Pema Latshang (she/they) brings deep knowledge and experience to her current role as the founding Executive Director of Teach Western Mass (TWM). Pema is an innovative, visionary leader of K-12 public education systems and non-profit organizations with 20 years of experience. She has worked in urban public education since 2003, as a teacher, school, and district leader, first in New York City and then in Holyoke and Springfield. Pema focuses on creating innovative systems that produce quality education for all students and give educators what they need to be effective. An educational equity champion, consultant, and speaker for regional and national organizations, Pema was a 40underForty Western Mass honoree and most recently selected to serve on Governor Healey’s Thriving Youth and Young Adults Transition Committee. 

Pema grew up in Western Mass and is excited to be back in the area. She also serves on the board of Thonmi, a small Buddhist translation non-profit organization, and the Tashi Nyima Foundation, a small foundation supporting education in Eastern Tibet. Ms. Latshang received a B.A. in Public Policy with Honors from the University of Chicago, and also holds an M.S. in Educational Leadership from Baruch College-CUNY and an M.S. in Elementary Education from Pace University. Pema is the mother of two amazing girls (and two dogs) and is engaged to be married.