Thursday, February 19, 2026 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
River Oaks Coun 1600 Riv Housto
Video:
Program
Welcome
Paula & Reginald DesRoches
2026 Event Chairs
Celebrating 35 Years of Impact
Tiffany Cuellar Needham
Executive Director, Teach For America Houston
Lunch Served
Recognition of Honoree
Phoebe & Bobby Tudor
2026 Honorary Event Chairs Doug Foshee
Owner at Sallyport Investments, LLC
Fireside Chat
Wendy Kopp
CEO and Co-founder of Teach For All Founder, Teach For America
Aneesh Sohoni CEO, Teach For America
Closing Remarks
Tiffany Cuellar Needham
Executive Director, Teach For America Houston
Dear friends and supporters,
Welcome to Teach For America Houston’s 35th Anniversary Ignite Potential Luncheon!
We are honored to celebrate this milestone with you. Since 1991, Teach For America Houston has served as a proven talent pipeline and a driving force in improving the quality of public education across our region.
Today’s theme From Day One to One Day honors the progress we’ve made since our first corps members arrived in Houston while also rallying us around the work that still lies ahead as we strive toward our shared vision: One day, all children will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
This moment is also a celebration of the thousands of educators and leaders who have shaped Houston’s classrooms and communities and a heartfelt thank you to each of you. Whether you’ve stood with us from the beginning or are just joining the TFA family, your support powers this movement and makes our progress possible.
We are especially proud to recognize Doug Foshee, a steadfast champion of public education. Doug’s leadership, generosity, and belief in the power of great teaching and leadership continue to leave a lasting mark on Houston’s schools and students.
er the past 35 years, we also be done. Our students are t on your continued support
Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Honorary Event Chairs
Our Mission
Teach For America finds, develops, and supports a diverse network of leaders who expand opportunity for children from classrooms, schools, and every sector and field that shapes the broader systems in which schools operate.
Our
Approach
Our 2030 Goal
g grade math, i a path to eco future fille
At the request of then Supt Rod Paige, 169 TFA corps members arrived in Houston and were placed at schools within the Houston Independent School District (HISD).
Proving What’s Possible
In the early years of TFA in Houston, the focus was proving what was possible in schools and classrooms, and proving that the TFA experience would motivate alumni of the program to become long-time education advocates The founding of KIPP and YES Prep in ‘94 and ‘95 by TFA alums began to prove this very thing.
Answering the Call to Scale
The following years focused on scaling our corps size and alumni base in order to grow our impact on the classroom and school level From 2000 to 2016, TFA brought 2,833 teachers to Houston, with the largest corps being in 2010 (290 corps members).
At the same time, TFA alumni began to saturate Houston’s education landscape. TFA alumni moved into important leadership roles across the city, including at HISD and on the school board Other alums became social entrepreneurs and founded non-profit organizations that continue to impact students across Houston today, including EMERGE and ProUnitas.
Laying the Foundation for Systemic Change
Knowing what’s possible in classrooms and schools, and having answered the call to scale, the next era of TFA became systemic change With so many powerful education organizations in Houston, TFA joined the necessary work of coalition building Other key organizations in this effort included Latinos for Education, ONE Houston, Good Reason Houston, and Houstonians for Great Public Schools, all of which were founded by TFA alums.
During this time, TFA also grew its cadre of systems leaders in Houston and shifted its focus from school-wide change to community-wide change.
y In 2020, TFA set an ambitious goal of ensuring twice as many children reach key educational milestones indicating they are on a path to economic mobility To reach this goal by 2030, we are focused on growing schools and programs that are delivering results for kids, driving strategic innovation in underperforming schools, and expanding and uniting the coalition of leaders working toward educational excellence and equity for children. We are motivated by some recent city-wide wins:
Greater Houston Region
Aldine ISD has had the largest gains in reading with a 7% increase in Meets/Masters from ‘23-’24 to ‘24-’25
Houston ISD, KIPP Texas, and YES Prep have seen a 5% increase in math growth from ‘23-’24 to ‘24-’25
Houston ISD
There are zero F-rated schools, down from 56 in 2023
74% of schools now rated A or B (197 schools), up from 35% (93 schools) in 2023 82 former D or F schools have improved to A or B
Teach For America Founder Wendy Kopp
Wendy Kopp is CEO and Co-founder of Teach For All Wendy conceived of and proposed the idea of Teach For America in her undergraduate thesis at Princeton University in 1989. She founded and led the organization for 24 years. Wendy led the development of Teach For All to be responsive to the initiative of social entrepreneurs around the world who were determined to adapt this approach in their own countries
Wendy is the author of A Chance to Make History: What Works and What Doesn’t in Providing an Excellent Education for All (2011), One Day, All Children: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach For America and What I Learned Along the Way (2000). She holds honorary doctorate degrees from 15 universities and is the recipient of numerous awards including the WISE Prize for Education (2021), the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship (2008), and the Schwab Foundation’s Outstanding Social Entrepreneur Award (2003).
Wendy resides in New York City with her husband Richard Barth and is the mom of four.
Teach For America
Chief Executive Officer
Aneesh
Sohoni
Aneesh Sohoni is the Chief Executive Officer of Teach For America, leading a national network of more than 70,000 leaders working to expand educational opportunity for children across the country A former high school English teacher through Teach For America, Aneesh has spent his career advancing educational equity through leadership roles in the nonprofit and public sectors, including as CEO of One Million Degrees and as Executive Director of Teach For America Greater Chicago–Northwest Indiana He is the recipient of Teach For America’s 2024 Peter Jennings Award for Civic Leadership, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and the author of Leadership Launchpad, a Substack on leadership and educational progress
Teach For America Houston Executive Director
Tiffany Cuellar Needham
(Houston ‘03)
Tiffany Cuellar Needham is the Executive Director of Teach For America (TFA) Houston, where, alongside her team, she supports more than 200 corps members and a network of nearly 2,000 alumni. Under her leadership, TFA Houston is working to expand opportunity for children and ensure more students reach key educational milestones especially in literacy and math by 2030.
Tiffany’s commitment to ensuring every child has the opportunity to attain an excellent education began in 2003 when she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and joined TFA Houston. As a corps member, she taught an exceptional group of fifth-grade students at Coop Elementary School in the Houston Independent School District After her time in the classroom, Tiffany joined TFA staff and has since served in various programmatic and executive leadership roles during her 20-year tenure.
Tiffany is a Pahara Fellow, a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum, and serves on the Board of Texas Executive Women. She was named a 2018 Woman in the Fast Lane of STEAM by the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce, one of Houston Women’s Magazine’s 2020–2021 50 Most Influential Women, and a 2024 Women Who Mean Business honoree by the Houston Business Journal.
A Life Member of the Texas Exes, she proudly bleeds burnt orange and white. Tiffany lives in Pearland with her husband, Paul, a fellow TFA alumnus, and their two children, Isabella and Westley.
Teach For America Houston Founding Board Chair
Josephine Powell Smith
Josephine Powell Smith is a native of Richmond, Virginia and a graduate of Smith College. She began her career teaching elementary and preschool in New York City and San Antonio before moving to Houston in 1973
She is the founding chair of the Teach For America Houston Regional Board and, more than 30 years later, continues to serve as a dedicated board member Josephine remains deeply engaged in Houston’s education and civic life, currently serving on the board of Breakthrough Houston and on the advisory boards of The Houston Seminar, The Neuhaus Education Center, and The Glasscock School of Continuing Studies at Rice University Previously, she served as a trustee of St John’s School and on the Texas Regional Advisory Board of the Environmental Defense Fund.
Josephine is married to Richard Stowers Smith They have two children: Quincy, who lives in Hunt and practices acupuncture at her clinic in Kerrville; and Elliott, who lives in Midland with his wife Denise and their son Zachary Their daughter Katherine recently completed two years as a Teach For America corps member teaching Special Education in Hawaii and currently works as a Senior Associate Consultant for Bain & Company in Atlanta
A special thank you to our founding board members and early supporters who helped lay the foundation for Teach For America’s lasting impact in Houston. Your leadership paved the way for the corps members and alumni who carry this mission forward across our city every day.
Our Regional Advisory Board
BenSamuels
BoardCo-Chair
SachaAbinader
AndreaAlexander
New York City Corps 2004
DeborahCannon
SeanCheben
GreggCosta
Mississippi Delta Corps 1994
HughGuill
Colorado Corps 2008
JosephineSmith
Founding Board Chair
ChrisJohnson
CaitlinPickard
Houston Corps 2005
ColinPogge
Houston Corps 2005 CordellHaymon
Dr.RobertSatcher TommyInglesby
LoriSherman
Doug Foshee
Doug Foshee is a longtime champion of public education and a steadfast supporter of Teach For America Houston. With a career spanning over four decades in finance, energy, and investments, Doug has brought his expertise and leadership to some of the country’s most complex business challenges while consistently investing his time, talent, and resources in causes that strengthen communities and expand opportunity.
As former Chairman and CEO of El Paso Corporation, Doug led one of the most notable corporate turnarounds in recent energy history, culminating in its landmark merger with Kinder Morgan in 2012 Today, through Sallyport Investments, LLC, he supports innovative ventures while dedicating significant time to philanthropic efforts, particularly those focused on public education, homelessness, and veterans.
Doug’s commitment to education is deep and personal. He is the current chair of the Good Reason Houston board and has served on the KIPP, Houston GPS, and the Houston Endowment boards. He is a past trustee of Rice University and chaired the Rice Management Company. A longtime advocate for education equity, Doug has played a vital role in advancing TFA’s mission in Houston and beyond.
Doug holds a B.B.A. in Finance from Texas State University, an M.B.A. from Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business and is a graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU. He is the recipient of numerous honors, including induction into the Texas Business Hall of Fame and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
We are deeply grateful to our 2026 Ignite Potential Luncheon Host Committee for their leadership, generosity, and commitment to educational excellence in Houston. Their support made our 35-year celebration possible and helped bring this meaningful moment of connection and impact to life. Thank you for helping us ignite potential and invest in the future of our city.
Maconda and Sacha Abinader`
Andrea Alexander*`
Laura and John Arnold
Mo and Ric Campo
Deborah Cannon`
Anne and Albert Chao
Cathy Chapman
Brittany and Sean Cheben`
Janet F. Clark
Jennifer and Gregg Costa*`
Molly and Jim Crownover
Paula` and Reginald DesRoches
Gayle and Bob Eury
Sarah and Doug Foshee
Monica Fulton
Lisa` and Peter Gagnon
Karen and Larry George
Glen Gonzalez`
Good Reason Houston
Annie and Bob Graham
Rebekah and Hugh Guill*`
Vicki and Bob Harvey
Ava and Cordell Haymon`
Caroline and Larry Heard
Rebecca Seidl Ingelsby and Tommy Inglesby`
Jill and Dunham Jewett
Jenny and Chris Johnson`
Ann Kennedy and Geoffrey Walker
KIPP Texas Future Fund
Karen & Ramon Manning
Janet H. Moore
Tiffany* and Paul Needham*
Mariloli and Marvin Odum
Caitlin*` and Ryan Pickard
Sangita and Colin Pogge*`
Kathryn and Richard Rabinow
Alicia and Shawn Raymond*
Susan and Barrett Reasoner
Regina Rogers
Carolyn Sabat
Marci Rosenberg and Ben Samuels`
Abeena Brewster and Dr. Robert Satcher Jr.`
Cathryn and Doug Selman
Lori` and Robert Sherman
Denise and Elliott Smith
Josephine` and Richard Smith
Ileana and Michael Trevino
Phoebe and Bobby Tudor
Asha and Farid Virani`
Polly and Jeffrey Whittle
CORPORATE CHAMPION
E V E N T S P O N S O R S
TRANSFORMER SPONSOR
Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation
The Dovetail Impact Foundation
Claire and Joe Greenberg / Deb and Mark Gregg
ILLUMINATOR SPONSORS
Guill Family Foundation
Janet F. Clark Sarah and Doug Foshee
Beth Robertson
Marci Rosenberg and Ben Samuels
CHANGEMAKER SPONSORS
Asha and Farid Virani
Chinhui and Edward Allen
Amegy Bank / Regina Rogers
The Anderson Family/ Checchi Capital Advisors, LLC
Anonymous
Jennifer and Gregg Costa
Paula and Reginald DesRoches/ Rice University
Jill and Dunham Jewett
John P. McGovern Foundation
Maconda and Sacha Abinader
Andrea Alexander
Vera and Andy Baker
Mo and Ric Campo
Deborah Cannon
Cathy Chapman Corient
Molly and Jim Crownover
Barbara and Bill Easter
Michol Ecklund/Patti Kraft/Claudia Gee Vassar
Lynn and John Elsenhans
Monica Fulton
Glen Gonzalez
Annie and Bob Graham
Hackett Family Foundation
Brittany and Sean Cheben
KIPP Future Fund
Karen and Larry George
Gloria Nino and Frank Monacelli
ConocoPhillips
Vicki and Bob Harvey
INSPIRER SPONSORS
Caitlin and Ryan Pickard/ Goldman Sachs
Texas Women’s University – Houston Campus
Kelsi and Will White
TFA Houston Network
Alumni Teachers
~214 Houston Corps Members
Our Alumni
410+
40+ Ignite Fellows (Tutors)
~1,900 Alumni Living in Houston
Alumni working in education
Alumni Working as School and District Leaders in Houston ~60%
200+
31,000+
Students Taught Annually by TFA Corps Members, Ignite Fellows, and Alumni Teachers
1,000,000+
Students Taught Since 1991 by TFA Corps Members and Alumni Teachers
Our Corps Members
To every corps member who has served in Houston and continues to lead and serve our students from inside and outside the education system thank you. Your impact is living proof that Teach For America corps members and alumni have woven the fabric of Houston’s education system, thread by thread, through their leadership, dedication, and service.
Scan QR Code or visit bit.ly/35-years-of-impact to see a full list of all corps members that have served in Houston over the past 35 years!
Brooklyn Clark
Houston 2025 Corps Member & Vanderbilt University Alumna 1st Grade Teacher, YES Prep East End Elementary
Wednesday, October 8th, 2025
After a long day with 25 first graders, we transitioned into our final and most anticipated task of the day: math small groups. I pulled Joseph, a new student, aside to work with me.
For two months, I had focused on building strong foundations in addition and subtraction. I was proud of how far my students had come. I wrote 4 + 8 = ? on the board and showed Joseph how to draw circles to find the total.
He counted carefully and got the answer, 12 Then, he froze “I can’t remember how to write the number twelve,” he whispered.
My heart sank. I realized Joseph had entered first grade at a pre-K level. I pulled out a number chart and counted with him until we reached 12 together
I knew then that my work with Joseph had just begun. It would take patience, consistency, and intervention to help him catch up, but I was ready for the challenge.
Thursday, November 20th, 2025
For the past month, Joseph and I have worked every day on number recognition, addition, and word problems After each lesson, he grabbed his whiteboard and came straight to me to practice
He earned stickers and high fives I sent home extra resources Slowly but surely, Joseph began to believe in himself
On the day of our end-of-module assessment, he sat confidently beside me. As I read the word problem, one student smiled and said, “Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. ” Joseph looked up and said, “Ms. Clark, can you give us more of the hard stuff?”
When I entered the scores, I was stunned. Joseph scored a 90%.
Even more incredible, our class reached 100% proficiency, meaning every student met the standard. I could not believe it.
That day, I did not celebrate just their academic growth; I celebrated their confidence, their resilience, and my own. I was reminded that these wins, these moments, are why I Teach For America.
I know there is a long road ahead, filled with challenges and victories as I work to get my students where they need to be and where they deserve to be. Once again, I am ready for the challenge.
Margaret Hankins
Houston 2025 Corps Member & Yale University Alumna High School Science Teacher, Hall Success Academy, Aldine ISD
Monday, November 10th, 2025
My pencils are going missing There is pickle juice in my sink I have a stack of papers to grade so large it is starting to tip over. And my students will not stop talking.
This school year feels different and not always in a good way We have new administrators, a larger student body, and my mentor teacher from last year has left. Many days end with frustration and exhaustion, and I find myself wondering how I am going to find my rhythm again
But I am starting to realize something deeper is happening My students are showing up, but they are not invested They are capable They are smart But they are not motivated And that is on me.
I teach at an alternative school, and that makes this work even more urgent For many of my students, this feels like their last stop before deciding whether school is still for them.
Winter break is coming up I am counting down the days not just for rest, but for reflection I need to rethink my classroom, my systems, and the environment I am creating.
I am going into winter break knowing one thing for sure Something has to change and it starts with me.
Thursday, November 20th, 2025
I started the semester with a brand-new classroom management system. For the first time in months, I’ve had multiple good days in a row. I walk through the halls feeling like I am in a movie montage where everything finally starts to click
In my classroom, every student now has a job. Their job is to learn. They earn five “Hankins Bucks” a day for showing up, paying attention, and completing two major tasks On the first day of the semester, instead of a syllabus, I handed them employment contracts (and taught them how to read and sign contracts). The next day, I shook each student’s hand and told them, “You’re hired!”
They bought into the system immediately. Now our classroom is full of conversations about our “workplace,” raises, loaning each other money, and even whether they can collect interest. One student shouted, “Like loan sharks! That would be crazy!”
Students can redeem their “Hankins Bucks” for rewards, from snacks to sitting at the spinning lab chairs or renting the “mansion” (large classroom couch). We are only a few weeks in, but my new approach is already working My students are stepping into their “jobs,” taking ownership of their learning, and showing me what they are capable of.
My students are learning to love school and love learning, perhaps for the first time in a while Together, we are all learning the value of showing up, even when it’s hard
They are showing me what they are capable of, and reminding me what I am capable of, too.
I know there will still be hard days ahead There always are But the good days and rewarding moments remind me why this work matters and why I chose to Teach For America.
35 Profiles for 35 Years
To every Teach For America alum leading in Houston — we are deeply grateful for your continued commitment to our students. Your leadership across classrooms, communities, courtrooms, and boardrooms is shaping the future of education in our city.
Houston is a different place today because of the organizations you have built, the systems you have transformed, and the solutions you continue to lead. Your impact reflects the powerful legacy of Teach For America in Houston. Together, we move closer to One Day.
Let’s meet a few of our impactful alumni
AshleyCash
NewOrleans‘09
ChiefExecutiveOfficer, EMERGE
5,500+ eorcareertrajectory?
s showed me that lassroom and what re both essential. portantly, TFA o the power of ng as part of a eople starting, ving things that impact entire ore that, I didn't thing I could do.
PlacidoGomez
SanAntonio‘13
Q:Whati ElectedTrustee, HoustonISD
I joined Teach Fo I was once a underserved h wanted to d support peop that injustice students who given up on taug will rise to the lev given the oppor
4
Joseph Stewart
Lead6 GradeMathTeacher, PlummerMiddleSchool,AldineISD th Houston’18
Q: How did TFA change your life or career trajectory?
TeachForAmericagroundedmy perspectiveoneducation.The fundamentalideabehindTFAtouched whoIwantedtobe.Iwantedto changethenarrativeofyoungblack andbrownstudents,male studentsinparticular,who werebeingleftbehind.
1,500+ StudentsImpacted
Iris Tian
DeputyCommissioner,Analytics, Assessment,andReporting, TexasEducationAgency Houston’11
5.5 Million
IjoinedTeachForAmerica becauseofthestarkdifferences ineducationIwitnessedfirsthand andmydeep-seatedbeliefthat publiceducationisthemost importantlever
Q: What inspired you to join TFA?
AmericanDrea
JustinWest
Houston’11
Pi i l t
ertrajectory?
6,000+
Teach for America helped me realize my passion to inspire the next generation. Serving in the North Forest community allowed me to build positive relationships that still persists today. The opportunities have shown me the impact of great educators dedicating themselves to empower the lives of others.
Monica Zdrojewski
ChiefofStaff, HoustonISD Dallas-FortWorth‘12
Q: How did TFA change your life or career trajectory?
Teach For America set me on a lifelong path in public education and sparked a deep passion for education policy and a desire to understand how and which systemic reforms can better support students and teachers. Since then, I’ve worked to identify successful initiatives and explore how to scale and replicate them so that all students have access to high-quality learning opportunities.
200,000+
StudentsImpacted
Alvin Abraham
on areer trajectory?
rmed my life me in the with service e resilience, y to solve mobilizing ision. That celerate my y lifelong opportunity ever I lead.
10,000+
Students Impacted
Sehba Ali
Houston ’98
CEO, KIPP Texas.
Q: How did TFA change your life or career trajectory?
My time in the corps showed me that every child deserves every opportunity to learn and thrive When I was a corps member, I visited a school in River Oaks. I recognized right away was that my students were just as bright but lacked the privilege and opportunities that the students at Lanier Middle School had. In that moment, I decided it was my responsibility to do everything I could for my students and students like them. That visit impacted my whole career - I decided to stay in education and make it my life's work.
ali
32,000 Students Impacted Annually
Jeremy Beard
Former Executive Director, IDEA Public Schools Greater Houston Los Angeles ‘95
Q: How did TFA change your life or career trajectory?
I learned from my corps experience what true compassion is:
“It is not a reaching out from on high to those who are less fortunate below; It is not a gesture of sympathy or pity for those who fail to make it in the upward pull.
On the contrary, compassion means going directly to those people and places where suffering is most acute and building a home there.”
I have learned that this work was more than a job for me; it is a life-long mission of service for our communities and the families and children we serve.
50,000 Students Impacted
Priya Canzius
Yes Prep Northwest Houston ’20
Teacher,
Q: How did TFA change your life or career trajectory?
I knew at age 6 that I wanted to be a teacher, but after 14 years of working towards that goal, I was affirmed that I had genuinely made the best decision of my life in becoming a teacher by joining Teach for America.
ali
VictoriaChen
Co-founderandExecutiveDirector, BridgeYear Houston’11
Q: How did TFA change your life or career trajectory? What impact are you hoping to make?
StaciChilds
Member, TexasStateBoardofEducation Houston’13
Q:Whyareyoustillinthiswork?
StudentsImpacted
Thisworkmatterstome becauseakid’sfuture shouldn’tbedetermined bytheirzipcode,their race,orthepoliticsofthe day.I’vestayedinthis workbecauseI’veseen thebrillianceofstudents whojustneedsomeoneto fightforthem.
5.5 Million
GreggCosta
MississippiDelta’94
TrialLawyer,GibsonDunn
Q: How did TFA change your life or career trajectory?
TFA was the most challenging but also most rewarding thing I ever did. My time in the corps ignited a lifetime commitment to working in the Deltaone of the poorest places in Americato enhance educational opportunity. Along with two TFA colleagues, we started the Sunflower County Freedom Project, a summer and after-school program that prepares students for college. Students in the program have attended college all over the country.
Students Impacted
MarkDiBella
Houston’99
ChiefExecutiveOfficer, YESPrepPublicSchools
Q:Whyareyoustillinthiswork?
I'mstillintheworkbecausenot beingintheworkisnotan option.It'snolongerachoiceI evenconsider.It'sjustwhatIdo. It'swhoIam.Igotoworkevery dayhopingthatIcanimpact othersinsomewayclosetothe waythestudents,teachers,and staffI'veworkedwithoverthe yearshaveimpactedme.
StudentsImpacted
40,000
Sarah Guerrero
Executive Director, Breakthrough Houston Houston ‘07
Q:HowdidTFAchangeyourlifeorcareertrajectory?
My time in the corps showed me that kids, families, and educators are doing the best they can -- we have to continue to show up and support what we know it takes for kids across our city: strong leadership, sustainable systems and structures, pathways, and collaboration.
StudentsImpacted
20,000
Kunal Kataria
Houston ’20
Teacher,
YES Prep Northline
Q:HowdidTFAchangeyourlifeorcareertrajectory?
Teach for America shifted me from business to education. Now, I believe I will be a career educator... When I think about this work, I think about the good feeling. The good feeling that you ' re making a difference. The good feeling that you can mold the future to be great.
Students Impacted
1,000
Madelyn Marrs
ChiefofSchools, HoustonClassicalCharterSchool Houston’16
I have chosen to remain in this work is because it allows me to create impact on a greater scale. I have come to see that my role extends beyond a single classroom - I have the opportunity to influence an entire school community and shape systems that expand opportunities for countless scholars.
Q:Whyareyoustillinthiswork?
StudentsImpacted
Ashley Moorman
Houston’07
Principal,KIPPNexusMiddleSchool
Q:HowdidTFAchangeyourlifeorcareertrajectory?
From my first day teaching, it was clear that this was going to be more than a 2-year commitment. The students and the school community were immediately such a special place for me to not only teach, but to learn and grow myself. For 14 years, I taught and led at my TFA placement school and continue to lead in my placement district.
StudentsImpacted
4,000
Paul Needham
Houston’05
ISD
Q:HowdidTFAchangeyourlifeorcareertrajectory?
erica gave More than howed me tting in the ere we are ere you are hether that l office, oardroom, m, or living in the fight
dentsImpacted
20,000
KelveyOeser
LosAngeles’01
Deputy Commissioner of Educator and System Supports, Texas Education Agency
StudentsImpacted
Q:HowdidTFAchangeyourlifeorcareertrajectory?
TFA provided me with a first hand experience of how every student has the ability to achieve great things, how critical the classroom teacher is to achieving stronger results for students, and how the system needs to be fundamentally changed in order to ensure every student has a great teacher year after year.
5.5 Million
Noel Perkins
Houston’13
ExecutiveDirector, MathCirclesofHouston
Q:HowdidTFAchangeyourlifeorcareertrajectory?
Teach for America shaped my career, and life, by illuminating for me where I can best use my talents and voice to make the greatest impact. I was shocked to receive my placement as a math teacher twelve years ago, and today I run our city's only nonprofit math enrichment program. I found my life's work because of TFA.
Student Impacte
Courtney Isaak Pichon
DallasForth-Worth’10
ChiefProgramOfficer, GoodReasonHouston
Q: Why are you still in this work?
Everyday,I'mmotivated byboldeducation leaders,lovingparents, fearlessadvocates, innovativeeducators, and--ofcourse--the 700,000incredible childrenthatcall Houstonhome.
1,000,000
Students Impacted
KamilPlecki
Houston’16
Q:HowdidTFAchangeyourlifeorcareertrajectory?
Teacher entary,HISD cawastrulya mycareer.Ihad fpassionand tstudents,but tiontochannel ively.Through cedtosomeof piringand educatorsI’ve untered.
Students Impacted
600+
AmyPoerschke
Houston’10
FormerSeniorExecutive Director,HISD
Q:HowdidTFAchangeyourlifeorcareertrajectory?
TeachForAmericadeepened mybeliefinthepotentialof everychildandfamily.TFA showedmethepowerof seeingpeoplethroughan asset-basedlens,honoring dignity,andfindingcommon ground,whileholdingone anothertohighexpectations withrespectandempathy.
Students Impacted
280,000
CoreyPrados Principal, AskewElementary,HISD Houston’14
Q:HowdidTFAchangeyourlifeorcareertrajectory?
TeachForAmericawasa turningpointinmycareer becauseitpushedmetogrow rapidlyasateacherandleader, forcingmetodevelop adaptableinstructional practicesanddata-driven decisionmaking.Mytimeinthe corpsshowedmethat meaningfulimpactbeginsinthe classroomandscalesthrough collaboration,mentorship,and communitypartnerships.
5,000+ StudentsImpacted
Shawn Raymond PartneratSusmanGodfreyLLP
MississippiDelta’94
Q:HowdidTFAchangeyourlifeorcareertrajectory?
TeachforAmericashiftedmy perspectiveonthelifelongroleI desiretoplayforotherswhoare lookingfortheirfirstshotat makingtheirdreamscometrue. TheimpactIstriveforis groundedintheconvictionthat everybody—regardlessofwho youare,whereyoulive,whatyou looklike,orwhatyour socioeconomicstatusis— mattersanddeservesthe opportunitytomaketheir educational,professional,and communitydreamscometrue.
90 Stu Imp
JeniRichard
Houston’11
AssistantSuperintendent, Teaching&Learning, BakerRipleyCommunitySchools.
Q:HowdidTFAchangeyourlifeorcareertrajectory?
TeachForAmericagaveme theopportunitytopursuemy passionforeducationand stepfullyintothefield.The mentorship,coaching,and professionaldevelopmentI receivedasacorpsmember andlaterasastaffmember werefoundationaltomy growthandplayedadefining roleinshapingmeasan educatorandleader.
Students Impacted
5,000
RajSalhotra
Houston’13
Co-FounderandExecutiveDirector, MomentumEducation
Q: Why are you still in this work?
Thisworkmatterstome becauseonly17%of Houston-arealow-income highschoolgraduatesare earningalivingwage.Ihope tocreateanenvironment where100%ofhighschool graduatescansecure alivingwage.
Students Impacted
2,000
AnnScott
Houston’96
ChiefTalentOfficer, KIPPTexas
Q:HowdidTFAchangeyourlifeorcareertrajectory?
I planned to teach for 2 years and return to my passion in pursuit of a career in journalism. Instead, I have dedicated my life's work to working toward educational equity for all students... We’ve been at this for a long time and it is even more challenging today than it was a few decades ago to gather the resources, talent and systems change necessary to change reality for our students.
StudentsImpacted
300,000
Q:HowdidTFAchange
TeachForAmericashapedmy careertrajectorybydefiningit.I haveworkedfor26yearsnowasa teacherinunder-resourced schoolsincommunitiesthat deserveexcellentteachers...My timeinthecorpsshowedmethat thecrucialandcarefulworkof educatinginchallengingspacesis mytruelife'swork.
2,000+ Students Impacted
Gary Tashima
Rio Grande Valley ‘07
Managing Director, College Success and Partnerships, EMERGE
My time in the corps showed me the power of showing up for my students, my colleagues, and myself. Over my four years at my placement school, we increased student achievement across all academic areas and climbed from one of the lowest performing middle schools in the district to fourth.
dentsImpacted
2,000
Narda Terrones
Houston ’17
Teacher, Buffalo Creek Elementary, Spring Branch ISD
StudentsImpacted
I joined Teach For America almost ten years ago, driven by my own experience as an immigrant student struggling to learn English. I was fortunate to have teachers who looked beyond my limited language skills and saw my potential. Their belief in me gave me the courage to persevere and shaped my understanding of what education can do for a child.
Reid Whitaker
Founder, STEMscopes SVP, Research and Measurement, Accelerate Learning Houston ’02
Teach For America was a turning point in my career because it opened the door for me to see how passionate I was about curriculum and instruction. This work matters to me because I feel every child can learn when taught by a skilled teacher and exposed to high-quality instructional materials.
Cary Wright
CEO, Good Reason Houston Mississippi Delta ‘03
StudentsImpacted
Teach For America was a turning point in my career because meeting my students and having the opportunity to support their futures unlocked a lifelong passion and pursuit that's driven me to make a difference ever since.
20,000
Tricia Zucker
Houston ‘02
Co-Director, Children’s Learning Institute, UT Health
My time in the corps sparked a lifelong interest in education. I will never forget a fifth-grade student I mentored after school, who could not read the kindergarten workbook I was grading. At that time, supporting a child struggle with reading was something I did not know how to fully address. Now I have spent decades studying the most effective ways to help children with reading and language difficulties.
StudentsImpacted
5,000+
Teach For America Houston Annual Supporters
$250,000+
Sarofim Foundation
Texas Education Agency
The Brown Foundation
The Cullen Foundation
Adrienne and Snehal Amin
Asha and Farid Virani
Beth Robertson
CT Bauer Foundation
Cathryn and Doug Selman
CFP Foundation
ConocoPhillips
Dovetail Impact Foundation
Barbara and Louis Sklar
Chinhui and Edward Allen
Claire and Joe Greenberg
Community Connect Church
Deb and Mark Gregg
George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation
Goldman Sachs & Co GRITS Foundation
Harvey R Houck Jr and Patricia W Houck Foundation, Inc
Adobe
Adriana and Eduardo Nunez
Alice Harcrow
Alicia and Shawn Raymond
Andrea Alexander
Anna and Fred Charlton
Anne and Albert Chao
Annie and Bob Graham
Barbara and Bill Easter
Barbara Burger Blue Wave
Carla Knobloch
Carol and P John Burke Jr
Cathy Chapman
Corient
Deborah Cannon
Denise and Elliott Smith
Amegy Bank
Ann Kennedy and Geoffrey Walker
Anne Furse
Barbara and Jonathan Day
Betty and Stephen Newton
Brett Mossman
Brooke and Iain Sharpe
Caitlin and Ryan Pickard
Catherine and Brian James
Cece and Michael Fowler
Clare and Jim Doyle
Connie and Scott Funk
Doreen Stoller
Dr Robert Satcher, Jr
Elizabeth and Albert Kidd
Eric Pulaski
Gloria Nino and Frank Monacelli
Harsha Reddy
$100,000-$249,999
ExxonMobil H-E-B
Houston Endowment Inc
Kinder Foundation
Laura and John Arnold
OneStar Foundation
Samuels Family Foundation
$25,000-$99,999
Guill Family Foundation
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
J Squared Family Foundation
Janet F Clark
John P McGovern Foundation
Marci Rosenberg and Ben Samuels
MD Anderson Foundation Rockwell Fund, Inc
$10,000-$24,999
Jennifer and Gregg Costa
Jeri and Marc Shapiro
Jill and Dunham Jewett
Lisa and Will Mathis
Lori and Robert Sherman
Lynn and John Elsenhans
Maconda and Sacha Abinader
Mariloli and Marvin Odum
$5,000 - $9,999
Diana Strassmann and Jeffery Smisek
First Horizon Bank
Glen Gonzalez
Good Reason Houston
Hackett Family Foundation
Jenny and Chris Johnson
Jenny and Clay Williams
Josephine and Richard Smith
Kathleen and Robert L Clarke
Kathy and Brian Reid
Kathy and Martyn Goossen
Knox Charitable Foundation
Linnet Deily
Mo and Ric Campo
Molly and Jim Crownover
Monica Fulton
$1,000 - $4,999
Jeffrey and Margaret Tucker
Jim and Pam Harris
Johanne and Joe Gatto
Joy Horak-Brown
Karen and Larry George
Karen Reifel
Kate and Malcolm Hawk
Kathryn and Richard Rabinow
Kelsi and Will White
KIPP Texas Future Fund
Kristen Harrison-Habich
Kristy Bradshaw
Leslie and Jack Blanton, Jr
Linda and George Kelly
Lisa and Peter Gagnon
Lois and George Stark
Louise Wiggins Rios
Michael Morgan
Sarah and Doug Foshee
The Astros Foundation
The Clayton Fund
The Elkins Foundation
The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation
Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation
Vivian L Smith Foundation
Patricia Dolan Mullen
Phoebe and Bobby Tudor
Posey-Glickert Foundation
Robert Zinn
Sangita and Colin Pogge
The Hevrdejs Foundation
The Tapeats Fund
Vera and Andy Baker
Nancy McGregor and Neal Manne
Nancy O'Connor
Paula and Reginald DesRoches
Perry Homes
Regina Rogers
Reid Whitaker
Rice University
Sarah and Jeff McParland
Suzanne and Robert Nimocks
The Anderson Family
The Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Family Foundation
The Mendelsohn Family Fund
The Willard and Ruth Johnson Charitable Foundation
Third Wave
Valero
Waverly and Adam Peakes
Morgan and Christopher Hollins
Nancy Manderson
Nora Zabriskie
Pamela Campbell
Pamela Gray
Polly and Jeff Whittle
Robert H Blocker
Simin and Gaurdie Banister
Susan and Barrett Reasoner
Taylor and Sylvanus Polky
Tex-Trude
Texas Women's University
Houston Campus
Tiffany and Paul Needham
Vicki and Bob Harvey
Virginia and Richard Mithoff
Y Ping Sun and David Leebron
Zachary Langevin
*List reflects gifts greater than $1,000 committed/received between June 1, 2024 - February 6, 2026
Dear TFA Houston Community,
What a privilege it is to close out this unforgettable celebration of 35 years of impact, commitment, and community.
To our event sponsors, thank you for making this gathering possible. To our board members, donors, and longtime supporters, your belief in our mission fuels our work. To every current and former corps members, thank you for your service, your passion, and your enduring commitment to students. And to our district partners and elected officials, your leadership is critical to expanding opportunity for all students, and we are deeply grateful for all that you do.
Today, we celebrate 35 years of progress. Since our founding in 1991, TFA Houston has partnered with hundreds of schools to place thousands of corps members, reaching hundreds of thousands of students. We’ve built an unstoppable network of more than 3,500 leaders; educators, advocates, school founders, policymakers, and innovators, who are shaping a stronger future for Houston’s children. We are so proud of what we’ve accomplished, together.
And yet, we know our work is far from done. The data continues to reveal deep disparities in access and opportunity across our city. As we look to the future, I invite you to join us in writing the next chapter of this movement. There is more to do to ensure every child in every neighborhood has access to an excellent education, and we cannot do it without you.
Let’s take the energy from today’s celebration and use it to propel us into the hard work ahead.
Yours in the movement,
Tiffany Cuellar Needham (Houston ‘03)
Executive Director, Teach For America Houston
