Wendy Uptain, Former Kindergarten Teacher, Oakridge Elementary School. Wendy worked as a teacher for four years in both a charter school and a traditional public school. She understands the intersection between practice and policy as a result of her experience in the classroom and at the U.S. Department of Education where she assisted with the Teacher Ambassadors Program and assisted with early childhood education issues in the office of the Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education. She has a BA in Early Childhood Education from Brigham Young University. She is pursuing her MPA in Education Policy at George Washington University while working part-time on teacher outreach and engagement at Hope Street Group, where her responsibilities include supporting the ongoing collaboration among the teachers from across the country who participated in the NBC Education Nation Summit last year.