Ashley A. Kannan is a 2026-2027 Teach Plus Illinois Senior Policy Fellow and 8th grade American history and African American studies teacher at Percy Julian Middle School in Oak Park, Illinois. Ashley is also a Teach Plus Leading Edge Fellow. He serves as history department co-chair and basketball coach. Ashley was named Cook County Regional Teacher of the Year and state finalist (2022), is a six-time Golden Apple Award nominee, and received an Award of Merit from the Illinois State Board of Education. He is a National Board Certified Teacher. Ashley earned a BA in politics, philosophy, and literature of modern Europe from Kenyon College and MA in education from DePaul University. Ashley’s op-eds have been published in the Chicago Tribune, K-12, and Wednesday Journal, among other outlets.
