Wendy Kopp (Teach For America)

Wendy Kopp is an educational leader best known for founding Teach For America in 1989, an organization that recruits recent college graduates to teach in underserved schools across the U.S. Her goal was to expand educational opportunities for all children by addressing teacher shortages and promoting long-term, systemic change. Kopp’s work emphasizes leadership development, educational equity, and innovative approaches to improve learning outcomes for students in underprivileged communities. She is widely recognized for her contributions to education reform and continues to influence policies and initiatives aimed at closing achievement gaps.