Leading with Interactions: The Mission That Drives Us

Today, as we announce Karlo Young as our new CEO, I’m filled with pride for what we’ve built and excitement for what’s ahead. When I left UVA in 2018 to lead Teachstone—the company I co-founded with Dr. Robert Pianta—it was because I believed in our mission to transform education through the everyday interactions we all need to thrive.

“Teachstone is focused on what truly matters—ensuring every child experiences the powerful relationships and everyday interactions that fuel connection, learning, and inspiration.”

Welcoming New Leadership
After six years leading Teachstone I am stepping into a Board Chair position. I’m thrilled to welcome Karlo Young as our new CEO. His experience in mission-driven leadership and education impact brings fresh perspective to our work. Karlo immediately connected Teachstone’s focus on relationships to current K-12 challenges. This insight reinforces our core belief: when students feel connected, supported, and engaged, they thrive.

Key Milestones and Impact
Over the past six years, we have:

• Expanded CLASS implementation to 27 states, reaching 2 million children annually
• Launched CLASS 2nd Edition, ensuring more educators have the tools they need to support every child
• Developed comprehensive professional development solutions used by thousands of educators
• Partnered with the Army, Head Start, and state and local agencies nationwide to raise quality of early learning at large scale

Looking Ahead: The Future of Education
The opportunity for impact has never been greater. Today’s education challenges—including all time lows in teacher retention and student engagement—all point to the critical importance of relationships and the interactions that fuel them. The AI revolution only underscores our need to invest in the human interactions that are so fundamental to students’ development and learning. Educators need to be recognized for their expertise and equipped with the tools that help them create thriving classrooms. We will continue to lean into this work alongside our partners.

A Personal Note of Gratitude
As I transition to Board Chair, I’m excited to work more closely with you, our partners, seeing our impact firsthand and learning from the powerful local examples of impact from early childhood to high school.

To our partners, educators, and advocates: thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we’re just getting started.