Sandra Alamo is currently teaching fifth grade English Language Arts and Mathematics at Larchmont Charter School in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California. She has previously taught grades kindergarten through second grade at Larchmont Charter School and MacArthur Park Primary Center in Downtown Los Angeles. Her experience also includes teaching multiage and bilingual classes. Sandra was selected as a Los Angeles Unified School District Teacher of the Year in 2010 and a Los Angeles County of Education semifinalist. She has been a member of the Larchmont Charter School Board of Directors, School Site Council, and other school committees. Sandra enjoys working with colleagues and has supported teachers as a grade level lead teacher and BTSA Support Provider. She holds a CLAD and BCLAD in Spanish Multiple Subject Credential and a Masters of Education from the University of California, Los Angeles.

La Shawn Allen is a seventh grade Life Science teacher at Jack H. Skirball Middle School, where she is also, a member of the school Leadership Team, the Science Department Chair, and Seventh Grade Team Leader. In 2009, La Shawn was awarded a $1,000 grant from the Association for Middle Level Education, for using innovative lessons in the classroom. In 2010, La Shawn received a $8,000 grant from the Los Angeles Charter School Science Partnership, to promote higher order thinking skills in both teachers and students through Model Based Inquiry. Prior to teaching at Skirball, La Shawn was a substitute teacher in Long Beach and Compton. La Shawn holds both a multiple and single subject (Biology) credential. La Shawn has a B.A. in Psychology from U.C. Berkeley, and a B.S. in Biology from CSU, Los Angeles, and is currently pursuing her masters in Educational Leadership from Loyola Marymount University.

Sujata Bhatt is a National Board Certified teacher at Grand View Boulevard Elementary in the LAUSD. She has taught 1-5, and she presently teaches 5th. In 2009 she received an Earthwatch Educator Fellowship to team with botanists from the Smithsonian to bring ecology, live-from-the-field blogging, and teleconferencing to the 5th grade science curriculum. She also works closely with teachers, students, and parents to increase technological literacy. She has been grade-level chair, technology committee chair, and has presented at district conferences on using iMovie in the classroom. She has written op-ed pieces on education for The Washington Post and Intersections, USC-Annenberg's online newspaper. Prior to teaching she was a playwright, a daytrader, and a medieval historian. She received a BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania, an MA from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and did a three-year fellowship at tthe Society of Fellows at Harvard University.

Annie Brown, a History and English teacher, works at STEM Academy, a pilot school in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She also runs her own educational consulting business focused on coaching and professional development for teachers and professors as well as developing curriculum. Previously, she taught humanities at a L.A. charter school focused on social justice, coached teachers in literacy pedagogy in Boston, and taught history in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She hold a Master of Education from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree in History from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Mrs. Bullard is a Los Angeles native and teaches 4th/5th grade at Baldwin Hills Gifted/High Ability Magnet in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). She has been a classroom teacher for nine years and previously taught dance to elementary students throughout LAUSD. Meteka received a B.A. in Dance and an M.Ed. in Elementary Education (with an emphasis on social justice, equity, and access) from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She was a Governor’s Teaching Scholar while at UCLA, has been nominated three times for Whos’s Who Among America’s Teachers, and earned National Board Certification in Teaching in 2008. While serving on the Baldwin Hill’s Academic English Mastery Program (AEMP) team, Mrs. Bullard and her fellow teacher leaders were awarded the Academic English Mastery Program for Excellence in Teacher Leadership (2005-2006) and were also recognized as the AEMP Model School (2004-2005). Currently, Meteka is the grade-level chair and lead science teacher at her school. She also serves on the School Leadership Council and has been a master teacher for the UCLA Teacher Education Program for the past year.

Pam Chirichigno is LAUSD’s 2011-2012 Teacher of the Year and is a semifinalist for the County of Los Angeles. She is a National Board Certified Teacher who teaches 5th grade at Buchanan Street Math, Science and Technology Magnet in Los Angeles. Pam is a valued resource there. She serves as her grade level chair, is a member of the RTI School Based Leadership Team and conducts professional development sessions. She is the past president of her School Site Council, and has served as the Health Education Coordinator, Science Lead Teacher, and as member of the School Wide Positive Behavior Committee. Pam is also a Support Provider to new teachers in the BTSA program. She holds two certificates in teaching gifted students in addition to a Nursing Diploma, two Bachelor Degrees and a Masters of Education.

Mohammed has been an English and History teacher for the past five years at the middle school level within urban communities in Los Angeles. Born and raised within the Mid-City Los Angeles area, he is a product of the Los Angeles Unified School District. His passion is centered on being involved within and creating school wide structures that seek to impact the academic and social outcomes of all students. He has been an LAUSD Spotlight teacher highlighting his approach to student achievement that is based on providing consistent intervention structures within and beyond the classroom. Mohammed is a graduate of UCLA's Teacher Education Program and holds a masters in education within urban schools.

Marisol Pineda Conde was born in Mexico but considers herself a Los Angeles native. She attended public school and graduated from John Marshall High School. Upon graduation, Marisol headed to Harvard College where her interest in education emerged. While in college, Marisol worked with the Breakthrough Collaborative at San Juan Capistrano and thus embarked on her journey as a teacher. After receiving her AB in Government, Marisol joined Teach for America Los Angeles and began teaching high school social studies at Camino Nuevo High School. In the spring of 2010, Marisol received her MA in Urban Education from Loyola Marymount University and decided to continue working at Camino Nuevo where she is the 11th grade United States History and AP Government teacher and serves as a member of the Extended Leadership Team. Marisol is married and mom to Lila Itzel Conde born in December 2010.

Karina DiGirolamo is a credentialed educator with more than six years of experience as a classroom teacher, performing arts instructor and child and adolescent literacy specialist. She currently serves as the Director of Enrichment at Equitas Academy Charter School where she oversees and implements enrichment programs including dance, literacy intervention and character education for scholars in grades K-3. Before joining Equitas Academy Charter School as a founding teacher, she taught second and third grade students for three years at Loyola Village Fine and Performing Arts Magnet in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Karina is TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certified and has taught English and writing courses to children and adults in Guam, Italy, and Korea. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies (2004) and her Master of Arts in Child and Adolescent Literacy (2006), both from Loyola Marymount University.

Celeste Ferguson serves as the Assistant Director and seventh-grade reading and writing teacher at Endeavor College Preparatory Charter. She collaborates with teachers and staff to ensure student success through effective use of data, sharing of best practices, and ongoing professional development. Prior to joining Endeavor College Prep in 2009, Mrs. Ferguson served as the seventh and eighth grade English and Social Studies teacher and High School Placement Coordinator at KIPP: LA Prep and taught at an English immersion school in Cuernavaca, Mexico. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Development at The Ohio State University and is currently finishing her Master's in Literacy Instruction at Ashland University.

Modesta Gonzalez teaches first grade at Multnomah Elementary School. Prior to teaching at Multnomah, Modesta taught kindergarten for eight years at Robert F. Kennedy Elementary. There she worked as a focus group leader, grade level representative, and a member of the School Wide Positive Behavior Committee. In 2009, she was a recipient of the Fund for Teachers Grant, which allowed her to participate in the Teacher’s College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University. Modesta earned her B.A. and M.A. from California State University Los Angeles. She will begin National Board Certification this school year.

Nicole Guillen teaches Advanced Placement English Language and Composition and CAHSEE Prep English at Alliance Marc and Eva Stern Math and Science School. In addition to the classes she teaches, she advises the Stern MASS student newspaper, The Bolt. She is also a member the Stern MASS Leadership Team and serves on the Alliance’s TCRP Teacher Advisory Panel. Ms. Guillen graduated cum laude from Scripps College with a B.A. in English and Theatre, and earned her M.A. at Loyola Marymount University in Urban Education, with an emphasis in education policy and administration. She also served as a 2009 Teach for America Los Angeles corps member.

Danny Herrera is currently an eighth grade English Teacher Leader, Common Assessments Committee chair, and LA Marathon running coach at KIPP LA Prep. Last year, he served as the Writing Chair and developed a set of school-wide writing rubrics with a team of colleagues. He is also beginning his second year coaching beginning teachers as the Learning Team Leader for a middle school content group with Teach for America Los Angeles. Prior to joining the KIPP team and family last summer, he spent three years teaching sixth grade English and social studies at Richard Merkin Middle School, an Alliance for College Ready Public Schools site, in Los Angeles. In those first three years of his teaching career, he served on the leadership team, presented at professional development sessions, helped coach his colleagues in instructional design and implementation, and trained the marathon running team. Mr. Herrera also served two consecutive summers as a Resource Room Specialist at Teach For America’s summer institute. Danny received his B.A. in Political Science and Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of California, Berkeley and M.A. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from California State University, Northridge. This year, he is excited to continue growing and learning as an emerging leader at KIPP LA Prep!

Kyle Hunsberger began teaching in 2004 through the Teach For America program, eventually earning a Master's degree in secondary education. In his time at Cochran Middle School, Kyle has taken on various leadership roles, such as chairing the math department, organizing Local District Magnet School Fairs, implementing annual school-wide fundraisers, restructuring student placement policies for mathematics classes, piloting new mathematics courses, and most recently, developing and implementing "Kids Mastering Math", a 6th grade basic-skills intervention program now in its second year of successful implementation. Kyle has also participated in the drafting of the LAUSD Teaching & Learning Framework and served as a 2011 TFA/LAUSD Summer Fellow.

Mr. Trébor R. Jacquez has been with Santee Education Complex since the opening of that school, the school open in July 2005. Trébor has taught just about every computer technology class available, from Intro to Computers to Advance Computers. Those classes include Web Design, Graphic Design, Digital Imagining, Film Making, Art Production, and Video Art History. He was Senior Advisor for the class of 2007, 2008, and 2009 many of the events that were introduced are still being implemented today. In fact many of the events have become and annual tradition. He has been a member of the School Site Council, and the School Site Leadership Team. Trébor R. Jacquez has a B.A in Art emphasis Design, a credential in Technology, and Art, and a Masters in Education Technology. Currently he is on the Board of Directors for PLAS, Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, Is in the cohort of the Teach Plus Fellowship and is earning his second Masters in Public Administration and Leadership. Besides the enjoyment of being a teacher, Trébor enjoys traveling, hiking, technology toys, reading, and photography!

For eight years Robert Jeffers has taught classes ranging from English to filmmaking to environmental stewardship at Dorsey High School. He has developed partnerships with Los Angeles Audubon, The Sierra Club, 20th Century Fox, ABC Family, Disney, Victorious Green, 826LA, and Los Angeles Education Partnership. The EcoClub he runs was twice awarded top recycling school in Los Angeles County, and his students restored a campus garden through almost $40,000 in grants. He has overseen thousands of collective volunteer hours, organized six film festivals exceeding $50,000 in donations, facilitated camping trips, and served as Arts + Humanities Lead Teacher since 2007. He was LAUSD and Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year for 2010-2011, and CA State Teacher of the Year Finalist for 2010-2011. Students of Mr. Jeffers have received collectively over 50 university acceptances, including several Ivy League schools, and earned more than $1.6 million in scholarships.

Daniel Jocz received his undergraduate degree in History from UCLA (magna cum laude) and his masters degree in Education from the UCLA Teacher Education Program (TEP). He currently teaches Social Studies and is the Leadership Advisor and Service Learning Coordinator at Downtown Magnets High School. Over the past two years he has maintained a 97% pass rate in his AP U.S. History classes. A 2011 UTLA Platinum Apple Award winning teacher Daniel Jocz has traveled to 31 countries. He has participated in five international teaching programs which have served the purpose of not only broadening his content knowledge, but also have allowed him to collaborate with educators from around the world, improve existing units for his history classes, and to conduct professional development trainings. These programs include 2006 Korean Studies Workshop for American Educators, 2007 Fulbright Hays Seminars Abroad Program to South Africa, 2008 Educators to Saudi Arabia program, 2009 Goethe Transatlantic Outreach Program, and 2011 Japan-U.S. Teacher Exchange Program for Education for Sustainable Development. Daniel has also served on the Instructional Leadership Team, LAUSD Local District #4 Social Studies Cadre, and as GATE Coordinator.

David entered teaching through DANTES Troops-to-Teachers program, and is in his third year at LAUSD’s Orville Wright Middle Magnet School where he teaches 8th Grade Physical Science. David brings a diverse background to teaching having served for 22 years in the U. S. Marine Corps, followed by engineering work in the wireless industry where he was awarded a patent as the inventor of a method and apparatus for cellular instant messaging, a patent that resonates with his students. David earned an A.S in Mathematics from Calhoun Community College in Huntsville, AL, a B.S. in Applied Physics from East Carolina University, Greenville, NC and a J.D. from Whittier Law School, Costa Mesa, CA. David obtained his teaching credential through LAUSD’s District Intern Program in 2010 and was recognized by the California State Assembly as the Outstanding Teacher of the Year at Orville Wright Magnet Middle School for 2010 - 2011.

Daniela began her career teaching middle school in LAUSD, and went on to be a founding member at a middle school in the South Bronx, New York. She then joined the staff at Animo Venice Charter High School and is now in her sixth year there teaching American Literature and AP English. Daniela has served as the English department chair and a member of the Instructional Leadership Team for three years. In these roles, she was responsible for supporting other teachers and collaborating on professional development. She was also selected to participate in Green Dot Public School’s Teacher Leader Development Program to collaborate on and co-lead district-wide professional development for English Language Arts teachers. Additionally, she has enjoyed coaching new teachers as a Faculty Advisor for Teach for America’s Summer Institute and as a Support Provider for the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program. She is currently pursuing National Board Certification in Adolescence and Young Adulthood/English Language Arts. Daniela earned her Bachelor’s degree in English from University of California Los Angeles, her teaching credential from California State University Northridge, and her Master’s degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Alice Lai is a National Board Certified 5th grade Mathematics teacher at KIPP Los Angeles College Preparatory School. She graduated from the Teacher Education Program at the University of California, Los Angeles and earned her Masters of Education in 2006. Alice began her career working with English Language Learners in the Pico Union neighborhood of the Los Angeles Unified School District. During this time she served as a master teacher, grade level chair, science lead teacher, and Nutrition Network Coordinator. In 2009, she joined the charter world of education at Gabriella Charter School and served as the first Teacher Leader on the committee leading to a full term WASC accreditation. At this time, she also earned her Administrative Credential and Masters of Education focused on inner city school leadership and social justice through the UCLA Principal Leadership Institute. Alice has a B.S. from the University of California at Berkeley.

Tyler Malotte attended LAUSD schools and now has the privilege of working for one. After earning his B.A. from Chapman University, Tyler joined Teach for America in 2005. He is a special education teacher at Cochran Middle School, where he began his career teaching 7th and 8th grade math, science, and history. In 2007, Tyler earned a Masters Degree in Special Education and transitioned to the role of resource teacher where he co-taught 6th and 7th grade English and ESL. In 2009, he went back to the self-contained class teaching math, science, English, and history to 6th-8th graders with emotional disturbances. He has served as School Site Council Chairperson and holds a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. In 2011, Tyler was asked to be a teacher on special assignment, tasked with bridging the gap between special education and general education as Bridge Coordinator. He loves to garden, cook, and tailgate.

In her fifth year of teaching, Jeanette currently teaches high school French at Environmental Science and Technology High School in Atwater Village. At her school she is the chair of the French department and yearbook advisor. She is a faculty advisor for the i3 technology grant, which seeks to integrate technology skills in the classroom. She also serves on the teacher advisory panel for a grant from the Gates Foundation called The College-Ready Promise. She currently has a preliminary credential in multiple subjects and French. Jeanette is a 2007 alumna of Teach for America - Los Angeles.

Loribeth Mau is a 2nd grade teacher at Dr. Theodore T. Alexander Science Center School. She has taught 2nd and 4th grade and is teaching Dual Language this year. She has her Masters in Education from UC Riverside. She’s had extensive Gifted training, Guided Learning Acquisition Design training, physical and earth science training, and attended the physical education institute. She’s served on school committees focused on teambuilding, curriculum development, technology, and physical education. She’s helped develop innovative professional development to meet district goals in areas of technology integration across the curriculum, lesson study, differentiation, and PE. She started the Marathon Kids Program at her school and has been the lead teacher for the program as well as the Jump Rope for Your Heart program. In addition to her contributions to her school, she’s been a presenter for the California Science Teacher’s Association for elementary earth science.

Carmina Osuna was born and raised in East Los Angeles, where she now works as a Spanish teacher for all levels at the Alliance Media Arts and Entertainment Design charter High School. As an undergraduate student at the University of California in San Diego Carmina participated in the Mexican Migration Filed research and Training Program, which lead her to conduct interviews in Mexico and co-author the chapter “Leaving to Learn or Learning to Leave: Education in Tunkas” in the book Mexican Migration and the U.S. Economic Crisis: A Transnational Perspective. After completing her bachelors in Spanish Literature, Carmina went on to participate in Teach For America while obtaining her masters in Education at Loyola Marymount University. As Carmina begins her third year, she is committed to guiding students towards becoming bilingual and literate in Spanish and English. She is also the co-advisor and co-founder of the student leadership and Dance crew student groups on campus. Carmina also started the professional development committee on campus while supporting first year teachers in the classroom.

Alexis Piazza has taught six, seventh, and eighth grade math grade math in south LA for the last four years. After training at Gompers MS in the summer of 2008, he spent two years at John Adams MS, where he served as the math department chair. In 2010, he spent a year teaching 7th grade math at KIPP: Academy of Opportunity, leading his students to significant academic gains. Alexis worked as a Corps Member Advisor at Hamilton High School through Teach for America’s Summer Institute in 2010 and as a School Director for Gompers Middle School in the summer of 2011. He currently teaches 8th grade Algebra 1 and 8th grade science at Gabriella Charter School, and is excited to teach the school’s first-ever graduating class.

Allison has been a teacher at Virginia Road Elementary School in Los Angeles for nine years, where she has taught at the pre-kindergarten, second grade, and third grade levels. Allison began her teaching career at the University of California, San Diego, where she earned a minor in Education and was able to work as an aide in schools located near the US-Mexico border. The students she worked with there inspired her to obtain her teaching credential and Masters in Education at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 2006, she demonstrated that she was able to meet our Nation’s highest and most rigorous teaching standards by earning her National Board Certification. This certification has enabled her to become a mentor for new teachers through the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program as well as a mentor for struggling teachers. During the 2010-2011 school year, Allison was selected as a Los Angeles Unified School District Teacher of the Year and subsequently a Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year. In 2011, Allison completed a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California, with a concentration in Teacher Education in Multicultural Societies and her dissertation focusing on community-school-university partnerships. Currently, Allison continues to teach pre-kindergarten, while also mentoring teachers, serving as the Student Success Team coordinator, and participating in the School Site Council.

Originally from Kentucky, Jennifer Roederer earned her undergraduate degree in Mathematics from the University of Louisville. She then entered a graduate program and earned a Master’s Degree in Mathematics Education while concurrently teaching the 6th grade and being a Team Leader for her school. From there she moved to Los Angeles and taught high school, eventually leaving the classroom to become a Mathematics Instructional Coach. During this time she earned an additional Master’s Degree in School Leadership and Administration and participated in the Principal’s Residency Network with a focus on Pilot School Principalship. She has re-entered the teaching force and is teaching 8th grade Algebra full-time at Luther Burbank Middle School. In addition to teaching and coaching, Jennifer has also provided countless hours of Professional Development for her schools on topics ranging from classroom management, cooperative learning, technology, and teaching a constructivist mathematics curriculum.

Natalie Smith teaches moderate-severe special education at Frank D. Lanterman High School, a special education center. She has taught special education for the past seven years. Natalie has taught on both general education campuses and non-public school campuses. Natalie received her bachelor’s degree, in sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She also received her teaching credential and Masters degree from UCSB as well. Currently at Lanterman High School, Natalie serves as the Title I Coordinator. As coordinator it is her responsibility to facilitate Advisory committee meetings such as Compensatory Education Advisory Committee (CEAC), English Learners Advisory Committee (ELAC), and serves as the parliamentarian for School Site Council. Natalie also serves as the Department Chairperson for the Multiple Disabilities (MD) Department. Natalie is a leader in school, as she has facilitated her schools Vertical Transition Planning Team for the past three years, helping to create thematic units that include the state standards.

Angie Trae-Greenbarg attended the University of Missouri in Columbia where she earned her Bachelor's of Arts in Psychology. After graduation, she joined Teach for America in the Los Angeles Region to begin her teaching career. She taught 6th grade math/science at Mann Middle School in South Los Angeles for three years. While teaching, she earned her teaching Credential and her Masters in Elementary Education at UCLA. Angie is currently a founding teacher at Valor Academy in Pacoima where she chairs the science, history and art departments. She is thrilled to be a Teach Plus fellow where she hopes to gain experiences and skills to make a significant impact in education policies throughout Los Angeles.

Sarah Wechsler teaches 6th grade Math and Science at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, Burlington Campus. Prior to Camino, she was a founding teacher at Santa Rosa Charter Academy and also taught at Belvedere Magnet School. Sarah attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She is a Los Angeles 2006 TFA alum and has her Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Loyola Marymount University. Sarah was recently nominated to showcase her teaching practices to beginning teachers at the PUC summer Teacher Training Institute. She also has experience as a BTSA support provider and LMU supervisor for beginning teachers. She has also taken on leadership roles to develop academic and behavioral intervention programs to increase student achievement. Her favorite aspects of teaching are planning engaging, rigorous, and relevant lessons for her students. She also enjoys researching and implementing new learning strategies in her classroom.