Wendy Kopp, CEO & Co-Founder, Teach For All
Wendy Kopp is a co-founder, board member, and chief executive officer of Teach For All. She is also the chief executive officer and founder of Teach For America.
Wendy proposed the creation of Teach For America in her undergraduate senior thesis in 1989 and has led the organization's growth and development for more than 20 years. In 2007, she worked with Brett Wigdortz, CEO of Teach First, to launch Teach For All and has been working since to lead its efforts to develop a growing network of independent organizations and to accelerate their scale, impact on students and on long-term systemic change, and organizational strength.
Wendy was recognized as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2008 and is the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and awards for public service. She is the author of the book One Day, All Children: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach For America and What I Learned Along the Way (Public Affairs, 2001).
Wendy holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and resides in New York City with her husband Richard Barth and their four children.
Wendy Kopp is a co-founder, board member, and chief executive officer of Teach For All. She is also the chief executive officer and founder of Teach For America.
Wendy proposed the creation of Teach For America in her undergraduate senior thesis in 1989 and has led the organization's growth and development for more than 20 years. In 2007, she worked with Brett Wigdortz, CEO of Teach First, to launch Teach For All and has been working since to lead its efforts to develop a growing network of independent organizations and to accelerate their scale, impact on students and on long-term systemic change, and organizational strength.
Wendy was recognized as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2008 and is the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and awards for public service. She is the author of the book One Day, All Children: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach For America and What I Learned Along the Way (Public Affairs, 2001).
Wendy holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and resides in New York City with her husband Richard Barth and their four children.
Brett Wigdortz, Co-Founder, Teach For All; President, Synergies
Brett Wigdortz is a co-founder and board member of Teach For All and the president of Synergies, a group within Teach For All that is fostering a global network of leaders dedicated to addressing educational disadvantage. Brett has also led Teach First as its CEO since its launch in July 2002. Brett wrote the original business plan for the charity while working as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and then took what was originally planned as a six-month leave of absence in February 2002 to develop and build support for the idea.
Before coming to London, his previous time at McKinsey was spent as a consultant in Indonesia, Singapore, and Manila - focusing on retail banking, organisational effectiveness, and Asian microfinance. Prior to McKinsey, Brett developed southeast Asia policy and business programmes at the Asia Society in New York City. He has also worked as a journalist in Asia and as a researcher at the East- West Center in Honolulu, focusing on energy and economic development issues.
He is originally from New Jersey and has an Honors Bachelors degree in Economics from the University of Richmond and a Masters degree in Economics from the University of Hawai’i. He currently serves as a trustee of PEAS (Promoting Equality in African Schools) and Future Leaders, which recruits and train the next generation of outstanding headteachers for challenging urban secondary schools.
He was recently named the 2007 UK Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year and the 2010 CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education) European Leadership Award. Brett is married with two small children.
Brett Wigdortz is a co-founder and board member of Teach For All and the president of Synergies, a group within Teach For All that is fostering a global network of leaders dedicated to addressing educational disadvantage. Brett has also led Teach First as its CEO since its launch in July 2002. Brett wrote the original business plan for the charity while working as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and then took what was originally planned as a six-month leave of absence in February 2002 to develop and build support for the idea.
Before coming to London, his previous time at McKinsey was spent as a consultant in Indonesia, Singapore, and Manila - focusing on retail banking, organisational effectiveness, and Asian microfinance. Prior to McKinsey, Brett developed southeast Asia policy and business programmes at the Asia Society in New York City. He has also worked as a journalist in Asia and as a researcher at the East- West Center in Honolulu, focusing on energy and economic development issues.
He is originally from New Jersey and has an Honors Bachelors degree in Economics from the University of Richmond and a Masters degree in Economics from the University of Hawai’i. He currently serves as a trustee of PEAS (Promoting Equality in African Schools) and Future Leaders, which recruits and train the next generation of outstanding headteachers for challenging urban secondary schools.
He was recently named the 2007 UK Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year and the 2010 CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education) European Leadership Award. Brett is married with two small children.
Nick Canning, Chief Operating Officer
Nick joined Teach for All in January 2010 as Chief Operating Officer, responsible for Teach For All’s overall performance, effectiveness, and operations. As COO, he manages the senior team and works with the CEO, Board, local partners, and senior team to build the organization’s culture and chart its course.
Nick was previously a Deputy Director in the UK Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit. He led the unit's education team, providing strategic policy advice to the PM and No.10, and working with government departments to develop major strategies and White Papers. He has also worked at the UK Treasury as a Senior Education Adviser, was the economist for the Britain in Europe campaign, and worked for Graham Bishop - a European economics consultancy.
Nick holds a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford, and now lives in New York City with his wife Fiona.
Nick joined Teach for All in January 2010 as Chief Operating Officer, responsible for Teach For All’s overall performance, effectiveness, and operations. As COO, he manages the senior team and works with the CEO, Board, local partners, and senior team to build the organization’s culture and chart its course.
Nick was previously a Deputy Director in the UK Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit. He led the unit's education team, providing strategic policy advice to the PM and No.10, and working with government departments to develop major strategies and White Papers. He has also worked at the UK Treasury as a Senior Education Adviser, was the economist for the Britain in Europe campaign, and worked for Graham Bishop - a European economics consultancy.
Nick holds a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford, and now lives in New York City with his wife Fiona.
Amy Black, Vice President, Growth Strategy & Development, Teach For All
As the vice president leading Teach For All’s growth strategy and development team, Amy guides the development of Teach For All’s partnerships with aspiring social entrepreneurs seeking to adapt the Teach For All model to their national contexts. She is also responsible for engaging with external supporters to secure the financial resources necessary for the sustainability and growth of the global network.
Prior to assuming her current role, Amy served as Teach For America’s executive director in the D.C. Region, where she launched a growth effort that expanded the D.C. corps from 90 to 300 teachers, putting the region on a new growth trajectory to impact an increasing number of low-income students. Her team also launched a new program in early childhood education that became a model for Teach For America nationally and now exists in ten other Teach For America sites.
As a 1997 Teach For America corps member in Baltimore, Maryland, Amy taught seventh- and eighth-grade English while also earning a Master’s degree in education. By her third year of teaching, her eighth graders’ writing scores on the rigorous Maryland assessment exam were 83 percent higher than the state average and the highest in the Baltimore City Public School System. Amy went on to earn a Master’s degree in international affairs from Georgetown University and then spent two years as a Presidential Management Fellow, rotating through several State Department offices, including a six-month assignment in South Africa. Upon her return to Washington, D.C., she oversaw communication to international audiences regarding President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Amy holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Tennessee.
As the vice president leading Teach For All’s growth strategy and development team, Amy guides the development of Teach For All’s partnerships with aspiring social entrepreneurs seeking to adapt the Teach For All model to their national contexts. She is also responsible for engaging with external supporters to secure the financial resources necessary for the sustainability and growth of the global network.
Prior to assuming her current role, Amy served as Teach For America’s executive director in the D.C. Region, where she launched a growth effort that expanded the D.C. corps from 90 to 300 teachers, putting the region on a new growth trajectory to impact an increasing number of low-income students. Her team also launched a new program in early childhood education that became a model for Teach For America nationally and now exists in ten other Teach For America sites.
As a 1997 Teach For America corps member in Baltimore, Maryland, Amy taught seventh- and eighth-grade English while also earning a Master’s degree in education. By her third year of teaching, her eighth graders’ writing scores on the rigorous Maryland assessment exam were 83 percent higher than the state average and the highest in the Baltimore City Public School System. Amy went on to earn a Master’s degree in international affairs from Georgetown University and then spent two years as a Presidential Management Fellow, rotating through several State Department offices, including a six-month assignment in South Africa. Upon her return to Washington, D.C., she oversaw communication to international audiences regarding President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Amy holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Tennessee.
Dena Blank, Vice President, Country Support
Dena Blank currently leads Teach For All’s Country Support Team. In this capacity, she leads the team in its effort to provide the necessary support, expertise, and various network benefits to local organizations.. For the last 3 years Blank has achieved significant results as Teach For America's Vice President of Alumni Affairs; she and her team launched a series of leadership initiatives that have among other things supported the movement of over 250 alumni into new school leadership positions and grown almost 5-fold the number of alumni holding elected office, and they also dramatically increased the number of alumni who are giving time and money to further Teach For America's mission.
Prior to joining Teach For America, Blank was the Executive Director for Girlventures, an outdoor education non-profit for girls. Dena holds a master’s degree in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and an undergraduate degree in political science from Emory University.
Dena Blank currently leads Teach For All’s Country Support Team. In this capacity, she leads the team in its effort to provide the necessary support, expertise, and various network benefits to local organizations.. For the last 3 years Blank has achieved significant results as Teach For America's Vice President of Alumni Affairs; she and her team launched a series of leadership initiatives that have among other things supported the movement of over 250 alumni into new school leadership positions and grown almost 5-fold the number of alumni holding elected office, and they also dramatically increased the number of alumni who are giving time and money to further Teach For America's mission.
Prior to joining Teach For America, Blank was the Executive Director for Girlventures, an outdoor education non-profit for girls. Dena holds a master’s degree in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and an undergraduate degree in political science from Emory University.
Cheryl Bucci, Vice President, Human Assets
Cheryl Bucci currently works to develop best-in-class human assets strategies designed to attract, engage, retain, and develop top-performing, diverse staff members. Prior to joining Teach For All in May of 2008, Bucci was with PepsiCo for over seven years in multiple divisions throughout the organization. In her most recent role as the Human Resources Manager for the PepsiCo Customer Teams, Bucci was responsible for providing human resources leadership, coaching, capability development, and support to the PepsiCo Sales organization.
Bucci graduated from Columbia University in 1998 with a B.A. in History and is currently pursuing her masters in Organizational Psychology at Columbia.
Cheryl Bucci currently works to develop best-in-class human assets strategies designed to attract, engage, retain, and develop top-performing, diverse staff members. Prior to joining Teach For All in May of 2008, Bucci was with PepsiCo for over seven years in multiple divisions throughout the organization. In her most recent role as the Human Resources Manager for the PepsiCo Customer Teams, Bucci was responsible for providing human resources leadership, coaching, capability development, and support to the PepsiCo Sales organization.
Bucci graduated from Columbia University in 1998 with a B.A. in History and is currently pursuing her masters in Organizational Psychology at Columbia.
Tracy-Elizabeth Clay, General Counsel
As the General Counsel for Teach For All, Tracy-Elizabeth Clay handles all of the legal and regulatory needs of the organization to ensure compliance with applicable laws in all aspects of its operations. Clay is concurrently the Vice President, Legal Affairs and General Counsel for Teach For America, a role she has held since 2006.
Prior to her current positions, Clay held other positions within Teach For America including Director, State and Local Government Affairs and founding Executive Director of the Philadelphia region (now the Greater Philadelphia-Camden region). Clay joined Teach For America after several years of private practice in Washington D.C. She holds a J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School and a B.A. in Public Policy from Stanford University.
As the General Counsel for Teach For All, Tracy-Elizabeth Clay handles all of the legal and regulatory needs of the organization to ensure compliance with applicable laws in all aspects of its operations. Clay is concurrently the Vice President, Legal Affairs and General Counsel for Teach For America, a role she has held since 2006.
Prior to her current positions, Clay held other positions within Teach For America including Director, State and Local Government Affairs and founding Executive Director of the Philadelphia region (now the Greater Philadelphia-Camden region). Clay joined Teach For America after several years of private practice in Washington D.C. She holds a J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School and a B.A. in Public Policy from Stanford University.
William Drenttel, Design Director
As the Design Director, Bill Drenttel works closely with the leadership team at Teach For All to develop its organizational identity, branding guidelines, and marketing and communication resources. He is also responsible for the development of the Teach For All website.
In addition to his responsibilities at Teach For All, Bill has an independent design practice at Winterhouse, where he has helped many non-profits with their identity, branding and communications needs, including Teach For America. Other recent projects include the Poetry Foundation, Yale University School of Management, Archives of American Art, The New Yorker and New England Journal of Medicine. He is the founder of the Polling Place Photo Project, an online election documentation project run in partnership with The New York Times; and is the co-founder of Design Observer, the largest blog about design.
Bill is president emeritus of the American Institute of Graphic Arts, a trustee of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and the Susan Sontag Foundation, a fellow of the New York Institute of the Humanities at New York University, and a senior faculty fellow at the Yale School of Management. He is a graduate of Princeton University.
As the Design Director, Bill Drenttel works closely with the leadership team at Teach For All to develop its organizational identity, branding guidelines, and marketing and communication resources. He is also responsible for the development of the Teach For All website.
In addition to his responsibilities at Teach For All, Bill has an independent design practice at Winterhouse, where he has helped many non-profits with their identity, branding and communications needs, including Teach For America. Other recent projects include the Poetry Foundation, Yale University School of Management, Archives of American Art, The New Yorker and New England Journal of Medicine. He is the founder of the Polling Place Photo Project, an online election documentation project run in partnership with The New York Times; and is the co-founder of Design Observer, the largest blog about design.
Bill is president emeritus of the American Institute of Graphic Arts, a trustee of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and the Susan Sontag Foundation, a fellow of the New York Institute of the Humanities at New York University, and a senior faculty fellow at the Yale School of Management. He is a graduate of Princeton University.
Alice Goh, Vice President, Strategy & Administration
Alice is responsible for developing the organization's strategy, and managing the financial and technology functions. Previously, she was the Director of Finance and Operations at Young Women's Leadership Network, and has held business development, strategy and financial management positions with Citi Global Markets and Time, Inc. Alice began her career at Goldman Sachs where she worked in investment banking in the U.S. and Asia, and later for the firm's education foundation. She received her B.S. in Policy Analysis from Cornell University and a M.B.A. and M.Ed. from Stanford University.
Alice is responsible for developing the organization's strategy, and managing the financial and technology functions. Previously, she was the Director of Finance and Operations at Young Women's Leadership Network, and has held business development, strategy and financial management positions with Citi Global Markets and Time, Inc. Alice began her career at Goldman Sachs where she worked in investment banking in the U.S. and Asia, and later for the firm's education foundation. She received her B.S. in Policy Analysis from Cornell University and a M.B.A. and M.Ed. from Stanford University.
Artur Taevere, Vice President, Synergies
Artur Taevere currently leads Teach For All’s Synergies initiative on a day-to-day basis. The focus of Synergies is to create a global network of our participants and alumni, in order to help our teachers become more effective in the classroom and alumni become better leaders in education and society. The long-term vision is to create the pre-eminent global network of leaders dedicated to educational change.
Prior to joining Teach For All, Artur was the managing director of Good Deed Foundation. GDF is a launchpad for innovative social enterprises and nonprofits in Estonia, which Artur co-founded in 2003. As head of GDF, Artur was one of the initiators of Noored Kooli, the Estonian partner organization in Teach For All.
Artur graduated from the University of Oxford with a B.A. degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Artur Taevere currently leads Teach For All’s Synergies initiative on a day-to-day basis. The focus of Synergies is to create a global network of our participants and alumni, in order to help our teachers become more effective in the classroom and alumni become better leaders in education and society. The long-term vision is to create the pre-eminent global network of leaders dedicated to educational change.
Prior to joining Teach For All, Artur was the managing director of Good Deed Foundation. GDF is a launchpad for innovative social enterprises and nonprofits in Estonia, which Artur co-founded in 2003. As head of GDF, Artur was one of the initiators of Noored Kooli, the Estonian partner organization in Teach For All.
Artur graduated from the University of Oxford with a B.A. degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Laura Wilson Phelan, Vice President, Country Relations
Laura Wilson Phelan is responsible for managing relations with champions from partner countries from the time of initial interest through their organization’s on-going development. Phelan brings ten years of international experience to Teach For All, including programmatic and political strategy roles at the U.S. Agency for International Development, Department of State, U.S. House of Representatives, the Peace Corps, and Washington think tank community. She began her U.S. government career as a Presidential Management Fellow.
Phelan was a 1996 Teach For America corps member in California where she taught history and English to bilingual middle school students. She holds a Masters in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Laura Wilson Phelan is responsible for managing relations with champions from partner countries from the time of initial interest through their organization’s on-going development. Phelan brings ten years of international experience to Teach For All, including programmatic and political strategy roles at the U.S. Agency for International Development, Department of State, U.S. House of Representatives, the Peace Corps, and Washington think tank community. She began her U.S. government career as a Presidential Management Fellow.
Phelan was a 1996 Teach For America corps member in California where she taught history and English to bilingual middle school students. She holds a Masters in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.