Taylor Kirtley is a 2026-2027 Teach Plus Illinois Policy Fellow and 4th grade teacher leader at Dr. Howard Elementary in Champaign, Illinois. She has served as a lead teacher, principal intern, and head of the school’s Mental Health committee. Taylor was a recipient of the Oklahoma NextGen Under 30 Award (2023), an Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence Teacher Institute Fellow (2023), and a University of Illinois Writing Project Fellow (2024). She has served her community through roles with Girls on the Run, Oklahoma Girls State, and United Way Champaign Emerging Leaders. Taylor earned a BS in elementary education from the University of Oklahoma, MEd in administration and curriculum supervision from the University of Oklahoma, and is pursuing an EdD in urban leadership from Johns Hopkins University.
