Alyssa Schwenk is the director of external relations at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, where she leads Fordham’s outreach and messaging to outside audiences, including the media, policymakers, others in the education-policy sphere and the funding community. Alyssa started her education career via Teach For America at a Ward 5 Washington D.C. charter school, where she realized that everything important in life can be learned in kindergarten. She graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with degrees in history and communication and also holds an M.Ed and a Master’s in education policy. She is the co-chairperson of the TFA-Bridge board in Washington, D.C., as well as a community coach for Girls on the Run D.C. and an elementary-school math tutor. In her spare time, she enjoys competing in triathlons, pub trivia and baking for friends and family.