Dr. Andrea Shurley, President of Ursuline Academy, served as Ursuline's Principal from 2014-2024. She came to Ursuline after eleven impactful years in teaching and administration with the Schools of the Sacred Heart in San Francisco, California, including a transformative tenure as Head of School, Convent of the Sacred Heart High School. Prior to her work in education, she built a successful technology career first in Austin and then in Silicon Valley.
Dr. Shurley received her BA in English at The University of Texas at Austin, earned her MA in English at Texas State University - San Marcos, and completed her Doctor of Education degree in Catholic Educational Leadership at University of San Francisco. She is a graduate of Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, an all-girls Catholic school in Houston.
Elizabeth Smith, Interim Principal of Ursuline Academy, served as Ursuline's Dean of Academics from 2016-2024. At Ursuline, Ms. Smith has been a key member of the school administration team charged with implementing strategic roadmap goals, including the introduction of a new faculty evaluation process and student-centered scheduling. A champion of girls’ education, she has worked with the Ursuline faculty to incorporate research on how girls learn best in the classroom.
Prior to joining Ursuline, Ms. Smith held various positions over nine years with The Hockaday School including Director of the International Program, Chair of the English to Speakers of Other Languages Department, and first Director of Global Education. She began her teaching career working with adult refugee populations and teaching them English.
Growing up in Dallas, Ms. Smith graduated from The Hockaday School and received her BA in French and Art History from Mount Holyoke College. She began her graduate studies at Brown University and earned her MA in Linguistics/Teaching English as Another Language from The University of North Texas.