Superintendent, White Settlement Independent School District , Fort Worth, Texas , Ph.D. in Educational Administration, Texas A&M University
Nominee: M.B. “Flip” Flippen
Susan J. Simpson, a 4th generation educator from Texas, has been a teacher, coach, principal, college professor and administrator in Texas schools for over twenty-five years. For sixteen of these years she has led four different school districts as the superintendent , beginning with her first job as superintendent at the age of thirty-one. Dr. Simpson is presently superintendent of the White Settlement Independent School District, serving in this position for the past six years.
Having recently been named Texas Superintendent of the Year from among over 1100 superintendents across the state of Texas, Dr. Simpson attributes much of her success to understanding the importance of relationships. She often cites her own first grade teacher, Mary Lee Braswell, as one of those key individuals who taught her the importance of making people feel special. It was from an early age that Mrs. Braswell instilled the confidence in Dr. Simpson that she should take the risks to be all that she desired to be. It is this philosophy that has encouraged Dr. Simpson to nominate Flip Flippen for the Brock Award.
Dr. Simpson has received several honors including: keynoting several conferences including Texas Council of Women School Executives, recognition as a recipient of the Honorary Lifetime Parent Teacher Association Award, presenter for multiple conferences such as Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Association of Schools Boards Midwinter Conference, and publisher of several journal articles.
Dr. Simpson graduated from East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas in 1980, with a Bachelor of Science degree in English and Physical Education. In 1987, she earned a Master of Education from East Texas State University in Commerce, in Educational Administration, and in Psychology. Most recently, Dr. Simpson graduated from Texas A&M University, in College Station with a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration.
Dr. Simpson is the mother of three children. Erin, her twenty year old daughter is a junior attending Texas A&M University and her eighteen year old daughter, Laci, will be attending Blinn/Texas A&M University this fall. Dr. Simpson’s son, Seth is fifteen and will be a sophomore at Brewer High School in White Settlement Independent School District.
