Pema Latshang
Founding Executive Director, Teach Western Mass
Pema’s career in education has ranged from the classroom to district administration, reform advocacy, and beyond. In 2016, she founded Teach Western Mass to provide a holistic approach to teacher training and promote educational equity in the Western Massachusetts region, with a particular focus on educator diversity. As a Greg Torres Senior Fellow, Pema will conduct a case study on the story and success of Teach Western Mass and explore how to replicate the model statewide, sharing best practices for establishing Educator Preparation Providers (EPP) in other regions.
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Case Study: Teach Western Mass
Vital lessons for systems change initiatives seeking to solve education equity challenges.
December 12, 2025
- Teach Western Mass (TWM) built culturally responsive training and recruitment programs that expanded access to teaching and increased educator diversity in Holyoke and Springfield.
- In partnership with school districts, colleges and universities, and the state education agency, Teach Western Mass helped elevate educator workforce and diversity as a shared regional priority.
- TWM’s early ambitions to change systems to expand the regional educator pipeline delivered impact, but limited capacity ultimately required the organization to focus on its teacher residency training program.
- This case study underscores the challenges that small nonprofits face mounting long-term system-change efforts.