LaKeisha McGowen

LaKeisha McGowen has dedicated more than 25 years to dance and fine arts education and currently serves as Assistant Director of Fine Arts for Katy ISD. She began her career as a dance educator and dance team director before moving into campus and district leadership, including serving as an assistant principal and as Alvin ISD’s first Director of Fine Arts.

Throughout her career, LaKeisha has championed program growth and increased access to arts education. Her work has included developing district-wide dance programs, expanding elementary music opportunities, and creating innovative assessment opportunities for dance and drill teams.

At the state level, LaKeisha is a past President of the Texas Dance Educators Association (TDEA) and currently serves as TDEA Advocacy Committee Co-Chair and Administrator Strand Co-Chair. She helped launch statewide dance and drill assessment initiatives that have grown from 40 teams to more than 450 teams and 10,000 participants. In 2025, she became the first dance educator elected to serve on the Texas Fine Arts Administrators Association (TFAA). Her honors include the 2026 TDEA Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the TDEA Hall of Fame in 2027.

LaKeisha holds a B.S. in Dance from Stephen F. Austin State University and a Master’s in Educational Administration from Prairie View A&M University. Her greatest joy is her family: her husband, Tracy, and their children, Bradford and Briley.