Wendy Kopp knows that children’s futures are shaped by early experiences with poverty, hunger, discrimination, and trauma—and that school systems don’t always give them the support they need. The problems they face are systemic and complex, but solvable; the key, she believes, is developing collective leadership.

Wendy founded Teach For America in 1989 and co-founded Teach For All, a global network, in 2007. The network now comprises about 60 independent, locally led organizations around the world — organizations that believe meaningful, sustainable change calls for the collaborative action of many, who through their vision and commitment inspire the leadership of others. Network partners begin cultivating this leadership by calling on their countries’ diverse, outstanding graduates and professionals to commit at least two years to teach in the schools and communities where they’re needed most. Through ongoing training and development, these teachers become strong classroom leaders and determined advocates for their students. The experience shapes their beliefs and priorities, and, for many, leads to a lifetime of leadership towards systemic change, inside and outside of education.

Wendy believes individual interventions aren’t enough to drive systemic change; meaningful change will only come from many people exerting leadership across the whole ecosystem — from the classroom to school to system administration, higher education institutions to NGOs, and policy to elected office. She hopes that, in the decades ahead, this force of leaders — working collaboratively, grounded in local realities, and informed by global insights — will continue to spark and sustain collective action in communities around the world that bring meaningful change to the lives of children.