Dr. Pauline Dow brings more than three decades of experience in public schools, a deep expertise in bilingual education and a passion for serving students and educators of all backgrounds to her role at Holdsworth.
Pauline most recently served as deputy superintendent for San Antonio ISD (SAISD), where she helped reduce the number of low-performing schools by 50 percent in one year under TEA’s 2017-18 accountability system. During her tenure, she oversaw the implementation of curriculum and instruction districtwide and focused on establishing active learning for students to equip them with the academic, social and emotional skills they need to excel in college and future careers. She also led a team of district leaders responsible for coaching 90+ principals in the district.
Prior to joining SAISD, Pauline was chief instructional officer for North East ISD, and chief academic officer for Austin ISD. She was a fellow for the Kellogg National Leadership Program, where she traveled to different countries to broaden her intellectual horizons and bolster her leadership capacity through self-directed, experiential learning and group participation. Pauline also participated in Harvard Graduate School of Education’s program for public educators, which brings leaders from around the country to Cambridge to focus on the challenges their districts are facing and to explore potential solutions.
An El Paso native, Pauline began her career in the classroom as a bilingual teacher and has continued to champion bilingual education. She served as a board member for the Texas Association for Bilingual Education, and was a 2016 recipient of their public education award. She also served on the Texas Latino Policy Task Force and received McDonald’s Hispanos Triunfadores award from the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which honors community members who serve as outstanding role models to youth.
Pauline earned her bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees and a doctorate from The University of Texas at El Paso, and is a 2009 recipient of the university’s Gold Nugget Award for alumni who have excelled in their professions and contributed to their community.
Pauline and her husband are aviation enthusiasts and love to fly their single-engine airplane to visit friends and family in California and the Four Corners region of the U.S. Her passion for adventure and hiking have led her to complete the Inca Trail in Peru and 14K hikes in the Colorado Rockies.