Jennifer Leban is a 2019-20 Teach Plus Illinois ISTOY Teaching Policy Fellow and a 2020 Illinois Teacher of the Year Finalist. A National Board Certified Teacher, Jennifer teaches creative technology and visual arts classes at Sandburg Middle School, where she is a department chair, team leader, and a member of the district technology committee. Jennifer teaches professional development classes to teachers in her district, is a mentor for new teachers, and has supervised student teachers from nearby Elmhurst College. In 2018, Jennifer was accepted into the LAX18 Google Certified Innovator cohort. Her Innovator project, called Reset EDU, is a YouTube channel that strives to motivate, empower, and inspire teachers to embrace new ideas for learning and teaching. In 2018, Jennifer won a National PTA/Google “Be Internet Awesome” grant to provide a digital citizenship forum to parents in the community. Jennifer presents at education conferences throughout the US, including at ISTE, AMLE, and CPS Googlepalooza. Jennifer earned her BA in Arts Education from Elmhurst College and completed her MA in Educational Leadership through St. Xavier University.
