At Teach For America, we know that to give all students access to an excellent education, we not only need more fantastic teachers and principals, but also more strong organization leaders in the non-profit and public sector working to effect change. We have an incredible community of 60 organization leaders currently working in Greater Chicago-Northwest Indiana, but over the past several years we have received consistent feedback that alumni in mid-level leadership roles want development around taking this next step in their career.

From this need, the Elevate Fellowship was born. Facilitated in partnership with the University of Chicago’s renowned Booth School of Business, the Elevate Fellowship will help alumni accelerate their careers and maximize their impact. Over the course of eight months, fellows will participate in monthly interactive presentations with Chicago Booth faculty, receive one-on-one coaching, and attend various networking events with organizational leaders in our region. “The non-profit and public sector has played a crucial role in Chicago’s education progress story. The Elevate Fellowship will ensure that TFA alumni are prepared to be the next generation of organizational leaders in our city continuing to effect change for students and their families,” says Aneesh Sohoni, Executive Director of Teach For America Greater Chicago-Northwest Indiana.

“Chicago Booth is pleased to partner with Teach For America to offer the opportunity for rising social sector leaders in the Chicagoland area to learn about business fundamentals from Booth’s renowned faculty,” said Caroline Grossman, Booth’s faculty director of the Elevate Fellowship, adjunct assistant professor of strategy, and director of programs at Booth’s Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation, the school’s social impact hub. “The combination of research-based insights and on-the-ground knowledge can be powerful.”

We are proud to announce the first class of Elevate Fellows. These individuals come from a diverse range of personal and professional backgrounds, though all are united by their unwavering belief in the potential of our region’s students.