Born in Taiwan, Elaine Tao immigrated to the United States as a teenager, planting her roots in Alief and building a life deeply shaped by the community she still proudly calls home. Her journey began at Killough Middle School, where she spent a year in the ESL program under the guidance of Ms. Hsu. From there, she advanced to Elsik High School, where she faced the challenge of fully adapting to English and a new culture.
Alief quickly became more than just a place to learn—it became a place where teachers recognized Elaine’s talent and helped her grow into her potential. During her first year at Elsik, her confident, “show-off” spirit led her to sign up for the school talent show. Armed with her Chinese violin, the erhu, and her piano skills, Elaine showcased her musical abilities. While she didn’t win the competition, she gained something far more meaningful: an invitation to join the choir under the direction of Ms. Ness.
That moment proved life-changing. Ms. Ness not only recognized Elaine’s piano talent but encouraged her to accompany entire choir groups in operas, musicals, and other performances. Through choir, Elaine discovered opportunities to accompany UIL competitions and perform at weddings, dinner parties, and funerals—experiences that taught her both musical versatility and entrepreneurship. With this strong foundation, transitioning to college to study music came naturally.
While attending the University of Houston, Elaine often returned to Elsik to perform “Hallelujah” alongside fellow alumni, reinforcing a lifelong bond with her alma mater. It was also during her university years that Elaine realized her analytical “math brain” and restless energy might limit a long-term path focused solely on piano performance. She made the strategic decision to broaden her studies, ultimately graduating from the University of Houston with a degree in piano performance and a business degree.
Throughout her life, Elaine has navigated numerous obstacles with determination and resilience. She earned multiple professional licenses, including life insurance and real estate, discovering along the way that she excelled at testing and embraced challenges rather than feared them. Nearly 25 years ago, she entered the dental field and founded a dental lab. With faith, discipline, and hard work, the business succeeded, allowing her to eventually focus on giving back to the community.
About 15 years ago, Elaine combined her passion for music with her management skills to establish Campbell Learning Center, a nonprofit music school dedicated to nurturing young talent. At the same time, she remained deeply engaged with Houston’s Taiwanese community, volunteering her time to share the culture of her hometown. She frequently returned to Hastings High School to teach cultural classes, thanks in part to the encouragement of Ms. Chang.
This year marked a full-circle moment for Elaine. With the support of fellow alumni, including Alice Lee, Chief of Staff of Commissioner Lesley Briones, and Edith Williams from Alief ISD, she helped bring the Taiwan Yes Festival to life—hosted in the very parking lot where she once parked as a high school student. The event drew more than 8,000 attendees and was celebrated by multiple city council members, standing as a powerful testament to culture, community, and collaboration.
For Elaine Tao, Alief is more than a place—it is home. No matter where life takes her, she remains grateful for the lessons, opportunities, and support she gained during her high school years. Her message to future generations is simple yet powerful: do not be afraid to ask for what you want, work hard, and face challenges head-on. True success, she believes, comes from doing what you love and always giving back to the community.
As Elaine likes to say, life is always sunny when you know Alief has your back.