Wendy Kopp, CEO & Co-Founder, Teach For All
Wendy Kopp is CEO and co-founder of Teach For All, which is fueling a global movement for ensuring educational excellence and equity by accelerating the impact of national organizations that are enlisting their nations’ most promising future leaders in the effort.
Wendy founded Teach For America in 1989 to marshal the energy of her generation against educational inequity in the United States. Today, 9,000 Teach For America corps members — top recent college graduates of all academic disciplines - are in the midst of two-year teaching commitments in the nation’s highest-need urban and rural regions, and Teach For America has proven to be an unparalleled source of long-term leadership for educational change.
Just four years into its development, Teach For All is a growing network of 23 independent organizations around the world, including its co-founders Teach For America and the U.K.'s Teach First.
Wendy has been recognized as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People and is the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and awards for public service. She is the author of A Chance to Make History: What Works and What Doesn’t in Providing an Excellent Education for All (2011) and One Day, All Children: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach For America and What I Learned Along the Way(2000). She holds a bachelor's degree from Princeton University, where she participated in the undergraduate program of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. She resides in New York City with her husband Richard Barth and their four children.
Wendy Kopp is CEO and co-founder of Teach For All, which is fueling a global movement for ensuring educational excellence and equity by accelerating the impact of national organizations that are enlisting their nations’ most promising future leaders in the effort.
Wendy founded Teach For America in 1989 to marshal the energy of her generation against educational inequity in the United States. Today, 9,000 Teach For America corps members — top recent college graduates of all academic disciplines - are in the midst of two-year teaching commitments in the nation’s highest-need urban and rural regions, and Teach For America has proven to be an unparalleled source of long-term leadership for educational change.
Just four years into its development, Teach For All is a growing network of 23 independent organizations around the world, including its co-founders Teach For America and the U.K.'s Teach First.
Wendy has been recognized as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People and is the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and awards for public service. She is the author of A Chance to Make History: What Works and What Doesn’t in Providing an Excellent Education for All (2011) and One Day, All Children: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach For America and What I Learned Along the Way(2000). She holds a bachelor's degree from Princeton University, where she participated in the undergraduate program of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. She resides in New York City with her husband Richard Barth and their four children.
Brett Wigdortz, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Adviser, Teach For All
Brett Wigdortz is a co-founder, board member, and chief strategy adviser of Teach For All and was 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, board member, and chief strategy adviser of Teach For All and was 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.
Joe Babiec, Vice President, Network Support
Joe Babiec leads Teach For All’s Network Support Team. In this capacity, he leads the team in its effort to ensure that knowledge and experience are shared among all partners in the network. From 2007 – 2010, Joe was a Principal at Market Metrics, a leading market research firm. Prior to 2007, Joe worked in consulting, for Booz Allen Hamilton and the Monitor Group where he advised the senior leadership of corporate, government, non-profit and donor organizations in 25 countries on issues related to national competitiveness, corporate strategy, government policy, human capital and knowledge management. Joe received his B.S. in electrical engineering from M.I.T. and his M.S. in Political Economics from the London School of Economics.
Joe Babiec leads Teach For All’s Network Support Team. In this capacity, he leads the team in its effort to ensure that knowledge and experience are shared among all partners in the network. From 2007 – 2010, Joe was a Principal at Market Metrics, a leading market research firm. Prior to 2007, Joe worked in consulting, for Booz Allen Hamilton and the Monitor Group where he advised the senior leadership of corporate, government, non-profit and donor organizations in 25 countries on issues related to national competitiveness, corporate strategy, government policy, human capital and knowledge management. Joe received his B.S. in electrical engineering from M.I.T. and his M.S. in Political Economics from the London School of Economics.
Amy Black, Vice President, Growth Strategy & Development
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.
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.
William Drenttel, Vice President, Design & Communications
Bill Drenttel is responsible for the marketing and organizational identity of Teach For All. He supervises branding guidelines, as well as 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 practice at Winterhouse, where he has helped many non-profits with their identity, branding and communications needs, including Teach For America. Other projects include Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation, Poetry Foundation, Yale School of Management, Archives of American Art, The New Yorker and New England Journal of Medicine. He recieved a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to organize initiatives around social impact; and is the publisher of Design Observer, the website about design and culture, urbanism and social innovation.
Bill is president emeritus of the AIGA, a former trustee of Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and Poetry Society of America, and a fellow at both Yale School of Management and New York University Institute of the Humanities. He is a graduate of Princeton University.
Bill Drenttel is responsible for the marketing and organizational identity of Teach For All. He supervises branding guidelines, as well as 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 practice at Winterhouse, where he has helped many non-profits with their identity, branding and communications needs, including Teach For America. Other projects include Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation, Poetry Foundation, Yale School of Management, Archives of American Art, The New Yorker and New England Journal of Medicine. He recieved a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to organize initiatives around social impact; and is the publisher of Design Observer, the website about design and culture, urbanism and social innovation.
Bill is president emeritus of the AIGA, a former trustee of Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and Poetry Society of America, and a fellow at both Yale School of Management and New York University Institute of the Humanities. He is a graduate of Princeton University.
Ashley Olinger, Vice President, Partner Engagement
Ashley Olinger is responsible for managing relations with champions from partner organizations from the time of network partnership through their organization’s on-going development. Ashley has been with Teach For All since 2008, most recently as the Senior Director of Partner Engagement for the network partners in Latin America, managing the network’s engagement with Latin America and coordinating support for all partner organizations in the region. Previously, she spent two years as the Director of Partner Engagement for Enseña Chile, where she supported the program through its launch and early phases of development.
Olinger was a 2003 Teach For America Corps Member in Eastern North Carolina, where she taught high school Spanish. She also served as a Program Director in Teach For America’s Chicago region and a Corps Member Advisor at Teach For America’s summer institute training in 2005. She holds a B.A in Anthropology and Hispanic Studies from the University of Michigan and has a Masters in Intercultural Communication and Social Justice from World Learning’s Graduate Institute, School for International Training.
Ashley Olinger is responsible for managing relations with champions from partner organizations from the time of network partnership through their organization’s on-going development. Ashley has been with Teach For All since 2008, most recently as the Senior Director of Partner Engagement for the network partners in Latin America, managing the network’s engagement with Latin America and coordinating support for all partner organizations in the region. Previously, she spent two years as the Director of Partner Engagement for Enseña Chile, where she supported the program through its launch and early phases of development.
Olinger was a 2003 Teach For America Corps Member in Eastern North Carolina, where she taught high school Spanish. She also served as a Program Director in Teach For America’s Chicago region and a Corps Member Advisor at Teach For America’s summer institute training in 2005. She holds a B.A in Anthropology and Hispanic Studies from the University of Michigan and has a Masters in Intercultural Communication and Social Justice from World Learning’s Graduate Institute, School for International Training.
Steven Solinsky, Vice President, Finance & Administration
Steven is responsible for managing Teach For All’s financial and technology functions. Born and raised in the borough of Queens in New York City, Steven is a product of the New York City Public School system. After graduation from the State University of New York College at Cortland, Steven worked for the Federal Government and while there obtained his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Baruch College. After additional public service with the New York City Child Welfare Administration as Finance Director and Project Manager with the New York State Department of Social Services, Steven entered the nonprofit sector where he was the CFO at the Children’s Aid Society in New York.
Steven’s interest in international humanitarian issues led to his employment with Doctors Without Borders USA where he was the Director of Finance and Administration. Steven also currently serves in a voluntary capacity as the Board President of Our World Neighborhood Charter School (OWNCS) in Astoria, the largest charter school in the borough of Queens. It was his continued interest in public education combined with his interest in international issues that culminated in his move to Teach For All. In his spare time Steven plays guitar and practices yoga. He is married to Evelyn Morrow, a project manager for the Visiting Nurse Service of New York.
Steven is responsible for managing Teach For All’s financial and technology functions. Born and raised in the borough of Queens in New York City, Steven is a product of the New York City Public School system. After graduation from the State University of New York College at Cortland, Steven worked for the Federal Government and while there obtained his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Baruch College. After additional public service with the New York City Child Welfare Administration as Finance Director and Project Manager with the New York State Department of Social Services, Steven entered the nonprofit sector where he was the CFO at the Children’s Aid Society in New York.
Steven’s interest in international humanitarian issues led to his employment with Doctors Without Borders USA where he was the Director of Finance and Administration. Steven also currently serves in a voluntary capacity as the Board President of Our World Neighborhood Charter School (OWNCS) in Astoria, the largest charter school in the borough of Queens. It was his continued interest in public education combined with his interest in international issues that culminated in his move to Teach For All. In his spare time Steven plays guitar and practices yoga. He is married to Evelyn Morrow, a project manager for the Visiting Nurse Service of New York.
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.