A.J. Ernst served with AmeriCorps through Teach For America in Philadelphia, where he taught middle school science in the city's high-need communities. He now works as an education strategist, researcher, and professor, leading initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities for young people across the United States, Europe, and Asia. For A.J., service is the way he has chosen to live his life and the thread that runs through all his work. Outside of work, A.J. is an avid Springsteen enthusiast and proud New Jerseyan.