Dowan McNaire-Lee

Dowan is a native Washingtonian and received her K-12 education in both parochial and public schools in DC and Prince George's County, Maryland. She initially began her undergraduate experience as a biology major at Hampton University, a Historically Black College/University in Hampton, Virginia. She left Hampton after her sophomore year and worked as an insurance agent. It was during this time that she began to lead a youth dance ministry and her love of teaching was reignited. She enrolled as an Elementary Education major at the University of the District of Columbia. During her matriculation, she was a Paul Cooke Scholarship recipient, a Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Scholar, and an officer in Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society. After graduating Summa Cum Laude, she began her teaching career in DC Public Schools where she taught 3rd grade, 6th-8th grade English Language Arts, gifted education and journalism. She was nominated for First Year Teacher of the Year, was a recipient of the David E. Rubenstein Award for Highly Effective Teaching, profiled in Education Week magazine and participated as a Teach Plus policy fellow. 

Dowan continued her education at Trinity Washington University and earned her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Reading and Literacy. After graduation, she was an adjunct professor at Trinity and later became a full-time reading and writing specialist there. While at Trinity, she began her doctoral studies at GW where she was introduced to Black feminist curriculum theory and currere. Dowan left Trinity and returned to public schools in both DC and Prince George’s County, where she acted as grade level chairperson and Professional Development Lead Teacher. She also was an adjunct professor at Howard University, teaching literacy assessment courses to both undergraduate and graduate students. 

Most recently, Dowan completed her first year as a tenure track Assistant Professor of Teacher Education with an emphasis on Urban Education at the University of the District of Columbia. Her scholarship interpolates her commitment to currere with a celebration of her various identities as a Black woman who is a wife, mother, daughter, friend, and writer.