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. 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. In 2017, Chris was elected and has since served as a member of the Town Council in his hometown of Southington, CT. He has served on the Board of Directors of both the National Network of State Teachers of the Year and the Connecticut Teacher of the Year Council. Previously, Chris participated as a member of the inaugural Teacher-Leader Fellowship hosted by the Aspen Institute. 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.