Teacher Ambassadors are dedicated teacher leaders representing a diverse range of teacher-powered schools who bring their counsel, voices, resources, and influence to Teacher-Powered Schools.

Teacher Ambassadors and a core group of staff lead the movement’s work.

Meet the Teacher Ambassadors

Teacher-Powered Schools Staff

Teacher-Powered Schools is a project of Education Evolving, supported by all members of the EE team.

Amy Junge

Director, Teacher-Powered Schools

Amy Junge is a former California public elementary and middle school teacher and assistant principal. She started working with teacher-powered schools in 2009 and was a contributing author for Trusting Teachers with School Success: What Happens When Teachers Call the Shots. Today, Amy works with Education Evolving supporting teacher-powered schools through Teacher Powered Schools.

Email Amy

Wendy Salcedo-Fierro

Teacher-Powered Specialist

Wendy is a social studies and dual language teacher. As a lead teacher at a teacher-powered school in Los Angeles, Wendy helped articulate her school’s K-12 bilingual program and develop innovative projects, assessments, and initiatives. She is passionate about creating democratic schools and supporting teachers and students to be agents of change.

Email Wendy

Sarah Giddings

Teacher-Powered Social Media Coordinator

Sarah Giddings is a National Board Certified Teacher who is a teacher leader and curriculum coordinator for the WAVE Program—a reimagined alternative high school she helped develop. She is also a Teacher Ambassador for the Teacher-Powered Schools Initiative, where she supports professional learning opportunities and communications and engagement.

Email Sarah

Marcus Penny

Communications Manager

Marcus runs communications for Education Evolving where he enjoys marrying creative skills with a passion for education systems change. Before EE, he led communications and digital engagement for a national nonprofit supporting students and educators engaged in service-learning.

Email Marcus

Jeff Austin

Teacher-Powered Schools Coach

Jeff Austin is a social studies teacher who now serves as the principal and was on the design team at the Social Justice Humanitas Academy in Los Angeles. He is a National Board Certified Teacher and was a 2013 Los Angeles County and Los Angeles Unified School District Teacher of the Year.

Email Jeff

Zaynab Baalbaki

Teacher-Powered Schools Coach

Zaynab Baalbaki is extremely passionate about social justice, especially in education. She was an advisor at Escuela Verde in Milwaukee, a teacher-powered school that focuses on social justice, sustainability, and peace. She is the founder of ZB Consulting as the lead justice and love cultivator.

Email Zaynab

Support Staff