Brenda López is a 2025-2026 Teach Plus Illinois Senior Policy Fellow and a social science teacher at Morton East High School in Cicero, Illinois. She supports high school seniors, primarily long-term English language learners (ELLs) and students in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, cultivating civic education and engagement. Brenda also serves as a co-sponsor for the Morton East chapter of Operation Snowball, an afterschool club that promotes social-emotional and leadership skills. Brenda received the Award of Meritorious Service from ISBE as part of the 2025 Those Who Excel awards. She was also recognized in 2023 by the Morton Board of Education when more than 50% of her AP students passed their exam during her first year of teaching AP. In addition, she is a member of the Morton Council Union Executive Board and the Sick Bank Committee. Brenda earned her BA in teaching of history from University of Illinois at Chicago and an MA in education from Dominican University, earning her English as a second language (ESL) and bilingual education endorsements concurrently.
