Tammi Thomas

Partnership Director

Tammi Thomas joined Turnaround for Children in 2016 and currently serves as a Partnership Director. In this role, she builds the capacity of school administrators and their staff to confront, dismantle and reimagine an education system that equitably serves students by implementing Whole-Child Design practices, grounded in scientific research, educator practice and student experience. Tammi provides professional development for school leaders and leadership teams via monthly professional development meetings for school principals and on-site support for partner schools in coordination with district and schoolwide goals, as part of Turnaround’s participatory action research projects. Tammi is also a key designer of the Whole-Child Design Academy, an asynchronous professional learning offering that supports teachers to work collaboratively to implement holistic core practices in their classrooms.

Prior to joining Turnaround, Tammi served as a Director of Instructional Coaching at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), providing coaching and supervision to school-based instructional coaches addressing academic skills and classroom culture.  She has twenty years’ experience in urban school reform working with both traditional public and charter schools, as a teacher, coach, central office director and program officer for charter school authorizers in New York, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore City, M.D.. Tammi is deeply committed to making equitable learning opportunities accessible to young people of color living in marginalized communities.

Tammi earned an M.A. in politics and education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a B.A. from Wesleyan University. Tammi lives with her husband and two children in Maryland.

What is the greatest invention of all time?

The camera/video recorder. The ability to capture a moment in time and replay the events provides opportunities for individuals and communities to remember or share personal stories and historical moments in profound ways.

What motivates you?

I am deeply committed to helping children in high-poverty communities reach their potential through personal wellness and education. I am inspired by the transformative power of learning to change a young person’s life.