Teach For America−Oklahoma has named Arturo Serna as deputy executive director. Serna, a native of South Texas and AmeriCorps alum, has previous experience leading youth programs and initiatives to improve access to education. In his new role, Serna will oversee Teach For America's local operations in Central Oklahoma and partner with community leaders and districts to recruit teachers and ensure students receive excellent educations. The organization currently has nearly 380 corps members teaching in Oklahoma and 250 alumni working locally and nationally in education.

1. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sharise Darby
917-391-6075
sharise.darby@teachforamerica.org
ARTURO SERNA NAMED DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF TEACH FOR AMERICA−OKLAHOMA
Serna to Lead Local Operations in Central Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA CITY, June 3, 2015—Teach For America−Oklahoma recently named Arturo Serna as
deputy executive director, effective immediately. A native of South Texas and a graduate of the University
of Texas, Serna will be responsible for leading the nonprofit organization’s local operations in Central
Oklahoma.
Serna, a native of the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas and an AmeriCorps alum, is a dedicated
advocate for social impact initiatives targeted at improving access to quality education for low-income
students and strengthening families. Serna held prior roles as the program manager for the YouthSolution
program with Family Forward, a statewide nonprofit family-serving agency with headquarter offices in
Austin, Texas, and was instrumental in the creation of the YouthSolution Leadership Council, a youth-run
leadership program that empowers youth through involvement in community initiatives and peer
leadership.
As an advocate for improving access to an excellent education for all students, Arturo spearheaded
various initiatives targeted at critical areas of school improvements during his tenure as director of training
services with the Texas Charter Schools Association. He also served as the assistant to the executive
director of the Council of Public University Presidents and Chancellors, which provides a forum for
discussing the mutual needs, concerns, and issues facing public universities in Texas and encourages
inter-institutional cooperation in meeting the higher education goals of the state.
“I’m excited to lead Teach For America’s local efforts in Central Oklahoma and be a part of our state’s
work to recruit and retain talented teachers and ensure every student receives an excellent education,”
Serna said. “I look forward to partnering with a diverse set of community leaders and our district partners
as we work in collaboration to develop this talented group of leaders and provide opportunities for
students in the communities we serve.”
In Central Oklahoma, Teach For America–Oklahoma partners with Oklahoma City Public Schools and
Lawton Public Schools.
“Along with supporting the tremendous work of our teachers in the classroom, Teach For America
engages with parents, families, and a wide spectrum of community partners,” said Lance Tackett,
executive director of Teach For America−Oklahoma. “Arturo’s expertise and experience will be an
incredible asset to our team’s efforts to work alongside the students, families, and educators in Central
Oklahoma.”
This year, nearly 380 Teach For America corps members are leading classrooms throughout the state
and developing a lifelong commitment to expanding educational opportunity. Some 250 Teach For
America alumni are working locally and across a range of sectors to address the root causes of
educational inequity in Oklahoma. More than 70 percent work full-time in education, including more than
100 teachers and 12 school and system leaders.

2. About Teach For America
Teach For America works in partnership with communities to expand educational opportunity for children
facing the challenges of poverty. Founded in 1990, Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse
corps of outstanding college graduates and professionals to make an initial two-year commitment to teach
in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the movement to end educational inequity. Today,
10,600 corps members are teaching in 50 urban and rural regions across the country while more than
37,000 alumni work across sectors to ensure that all children have access to an excellent education.
Teach For America is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. For more information,
visit www.teachforamerica.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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