Joy Okoro Named Executive Director Of Teach For America Greater New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS — Teach For America Greater New Orleans has named Joy Okoro as its executive director. Okoro, who previously held the interim executive director role, will continue to oversee all aspects of the region’s teacher leadership development program.

Teach For America—Greater New Orleans was established in 1990. The region works to develop a diverse corps of outstanding college graduates and professionals, who make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the effort to end educational inequity. TFA-Greater New Orleans alumni are pushing the status quo to redefine what is possible for our students and driving innovation at every level of the system. Today, the region serves five parishes across the state and make up 20 percent of the teaching force in New Orleans.  

“Joy is a dynamic and proven leader with over 10 years of experience in the nonprofit and education sector, and she cares deeply about our responsibility to students and families in New Orleans and across Louisiana,” said Kira Orange Jones, Teach For America-Greater New Orleans Former Executive Director.  “Under Joy’s leadership we are poised to innovate on the programmatic support we offer corps members while utilizing the talents and expertise across our national network to develop leaders who work tirelessly to meet the needs of students in New Orleans.”

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Hailing from New York City and a graduate of Temple University, Okoro began her career working with the Garden of Dreams Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Madison Square Garden. Committed to continue serving others, Okoro joined the 2008 Teach For America Greater New Orleans corps as a pre-GED math and special education teacher in Jefferson Parish. She then joined the founding team of KIPP New Orleans Leadership Academy where she taught fifth grade.

After directly witnessing the widespread impact of local education reforms post Katrina, Okoro transitioned out of the classroom and joined Teach For America staff to support ushering new corps members to the region. At Teach For America, she has held numerous roles including Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, where she led major strategic initiatives to increase people of color to apply to the corps, refining the regions approach to leadership development, and mobilizing Greater New Orleans alumni.

Okoro has also been an active member of the Greater New Orleans community by working as a board member for the Young Leadership Council, an organization that seeks to get young professionals involved in the New Orleans community, as well as the 2015 Vice President of Projects and the Gala Chair. Okoro is a 2014 graduate of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute, and is a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

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“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the Greater New Orleans region as we continue to strive for educational equity for all students,” said Okoro. “Teach For America has a 27 year history of impact and service in Greater New Orleans. Looking ahead, I am most eager to double down on cultivating teachers that fuel innovation in their classrooms while also engaging in intentional partnerships and collaboration that will position New Orleans to be the first metropolitan in our nation to build a responsive public education system that serves all children.”

In her new position, Okoro will lead a network of about 1,300 Teach For America corps members and alumni teaching in underserved schools and working across different sectors to impact educational opportunities for children in the Greater New Orleans area. “Joy will maximize the leadership potential of the leaders Teach For America brings into our State each year to ensure that our young people have the opportunity to receive a quality education and the opportunities that come along with it,” said Joe Aluise, Teach For America-Greater New Orleans Regional Advisory Board Chair. “Her leadership style is marked by a spirit of partnership that guides her approach. I speak for our entire board when I say that we are confident in Joy’s ability to help ensure that one day every child in New Orleans will have access to an excellent education. We are delighted to have her on board!”

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