Killeen ISD Announces 10 Principal Hires for 2025-2026  

KILLEEN, Texas – Killeen ISD on Thursday announced a series of principal hires ahead of the 2025-2026 school year.  

“We are incredibly grateful for these proven leaders who are answering the call to serve where their strengths can make the greatest impact,” Dr. Terri Osborne, Deputy Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and School Leadership, said.  

The 10 experienced leaders will helm one specialty high school campus, six middle schools and three elementary schools across KISD, further strengthening the district’s commitment to providing students with a positive, engaging and comprehensive learning experience.  

“Strong systems are built by strong leaders who are willing to step into roles for the good of the whole. These strategic assignments reflect our belief in these principals’ ability to lead with purpose, adapt with excellence, and elevate outcomes across our district,” Osborne said.  

Dr. Amber Loubiere – Liberty Hill Middle School    

Dr. Amber Loubiere returns to KISD as the principal of Liberty Hill Middle School. She previously taught at Palo Alto Middle School from 2013-2016.    

Loubiere has also served as a teacher then assistant principal at Belton High School and held assistant principal roles at Lake Belton High School and Copperas Cove High School.  

She obtained a bachelor’s degree from California Baptist University, and master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.  

Kernisha Hill – Live Oak Ridge Middle School  

Kernisha Hill will be the new principal of Live Oak Ridge Middle School, moving over from Palo Alto Middle School, where she served as principal from 2019-2025. 

Since 2006, Hill has served as a teacher, middle school assistant principal, high school assistant principal and high school director of curriculum and instruction for KISD. 

She has a bachelor’s degree from Tarleton State University and a master’s degree from Texas A&M-Central Texas. 

Tomas Sias – Manor Middle School    

Tomas Sias has been selected as the next principal of Manor Middle School. 

Sias has served in administrative roles for KISD since 2012, when he was an assistant principal at Willow Springs Elementary. In 2014, Sias became principal at Ira Cross Elementary, a position he held throughout the 2024-2025 school year. 

Sias has a bachelor’s degree from Tarleton State University and a master’s degree from Texas A&M-Central Texas. 

Christina Harris – Palo Alto Middle School   

Christina Harris will transition from principal of Patterson Middle School to principal of Palo Alto Middle School. 

A longtime member of KISD, Harris started with the district in 2005, holding various roles including high school teacher, AVID specialist, campus instructional specialist, director for curriculum and instruction, assistant principal and principal. 

Harris obtained a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma City University and a master’s degree from Texas A&M-Central Texas. 

Latricia Brown – Charles E. Patterson Middle School   

Following six years as principal of Liberty Hill Middle School, Latricia Brown has been entrusted with the same role at Patterson Middle School. 

She joined Killeen ISD in 1991 and has served as a middle school teacher and coach, a campus instructional specialist, district instructional specialist, and high school assistant principal. 

Brown earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Tarleton State University. 

Melissa Thomas – Alice W. Douse Elementary  

Melissa Thomas has been selected as the next principal of Alice W. Douse Elementary.  

Thomas’ multi-layered experience within KISD includes serving as a district instructional coach, curriculum instructional specialist and, most recently, a dean of instruction. Thomas was also named as Oveta Culp Hobby Elementary’s teacher of the year in 2019-2020.  

Thomas has a bachelor’s degree from Park University and a master’s degree from Concordia University.      

Stephanie Ford – Ira Cross Elementary 

After seven years as principal at Alice W. Douse Elementary School, Stephanie Ford will take the reins at Ira Cross Elementary. 

Ford’s extensive experience within KISD also includes serving as a fifth-grade teacher, reading interventionalist, campus instructional specialist and assistant principal. 

A graduate of the University of Maryland-University College with a bachelor’s degree, Ford earned her master’s degree from Concordia University. 

Traci Kotalik – Venable Village Elementary 

Longtime Killeen ISD educator Traci Kotalik has been named principal of Venable Village Elementary.  

Kotalik’s 25-year career in education includes 20 years with Killeen ISD, for which she has served as a campus instructional specialist and an assistant principal –– two years at Maxdale Elementary and the last 10 at Venable Village.     

Kotalik, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Canisius College and a master’s degree from the University of Phoenix, also taught at Capitol View Elementary in Atlanta, GA., from 2000-2006.       

Dr. Bobbie Reeders – Roy J. Smith Middle School    

Dr. Bobbie Reeders, who has served as interim principal of Roy J. Smith Middle School since April, will assume the permanent role.  

Before stepping in at Smith, Reeders served as principal of Pathways Academic Campus since 2004. Her 31 years of education experience also includes serving on Killeen ISD’s College Career and Military Readiness (CCMR) team and as the director for the district’s credit recovery program. 

Reeders earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, a master’s degree from Tarleton State University, and a doctorate from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.  

Miguel Timarky – Pathways Academic Campus  

With more than two decades of education experience, Miguel Timarky will lead the students and staff at Pathways Academic Campus.  

Timarky closed out the 2024-2025 school year as the interim principal of the KISD Career Center, where he previously served as the dean of instruction and assistant principal.     

Before his work at the Career Center, Timarky was principal of Copperas Cove High School for five years. He also spent time early in his career as a special education teacher at C.E. Ellison High School. 

Central Hicks – Director of Educational Support 

Central Hicks, who has worked at KISD since 1998, will move into the role of director of educational support for the district. 

His educational career includes stints as a high school teacher and coach, AVID coordinator, assistant principal and principal.    

Hicks earned a bachelor’s degree from Dillard University and a master’s degree from Concordia University, Texas.