Meet Eric Hoffman, Wisconsin’s New Executive Director!
We are pleased to announce that Eric Hoffman has been named our new Executive Director of Wisconsin Programs! Hoffman, who helped launch Reading Corps in Wisconsin, is an AmeriCorps alum and long-time employee. In fact, this fall, he will celebrate his tenth year supporting Wisconsin students!
Hoffman is already well-known and appreciated by the Wisconsin team, but we would love to introduce him to the rest of the world! To get to know him a little better, we spoke with him about his past and future here at Ampact. Below you’ll find our full interview.
What drew you initially to Reading Corps?
I had an incredible opportunity to serve as an AmeriCorps member for two years between 2004 and 2006. Those years provided clarity of purpose and set me on this path. I am living out the idea that National Service is a real solution to any number of issues facing communities. A few years later, I had the chance to launch other AmeriCorps programs in other states. I knew I wanted the challenge and privilege of being part of an organization that would make a true lasting impact in my home state of Wisconsin. That’s when I found Ampact.
At the time, Reading Corps in Wisconsin was in full start-up mode. This is when Ampact President Sadie O’Connor made me an offer I couldn’t pass up: growing Reading Corps in Wisconsin, building partnerships and relationships. It was all about getting people to buy into the idea of what was possible for an AmeriCorps program to drive real lasting student growth.
This fall marks ten years since you first started: what has kept you engaged in the work?
I have stayed committed to this work for the past ten years because I love collective impact. I love building partnerships and finding those champions who want to get on board with our mission. I love sharing our work and engaging with community leaders on both sides of the aisle to show the incredible academic impact our tutors make.
I think the thing that I love more than all of that is the work of making sure that every single person in the state of Wisconsin knows about our programs and that they are (no hyperbole) the best!
What hopes or goals do you have for building on the success of our education programs in Wisconsin?
As of the 2024-25 service year, Wisconsin programs are in 46 of the state’s 72 counties. My goal is to make an impact in all 72. That way every student has an opportunity to be supported by a well-trained, caring tutor who is committed to helping them grow academically. I see a future here in Wisconsin where folks in the education space think of our programs as the first solution to provide additional support that will take their school and students to the next level.
What lessons from your previous experiences with AmeriCorps do you use now that you’re in a leadership position?
Leading the start-up effort of an AmeriCorps program is a significant undertaking. The lessons I’ve learned that I still use to this day are:
When building relationships, don’t sleep on the power of grabbing a coffee with someone.
Take the time to find your program’s champions and build a coalition of advocates. These folks will help you move mountains.
Having a team of thoughtful, committed, caring people will change the world.
Always take the time to laugh with your people!
I leaned hard on those lessons at the start of my Ampact journey and I still do to this day. We have built an incredible thing here in Wisconsin, and I am excited to see what we continue to do in this next chapter.
What are you most excited about in your new role as Executive Director of Wisconsin Programs?
Everything! We have the most amazing team in Wisconsin. We have incredible partners. Our tutors are amazing. The list goes on and on. I am also excited to continue to drive our program execution, optimize efficiencies, and develop strong leaders to keep our program sustainable over the long-term.
If you want to start your journey to supporting local students, check out join.readingandmath.org to learn more about becoming a tutor. We’re hiring tutors for the upcoming school year in Wisconsin and all across the country, so apply today!