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.
Prior to her appointment to the Plano ISD leadership team, Dr. Williams served as a teacher, school leader, district executive and as deputy superintendent within two large Texas school districts. She began her educational leadership journey at Garland ISD where she taught high school Spanish. During her tenure there, she rose through the ranks, holding various campus and leadership positions, including director of student services and director of special programs. She went on to serve in a cabinet level position as executive director of educational operations. Her responsibilities included career and technical education, advanced academics, magnet and choice programs, fine arts, guidance and counseling, strategic planning, special education and bilingual education. Additionally, Dr. Williams served four years as Lubbock ISD’s deputy superintendent, where among her accomplishments were leading the design of that district’s strategic plan, expansion of CTE, AP and Dual Credit, implementation of the district’s early college model, and districtwide digital learning.
Dr. Williams holds a doctorate in education and a master’s in educational administration and supervision from Texas A&M University-Commerce. She is a proud Red Raider from Texas Tech University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree.
