Caucasian man with very short hair wearing glasses, a blue suit jacket and striped tie

Gary Brown, executive director of college and career at Tyler ISD, is retiring at the end of this school year. Brown has worked in education for 35 years, with 21 years in administration. Brown spent four years as the principal of Robert E. Lee High School, now Tyler Legacy High School, before taking over the top leadership role of Career and Technical Education (CTE), Advanced Placement (AP), and Dual Credit initiatives for the district seven years ago. Mr. Brown also oversees the day-to-day operations at Tyler ISD’s Career & Technology Center (CTC).

“I’m thankful for the opportunities Tyler ISD has given me to work with so many amazing students, educators, and community members over the past eleven years,” Brown said. “Tyler is our home, and I look forward to staying involved in the community and spending more quality time with my family, especially my three grandsons.” 

“The one thing I’ve appreciated the most about Gary is his love for East Texas,” Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford said. “He has had a vision for the future economic prosperity in Tyler and East Texas through his endeavors in college readiness with Advanced Placement, Dual Credit, and workforce preparedness through our Career and Technology Center. We’ve competed well in those areas within our A-F accountability, outperforming our peers across the state, and it can be attributed to his intelligence and tenacity. We thank him for his dedication to our Tyler ISD students.” 

Dr. Kristen Walls, director of career and technical education, will take over CTE initiatives as the Executive Director of College and Career. Dr. Walls has served as a principal at Tyler Legacy High School, a middle school principal, an academic dean, an assistant principal, and a CTC teacher. Todd Dreifort, principal at Hubbard Middle School, will take over the day-to-day operations of the CTC as the Director of the Career and Technology Center. Dreifort has 12 years of experience as a high school administrator, recently as principal at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he was responsible for 2300 students. 

The district will begin the selection of a new principal for Hubbard Middle School in the near future. 

For more information, contact Jennifer Hines at Jennifer.Hines@TylerISD.org.