Diane Havlinek

Diane Havlinek

Chief Finance and Operations Officer

Presbyterian School

Diane Havlinek is in her sixth year at Presbyterian School in Houston as the chief finance and operations officer and in the second decade of her career in independent schools. She received bachelor's and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Cornell University and spent five years in oil and gas. To expand her professional horizons, she pursued an MBA with a concentration in finance, operations and nonprofit business from Yale University. Upon graduation, Havlinek returned to Houston and oil and gas for another five years before moving into nonprofit work at Rice University and then on to independent schools. She spent five years working internationally for independent schools in Canada and England, during which time she traveled extensively, before returning to Houston in 2012. Havlinek has worked in finance and operations at two Houston area independent schools. Her favorite part of the job is fixing processes and systems that don't work or are inefficient. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, with the goals of never visiting the same place twice and visiting more destinations off the beaten path. She recently visited both poles, in Antarctica and the Arctic Circle.

Online Courses

Past Webinars

  • Essential Considerations for Auxiliary Programs at Independent Schools This item is protected

    March 7, 2025
    Drawing on case studies, national trends and proven best practices, this session will address five key high-level factors to consider before investing in auxiliary programs.
  • Capital Advice on Facilities Planning: RFPs, Consulting, Opportunities This item is protected

    February 14, 2025
    A panel of school leaders will provide a behind-the-scenes look into the world of capital facilities and planning consultants, who serve independent schools in matters of planning, developing, funding and delivering capital projects.
  • Top Financial Mistakes & Control Deficiencies: Prevention and Solutions This item is protected

    February 3, 2025
    Learn the most common financial reporting mistakes and control deficiencies for independent schools. Gain insights into identifying, preventing and correcting these errors to enhance your school's financial health and operational efficiency.
  • Adapting Workforce Strategies for a Changing Landscape This item is protected

    January 17, 2025
    In a rapidly evolving work environment, independent schools face unique challenges in hiring, onboarding, and retaining top talent. Explore actionable strategies for leaders centering a culture of belonging throughout a workforce development lifecycle.
  • How to Save Your School Money with PurchasingPoint This item is protected

    December 6, 2024
    This webinar provides an overview of the PurchasingPoint program, tour of the PurchasingPoint portal and examples of vendor discounts and sign-up processes. Webinar recorded on November 7, 2024

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