Today, Governor Joe Lombardo announced that Dr. Victor Wakefield will serve as the new Nevada Superintendent of Public Instruction.
“Victor is the right leader at the right time for Nevada’s public education system,” said Governor Joe Lombardo. “He received a unanimous recommendation from the State Board of Education—a testament to his qualifications, vision, and commitment to improving outcomes for all students. I look forward to working closely with him to build on the monumental reforms we have already made and ensure that every child in Nevada has access to a high-quality education.”
Dr. Wakefield brings experience as an educator, systems leader, and policymaker focused on expanding educational opportunities. He began his career teaching middle school English in Gary, Indiana. Later, he recruited leaders across the country through Teach For America (TFA) and led training for 250 early-career educators in Clark County, impacting more than 15,000 students.
During his 16 years at TFA, Wakefield served as Executive Director of TFA-Las Vegas from 2011 to 2016 and National Vice President for Regions in 2016, overseeing operations in 16 regions. In 2020, he managed TFA’s pandemic response by onboarding nearly 3,000 teachers and later directed national strategy as Vice President for Special Projects.
Wakefield has also contributed locally by serving on Nevada’s State Board of Education between 2015 and 2017 and was a Senior Fellow at Nevada’s Kenny Guinn Center from 2017 to 2020. He earned a Doctor of Education degree from Johns Hopkins University in 2020 and has taught courses there. He is also an alumnus of Leadership Las Vegas and the Leadership Institute of Nevada.
“I enthusiastically welcome Dr. Wakefield back to Nevada. His experience as a former State Board member will help promote collaborative conversations to improve outcomes for students,” said Dr. Katie Dockweiler, President of the Nevada State Board of Education.