Teresa Kugler

Dr. Teresa Kugler grew up in Flint, Michigan, an industrial city known for its relationship with the automotive industry. Dr. Kugler attended New York University primarily because it claimed the city of New York as its campus. There she received her Bachelor of Arts in anthropology. She discovered a love of archaeology and both there and at Northwestern University she participated in field excavations in New Mexico and Illinois. She received her Master of Arts degree from Northwestern.

After spending the next few years exploring excavation opportunities and learning leadership and business as a retail manager in New Mexico, a phone call from a family friend led her to a teaching position in a low income neighborhood in Southern California. She taught a variety of subjects to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, including math, science, life skills, and history. She became an administrator in 2003. After six years as an assistant principal at two different Kindergarten-8th grade schools Dr. Kugler moved to an Adult School that serves 5000-6000 ESL, high school diploma, and vocational students annually. She also facilitates a Community Day School for “at risk” middle and high school students and an Adult Transition Program for special needs adults ages 18-22.

In the midst of her administrative experience Dr. Kugler returned to school, this time at USC, and completed the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program, with a concentration in educational psychology, in 2009. She continues to work in Paramount as well as teaching Social Context in Urban Education for the MAT@USC program at Rossier School of Education.