Sep 05, 2018
Dr. Christie Whitbeck
Bryan ISD Update

Dr. Christie, Whitbeck, Superintendent

 

Dr. Christie Whitbeck is a career educator with more than 30 years of experience in public education. She served as deputy superintendent for Fort Bend ISD for four years before becoming superintendent of Bryan ISD in April 2017.

In her role as deputy superintendent for the Fort Bend ISD, Dr. Whitbeck oversaw major district initiatives and assisted in passing a $500 million bond to benefit schools. She was the liaison for community engagement initiatives and chaired the Academic Advisory Council. She led numerous high profile initiatives and was responsible for planning and designing a Career Technology Center and a New School Task Force for a district with 75 campuses, 74,000 students and 10,000 employees.

Prior to serving in Fort Bend ISD, Dr. Whitbeck was the assistant superintendent of academics in Alvin ISD. She led elementary and secondary campuses, overseeing curriculum, technology, federal programs, special education, fine arts, assessment and other areas for the district’s 19,000 students and 23 campuses.

From 1989 to 2011, Dr. Whitbeck served as principal, where she specialized in opening new campuses and hiring staff for multiple schools in Katy ISD. One of her campuses went on to become a TEA Exemplary High School and a Newsweek Top 1,500 Public High School (Top 2 percent). In addition, one of her junior high schools was named a Texas Exemplary School and a Texas Recognized School.

Dr. Whitbeck served as principal of Winborn Elementary in Katy ISD from 1992 to 1998. The school became a Texas Blue Ribbon School, an Exemplary School, a Distinguished Title One School and was recognized with the Governor’s Performance Gain Award under her leadership.

She earned her first post in school administration in 1989 as assistant principal in Katy ISD after beginning her career as a teacher, language arts specialist and team leader in Alief ISD.

Whitbeck earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Missouri State University in 1982. She obtained a master’s degree in administration supervision and a mid-management certification from the University of Houston in 1987. She earned her Ph.D. at Texas A&M University in 2011 in public school administration (summa cum laude).

 

Ginger Carrabine, Chief of Staff

A dedicated educator with a career spanning 26 years, Carrabine previously served as executive director of strategic planning in Fort Bend ISD. She led District’s recent rezoning project and oversaw Fort Bend ISD’s process to become a District of Innovation. Before serving as executive director of strategic planning, Carrabine was Fort Bend’s executive director of curriculum and instruction for four years. She oversaw elementary curriculum, secondary curriculum, career and technical education, fine arts, advanced academics and digital learning and assessment.

Carrabine’s service in campus leadership included serving as a middle school principal, elementary principal, elementary assistant principal and team leader/teacher. She is married to Mike Carrabine, who was recently named the new basketball coach at Rudder High School. They have three adult children, graduates of Texas Tech, the University of Texas and the University of Alabama, respectively. Carrabine earned a bachelor of science degree from Lamar University and a master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Houston.

 

Matthew LeBlanc leads Bryan ISD's communications team. With 16 years total experience in media and public education communications, LeBlanc has served as the Director of Communications for Temple ISD for the past three years.  Prior to that, LeBlanc was responsible for starting the KAGS (NBC affiliate) television station in the Bryan-College Station area, serving as the news director and anchor. 

While he served as the Temple ISD Director of Communications, LeBlanc successfully marketed a voter-approved $136.5 million bond package. He also focused on highlighting positive stories throughout the district, while engaging with various stakeholder groups and being active in the community. 

LeBlanc earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from Ithaca College and began his career as a reporter working in various markets in Texas.

A resident of Bryan for the past seven years. His wife, Amanda Reynolds, is a Bryan High School graduate and works for the Texas A&M Foundation in its Donor Relations department.