NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2026—Education nonprofit and leadership development organization Teach For America (TFA) announced that Daniel R. Porterfield has been elected chair of its national board of directors. Porterfield will succeed David Kenny, who is concluding four years of service as board chair, the maximum term allowed by the board.

Porterfield—the current president and CEO of the Aspen Institute and a former president of Franklin & Marshall College—has served on Teach For America’s national board for more than seven years and brings deep experience as an educator, nonprofit leader, and advocate for students and communities. Porterfield has led the Aspen Institute—a global, nonprofit leadership and convening organization founded in 1949—through a period of significant growth and innovation, expanding its programs, growing its resources, and strengthening its role as a nonpartisan convener on some of society’s most important challenges. His career — spanning higher education, public service, and youth development — reflects a deep commitment to nurturing leaders and broadening pathways to opportunity, highlighted by the establishment of the endowed Center for Rising Generations at the Aspen Institute in 2024.

During Kenny’s more than two decades of service through two tenures on Teach For America’s national board, he provided steady and thoughtful leadership that strengthened the organization’s long‑term strategic direction, deepened partnerships with communities across the country, and led the search that resulted in the appointment of current CEO Aneesh Sohoni, supporting a smooth and mission-aligned transition.

“I want to express my deep gratitude to David Kenny for his leadership and partnership,” said Aneesh Sohoni, chief executive officer of Teach For America. “David has guided the board with clarity, generosity, and an unwavering belief in what’s possible for students and communities, and his steady leadership has strengthened Teach For America for the years ahead. As we mark 35 years and look forward, I’m energized to partner with Dan Porterfield, whose long service on our board and deep commitment to developing leaders will be invaluable as we enter our next chapter—a moment when the country urgently needs shared purpose and real progress in education.”

As board chair, Porterfield will work closely with Sohoni and the board to steward Teach For America’s mission and support its evolution as the organization looks toward the future of education. He will help guide TFA’s efforts to strengthen the teacher pipeline, foster leadership across all levels of the system, and advance the organization’s growing focus on innovation—including the responsible use of technology and emerging tools such as artificial intelligence to expand access to learning while keeping teaching deeply human‑centered.

“As someone who has been a supporter of and partner to Teach For America throughout my career, and who has been proud to serve on the board since 2019, I am honored to step into the role of board chair,” Porterfield said. “Education is a cornerstone of my life and my leadership, and I have long admired Teach For America’s ability to connect purpose with practice in classrooms and communities. I’m grateful for David’s leadership and look forward to partnering with Aneesh, the board, and the broader TFA community to help shape the next chapter of this remarkable student-serving and change-making organization.”

For 35 years, Teach For America has connected young people with the opportunity to lead with purpose and service to expand access to excellent education. In partnership with more than 300 rural and urban communities, TFA has built a deep network of more than 70,000 leaders working at all levels to improve education and life outcomes for students. TFA is focused on reinspiring belief in what’s possible, strengthening pathways into teaching and leadership, and working in partnership with urban and rural communities to ensure every child can learn and thrive in a rapidly changing world.

This forward‑looking vision aligns closely with Porterfield’s lifelong commitment to developing the talent of young people. As a former faculty member, university leader, and college president, mentorship has long been central to his work, and he has personally supported hundreds of Teach For America corps members at the start of their teaching journeys, many of whom now lead schools, nonprofits, and community organizations across the country. During his presidency, Franklin & Marshall College tripled its enrollment of Pell Grant-elligible students and became a top producer among liberal arts colleges of TFA corps members.

“Dan’s commitment to education is both personal and enduring,” said Joanna Belcher, regional superintendent at the KIPP Foundation and a Teach For America alumna mentored by Porterfield at Georgetown University. “He believes deeply in teachers and students and challenges leaders to act with both urgency and humility. As a professor, Dan modeled the high expectations and unwavering belief in each student that Teach For America espouses. His example has inspired so many of us to view our classroom teaching as the foundation for a lifetime of leadership. Teach For America is stronger because of his guidance.”

Porterfield will officially begin his term as Board Chair on May 12, 2026, where he will work with Sohoni and the board to advance Teach For America’s priorities and support the organization’s long-term strategy.

About Teach For America

Teach For America works in partnership with communities across the country to reach One Day when every child has access to an excellent education. Founded in 1990, Teach For America finds, develops, and supports a growing network of leaders who expand opportunity for children from classrooms, schools, and every sector and field that impact a young person’s education. Today, Teach For America is a force of over 70,000 alumni, corps members, and Ignite fellows working in pursuit of profound change so that one day every child has the opportunity to learn, lead, thrive, and co-create a future filled with possibility. 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, LinkedIn, Instagram and Threads.​

Contact:
Reshma Melwani
949-294-9459
reshma.melwani@teachforamerica.org