Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamara Albury.
Hi Tamara, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Education has always been more than a profession for me—it is my life’s purpose and the most powerful tool we possess to create equity and opportunity. My journey in education began long before I entered my first classroom. As an undergraduate in Kenya, I worked alongside teachers in the Mathare settlement of Nairobi, serving children displaced by the Rwandan conflict and denied access to education. In those classrooms, I witnessed girls excluded not because of ability or ambition, but simply because of gender. In that moment, education revealed itself as the most radical act of justice.
That conviction deepened in Brazil, where I saw women pulled into cycles of poverty by systemic inequities. These experiences shaped my belief that education must not merely open doors, but also dismantle the barriers that prevent generations from realizing their full potential. When I later heard Jesse Jackson’s call to “level the education playing field from Wall Street to the Mississippi Delta,” I responded by becoming a teacher in Tunica, Mississippi.
From the Delta to Texas, my teaching and leadership have been anchored in one guiding principle: expectations for students must be limitless, and systems must exist to help all learners meet them. As a teacher, instructional leader, and principal, I have witnessed how vision, systems, and belief can transform entire communities. As a Fulbright-Hays participant, I deepened my understanding of cultural connection through the arts of Mexico. As principal of a high-performing all-girls school, I partnered with my team to move our campus from ranking #700 to a nationally recognized top 100 school within three years. More importantly, together we closed opportunity gaps for girls and created clear pathways for them to access selective colleges and universities. That work affirmed what is possible when equity is not merely a slogan, but a deliberate practice.
The next chapter of my journey is about extending that impact. Whether as a Campus Administrator, Executive Director, Deputy Chief, or Founding Principal, my vision is to build systems where equity and excellence are inseparable, where outcomes for historically marginalized students are no longer predictable, and where every young person is empowered to realize their fullest potential
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The path to where I stand today has not always been smooth. I was raised by a blind single mother whose life embodied determination, grit, and perseverance. Despite her disability, she earned a Master’s Degree in Teaching and went on to teach first grade with the support of a classroom aide. She held her students, and me, to high expectations, allowing little room for excuses. Through her example, I witnessed firsthand that challenges may shape our journey, but they do not limit our potential. She taught me that we define our own destiny and that faith sustains us through every obstacle.
Grounded in these lessons and strengthened by the love and support of my family, I have developed a deep commitment to equity in education. I am dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those who encounter barriers of their own, have access to the tools, opportunities, and encouragement they need to thrive. Just as each cut gives a diamond its brilliance, the challenges I have faced continue to refine my resolve and sharpen my purpose as an advocate for student success.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am honored to embark on the project of building an all-girls public school—from concept to reality. With the support and thought partnership of the leadership team at Alief ISD, we are cultivating a unique and transformative option for families. Every aspect of the school is being designed with intentionality to ensure that students’ academic, social, and emotional needs are fully addressed.
Through close collaboration with curriculum teams, facilities, and community partners, we are laying a strong foundation for excellence from the very first day. Our vision is to create an environment that not only closes the dream gap but also empowers every girl, every day, to achieve at the highest level. This school will serve as a choice option that reflects both the aspirations of our families and the priorities of our community
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
With the advent of AI, the face of education will rapidly change over the next 5-10 years. This tool will used to change the face of education, by addressing teacher workload, the speed of learning and assessment and even innovative approaches learning products and methods of instruction.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aliefisd.net/o/ags
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Young-Womens-Leadership-School-of-Alief-ISD-61579009329360/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-v-a-95621677
- Twitter: https://x.com/tamaravalbury
