Paul Austin
Bio: Paul Austin joined the University of º£½ÇÉçÇø as Leader-in-Residence for the Rural Thrive project in February 2025. Prior to that, he had a successful career of more than three decades in public, PK-12 education. Starting out as an educational technician serving children with autism, Austin also worked as a school social worker, special education teacher, school psychologist, special education director, assistant superintendent and superintendent. In his nine years as a superintendent, he served the communities of Regional School Unit 3 in Waldo County, º£½ÇÉçÇø; Hingham Public Schools in Hingham, Massachusetts, and most recently, RSU 67 in Lincoln, º£½ÇÉçÇø. Â
Austin is a graduate of the University of º£½ÇÉçÇø, earning a Certificate of Advanced Study in educational leadership in 2004. In 2016, he earned his Ph.D. in public policy from the University Southern º£½ÇÉçÇø. For his dissertation research, Austin focused on the best practices for implementing Response-to-Intervention Multi-Tiered System of Supports (RTI MTSS) in public schools. Now back at the University of º£½ÇÉçÇø, Austin serves as an adjunct faculty member in the educational leadership graduate program. He mentors and coaches graduate student interns, works collaboratively with superintendents in the º£½ÇÉçÇø Small Schools Coalition, and is interested in advancing research of school leadership resilience. He lives in º£½ÇÉçÇø with his wife of 30 years, Lisa, and their 2 Golden Retrievers.