Wendy Kopp, CEO and founder of Teach For America, believes change happens where leaders commit to making organizational transformations, mixed with high-levels of energy and discipline. As in all business sectors, transformational leaders in education have an obsession with building strong teams and systems, and creating cultures committed to continuous improvement.

Teach For America CEO and Founder Wendy Kopp is amazed at where educational reform is today, compared to where it once was in America. As an example, in the past, it would have been challenging to find evidence showing that schools can overcome the socio-economic disadvantages of their students, says Kopp. She states that evidence now shows this to be possible, and while questions of how to scale successful models persist, Kopp believes there are reasons to be optimistic about making fundamental changes to the education system.

Sometimes fundamental lessons are learned the hard way, according to Teach For America CEO Wendy Kopp. She explains that when an organization learns through tough experience, the insights gained become core lessons that stay with you. Kopp also articulates both the challenges and advantages that come with growth and scale.

CEO and Founder Wendy Kopp discusses Teach For America's challenge to face major organizational learning curves, in its early years. Kopp describes how this process continues, as the organization works to better answer questions around issues of recruitment, training, professional development, management, and financing.

In 1989, as a senior at Princeton University, Teach For America CEO and Founder Wendy Kopp was a public policy major concerned about inequity in American education. Her idea for Teach For America was born from a desire to right these injustices, and realizing classmates searching to make a difference in the world were all around her.

Wendy Kopp, CEO and founder of Teach For America, believes that many critics of her organization are misinformed about the thoroughness of the program. Kopp is willing to put Teach For America's pre-service teacher training up against that of any other organization, and she believes their recruitment process constantly improves. Rather than being a "band-aid" to the education crisis, Kopp sees Teach For America as answering an urgent need that the nation can no longer wait to address.

"Embrace your inexperience," says Wendy Kopp, CEO and Founder of Teach For America, as "inexperience can be an asset because you don't know what is impossible." Kopp reminds social entrepreneurs they will need a lot of help, and to not try to do it all alone. Kopp also encourages social entrepreneurs to remain on a constant search for allies who can help you fulfill your mission.