An alumnus of the 2011 Teach For America Alabama (TFA) corps who served in Birmingham City Schools is taking on the executive director role, effective July 31.

Bryan Billy has led the program’s statewide impact and strategy efforts for 10 years. In that role, he partnered with superintendents across the state to address strategic educational needs, spearhead innovative solutions, and connect organizations and corporations with the mission to provide an excellent education for all students in Alabama.

Bryan Billy is the new executive director of Teach For America Alabama. (contributed)

Billy during his days in the classroom in Birmingham City Schools. (contributed)

“Over the past 13 years, Teach For America has made a tremendous impact in the state of Alabama and Bryan has been a part of this work 12 of those years,” said Houston Smith, Alabama Power vice president of Governmental Affairs and TFA board chair.

“We have impacted the lives of more than 100,000 students, recruited 500-plus teachers and retained alumni of our program who lead organizations across the state,” Smith said. “We will continue to engage our whole community in unique settings, such as our annual Opportunity Summit with A+ Education Partnership that creates dialogue between educators, students and policymakers.”

As the lead for TFA’s programmatic work, Billy transformed Alabama’s program into one of the strongest in the nonprofit’s national network. Teachers reported some of the strongest experiences, with an average retention rate of 85 percent since 2014 and more than 300 alumni living and working in Alabama.

As an enrolled member of the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians and Teach For America’s Native Alliance Council, Billy has worked with federal policymakers to support native education advocacy and educator recruitment efforts. Within the Birmingham community, he serves on the board of directors for Genius MAP and co-chair of the board of advisors for Birmingham Talks.

“Birmingham is my home and where my children are also navigating our educational terrain with the hopes of securing a future with more possibilities for economic upward mobility,” Billy said in a news release.

Billy earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with an emphasis in neurobiology, physiology and behavior at the University of California – Davis. Shortly thereafter, he began his educational career as a corps service member in Birmingham City Schools, teaching seventh grade math at Green Acres Middle School.

“After 12 years in Alabama, there is one thing I know to be true: Our classrooms are full of brilliant students, and they deserve all of us working together to ensure twice as many of our students reach their educational milestones by 2030. This work wouldn’t be possible without the continued support of our community, school partners, and foundation and corporate champions.”

Learn more about Teach For America Alabama at teachforamerica.org/alabama.