Dr. Victor Wakefield

Nevada Superintendent of Public Instruction

Dr. Victor Wakefield, Nevada’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, is responsible for leading the state’s pre-K–12 public education system and ensuring every student in Nevada has access to an excellent education that prepares them for college, career, and life success.

Superintendent Wakefield began his career as a middle school English teacher in Gary, Indiana, where he witnessed both the barriers that limit opportunity and what’s possible when students are given the expectations and support they deserve. Inspired by teaching, he went on to recruit hundreds of high-potential leaders nationwide to join Teach For America (TFA). In 2011, he moved to Nevada to lead TFA’s training and support for 250 early-career educators in Clark County—reaching more than 15,000 students.

Over 16 years with TFA, Superintendent Wakefield held several key leadership roles, including Executive Director of TFA–Las Vegas (2011–2015) and National Vice President for Regions (2016–2020), overseeing 16 regions. In 2020, he led TFA’s pandemic response, onboarding nearly 3,000 new teachers, and then served as Vice President for Special Projects, directing national strategy until 2025.

Superintendent Wakefield has shaped education policy in Nevada, including serving on Nevada’s State Board of Education (2015–2017) and as Senior Fellow at the Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities (2017–2020). He earned his Doctor of Education from Johns Hopkins University in 2020, conducting his dissertation research in Nevada. He has also taught graduate courses at Johns Hopkins and is an alumnus of Leadership Las Vegas and the Leadership Institute of Nevada.