HOUSTON, Texas, October 15, 2019—For nearly 30 years, Teach For America has recruited and developed leaders in Houston who work in classrooms, school systems, and the community to ensure that all children have access to a quality education.   

Teach For America Houston (TFA Houston) is pleased to announce the appointment of four new board members, three of whom are former corps members of the organization.  

Joining the TFA regional Houston board are Kristen Habich (TFA Bay Area, 1991), Mark Montgomery, Caitlin Mullen Pickard (TFA Houston, 2005), and Colin Pogge (TFA Houston, 2005). 

“We are delighted to welcome these new TFA board members,” says Tiffany Cuellar Needham, the Executive Director of Teach For America Houston. “TFA is proud of our partnership in the Houston community over the past three decades. While our corps members make an initial two- year commitment to lead classrooms, an astounding 70 percent continue to work in educational roles. Transforming schools and school systems is hard work but we are hopeful because we are moving from pockets of progress to a system of success. We appreciate the tireless efforts of our regional board, and their support of children and communities.”

Kristen Habich is the Market Manager for J.P. Morgan Private Bank. Before beginning her career in finance, she was a Teach For America corps member in the Bay Area. A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, she received her CFA® in 1998 from the CFA Institute and her CFP® from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards in 2003. Named to the inaugural Financial Times’ “Top 100 Women Financial Advisors” list in the United States in 2014, she is currently a member of the CFA Institute and the Houston Security Analysts Society. She also serves on the Advisory Board of Heroes for Children. 

Mark Montgomery, a fourth generation Texan, is the market coverage strategy director for Amegy Bank. Most recently he served as the Houston Market President and later CEO for BBVA Compass in Houston. Mark is known for using his strategy, ideation and relationship skills to build an internal culture that results in success. In addition to his new board appointment at Teach For America Houston, Mark has been involved in Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Rebuilding Houston Together and Project Grad, among others. 

Caitlin Mullen Pickard is an Investment Advisor at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC in Houston. Prior to this position, she earned her MBA with honors from The University of Texas McCombs School of Business. As a graduate business student, she ran the McCombs Business School Giving Campaign. Caitlin began her career as a corps member with Teach For America Houston, where she later worked as a program director. While teaching, Caitlin was elected Teacher of the Year two consecutive years in a row. Caitlin received a BA with a Major in Politics from the Commerce School at Washington and Lee University. Caitlin also serves on the Greater Houston Partnership’s Education Advisory Committee and serves on the Quadrangle Committee for St. John’s School in Houston.  

Colin Pogge is a Partner with Gibbs & Bruns, LLC. He began addressing educational inequity as a 2005 Teach For America Houston corps member where he taught 5^th grade at HISD’s Judson Elementary. He also worked as a TFA content and curriculum leader as well as in the summer as a Corps Member Advisor. After teaching, Colin received his law degree from The University of Texas at Austin. As an associate and partner at Gibbs & Bruns, a boutique civil trial firm, Colin tries cases on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants covering a wide range of industries. He also serves as the firm’s pro bono coordinator.

These four new members join the existing board of 16 other education advocates. To learn more about our board, please click here.  

About Teach For America 

Teach For America works in partnership with urban and rural communities in more than 50 regions across the country to expand educational opportunity for children. Founded in 1990, Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding leaders to make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the effort to end educational inequity. Today Teach For America is a force of nearly 60,000 alumni and corps members committed to profound systemic change. From classrooms to districts to state houses across America, they’re reimagining education to realize the day when every child has an equal opportunity to learn, to grow, to influence and to lead. Teach For America is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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