In fall 2022, Emily Vitris became the second Head of School in St. Francis history, succeeding the founder and former Head of School, Barbara Porter. Emily has always been passionate about helping students succeed, and she started her career in education almost two decades ago as a public middle school teacher in Brooklyn, NY. Emily moved to Austin in 2010 and spent 12 years at the Rawson Saunders School as a teacher and administrator, including serving as the Assistant Head of School for nearly a decade. 

As a classroom teacher and administrator, Emily has developed innovative curricula and DEI initiatives within the school community and helped improve professional development and growth opportunities for faculty and staff.   

Growing up on a farm taught Emily a lot about working hard, leadership, teamwork, and coming up with creative solutions to difficult problems. She is committed to working everyday to help students achieve their full potential at SFS and building a community of inclusion, trust, and excellence. 

Emily was drawn to St. Francis because of its mission and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. After experiencing the school as a parent, she knew it was the right fit for her family, and for her professionally. Emily attended undergrad at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Illinois and received her Masters in Education from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY. Emily and her husband Michael have three children: Rivers, 5, Hank, 3 and Charters, 1 and a wonderful dog named Lucy.