50 Leading Women: Dr. Theresa Williams

In honor and celebration of our Women’s Division‘s 50th Anniversary, we will be spotlighting 50 Leading Women making an impact, raising their voice, and leading the next generation of women in the workforce and Plano community.

Introducing, Dr. Theresa Williams, Superintendent of Schools for the Plano Independent School District. Dr. Theresa Williams was unanimously appointed by the Plano ISD Board of Trustees as superintendent of schools in March 2022, beginning her tenure on June 1, 2022. She previously served as Plano ISD’s Deputy Superintendent and Chief Operating Officer from 2018 through May 2022. During her tenure as deputy superintendent, she led all aspects of the organization’s daily operations, including operationalizing the district’s strategic plan. Simultaneously, Dr. Williams led the district leadership team through the challenges of COVID-19, from crisis response to innovative redesign resulting in transformation in all district departments, while prioritizing the health and safety of students and staff.

A Texas native with 27 years in the profession, Dr. Williams considers education to be her calling. She believes that every student deserves to have an exceptional learning experience and that a strong educational system is essential to the development of tomorrow’s workforce and the next generation of leaders.

1. Describe your leadership style and how you lead others.

I am a visionary leader who is driven by the desire to serve others in pursuit of excellence and continuous improvement for successful organizational and student outcomes.

In order for students and staff to reach or achieve their highest potential, I lead to inspire innovation, to be strategic and to ensure we provide educational opportunities, programming and access for all students. An important piece of making that happen is to build capacity within individuals, teams and leaders to understand their personal strengths and contributions and how they impact the vision and mission of Plano ISD. I lead with a servant’s heart and a commitment to improving systems and maximizing results.

2. How can women develop their leadership skills in the workforce?

Leadership development is as multidirectional as leadership itself. A good leader is adept at leading those entrusted to them, leading their peers and even leading up to those in authority by serving as advisors and subject matter experts, which makes building strong relationships an essential component. Each facet of leadership is an opportunity to learn, grow and make meaningful connections. In my own leadership journey, I have gained a lot by seeking out multiple mentors and diligently pursuing professional learning growth opportunities. Additionally, it is important to give back to others through mentorship and coaching, while cultivating and building capacity for the next generation of leaders.

3. What are the most important decisions you make as a leader?

Any decision affecting 50,000 students and 6,500 employees carries a lot of weight and responsibility. As superintendent, I am immensely sensitive to the fact that our families are placing their most precious loved ones in our care every day. When parents send their children off to school or place them on one of our buses, I want them to know that focusing on what is best for students, what is safe for students and learning outcomes are always at the top of our list. Ensuring our decisions are aligned to our values and beliefs, and filtered through the lens of the Plano ISD vision—“committed to excellence, dedicated to caring and powered by learning”—keeps us focused and grounded even in the toughest of circumstances.

 4. What has been one of your biggest joys as a leader?

Since day one of starting my career as an educator, one of the greatest joys of this work has been seeing students fulfill their dreams—watching them walk across the graduation stage into their future. I have had the pleasure throughout my career to build programs from the ground up, from planning to practice that bridge students to their future. There is so much joy in being a part of something that starts as a hope and a dream, and helping to make it a reality that benefits student success.

5. What has been your greatest career disappointment? What did you learn from it?

I have had the opportunity to learn from occasions that may not have worked out as planned, such as anticipating a specific career path or opportunity that ended up going in an entirely different direction. What I learned was that every unexpected turn managed to lead me exactly where I needed to be. Even with the pandemic in 2020, or what I call the “great disruption,” it was incredibly disappointing to have just completed leading Plano ISD’s strategic planning process and not being able to fully maximize the goals exactly as we’d planned them. We discovered, however, that having a strong strategic plan (which included a new mission and vision) is what got us through the challenges of maintaining educational continuity during a very uncertain time. The lesson learned was to trust the process, remain flexible, adapt and adjust.

6. What strategies could be used to promote inclusion in the workplace?

Plano ISD is an organization with strong values and beliefs, and staying congruent to those, it is also a place where people feel celebrated and honored for their diverse strengths and talents. Building authentic relationships and treating each other with kindness and respect help cultivate a culture of belonging, empathy, compassion and dignity, which in turn, extends to our students.

7. What advice would you give your 25-year-old self?

I might be more interested in finding out what advice my 25-year-old self would have for me! But I think my top messages would be: take risks; be patient; be tenacious; and don’t sell yourself short. I would stress the importance of listening, observing and investing time to get to know and fully develop your goals. As a mom, my children are my greatest legacy and I truly believe that family comes first. But I firmly believe that you can take the risks to become a great leader in your field while still being a great mom. I am glad that I didn’t sell myself short, that I didn’t let one unfulfilled aspiration deter me because, even though my dreams back then don’t necessarily match my dreams and reality of today, I took chances and pursued opportunities that have made the outcome even better than I could have anticipated.

8. What advice can you give to the next generation of female leaders?

I think it is important to recognize and inspire growth and development in self and in others. Know your own strengths and lean into those, while being vulnerable and authentic about areas that are not your strength. Be comfortable with the uncomfortable, set goals for yourself and never take your foot off the gas in getting there. At the same time, bring others along with you. Provide motivation, resources, support, coaching and authentic feedback that nurtures others to aspire to reach their full potential as a learner and a leader. And always know what you value and what your personal beliefs are—let those ground you.

9. Who inspired you and why?

In addition to feeling that being an educator is truly my calling, I have benefited from the influence of family, friends, teachers and colleagues over the years. Growing up, my parents were my first teachers and a major influence, impressing upon me that education and hard work would connect me to my future. As a result, I feel driven as an educator to ensure that students of all backgrounds feel safe and secure about who they are. I was also inspired by a caring teacher who saw me and my potential. Without his support, I could have easily fallen through the cracks. Every day, I bring that same commitment to ensuring that no student gets lost or left behind. And finally, my children are a huge inspiration to me. I am inspired by their fearlessness, resilience, tenacity and creativity. I watch them pursue their passions without hesitation—I wish I could be as bold as they are. My children are my why. They inspire me to be the type of educator and educational leader that I would want for them, so that our students step out into their future with that same fervor and resilience.

10. What do you want to be remembered for? 

Although my sons are grown now, I approach this work through the lens of a mom. What I want for the students in Plano ISD is what I want for my two boys. I believe students deserve safe and welcoming schools with a sense of belonging; the support of caring and nurturing adults; and opportunities and learning experiences that will successfully inspire and elevate them to their future. I’d like to be known as someone who continually strives for excellence and continuous improvement for all students, never resting on my laurels. Plano ISD is a growing, living and breathing organization. We are always going to have areas of improvement and I want to be remembered as someone who understands that thriving schools are the heart of a thriving community. Lives and futures are at stake and I take that very seriously. I want my Plano ISD legacy to encompass building strong academic programming that will connect students to the next part of their journey, whether that is college or career. I see strengthening our offerings in advanced academics, career and technical education, student engagement and expanded community partnerships as major parts of that goal and I am so excited for what the future holds for our students as we dive into this work.