Kamil A. Jbeily, Ph.D.
President, Reach The Stars Enterprises
Leadership, Partnerships, Systemic Reform
TRC Founder & Executive Director (Ret.)
Biography
Kamil A. Jbeily was born in Beirut, Lebanon. Completing a B.S. in Chemistry and Master of Science in Chemistry and Chemistry Education at the Lebanese University, Kamil taught in the Lebanese secondary schools. In 1980, he immigrated to the United States to attend The University of Texas (UT) at Austin, where he earned his Ph.D. in Science Education in 1986. At UT Austin, Dr. Jbeily supervised student teachers in the Central Texas area for over five years, and taught Chemistry at Austin Community College (ACC).
After almost ten years with the Texas State Department of Education/Texas Education Agency (TEA), first as a science specialist, then as director of science projects, in 1990-91, Dr. Jbeily encountered his greatest challenge in the US, the Land of Opportunity — founding the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence (TRC) in Science and Mathematics Teaching. Under his leadership, this joint initiative of Texas State Department of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, and multiple institutions and corporations, grew into a dynamic, statewide network of K-16 partnerships which improved the knowledge, skills, and performance of over 45,000 teachers of science and mathematics, and benefited the learning of over two million students. In December 2015, Dr. Jbeily retired from a 25-year service as TRC Founder and Executive Director, and a 30-year service as Adjunct Chemistry Professor at ACC, to assume his position as President of Reach the Stars Enterprise, an international consulting service on educational leadership, partnerships, and systemic reform. Between 2015 & 2016, Dr. Jbeily served as Project Director/Team Leader of EDPII Project providing leadership professional development to empower 300 school principals and 900 administrators from across Lebanon to adopt a culture of data-driven decision making, shared leadership, teamwork, managing change, and equipping learners with 21st Century skills.
An Active Educator
Dr. Jbeily has never lost touch with the classroom; he served as Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Austin Community College from 1984 till 2014. As well, he is a sought-after speaker, having made over 200 presentations and keynotes on excellence, equity, diversity, educational advancement and systemic reform, founding and sustaining partnerships, and developing leadership.
Feedback
Dr. Jbeily’s audiences say he is “dynamic, informative, and passionate; a leader, a doer, and enabler.”
His students say he is “entertaining, extremely well organized and knowledgeable. He motivates and encourages the class to strive for excellence… demystifies the intimidating subject of chemistry.” Many say he is simply the best professor they have ever had.
Dr. Jbeily has received numerous accolades from education and corporate leaders, and from science and mathematics teachers whose lives and careers the TRC program has enriched. In 2001, Dr. Jbeily, as the founder of the TRC, was inducted into the Texas Science Hall of Fame, and recognized by Texas Governor, the Senate and House of Representatives for distinguished achievements and contributions to supporting excellence in science education.
Professional and Academic CVs & Brief BIO
You can download a PDF of Dr. Jbeily’s Professional CV by clicking here; Academic CV by clicking here. The above bio is available as a PDF by clicking here.