Meet TpT’s Community Team — and Introduce Yourself!

The Community Team here at TpT is empowered by you — and for good reason! They come to work each day with huge smiles on their faces because they get to work with educators who are truly making a difference. They’re the most loyal members of your fan club and are always working hard to ensure teachers are heard and supported. Since they’re sometimes behind the scenes, we thought we’d take a moment to introduce the team, as well as start a fun community round-up!

After you get to know them, we’d love to get to know you!

Share a photo of yourself (it can be a #selfie or a photo of you teaching — whatever you’d like) on Instagram along with 10 facts about you in the caption. Make sure to tag us (@teacherspayteachers) and use the hashtag #MeetMeTpT. (If you’ve met Amy, Elliott, Nicole, Jillian, or Talya at the conference or a meet-up, we’d still love for you to share your 10 facts. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to the community of educators on TpT!).

First up, meet Amy, TpT’s Director of Seller Happiness. Do you know someone who’s hard to describe in words? Someone who enters the room with a positive energy you can feel? That’s Amy. She believes so fiercely in teachers and what teachers have to offer, and she’s continually inspired by the TpT Community. She was one of the first people to join the team alongside Paul, the founder — TpT wouldn’t be what it is today without Amy. 

Amy’s #MeetMeTpT:

1. My brother is 10 years younger than I am, and he builds robots for a living.

2. My husband, daughter and I have two cats and a dog. All are rescues — and adorable. 

3. I spent a college semester abroad in Ireland, which was wonderful!

4. I first met TpT founder Paul in grad school when we were in the same Masters of Education program.

5. Pretty much the only food I don’t like is blue cheese.

6. Ocean, lake, or stream, I love the water. I’m always happy to be in and around it.

7. I’m proud to have grown up in the heart of New York City.

8. My first real job after college was as an Editorial Assistant for an art book publisher.

9. I drink a lot of coffee. Iced or hot. I love it all.

10. Some of the best literature out there is YA. I love Harry Potter, Harriet the Spy, Hunger Games, and Edward Eager books.

Want to know even more about Amy? Read her personal blog post here.

Follow Amy on Social Media! 

Next, meet Elliott. Elliott is passionate about teaching and it shows. Before joining TpT, he was a teacher in New York City. The knowledge he brings to work every day is so insightful and valuable. He’s always up for a friendly chat or heated debate and will most likely tell a “lame dad joke” in either scenario.

Elliott’s #MeetMeTpT:

1. Working with high school ELLs while I was in grad school is one of the most influential experiences in my life.

2. I speak Latin and spend at least one week annually living in total Latin immersion in West Virginia.

3. Favorite foods: my mother’s chocolate chip cookies and In-N-Out burger.

4. My favorite part of working at TpT is talking with teachers and educators.

5. My work area is very “start-up:” I love using my standing desk! (Or the exercise ball for when I want to sit.)

6. I’ve named my gray hairs… after a “select” group of my former students.

7. My students in California used to call me “senex” which means “old man” in Latin.

8. I also used to teach at a public school in NYC and worked as a bartender on the side.

9. Every weekend I love listening to “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” on the radio. 

10. I once participated in a competitive punning competition under the team name “Pun Direction.”

Follow Elliott on Social Media! 

Next, Meet Nicole! Nicole has been a part of Team TpT for over two years! She loves what she does and works hard to make sure teachers’ voices are heard and respected. She says, “I’m bowled over by the huge amounts of intelligence, generosity, and humility TpT Teachers have. I am blessed to get to work with, interact with, and even call many of them my friends.” Nicole wants to share 10 things about her, and she can’t wait to learn more about you! 

Nicole’s #MeetMeTpT: 

1. I love children’s movies — I find most “adult” movies WAY too stressful.

2. I cannot keep up with the latest songs, artists, or what’s on the radio — give me some good old classic rock & roll and I’m happy.

3. When I was younger I wished I had blue eyes but now I’m happy with my brown eyes.

4. My family moved a lot when I was a kid which meant moving schools a lot but I’m happy to say I’m still close with some of my high school friends — one of whom is a teacher and knew about TpT before I did!

5. I’m totally grossed out by mayonnaise but know it’s a necessary evil on sandwiches and in tuna fish.

6. I taught kindergarten in Oakland, California in a Chinese bilingual school. 

7. One of my sweet little kinders got so fed up with me not having an umbrella that she walked me (along with her grandma) to a nearby shop one afternoon and made sure I got one. 

8. I still have that umbrella.

9. I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up.

10. I don’t have cable but binge watch reality TV whenever I get the chance.

Follow Nicole on Social Media! 

Meet Jillian, TpT’s Event Specialist. If you went to the conference in Vegas last year, you’ve experienced the brilliance of an event planned by Jillian. She’s a great listener and is dedicated to her work and her team.  If you ask her why she loves her job, she’ll say because she gets to connect with teachers from around the world on a daily basis – what’s better than that?

Jillian’s #MeetMeTpT: 

1. I’ve seen over 80 NYC Broadway shows and I have so many more on my list. 

2. I take watching The Bachelor/Bachelorette very seriously. Please don’t give me spoilers!

3. I’ve been sky diving and on a hot air balloon ride.

4. While studying abroad in Barcelona, I visited over 10 different European cities!

5. I love watching romantic comedies. Every bad day can be solved by watching Father of the Bride. 

6. Chocolate is my favorite and I could probably live off of it. 

7. People always ask me advice when giving gifts — I’ve been told I’m great at it! 

8. I love attending TpT Meet-Ups. Getting to know all of you is priceless and my favorite part of my job! 

9. Logistics and organization are my jam. I guess that’s why I’m an Event Specialist! 

10. I’m from Long Island, but live in Manhattan. I go home at least once a week to have dinner with my family. 

Talya’s #MeetMeTpT: 

1. I was born in Jerusalem.

2. I grew up mainly in New Jersey — and am a proud Rutgers Alum.

3. I have a Masters in Education Policy and Management.