Tamala Boyd is the Teach Plus Memphis Executive Director. Tamala has devoted fourteen years of enthusiastic work in urban schools as a teacher, assistant principal, and most recently middle school principal. As a classroom teacher, Tamala developed a passion for new teachers quickly realizing the need for supporting new teachers in an effort to retain them in urban education. This passion led to her creating a district recognized new teacher support program while serving as Assistant Principal at White Station High School (Memphis, TN) from 2003-2006. In April 2006, Tamala was appointed Principal of Wooddale Middle School to begin the 2007-2008 school year. Having served for four years, Tamala’s effective instructional leadership focused on team-building, new teacher support, and data-driven decision making moved this urban school from an NCLB status of Target to Good Standing. Most recently, Tamala was recognized by the Tennessee Association of Middle Schools as the 2010 West TN Administrator of the Year.

Tamala’s leadership training for urban education is attributed to her participation in The Memphis Leadership Fellows Program (2005-2006). Additionally, she is an April 2006 Fellow of The Leadership Academy, a highly respected program that gives emerging leaders the tools, experiences and exposure needed to drive community change in Memphis.

Tamala earned a B.A. in English from Tougaloo College and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Jackson State University. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Instruction, Curriculum, and Leadership from the University of Memphis where she is ABD.