Louisiana Educator Erica Faust Selected for Prestigious National Teacher Leadership Program

MONROE, LA (July 23, 2024) -  Twelve teacher leaders from across the country will join the inaugural class for the NIET Fellows Program. The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching is among the largest trainers of teacher leaders, with more than 35,000 teacher leaders trained to date. The new NIET Fellows Program selects teacher leaders for a dynamic one-year program to deepen their knowledge of instructional best practices and more effectively support the work taking place within and beyond their school and district. 

Among the distinguished fellows is Erica Faust from Richwood Middle School at Ouachita Parish Schools in Monroe, Louisiana. Faust was one of just 12 selected to be a part of the fellowship and receive a $10,000 stipend out of nearly 250 applicants from across the country. 

“I am excited to welcome Erica Faust from Ouachita Parish Schools in Louisiana to join our first cohort of 12 teacher leaders in the NIET Fellows Program,” said NIET CEO Dr. Joshua Barnett. “NIET has supported and trained more than 35,000 teacher leaders across the country, and this new program will position some of our most effective teacher leaders to have an even greater impact. We look forward to learning with them how to strengthen teacher leadership roles to improve student outcomes at the school and district level.”

Faust received her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Southern Mississippi and her Master of Art in Teaching from Louisiana Tech University, where she is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership.  Faust developed a passion for teaching at a young age through her involvement with her church’s youth ministry and she took on her first teaching assignment at her high school Alma Mater and has taken on leadership opportunities throughout her tenure. Currently, she serves as a Master Teacher at Richwood Middle School, a role she has held since 2018. Faust has a passion for education and is committed to ensuring the success of students through supporting teachers. 

“Congratulations to Erica, who represents Ouachita Parish Schools’ commitment to ensuring the success of students,” said Ouachita Parish Schools Superintendent Todd Guice. ”Erica has been a Master Teacher with us since 2018 and uplifts her fellow educators through high-impact collaborative learning and individual coaching. We are proud to see her recognized as a part of the NIET Fellows Program and are looking forward to learning from her as she continues to grow her skills this coming year.” 

The NIET Fellows Program was created with educator effectiveness in mind, bringing together teacher leaders from partner schools nationwide who demonstrate exceptional implementation of NIET's principles, emphasizing educator excellence and advancing student success. Throughout the year-long fellowship, fellows will participate in professional development activities designed to enhance their leadership capabilities, including an introductory boot camp and involvement with two signature NIET events throughout the year - the 2025 NIET National Conference and the 2025 NIET Summer Institute. Each fellow will regionally travel to shadow NIET’s Senior Specialists while maintaining their full-time employment status, including salary and benefits, with their respective districts while being released to participate in program activities throughout the year.

“Serving as a teacher leader in my school and district helped me to grow as an educator and increased my love and passion for teaching and learning, and I’m looking forward to continuing that growth through the NIET Fellows Program,” Faust said. “I believe that a part of my purpose is to contribute to the growth and development of other teacher leaders as I learn from them and motivate them to do the same for others.”

NIET has over 20 years of experience in developing teacher leaders, supporting successful instructional strategies, and building educator capacity to address student needs. NIET partners with schools, districts, states, and universities to ensure all students are taught by effective educators. Through these partnerships, NIET has served more than 9,000 schools and has impacted more than 300,000 teachers and 3 million students.

Read more about the NIET Fellows Program and meet the other 2024-25 fellows here.