Green Ivy International Schools, a growing network of language immersion preschools and elementary schools that empowers students to be global thinkers and life-long learners, along with its parent company KSS Immersion Schools, announced today that Gabriella Rowe has been named its new Chief Executive Officer.
Rowe, who spent the last several years enabling economic empowerment and educational access, is an experienced leader focused on growth and transformation. She started her education career in New York, serving as Head of School at The Mandell School for more than 15 years. During that time, she helped shape the independent school landscape, drove local education policy, and advised on the development of Universal Pre-K.
“This is a welcome and exciting return to supporting the next generation of global citizens as they grow and discover their place in the world,” said Rowe. “Over the last five years, I focused on transformation-driven innovation and empowerment through educational access. That experience reinvigorated my commitment to accelerating growth and opportunity for the generations of students to come and ensuring the long-term success of educational organizations designed to support that future talent. I look forward to working closely with the incredible team at Green Ivy and KSS Immersion as we begin this next chapter of evolution and growth.”
Rowe assumed leadership of Green Ivy, as well as parent company KSS Immersion, from Charles Miller, who will remain on the Board of Directors. KSS Immersion was founded in 2002 to provide full- and part-time Spanish immersion programs so early learners could experience the extraordinary benefits of bilingualism. KSS Immersion currently operates 12 schools in its network in New York and the San Francisco Bay Area.
As CEO, Rowe will work to further the company’s mission of bringing world-class language immersion and multilingual programs to as many families and early learners as possible. She will do this by expanding the network’s New York Middle School facilities and accelerating growth through program enhancement, best-in-class talent recruitment, global learning collaborations, and targeted geographic expansion.
“Having Gaby back in the education world is such a win for students and their families,” said Dana Haddad, an educational consultant focused on admissions in New York City. “I partner with families to find the best fit school for their child. I have known Gaby for years, back to her Mandell School days, and while every child is different, I can confidently say that when Gaby is involved, children thrive as students and individuals.”
Born and raised in New York, Rowe moved to Houston in 2014 after being recruited to lead The Village School. After one year, she grew student enrollment by over 30 percent. She also oversaw an $80 million campus expansion and transformed the school into a tech-enabled STEM institution through required coding classes, an entrepreneurship program, bilingual preschool and elementary opportunities, and a partnership with MIT.
In 2018, Rowe made the jump full-time to technology and innovation, as the CEO of Station Houston, a startup accelerator, which later became the Ion, a $150 million innovation hub spearheaded by Rice University. Most recently, Rowe was a Principal at the strategy consulting firm Grow Associates, where she led Operation Connectivity, a $1 billion initiative to close the digital equity gap for 5.5 million students across Texas.
“We are thrilled to have Gaby at the helm of KSS Immersion. She has an outstanding track record expanding access to education and using her network and experience to create unique opportunities,” said Aleem Choudhry, Managing Partner at Crane Street Capital, which invested in KSS Immersion in December 2018. “I am confident she will inspire the team and drive thoughtful and accelerated growth, while never losing sight of the mission to prepare students for life beyond the classroom.”
About KSS Immersion Schools and Green Ivy International Schools
KSS Immersion is a rapidly growing education company with schools in New York and the San Francisco Bay Area whose mission is to bring its world-class language immersion and multilingual programs to as many families as possible. We believe that the gift of language at an early age and the extraordinary benefits that bilingualism brings to early learners is invaluable. KSS Immersion currently has three brands operating and actively expanding: Green Ivy International Schools in the financial district in New York City and Shu Ren International Schools and KSS Immersion Preschools in the Bay Area.
