Milwaukee
About Us
Since 2009, Teach For America has contributed to the fight for educational equity for Milwaukee kids. From teaching as corps members to becoming veteran educators and engaged citizens, the TFA community is ingrained in Milwaukee education.
After 14 years, 550 corps members and thousands of students served, TFA remains committed to Milwaukee alongside our alumni, corps and community partners. At TFA Milwaukee, we envision students receiving a high quality education regardless of their neighborhood zip code.
More than
650
TFA alumni in Wisconsin
Approximately
550
TFA Milwaukee alumni
More than
75
TFA alumni school leaders
More than
650
TFA alumni in Wisconsin
Approximately
550
TFA Milwaukee alumni
More than
75
TFA alumni school leaders
Living Here
Living Here
Milwaukee's strengths are in its contrasts. Here you will find a community that takes pride in its history as an international brewing and manufacturing mecca that has also grown into an exciting and modern city. With nearly every neighborhood just 15 minutes or less from downtown, you can find Milwaukee residents eating on the restaurant-lined Riverwalk; attending a concert at Summerfest; watching movies on the lakefront; partaking in Wisconsin's traditional fish fry; enjoying the world-renowned Milwaukee Art Museum; taking in a Milwaukee Bucks game in the Deer District; tailgating at a Milwaukee Brewers game; experiencing the living landmark of the Mitchell Domes Horticultural Conservatory; kayaking along the Milwaukee River; shopping at the locally-owned boutiques in the Historic 3rd Ward, or simply strolling along one of the many urban hiking trails in Milwaukee County.
Here, you will work hard alongside your students and partners. When you’re seeking to recharge, Milwaukee offers you balance in life.
“My students faced unconscionable injustices inside and outside of school. I went to law school and focused on juvenile justice and education issues and returned to Milwaukee to fight to change some of the systems that limited my students’ opportunities.”
Amanda Merkwae
Advocacy Director, ACLU of Wisconsin
Milwaukee Corps Member 2011
Where We Work
Milwaukee corps members and alumni teach and lead schools across the city. The need for high-quality learning for Milwaukee students is high.
According to state test scores, about 10% of Milwaukee 3rd-8th grade students are proficient in math and about 14% in language arts. On the ACT, about 27% of high schoolers are proficient in math while 35% are proficient in language arts. Less than ⅔ of Milwaukee students are learning at grade level.
Milwaukee corps members join a coalition of teachers, school leaders, and community advocates who seek to co-create an equitable and excellent education alongside students and families. The efforts begin in the classroom, led by the teacher and the relationships they build with their brilliant students.
Local Leadership
Michael Nguyen
Milwaukee '09
Executive Director
Teach For America Milwaukee
Michael Nguyen is the Executive Director of Teach For America Milwaukee. Michael moved to Milwaukee after joining the first cohort of TFA Milwaukee corps members in 2009. Formerly, Michael managed Admissions, Communications, and Fund Development as Chief of Staff at Carmen Schools of Science and Technology, a network of five public elementary, middle, and high schools.
Our Stories
Support Our Work
The Teach For America Milwaukee community is incredibly grateful for all our supporters. All gifts help our effort to recruit, train, and support excellent teachers and leaders for students across Milwaukee.
You can search the drop downs below for a specific corps member or click Schedule a Call to find all teachers' availability in one place.
Select a profile. Schedule a call.
It’s as easy as saying “hello.” Choose a teacher you are interested in connecting with and schedule a time to talk on the phone. Once you book, you’ll receive a confirmation email, and then, the corps member will give you a call at your chosen time. You can expect the conversation to feel casual and easygoing.
Select a corps member below:
Corps members teaching in the Midwest
Dayla Bedford
Indianapolis 2022 Corps Member
she/her
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 1st Grade English Language Arts
Alma Mater: Indiana University Indianapolis
Major: Social Science
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
Talk to me about: Teaching early elementary, teaching the science of reading, classroom management/procedures, being a caregiver in the corps, advocating for support, what being coached as a teacher can look like
Rickey Jones
Indianapolis 2021 Corps Member
he/him
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 2nd Grade All Subjects
Alma Mater: Purdue University
Major: Industrial Engineering Technology
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
Talk to me about: Building relationships with your students, Implementing student engagement strategies inside of your classroom, building a strong classroom culture, being a teacher of color, managing time between graduate school, TFA duties, and teaching full-time, and teaching early elementary
Dan Rapp
Kansas City 2015 Corps Member
he/him
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 2nd Grade All Subjects
Alma Mater: Columbia College
Major: Human Services
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Talk to me about: Elementary education, culturally responsive classroom practices, balancing teaching and coaching after-school sports, leadership opportunities as a classroom teacher
Natalya Sweatt
Indianapolis 2022 Corps Member
she/her
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 4th Grade All Subjects
Alma Mater: University of Kentucky
Major: Health, Society, and Populations
Hometown:Louisville, KY
Talk to me about: Moving to a new state, becoming a teacher with no background/knowledge in the education field, adjusting to a new environment, building relationships
Luisa Diaz
South Dakota 2020 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: High School Math
Alma Mater: California State Long Beach
Major: Economics
Hometown: South Gate, CA
Talk to me about: Moving from a city to a rural area, adapting to rural living, teaching high school mathematics, getting involved in community, learning how to balance self care with teaching responsibilities, engaging students and families.
Corps members teaching in the Northeast
Zayra Alvarez
Greater Philadelphia 2022 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: Bilingual Kindergarten
Alma Mater: University of North Texas at Dallas
Major: Education & Psychology
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Talk to me about: Work/life Balance, bilingual education, managing finances on a teacher's salary, relocating, teaching while in graduate school.
Mariah Bourgouis
Baltimore 2022 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 9th Grade Biology
Alma Mater: University of Missouri at Columbia
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Talk to me about: Teaching science, moving to a new state for the corps, planning for post-corps life, time-management, work-life balance, maintaining out of work relationships, applying to medical school.
Paulex Colon Vazquez
Rhode Island 2022 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 4th Grade Dual Language
Alma Mater: Pennsylvania State University
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Talk to me about: Teaching Math/English Language Arts to English Language Learners, being a first generation Hispanic/Latino American teacher, teaching in low socio-economic areas, time management/prioritization between teaching/grad school, mental health & wellbeing following moving states/beginning a career in teaching.
Valeria Flores Montoya
Baltimore 2021 Corps Member
she/they
TFA Grade Level/Subject: Early Childhood Education (K-3) All Subjects
Alma Mater: Universidad del Pacífico (Lima, Peru), Rutgers University, The Johns Hopkins University
Major: Business Administration, Communication and Media, Education
Hometown: Lima, Peru
Talk to me about: Resources available for TFA teachers including for mental health, joining TFA and teaching while in graduate school, day-to-day life as a teacher, teaching all subjects, being a Latinx teacher, teaching as an immigrant whose first language is not English, moving to a new state for the corps, maintaining a long-distance relationship and getting married while in the corps, how to make the most of the school district salary system.
Dan Apicella
New Jersey 2022 Corps Member
he/him/his
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 6th Grade History
Alma Mater: The College of New Jersey
Major: Philosophy
Hometown: Cranford, NJ
Talk to me about: Teaching history, managing other substantial time commitments while in the corps, work/life balance, teaching in an area that is quite different than the one you grew up in, choosing to go to law school, transitioning from another AmeriCorps program into TFA, the social aspect of being a teacher (school culture/community/making friends, etc).
Akbar Khuwaja
Massachusetts 2022 Corps Member
he/him/his
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 8th Grade Math
Alma Mater: Baylor University & Harvard University
Major: Economics
Hometown: Cambridge, MA
Talk to me about: Managing finances, teaching math in a non-traditional way, joining TFA as a career changer, teaching in a community that is very different from your own, balancing caregiving responsibilities with teaching.
Abdul Samee Muhammad
New York 2022 Corps Member
he/him/his
TFA Grade Level/Subject: High School English, Social Studies, & Special Education
Alma Mater: Georgia State University
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Stone Mountain, GA
Talk to me about: Moving to a new state with the corps, being an LGBTQIA+ teacher, teaching English Language Arts, teaching special education, being a black male in education, joining TFA later in life.
Corps members teaching in the Southeast
Logan Cunningham
Nashville-Chattanooga 2022 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 5th Grade Science
Alma Mater: University of Virginia
Major: Biology & English
Hometown: Richmond, VA
Talk to me about: Teaching science, moving away from home for the corps, creating a work-life balance while in the corps, and running an after-school club.
Palmer Beldy
Washington DC 2022 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 5th Grade Math
Alma Mater: Southern Methodist University
Major: Advertising
Hometown: Lexington, KY
Talk to me about: Culturally-relevant lesson planning, getting involved in TFA community / leadership, continual learning as an anti-racist white educator, moving to a new place for the corps, intersection between education and other professions.
Kendrick Henson
Greater Baton Rouge 2022 Corps Member
he/him/his
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 6th Grade Social Studies
Alma Mater: University of Texas at Austin
Major: Sociology
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Talk to me about: Social studies education, time management and taking care of yourself as an educator, moving to a different state for the corps, being a Black male educator, and coaching sports while being a corps member.
Maria Gomez
Miami-Dade 2022 Corps Member
she/her
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 5th Grade Math
Alma Mater: Emory University
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Fort Myers, FL
Talk to me about: Teaching upper elementary/math, anything Miami, how to find financial security while teaching, how TFA makes for a good candidate for law school
Laurel Daughtry
Jacksonville 2022 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 6th Grade Science
Alma Mater: Trinity University
Major: Neuroscience
Hometown: Round Rock, TX
Talk to me about: Teaching science, coaching after-school sports, moving to a new state for the corps, transitioning from City Year to TFA.
David Duncan
Memphis 2022 Corps Member
he/him/his
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 7th Grade Math
Alma Mater: Vanderbilt University
Major: African American & Diaspora Studies, Medicine, Health, and Society
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Talk to me about: Teaching middle school math, work-life balance, building relationships with students, moving to a new state for the corps, being a Black male educator.
Fernanda Rodriguez
Greater Baton Rouge 2022 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: Kindergarten All Subjects
Alma Mater: University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley
Major: Mass Communication
Hometown: Donna, TX
Talk to me about: Managing finances, teaching English Language Learners, being a bilingual teacher, early childhood education, navigating the teacher certification process, and moving to a new state.
Shamyiah Williams
Greater Delta 2022 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 4th Grade All Subjects
Alma Mater: Delta State University
Major: English and Creative Writing
Hometown: Memphis, TN
Talk to me about: Adjusting to different grade levels (difference between teaching Kindergarten and 4th grade), managing finances as a teacher, what to look for while scouting for a school, teaching multiple subjects and how to plan, and how to introduce diversify cultures to students who may be in the same culture.
Corps members teaching in the Southwest
Sariah Bolden
Phoenix 2022 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: Advance Placement World History
Alma Mater: Roosevelt University
Major: History
Hometown: Birmingham, MI
Talk to me about: Teaching history, moving to a new state for the corps, coaching after-school sports, being a Black educator, being an LGBTQ+ educator, being a Hispanic educator (who doesn't speak Spanish).
Erick Longoria
Rio Grande Valley 2021 Corps Member
he/him/his
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 9th Grade World Geography
Alma Mater: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Brownsville, TX
Talk to me about: Managing finances on a teacher's salary, teaching high school social studies, living in the Rio Grande Valley, how to incorporate technology into the classroom, utilizing gamification in education, and utilizing social media for educational purposes.
Nathan Pastrano
San Antonio 2022 Corps Member
he/him/his
TFA Grade Level/Subject: High School English
Alma Mater: University of Texas at Austin
Major: English Literature
Hometown: Alice, TX
Talk to me about: Being an LGBTQ+ teacher, graduate school, certification requirements, teaching Advanced Placement, and engaging students
Cameron Good
Greater Tulsa 2022 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 5th Grade Math
Alma Mater: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Major: Interdisciplinary Studies
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Talk to me about: Teaching math, teaching at a charter school, maintaining a long-distance relationship, finding time for your personal well-being while teaching, and preparing for law school while in the corps.
Jessica Magaña Tavera
San Antonio 2022 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 6th Grade English Language Arts
Alma Mater: University of California - Los Angeles
Major: Sociology
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Talk to me about: Managing finances on a teacher's salary, teaching English and Language Arts, moving to a new state for the Corps, saving for grad/PHD programs.
Michelle Smitham
Dallas-Fort Worth 2018 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: Kindergarten All Subjects
Alma Mater: University of Texas at Austin
Major: Early Childhood Education
Hometown: Midland, TX
Talk to me about: Managing difficult behaviors in the classroom, grad school night classes and full time teaching, work/life balance, social emotional health in and out of the classroom (for students & self), and classroom management.
Corps members teaching in the West
Elijah Andrus-Burns
Nevada 2022 Corps Member
he/him/his
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 7th Grade Math
Alma Mater: University of California at San Diego
Major: Biology
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Talk to me about: Building genuine relationships with students and staff, teaching mathematics, passing the Praxis exam, finding hobbies to do and finding a work-life balance, transitioning to a new city and finding your circle, coaching/doing any activity after school
Luisa Gomez
Los Angeles 2019 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: High School Spanish
Alma Mater: University of California - Los Angeles
Major: Spanish and Psychology
Hometown: Riverside, CA
Talk to me about: Managing finances on a teacher’s salary, teaching in the LA region, creating your own curriculum, teaching high school Spanish, and leveraging your experience in the classroom for future opportunities.
Nathan Sprovieri
Bay Area 2022 Corps Member
he/him/his
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 10th Grade Chemistry
Alma Mater: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Major: Chemistry & Kinesiology
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Talk to me about: Moving to a new state, teaching STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), coaching after-school sports, getting involved in extracurricular activities, and managing finances on a teacher’s salary in a city with a high cost of living.
Rebecca Soo
Bay Area 2022 Corps Member
she/her/hers
TFA Grade Level/Subject: 5th Grade English
Alma Mater: University of California at Berkeley
Major: Sociology
Hometown: Laguna Hills, CA
Talk to me about: Juggling grad school and full-time work, prioritizing mental health, teaching kids how to read, and coaching after-school sports.