Elisa Villanueva Beard

Elisa Villanueva Beard began her career in education as a Teach For America corps member, teaching first and second grade bilingual education in South Phoenix. Inspired by TFA’s vision—that one day, all children will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education—Elisa returned to her hometown in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas to lead the organization’s regional work. Her impact and leadership propelled her into national roles, eventually becoming TFA’s Chief Operating Officer and, in 2013, its Chief Executive Officer.

As CEO, Elisa led a national network of over 70,000 corps members and alumni across 300+ U.S., guiding TFA’s strategy and mission during a pivotal time in the education landscape. After 24 years of dedicated service, she retired from TFA in 2025.

Today, Elisa continues to advocate for educational opportunities and excellence through her board service with organizations such GoGuardian, Leaders for Educational Equity and JOURNEY to Lead.