Steve Erickson Named Teach For America Phoenix Executive Director
Teach For America (TFA) announced Steve Erickson as the next executive director of its Phoenix region, where he will oversee all aspects of the regional operations.
Erickson will lead approximately 120 TFA corps members who serve more than 9,000 students in local public schools. He will also work to continue efforts with more than 1,000 alumni (previous corps members) of the program who call Phoenix home. This includes more than 100 school, district and community leaders across several sectors who lend their experiences to expand educational opportunities for students and families.
Erickson has served in various roles within the Phoenix region since his introduction to TFA as a Phoenix corps member.
“In 2005, I met an eager class of fourth-graders as a teacher at Quentin Elementary School. This would begin a transformational journey that laid the foundation to my next 16 years in education and with TFA,” said Erickson. “I’m honored to link arms with Teach For America’s corps members, alumni, partners and the families we work alongside in my home state of Arizona to lead Teach For America into its next chapter. I believe deep, meaningful partnerships will be what drives Teach For America’s effort to deepen its impact across the communities we serve.”
Following his time in the classroom, Erickson joined TFA’s national recruitment team, where he doubled the number of candidates joining TFA from the University of Arizona and Arizona State University. In 2009, Erickson joined TFA’s Phoenix regional staff leading multiple capacities, including fundraising, public and government affairs, partnerships and alumni strategy.
“We are thrilled to have Steve lead Teach For America Phoenix into its next era of impact for our community,” said Barbara Ryan Thompson, executive vice president and COO of the Helios Education Foundation and board chair of Teach For America Phoenix. “As Teach For America embarks on its ambitious 2030 goal of doubling its impact on students in the communities it serves, we are confident in Steve’s ability to lead the Phoenix region in this new direction.”
