I spend significant effort to make sure that students who walk out of my classroom at the end of the year will be ready for college, work or whatever else they choose to do.”
Zach’s Story
Zach Powers grew up building and tinkering, a passion for creating, experimenting, and uncovering how the world works that remains alive today.
Zach earned his undergraduate degrees in Physics with a concentration in Education at UC San Diego, where he also taught after-school science classes at the local Boys and Girls Club. He then attended graduate school at UC Berkeley, earning a Master’s degree and a Credential in Science Education. Zach taught in Oakland, San Mateo, and Davis, and was a founding member of the science department at Da Vinci Charter Academy. There, he taught Physics, Chemistry, and Environmental Science in an authentic Project-Based Learning (PBL) style.
While at Da Vinci, Zach co-founded “Team Blend,” a nonprofit that organized and facilitated international service-learning projects. Over four years, groups of high school students from Da Vinci traveled to Totogalpa to collaborate with young Nicaraguan engineers to build human-powered solutions to local challenges, including a water pump, blender, electricity generator, and off-road transport bike.
After a decade in the classroom, Zach became a School and Leadership Coach with the New Tech Network, supporting schools nationwide in creating more equitable opportunities for students. After three years as a coach, he joined East Bay Innovation Academy, a fledgling project-based charter school in Oakland, as Director of Innovative Instruction. He later served as Principal, graduating the school’s inaugural class of seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following a brief post-pandemic hiatus from education—during which he opened a small general construction business—Zach returned to education. He now works as an instructional coach for Career Technical Education (CTE) teachers earning their credentials through the Alameda County Office of Education. He loves supporting new teachers as they create pathways for students to thrive after graduation.
Zach lives in Oakland with his partner, two amazing kids, and a funky menagerie of animals and fruit trees.