Elaine Hou is thrilled to be a Partner of School Design at Transcend. She comes to Transcend with 19 years of experience in teaching, coaching, curriculum design work, and school leadership. Elaine began her teaching career in Washington Heights, NYC, before embarking on an 18 year career at Two Rivers Public Charter School, a PS-8th grade EL Education school in Washington DC. At Two Rivers, Elaine served as a founding elementary teacher, middle school principal, instructional coach, and director of literacy. She brings to Transcend a passion for designing cultures of lifelong learning, as well as building shared leadership competencies that lead to boundary-breaking results for kids.
Elaine has also served as adjunct faculty with City Teaching Alliance (formerly Urban Teachers), and is currently a member of the Two Rivers Board of Trustees and Remember Niger’s Board of Directors. She has a Bachelor’s in Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell University, and a Master’s in Education and Human Development from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. While at Harvard, Elaine worked with the Harvard Family Research Project to design, research, and pilot storytelling as a means to foster stronger connections between schools and families that often experience marginalization.
Outside of work, Elaine loves exploring all the different activities that the changing seasons in Northern Virginia brings. She adores spending time with her middle schooler and 1st grader, who embody the best of siblings with a 6 year age difference. Elaine enjoys trying new boba places with her daughter, building Legos with her son, and is always down for a karaoke session with all the hits.
Continue Your Journey
Leaps for Equitable, 21st-Century Learning
Transcend’s Leaps for Equitable, 21st-Century Learning describes the key ways we believe the student experience must change so that schools can prepare all young people to thrive in and transform the world.
Transform Learning with Community-Based Design
Community-based design is a collaborative and local process that brings together young people, educators, administrators, caregivers, and experts to redesign learning. It goes beyond traditional school improvement initiatives by involving the entire community in reshaping...
