Leadership Spotlight: Becky Galvan
ISS Leadership Search was honored to support the Elementary Principal search for American School Foundation of Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico. Congratulations to Becky Galvan for accepting the position, beginning August 2023! Becky was most recently the Elementary School Principal at Midvale Elementary School, Madison, WI.
Becky holds an EdD in Educational Leadership from Edgewood College; an MS Ed in Leadership from Portland State University; and a BS in Spanish & Elementary Ed from the University of Wisconsin Madison. Her experiences have taken her to the American Embassy School in New Delhi, India teaching Humanities and Spanish; and to Portland, Oregon in Middle School Dual Language Humanities. She has also served as an Instructional Coach and Bilingual Resource Teacher in Madison, Wisconsin.
In this spotlight, learn about the core experiences and values Becky brings as a school leader, as well as the hopes she has for her family and new school community ahead.
What drew you to pursue the world of education? And what drew you into international education specifically?
Education and service to the community were values instilled in me from early on. My passion for serving others led me to the understanding that in order to serve, you must understand about the people you live and learn with and always keep asking questions.
As a high school student, I was an AFS Intercultural Student in Chile. There I was able to work on language acquisition, and see the way another family lived, and schools that students attended. This was the beginning of my passion for adventure and continued exploration of the world. Pursuing a degree in Education allowed me to merge my Spanish language with my desire to serve.
Native American Circle Dance at Midvale Elementary School
While teaching in Portland, Oregon, I had a chance encounter with an international educator. After hearing about their experience, I was committed to getting on a path that would take me overseas. After finishing my masters, I attended the ISS Job Fair in San Francisco a year later, and got hired at my first international school by midwestern administrators. Combining my heart’s passion to serve, and my desire to see the world became a reality!
Congratulations on your new role at American School Foundation of Guadalajara! What are you excited about in this new role?
My partner and I will be making this adventure with our own children. We are excited to experience the school as a family, and watch them thrive in the incredible school community that has been created.
As the new ES school leader, I hope that I can continue to build upon the strong foundation of leadership that the administration has built, and infuse some my expertise and experience in the change process.
Please tell us about your education philosophy and your leadership style. What can your new community expect?
As an educator anchored by strong beliefs in anti-racism and social justice, the American School Foundation of Guadalajara’s vision to guide learners to be change agents of bettering our world fully aligns with my educational philosophy and life long work.
As a relationship forward leader, the community can expect to see me in classrooms, to be asking lots of questions, and putting students in the center of our work together. A big role my first year will be listening and learning from the talented staff and community.
What was your experience with ISS Leadership Search like?
The personalized approach in communication made me feel seen in the entire process.
Finally, what is an interesting fact or story about you that you would like to share?
Our family loves roadtripping and camping. We have spent the last few summers on the road, visiting friends & family, seeing new places and adventuring together. We’ve travelled from Wisconsin to Maine, circumnavigated Lake Michigan, and driven up through Ontario, Canada.
Much appreciation to Becky for sharing these reflections! ISS is excited to see her relationship-forward leadership at work at ASFG, and we wish her and her family the best in their new adventure.
If you’re interested in pursuing a school leadership position, please check out our current leadership searches or get in touch with the ISS Leadership Search Team.
