Alumni Spotlight - Issue 13 - TLA
My name is Christiana Diaz Caballero (Allen). I am the art teacher at Myrtle Tate Elementary school. I completed the Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA) in 2018-2019, Cohort 4. Although I graduated from the TLA over 7 years ago, I still reference and utilize what I have learned from TLA daily. When training to be a teacher and starting out, teachers are never referenced as leaders of the school. It’s usually assumed that our power of influence ends at our classroom door. The Teacher Leadership Academy corrected this assumption for me and demonstrated how I could expand my influence in my school community. The Teacher Leader Academy was incredibly empowering for me, professionally and personally. TLA gave us a broader perspective of the world of education and how teachers can be more than just a leader in their classrooms. We met with politicians, district administrators, other teacher leaders from around the country, education lawyers, presidents of unions, and many other professionals who work in the sphere of education. All of these professionals had great lessons on highly valuable skills such as how to ask professionally for fundraising and donations, how to negotiate professionally and with your administrator, how to create a plan to achieve goals, how to connect with politicians at various levels who have influence on education policy, and more. I appreciate all of the opportunities and skills that TLA has given me.
My name is Chloe Smith, and I am a second grade teacher at Myrtle Tate Elementary. Participating in the Teacher Leadership Academy had a meaningful impact on both my career and my personal growth. TLA helped me recognize that leadership is not limited to a title, but is reflected in how we collaborate, advocate, and build relationships every day. It broadened my understanding of how interconnected every role in a school truly is and strengthened my confidence in using my voice to support students and colleagues. As I enter my school counseling internship, I plan to carry these lessons with me and continue growing as a collaborative and student-centered leader. I walked away feeling more grounded, more inspired, and more confident in showing up as a leader in whatever space I am in.
My name is Marcus Leon, and I am a 5th grade teacher. Participating in the Teacher Leadership Academy has had a powerful impact on both my career and my personal growth. TLA strengthened my confidence as a leader, helped me refine my instructional practices, and gave me the tools to support colleagues in meaningful ways. It pushed me to think beyond my classroom and consider how I can influence school culture, student achievement, and professional collaboration. As a person, TLA helped me grow in self-awareness, communication, and resilience, shaping me into a more reflective and purposeful educator and leader.
My name is Kathryn Faulkner, a fourth grade teacher at Myrtle Tate Elementary. I completed the Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA) in 2016. Participating in TLA was a transformative experience that reshaped the way I view my role as an educator and leader. Before TLA, I saw leadership primarily as something connected to formal titles or administrative roles. The academy helped me understand that teacher leadership begins in the classroom but extends far beyond it. Through TLA, I gained a broader perspective on the educational landscape and the many layers that influence student success—from school and district leadership to policy and community partnerships. The experience strengthened my confidence in using my voice to advocate for students, collaborate with colleagues, and contribute meaningfully to schoolwide initiatives. I developed practical skills in communication, goal-setting, and strategic planning that I continue to use in my work today. Most importantly, TLA empowered me to recognize my ability to influence positive change within my school community. It encouraged me to step forward, share ideas, support peers, and approach challenges with a solutions-oriented mindset. The growth I experienced in 2016 continues to impact my professional journey, shaping me into a more reflective, confident, and purposeful teacher leader.
My name is Ann Pogozelski, and I teach third grade at Myrtle Tate Elementary. Participating in the Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA) has been a turning point in both my professional and personal growth. TLA highlighted the power of networking, reminding me that I am part of a vibrant, supportive community. Seeing the incredible work being done across the profession has inspired me to take a more active role in educational leadership. This experience has motivated me to evolve—not just as an educator, but as a leader—striving to become the best version of myself for my students and my peers.
My name is Karla Romo and I am a first grade teacher at Myrtle Tate Elementary. Participating in the Teacher Leader Academy has made a tremendous impact on my teaching career. The Academy helped reignite my passion for education and helped me put into perspective the balance between work, family, and my social life. It gave me the opportunity to stop complaining about things I cannot change, yet helped me gain power to make significant changes to the things I can. The Academy solidified the importance of collaboration, networking, and effective communication. It inspired me to live with purpose and help provide hope to those around me.
I’m Kendra Shoemaker and I teach 2nd grade at Myrtle Tate. I had the opportunity to attend the Teacher Leadership Academy in Cohort 7 (2022-2023), and it was such a rewarding experience. Not only did it reignite my love for teaching in the classroom, but it also helped me grow into a better grade level lead for my team. One of the biggest takeaways for me was finding a stronger professional voice, which has given me the confidence and leadership skills I need to help guide our after-school program. I’m so excited to bring this new energy and these new tools back to our school community!
My name is Leigh Todd and I am a Pre-K teacher at Myrtle Tate Elementary School. I completed the Teacher Leader Academy in 2017. As an early childhood educator, what we do in our classroom everyday often gets misinterpreted as “just play”. Participating in the Teacher Learning Academy (TLA) gave me the tools, knowledge and confidence to advocate for the important things happening in early childhood classrooms. During my time in TLA, I sat with educators from every grade level/position from all over the district, along with amazing guest speakers who inspired us, reignited our passion for education and taught us that we are leaders in our schools and district. After completing the Teacher Leader Academy, I had the opportunity to serve on a Coherence Lab Fellowship team through the Aspen Institute. Our focus was on increasing access to high-quality pre-kindergarten programs that align with developmentally appropriate kindergarten classrooms, strengthening the transition between the two grades, and demonstrating the connection to the Read by Grade 3 initiative. As the only classroom educator on the team, I initially felt intimidated. However, the skills and knowledge I gained from the Teacher Leader Academy empowered me to find my voice and confidently advocate for both educators and students. In September 2024, I experienced the greatest honor of my teaching career when I was named the Nevada Early Childhood Educator of the Year. I have no doubt that my journey through the Teacher Leader Academy helped me discover who I truly am as an educator and gave me the confidence to lead through my teaching.
My name is Yahaira Vega, and I serve as a Learning Strategist for grades two and three, as well as the English Language Acquisition teacher for our Newcomers at Myrtle Tate Elementary School. Learning from inspiring educators such as Alex Kajitani and renowned professors and authors like Dr. Rick Hess—along with many other impactful presenters during the Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA) 2021–2022 for cohort 6 ignited and affirmed my calling to lead. Following my experience with TLA, I took the next step in my professional journey by enrolling in the Master’s program in School Administration at Western Governors University. I am also currently participating in the Aspiring School Administrators Program, continuing to build the skills and vision necessary to serve at a higher level. Most importantly, I put my learning into action. After presenting new ideas to my principal, we launched the Newcomer program at Tate, an initiative born directly from the inspiration and confidence I gained through TLA. TLA has truly been a transformative experience. It strengthened my critical thinking and problem-solving skills, deepened my sense of purpose, and helped me clearly define the “why” behind my career in education. It is an empowering journey that I believe every educator should have the opportunity to experience.
