a united community.
Moments like these tested us, but they also revealed the resilience, faith, and unity at the heart of St. Michael’s Prep. Balancing the needs of students, faculty, and families while keeping mission and long-term vision at the center is complex work, yet each challenge has strengthened my conviction in the power of community and purpose-driven education.
The road has not always been smooth, but each obstacle has shaped me into a more grounded, empathetic, and forward-thinking leader, and every step has been worthwhile.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have had the pleasure of serving as the Head of School at St. Michael’s Prep since 2022 and at St. Gabriel’s Catholic School before that. My work centers on supporting students, teachers, and families along their educational journeys. I believe deeply in preparing students not only for academic success, but for the rapidly changing world they will enter after graduation. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing our graduates meet that world with confidence, compassion, and purpose.
During my tenure, I have led our school through a successful merger, a strategic planning process, and a full accreditation review—all of which affirmed what is possible when a community unites around a shared vision. At St. Michael’s Prep, we provide a distinctive and responsive approach to education: one rooted in our Catholic identity and strengthened by a curriculum that integrates Social Emotional Learning, service learning, innovation, and differentiated instruction.
I am proud to work alongside a team of educators who model resilience, forward-thinking, and wholehearted school spirit. Together, we are building something truly special for the next generation: an educational experience that forms both the mind and the heart through our core values of Integrity, Courage, and Excellence.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I welcome opportunities to collaborate with individuals and organizations who share our commitment to forming young people who are intellectually curious, morally grounded, and prepared to lead with integrity. Community partnerships, mentorship programs, service initiatives, and philanthropic support all play a meaningful role in shaping what we can offer our students.
We are especially eager to partner with subject-area experts and innovators who can open doors for our Upper School students. Whether by hosting interns, offering behind-the-scenes field trip experiences to cutting-edge environments not typically accessible to the public, or serving as mentors and panelists for our business incubator program, these real-world opportunities are invaluable. Our students are among the best of the best, confident, capable, and deeply motivated to contribute meaningfully today, not someday.
Anyone interested in supporting or partnering with St. Michael’s Prep is encouraged to connect with us. We are always eager to collaborate with those who believe in the transformative power of education and who want to help shape the next generation of leaders.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.smcprep.org/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-lynch-877296ab/
