Christopher Poulos, Connecticut’s 2007 Teacher of the Year, currently teaches Spanish and serves as Instructional Leader for the Humanities at Joel Barlow High School in Redding, CT. He is a National Board Certified Teacher and was a 2022 Inductee to the National Teachers Hall of Fame. In 2022, Chris was elected as the 81st District’s State Representative to the Connecticut General Assembly. From 2017-2021, he served as a member of the Southington Town Council and later on his hometown’s Library Board. Chris previously worked for two years in a hybrid role, splitting his time between teaching in his district and working alongside policymakers as a Teacher Leader in Residence at the Connecticut State Department of Education. Chris also taught as an adjunct professor at Fairfield University from 2001-2016. He currently serves as Immediate Past Chair of the Connecticut Teacher of the Year Council Board of Directors, a non-profit organization that aims to improve outcomes for students through its advocacy for teacher leadership. Previously, he led the National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Chris has earned and participated as a member of numerous education fellowships including the inaugural Teacher-Leader Fellowship hosted by the Aspen Institute. Prior to his career in education, Chris served for two years as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras, Central America. Poulos holds a Sixth Year in Educational Leadership from the University of Connecticut, a Masters degree in Spanish Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Leadership Studies from the University of Richmond. Chris was a 1993 graduate and class president of Southington High School.