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Tom Torkelson

Founder and CEO of Idea Public Schools

Founder and CEO of Idea Public Schools

Travels From Travels From:
Polk County, TX, USA
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Tom Torkelson Biography

Upon graduating from Georgetown University with a degree in economics in 1997, Tom joined Teach For America and taught fourth grade in Donna, Texas for three years, after which he successfully launched the IDEA Academy in 2000, serving as the first board president and founding principal. At 24 years of age, Tom was then Texas’ youngest-ever charter school founder. Since 2000, Tom has led the replication efforts of the original school. System-wide there are now more than 23,000 students enrolled in the 44 schools that comprise IDEA Public Schools.

The mission of IDEA Public Schools is to prepare students from underserved communities for success in college and citizenship. Over 93% of graduates are on college campuses across the nation, where they continue to receive support and guidance from IDEA.

By 2009, the U.S. News and World Report ranked IDEA Donna College Preparatory as the 13th best high school and second best charter high school in the nation. Also in 2009, IDEA Public Schools was the first-ever charter organization to be named the best school system in the state of Texas and received the H-E-B Excellence in Education Award. Today, The Washington Post’s latest rankings of America’s Most Challenging High Schools ranked all seven of IDEA’s eligible College Preparatory high schools in the top 200 high schools nationwide and in the top 50 in Texas.

Tom has be widely recognized in a variety of publications, including being featured in 2009 by Time magazine as Wendy Kopp’s pick for the 100 most influential global citizens. Tom is the recipient of the prestigious Peter Jennings Award for Civic Leadership (2009), University of Michigan Ross Business School’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year (2010), the Freddy Fender Humanitarian Award (2008), and served as Chairman of the 2007 National Charter Schools Conference. Tom is often called upon to provide expert testimony to state and local officials on issues of education policy and school choice.

An avid runner and frequent Ironman triathlon competitor, Tom and his wife, Dr. Nina Lee Torkelson, live in the Rio Grande Valley with their three children, Lincoln, Liam, and Gwendolyn.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 01/11/2024.

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FAQs on booking Tom Torkelson

  • How do I book Tom Torkelson to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Tom Torkelson for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Tom Torkelson, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Tom Torkelson or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Tom Torkelson

    Speaking fees for Tom Torkelson, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Tom Torkelson are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Tom Torkelson, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Tom Torkelson speak about?

    Tom Torkelson is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Education, Motivational.
  • Where does Tom Torkelson travel from?

    Tom Torkelson generally travels from Polk County, TX, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Tom Torkelson’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Tom Torkelson for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Tom Torkelson for your next private or corporate function.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Tom Torkelson or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Tom Torkelson is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Tom Torkelson for your event is available upon request. Tom Torkelson generally travels from Polk County, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Eduardo Briceño, Stacey Shells, Jerelyn Rodriguez, Rebecca Liebman and Milagros Barsallo. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Tom Torkelson for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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