Andre Zarate (Executive Consultant)

Andre is an educator, leader, innovator, and edupreneur, who spent the last ten years mostly in Chicago, IL, but also in New York, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia. He is the founder of House of Legends, a future school project that centers healing and the needs of students of color who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community and The Z Factor, LLC focusing on inclusive and brave education for LGBTQ+ youth. Over his career, he has won multiple awards for excellence in teaching and culturally responsive practices including Illinois State Teacher of the Year Finalist in 2016 and Teach for America Chicago's Alumni Excellence in Teaching Award in 2018. Andre holds a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies with a minor in Urban Education from the University of Pennsylvania in 2012. The following year, he received his Master of Science in Elementary Education from the Graduate School of Education at UPenn. Immediately after, he joined Teach for America Chicago-Northwest Indiana in 2013. Andre is finishing his doctoral program in Educational Leadership also with the Graduate School of Education at UPenn in 2024.

What I Bring to the Table: Curriculum and Instruction, Education Issues related to Brave Spaces, Gender & Sexuality, Character and Identity Education, Inclusive Education, Innovations through EquityXDesign.