Dr. Amber Lynn Diaz became the Director of Emerging Partners Support for the Charles Butt Foundation in January 2022 after serving as the Department Head of Curriculum and Instruction at Tarleton State University. In her role, Amber Lynn provides leadership and support in the transformation of high-quality teacher preparation programs throughout the state of Texas. This work is part of the Raising Texas Teachers initiative, one of the Charles Butt Foundation statewide programs.
Amber Lynn has held positions that support teacher preparation transformation serving as a Curriculum Coach for US PREP and a Continuous Improvement Coach for Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity. It was in her tenure track position with Texas A&M University-Central Texas where her purpose, passion, and pursuit of transforming teacher preparation was affirmed. She served as the Director of Educator Preparation Services and Certification Officer, while teaching courses in the teacher preparation program at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. This role provided many opportunities to learn and experience the ecosystem of Texas education, which ignited a desire to be an agent of change. She believes that every student, especially students from traditionally marginalized backgrounds, can be systemically educated through high-quality teachers skilled in empowering student agency, while igniting a fervent desire and love for learning.
Prior to her various roles in higher education, Amber Lynn developed her educational facility with over 15 years of experience in public education. She was an elementary classroom teacher, an English-Language Learners teacher, a Response to Intervention Supervisor, and an Elementary Administrator in Killeen ISD. She also served in Copperas Cove ISD as the Director of Intervention & At-Risk, serving a high population of at-risk youth. In this position, Amber Lynn was responsible for leading district programs for 504, Dyslexia, At-Risk, Bilingual & ESL, Response to Intervention, and Guidance Counseling. Throughout her entire professional career, Amber Lynn pursued opportunities to positively affect education by writing grants to fund innovative educational ideas. She also shared her knowledge and expertise by providing professional development across the state of Texas.
She received her Doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and a Master of Education degree in Educational Administration from Texas A&M University-Central Texas. However, her professional career really began from earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from the University of Wyoming with a minor in Multicultural Education.