Wendy Kopp, Chief Executive Officer
In her senior thesis as an undergraduate student at Princeton University, Wendy Kopp outlined a plan to recruit outstanding recent college graduates to teach for two years in America's neediest urban and rural schools. Upon graduation, she founded Teach For America, a national corps that would have an important impact on the nation's education system, putting a dent in the lingering problem of educational inequality.
Under Kopp’s leadership, Teach For America is in the midst of an effort to grow to scale while maximizing the impact of its teachers and alumni as a force for short-term and long-term change. She is also serving as Teach For All’s CEO, responsible for charting the organization’s course and ensuring it fulfills its potential.
Kopp is the author of One Day, All Children: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach for America and What I Learned Along the Way, and is the youngest person and the first woman to receive Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson Award, the highest honor the school confers on its undergraduate alumni. In 2006, she was named one of America’s best leaders by US News and World Report, and in 2008, Time Magazine named her as one of the world’s 100 most influential leaders.
Kopp holds honorary doctorate degrees from Mount Holyoke College (2007), Rhodes College (2007), Pace University (2004), Mercy College (2004), Smith College (2001), Princeton University (2000), Connecticut College (1995), and Drew University (1995).
Kopp has also been recognized with The Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education Award (2006), the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award (2004), the Clinton Center Award for Leadership and National Service (2003), the Schwab Foundation's Outstanding Social Entrepreneur Award (2003), Aetna's Voice of Conscience Award (1994), the Citizen Activist Award from the Gleitsman Foundation (1994), and the Jefferson Award for Public Service (1991). Kopp serves on the board of directors of The New Teacher Project, and on the advisory boards of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, Duke University’s Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship and the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Kopp 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 is married and has four children.
In her senior thesis as an undergraduate student at Princeton University, Wendy Kopp outlined a plan to recruit outstanding recent college graduates to teach for two years in America's neediest urban and rural schools. Upon graduation, she founded Teach For America, a national corps that would have an important impact on the nation's education system, putting a dent in the lingering problem of educational inequality.
Under Kopp’s leadership, Teach For America is in the midst of an effort to grow to scale while maximizing the impact of its teachers and alumni as a force for short-term and long-term change. She is also serving as Teach For All’s CEO, responsible for charting the organization’s course and ensuring it fulfills its potential.
Kopp is the author of One Day, All Children: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach for America and What I Learned Along the Way, and is the youngest person and the first woman to receive Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson Award, the highest honor the school confers on its undergraduate alumni. In 2006, she was named one of America’s best leaders by US News and World Report, and in 2008, Time Magazine named her as one of the world’s 100 most influential leaders.
Kopp holds honorary doctorate degrees from Mount Holyoke College (2007), Rhodes College (2007), Pace University (2004), Mercy College (2004), Smith College (2001), Princeton University (2000), Connecticut College (1995), and Drew University (1995).
Kopp has also been recognized with The Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education Award (2006), the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award (2004), the Clinton Center Award for Leadership and National Service (2003), the Schwab Foundation's Outstanding Social Entrepreneur Award (2003), Aetna's Voice of Conscience Award (1994), the Citizen Activist Award from the Gleitsman Foundation (1994), and the Jefferson Award for Public Service (1991). Kopp serves on the board of directors of The New Teacher Project, and on the advisory boards of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, Duke University’s Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship and the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Kopp 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 is married and has four children.
Brett Wigdortz, Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Brett Wigdortz has led Teach First since its launch in June 2002. He 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, organizational effectiveness, Islamic banking and Asian microfinance. Prior to McKinsey, Wigdortz developed south-east Asia policy and business programs 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.
Wigdortz is originally from New Jersey and has also lived in Virginia and Israel. He currently serves as a trustee of PEAS (Promoting Equality in African Schools) and Governor of Wembley High Technology College in Brent, London. He was recently named the 2007 UK Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year. Teach First has been recognized as one of the most successful new charities in the UK and was voted the 9th most prestigious graduate employer in the UK in the Times 2008 survey of final year university students.
Wigdortz has an MA in Economics from the University of Hawaii and a BA (Hons.) in Economics and International Politics from the University of Richmond. He is married with two small children.
Brett Wigdortz has led Teach First since its launch in June 2002. He 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, organizational effectiveness, Islamic banking and Asian microfinance. Prior to McKinsey, Wigdortz developed south-east Asia policy and business programs 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.
Wigdortz is originally from New Jersey and has also lived in Virginia and Israel. He currently serves as a trustee of PEAS (Promoting Equality in African Schools) and Governor of Wembley High Technology College in Brent, London. He was recently named the 2007 UK Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year. Teach First has been recognized as one of the most successful new charities in the UK and was voted the 9th most prestigious graduate employer in the UK in the Times 2008 survey of final year university students.
Wigdortz has an MA in Economics from the University of Hawaii and a BA (Hons.) in Economics and International Politics from the University of Richmond. He is married with two small children.
Puja Sondhi, Acting Chief Operating Officer
As the Acting Chief Operating Officer, Puja Sondhi works closely with both the C.E.O. and the senior leadership team at Teach For All to manage the development of the organization’s strategy and manage daily operations.
Prior to joining Teach For All, Sondhi served as a consultant to Teach For America, and in that capacity, managed Teach For America’s engagement in the McKinsey studies that resulted in the plans for the creation of Teach For India and Teach For All. Sondhi practiced corporate law at the law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP in New York, where she managed several complex private equity, public mergers and acquisitions, and capital market transactions. Sondhi holds a B.A. L.L.B. Degree with Honors from the National Law School of India University and an L.L.M. Degree (with a specialization in Corporate Law) with Honors from New York University where she was a Hauser Global Scholar.
As the Acting Chief Operating Officer, Puja Sondhi works closely with both the C.E.O. and the senior leadership team at Teach For All to manage the development of the organization’s strategy and manage daily operations.
Prior to joining Teach For All, Sondhi served as a consultant to Teach For America, and in that capacity, managed Teach For America’s engagement in the McKinsey studies that resulted in the plans for the creation of Teach For India and Teach For All. Sondhi practiced corporate law at the law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP in New York, where she managed several complex private equity, public mergers and acquisitions, and capital market transactions. Sondhi holds a B.A. L.L.B. Degree with Honors from the National Law School of India University and an L.L.M. Degree (with a specialization in Corporate Law) with Honors from New York University where she was a Hauser Global Scholar.
Monique Ayotte-Hoeltzel, Vice President, Country Support
Monique Ayotte-Hoeltzel 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. Prior to this, Ayotte-Hoeltzel led Teach For America's admissions effort for 8 years. In this role she drove research on the organization's selection model and expanded operations capacity to accommodate the significant growth of Teach For America's applicant pool.
As a 1998 corps member, Ayotte-Hoeltzel taught high school English in the Mississippi Delta, where she served as her school's department chair and was awarded the Lee County Legacy Fund's Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award. She received her B.A. in Sociology from George Washington University.
Monique Ayotte-Hoeltzel 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. Prior to this, Ayotte-Hoeltzel led Teach For America's admissions effort for 8 years. In this role she drove research on the organization's selection model and expanded operations capacity to accommodate the significant growth of Teach For America's applicant pool.
As a 1998 corps member, Ayotte-Hoeltzel taught high school English in the Mississippi Delta, where she served as her school's department chair and was awarded the Lee County Legacy Fund's Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award. She received her B.A. in Sociology from George Washington University.
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.
Amy Black, Vice President, Growth, Strategy & Development
Amy Black is responsible for fostering the private and public sector relationships necessary to sustain and grow Teach For All and to support the efforts of member entities to achieve financial sustainability.
Prior to assuming this role, Black served as Teach For America’s executive director in Metro D.C. Since 2005 she launched a significant growth effort which expanded the corps in Metro D.C. from 90 teachers to more than 300 and put the region on a new growth trajectory. Her team also launched a new program in early childhood education that became a model for the national organization and now exists in ten other Teach For America sites.
As a 1997 Teach For America corps member in Baltimore, Black 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. Black went on to earn a Master’s degree in international affairs from Georgetown University, and 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., Black oversaw communication to international audiences regarding President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Black holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Tennessee.
Amy Black is responsible for fostering the private and public sector relationships necessary to sustain and grow Teach For All and to support the efforts of member entities to achieve financial sustainability.
Prior to assuming this role, Black served as Teach For America’s executive director in Metro D.C. Since 2005 she launched a significant growth effort which expanded the corps in Metro D.C. from 90 teachers to more than 300 and put the region on a new growth trajectory. Her team also launched a new program in early childhood education that became a model for the national organization and now exists in ten other Teach For America sites.
As a 1997 Teach For America corps member in Baltimore, Black 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. Black went on to earn a Master’s degree in international affairs from Georgetown University, and 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., Black oversaw communication to international audiences regarding President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Black holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Tennessee.
Brooke Wyatt, Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Brooke Wyatt manages all of the financial budgeting, financial analysis, and accounting functions for Teach For All. Prior to joining the team, Wyatt served as Vice President of Finance and Infrastructure Operations for Teach For America. She joined Teach For America in September 2007, after managing regional financial shared services for an ocean trade and logistics company, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, where she was responsible for the integrity of the company’s financial data and the timely issuance of statutory and management reports.
Previously, Wyatt managed the global finance and technology functions during her 8 year tenure at the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), an international education nonprofit organization. She also worked as a financial systems consultant for Arthur Andersen. Wyatt earned a B.S.B.A. degree with an accounting concentration from Washington University in St. Louis and a M.B.A. degree with a major in Information Systems from New York University.
Brooke Wyatt manages all of the financial budgeting, financial analysis, and accounting functions for Teach For All. Prior to joining the team, Wyatt served as Vice President of Finance and Infrastructure Operations for Teach For America. She joined Teach For America in September 2007, after managing regional financial shared services for an ocean trade and logistics company, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, where she was responsible for the integrity of the company’s financial data and the timely issuance of statutory and management reports.
Previously, Wyatt managed the global finance and technology functions during her 8 year tenure at the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), an international education nonprofit organization. She also worked as a financial systems consultant for Arthur Andersen. Wyatt earned a B.S.B.A. degree with an accounting concentration from Washington University in St. Louis and a M.B.A. degree with a major in Information Systems from New York University.
Cheryl Bucci, Managing Director, 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.