Jeffrey LaMont Berry is an educator and school, church, and community leader. He has founded and worked as the director of youth programs, served as youth pastor, and is a public school teacher. Challenging himself and his students to greatness, Mr. Berry is currently teaching 4th and 5th grade with the MSD Pike Township schools in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mr. Berry is a native of Louisville, Kentucky and received a dual degree in elementary education and political science from Centre College of Kentucky. Mr. Berry has obtained a Masters in Divinity with focus on urban and youth ministry at Louisville Seminary. He has also completed Masters level work on the management of change at the University of Dublin at Trinity College in Ireland. Mr. Berry enjoys advocating for students and speaking on their behalf in the public arena.

Tameka Bryant graduated from Purdue University with a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Food Microbiology and Operations Management. After completing her degrees, she worked for 7 years as a quality assurance manager and contract consultant within the food and pharmaceutical industries. However, being from an urban area herself, she has always known the importance of education for urban youth. She joined the Indianapolis Teaching Fellows, a transition to teaching program, in 2008. She currently teaches Advanced Algebra and Geometry at Broad Ripple Magnet High School for the Arts and Humanities. Tameka has received training as an International Baccalaureate teacher and is excited about the opportunities this will afford her students. She feels strongly that urban students should receive the same resources and opportunities available in suburban areas. She completed her Master of Arts in Teaching from Marian University in 2010. Outside of the classroom, Tameka enjoys spending time with her daughter, reading and volunteering at her church.

Alicia Criswell is a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Beech Grove High School, where she is also the department chairperson. In addition to teaching, Alicia is the head varsity cheerleading coach and senior class sponsor at Beech Grove High School. Alicia earned her B.S. from Ball State University, where she graduated in 2008. She is currently working towards her M.S. from Ball State University. Alicia is very active in her community and serves as a 4-H judge in many counties across Indiana, works as a member of the Early Childhood committee in her school district, and has been very active at the state level of her field in writing curriculum and forming data collection tools for FACS in Indiana.

Felicia Garcia is a Middle School Language Arts and Reading teacher at George Washington Community School. Throughout the past three years, she has helped implement a literacy plan incorporating literacy-focused activities within the content areas. For the past year, she has served as a middle school representative on Washington’s Instructional Leadership Team, assisting in making influential building-wide decisions. Felicia has also served as a Literacy Specialist at Teach for America’s Houston Institute for new corps members and currently serves on the first Teach for America-Indianapolis Alumni Board. Felicia graduated from Purdue University with a B.A and has an M.A.T from Marian University.

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Thomas (Tom) Hakim is a Secondary Mathematics Teacher at Christel House Academy, a public K-12 charter school in Indianapolis. Prior to working at Christel House Academy, he was a Teach For America corps member, also teaching secondary mathematics at an urban charter school in Indianapolis. In 2011, 93 percent of Tom's 7th and 8th grade mathematics students passed ISTEP, the state standardized test in Indiana. Additionally, Tom was awarded the Sontag Prize in Urban Education, a national award for urban educators sponsored by Boston Public Schools. During his two years with Teach For America, Tom successfully fund-raised more than $15,000 of classroom materials and technology for his students through Donors Choose. Prior to becoming a teacher, Tom worked for four years in commercial banking in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tom has a B.B.A from Grand Valley State University (Grand Rapids, Michigan), and a M.A.T. from Marian University (Indianapolis).

Patrick Henry Jones II spent his formative years in Compton, CA where he developed a lifelong desire to cultivate the oft-overlooked minds in the urban community. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree (Computer Science) from Fisk University and a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from California State University - Dominguez Hills. Patrick is currently working toward licensure as an Indiana Principal through the Academy for Teaching and Learning Leadership at Marian University. Since 2001, he has been educating and mentoring young people in Tennessee, California, and Indiana.
For three consecutive years, Mr. Jones has helped more than 90% of his students at the Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School to achieve proficiency or mastery in the ISTEP+ mathematics exam and the End-of-Course Assessment for Algebra I. While at Tindley, Mr. Jones has made Algebra accessible to his students through the use of songs, YouTube videos, Saturday sessions with students, and teacher-crafted materials created to ensure student success. In just two years, he propelled his Math Counts team to rise several rankings in a regional mathematics competition. He also coached a team in becoming the overall winner in a statewide middle school Stock Market contest.
Mr. Jones was a recipient of the Tindley Torchbearer award in 2011, a prize given to the most dedicated and inspiring teacher at Tindley. An avid music lover and musician, Mr. Jones plays guitar at school functions and provides students with an opportunity to share his love for math and music through math-based songs in class. Along with his teaching duties at Tindley, Mr. Jones also serves as Video Production Club advisor, NJHS advisor, Math Department Chair, and coordinates a Graphic Design Club for the students.
Mr. Jones was awarded the honor of a fellowship with Teach Plus, a national organization dedicated to advancement in educational policies. As a fellow he plays an integral role in promoting and implementing best practices and policies that will improve the education system for students and fellow educators.
Mr. Jones continues to work hard for students. He is inspired and continuously energized by his students and colleagues. Several educators and professionals alike have stated that, "If I had Mr. Jones as a math teacher, I would want to strive to become a mathematician."

Brittany Langdon is a fifth grade English Language Arts teacher at KIPP: Indianapolis College Preparatory in Indianapolis. Prior to her time teaching at KIPP, Brittany was a 2008 Teach For America corps member and taught 7th and 8th grade Reading for two years at New Horizons Alternative School in the Indianapolis Public Schools district. In her fourth year of teaching and second year at KIPP: Indianapolis, she has secured over $4,000 in grants for her classroom and has consistently led her students to significant growth in reading and language usage. Brittany is currently participating in the KIPP School and Teacher Leadership National Training Program. She has a B.A. from the University of Kentucky and a M.A.T. from Marian University.

Emmerich Manual HS

Kate Mobley has her Master’s from Indiana University, Bloomington in Language Education, and is currently working at Warren Central High School as the Team Leader in the English Language Program. Kate has served as Warren’s full-time EL teacher for three years and in doing so has helped the school’s bourgeoning EL population acclimate culturally and excel academically. Pioneering the social action club, One Heart One Mind, Kate has also worked to bridge cultural gaps between students at WCHS through the club’s various new media projects, celebratory and service events. In February 2011, Kate was awarded a Lilly Teacher Creativity Grant, which allowed her to explore her own interests in film, photography, history, and critical social issues in the Dominican Republic. In addition to her Master’s in Education, Kate has a B.A. in Religious Studies and Sustainable Urban Design with a minor in English from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Ryan Rampetsreiter co-teaches fifth grade at Challenge Foundation Academy (CFA) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Certified as a mild intervention specialist, Ryan is launching the co-teaching model in the upper elementary grades at CFA. To lead a large population of students with exceptional needs to high achievement levels, Ryan has implemented small group instruction during reading, writing and math to maximize the effectiveness of multiple instructors through targeted learning centers. Ryan taught Title I-Math and a mixed grade classroom of fifth and sixth graders at Fall Creek Academy in 2009 and 2010. He has a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin and an M.A. in Education from Marian University.

Ellen Reuter is a Fifth Grade Math teacher at KIPP Indianapolis College Preparatory where she also serves as the 5th Grade Team Leader. During the 2010-2011 school year Ellen's 5th graders acheived an average total growth of 2.7 years as measured by the NWEA-MAP assessment. In addition, Ellen led her students to score a 30% higher passage rate than the 2009-2010 passage rate on the ISTEP+ assessment. Ellen serves as KIPP Indianapolis College Preparatory's head volleyball coach. This year she was selected as a teacher leader in KIPP's School Leadership Program. Prior to teaching at KIPP Ellen taught third grade for one year at Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary in Indianapolis Public Schools. Ellen has a B.B.A from the University of Miami and an M.A.T. from Marian University.

Sarah Shaffer is a 7th grade English Language Arts teacher at KIPP Indianapolis College Preparatory School. Previously, Sarah taught 6th-8th grade English Language Arts for two years at Lighthouse Charter School in Indianapolis through Teach for America. During these two years, Sarah started an athletic program at her school and coached the school’s first Cross Country team. Sarah was also involved in her school’s Response to Intervention School Committee and her students achieved significant academic gains. Currently, Sarah is actively involved in Stand for Children, is a member of Leadership for Educational Equity, serves as a member of Indiana’s Democrats for Education Reform and recently completed a Policy and Advocacy Leadership Initiative at the Indiana Department of Education. She grew up in Portsmouth, Ohio then went on to complete her Bachelor’s Degrees in Psychology and Political Science at Miami University. She obtained her Masters of Arts in Teaching at Marian University during her tenure in Teach for America.

Shannon Singleton is a government teacher at Ben Davis High School, where she is also the social studies department chair. Shannon serves a teacher leader, which requires her to administer monthly professional development to staff on Project Based Learning and other best practices. She has also presented at conferences on Project Based Learning and SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol). In 2009, she helped initiate a cultural responsivity roundtable at her school, which led to small group meetings, full staff trainings, and an all staff book study. Shannon has a B.A. from University of Illinois at Chicago, and an M.S. from IUPUI. She spent a year working at the White House in Washington, DC while in college as a way to deepen her understanding of the workings of government. Prior to teaching at Ben Davis, Shannon taught for 2 years at Wilkinson Junior High School in Florida.

Kelly Smith is a fifth grade teacher at Greenbriar Elementary School in MSD Washington Township. Her teaching journey began immediately after graduating from Ball State University in 2003. After spending a semester in IPS, she was hired at her current school as a 2nd grade teacher. As a classroom teacher, she has worked with 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. After working in the classroom for 4 years, she was hired as the building level mathematics instructional coach. Last year, Kelly had the unique opportunity to work as a 4th and 5th grade math teacher at Harlem Success Academy in New York City. Upon returning to Indianapolis this year, she also returned to the classroom. Kelly has a passion for working with children in tough environments, and she plans to spend the rest of her teaching career ensuring that all students have access to an excellent education.

Kacie Symes is an Exceptional Needs teacher at Shortridge Magnet High School for Law and Public Policy. Over the past four years, she has served on school-improvement based committees, including the Site Based Decision Making Team and the American Student Achievement Institute (InSAI) Team, was an Assistant Varsity Soccer Coach, guided after-school tutoring sessions, and served as Co-Director of the Inaugural Shortridge – Butler Leadership Camp, which had a budget of approximately $30,000. Kacie was recently named the new Girls’ Head Varsity Basketball Coach at Shortridge Magnet High School. She has a B.A. and a J.D. from Ohio Northern University and an M.A.T. from Marian University.

Dan Taylor is a sixth grade teacher at the Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School. Over the past two years, he has helped lead a complete redesign of the Humanities and Math Problem Solving curricula, placing a new emphasis in writing within mathematics. Prior to teaching at the Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School, Dan taught for one year as a fourth grade teacher in the Anderson Community School Corporation. In 2009, Dan was selected as one of Indiana’s “Outstanding Future Educators” through Indiana Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Dan has received his B.A. from Anderson University and his education training from Anderson University School of Education’s graduate studies Teach for Indiana Program.

Karon Wallace is the Social Studies Department Chair at North Central High School. He has taught AP US History, World History and Sheltered ELL Geography over the past seven years. As an educator, Wallace is passionate about combining equity and rigor in instruction as well as the ethical execution of student and teacher based initiatives. As a Teaching Policy Fellow, Wallace hopes find new avenues to influence positive changes in education, while working with dedicated professionals.

Josh Woodward is a Secondary Math Teacher at Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School currently teaching Algebra I and Geometry to 7th - 12th Grade Students. Over the past three years, he has started the Varsity Boys and Girls Golf Programs at the school, served on the schools InSAI Team as the Data Point Person, been actively involved with Indiana legislation through his work with Students First and helped rewrite the district pacing guide for Algebra I. He has enjoyed significant academic success with his students as 62% of his Algebra students passed the Algebra I End of Course Assessments his first year teaching and 84% passed last year in his second year. He grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio receiving his bachelors degree in Finance and International Business from the University of Cincinnati. Through various internships with Fortune 500 companies during college, he realized that life was not for him. After joining Teach for America and earning his M.A.T from Marian University, his relationships with his students are the reason he remains in education and in the classroom.