Imagined and created by teachers.
Lumia began with one teacher's idea. It took shape through more teachers coming together for over 150 hours of brainstorming and collaboration. Every feature is teacher-driven and grounded in real classroom experience.
"Lumia is what happens when smart, passionate teachers come together to bring their ideas to life. This is truly our platform, built by our community."
Dr. Teresa Hill
CEO, Tucson Values Teachers
Our mission
Helping teachers thrive.
Teaching is vital, meaningful work. It can also feel isolating. Lumia was created to make it easier for teachers to find one another, share ideas, give and get support, and grow together.
It's a space where everyone you meet has experience doing what you do, knows the kinds of challenges you face, and is there to celebrate every win, big or small.
Lumia was designed to help teachers thrive. Because when teachers thrive, everyone wins.
Our story
Real change begins with teachers.
After hearing from so many teachers who felt overwhelmed, isolated, and disconnected from meaningful support, Lumia began with a simple idea: teachers need and deserve a space just for them, designed to help them thrive.
With guidance from Tucson Values Teachers and working educators, plus hundreds of hours with teachers in beta testing and refinement, Lumia launched in November 2025.
Today, Lumia supports hundreds of teachers across Southern Arizona and continues to grow through the contributions of educators who know that real change begins with the teachers doing the work every day.
Dr. Teresa Hill
CEO, Tucson Values Teachers
Lumia began as the brainchild of Dr. Teresa Hill, whose long career as an educator has brought a number of state and national honors to her, her students, and the schools she co-led.
Teresa's career started in what we'd now call STEAM: teaching high school math while also creating a U.S.-champions dance program. After earning her master's and doctorate, she now teaches education law and personnel courses part-time.
In addition to leading Tucson Values Teachers, Teresa formerly served as deputy director for the Arizona Educational Foundation.
Danicka Allen
Marketing Director, TVT
After graduation, Danicka Allen began working in marketing and administration. Her love of arts, culture, and making a difference soon led her to the nonprofit sector, working as administrative manager for a nonprofit performing arts company in Los Angeles.
A self-described "computer geek," Danicka has a passion for exploring and applying technology in ways that improve people's quality of work and quality of life.
Danicka currently serves as Director of Marketing and Communications for Tucson Values Teachers.
Tucson Values Teachers, the driving force behind Lumia, is dedicated to the work and resilience of PreK–12 educators: teaming up with business leaders, Southern Arizona Leadership Council, other organizations, and everyday people across Southern Arizona to celebrate teachers and get them the support they need to succeed.
200+
Hours of teacher feedback and testing the Lumia beta site
School districts participating now, with more on the way
250+
Educators in the Lumia community today
Your community
Real teachers, real support, when you need it.
Lumia isn't "social media." It's quality time in a private, vetted community of people who get what you do.
Connection
Find your people through Profiles and Groups. Celebrate wins. Join honest conversations and connect with other teachers in online or nearby events.
Collaboration
Lumia teachers co-create the Discover feed, sharing inspiration and fresh ideas, classroom-tested strategies, and real solutions from people who've been there.
Celebration
Matchups help teachers solve problems together to get through tough times. Find a mentor, be a mentor. Lumia brings the support every teacher deserves.
Lumia's secret sauce.
Our secret sauce has three parts: deep experience in education, expertise in enterprise development, and can-do determination — combined in a shared vision to make it easier for teachers to find support and solutions among peers who understand their world.
From one educator's idea, Lumia grew to a collaboration between teachers across Southern Arizona working with local partners in business strategy, design, and technology.
Dillon Walker
Lead Developer, Backed Studios