Tamieka Grizzle, a native of Jamaica whose family immigrated to the United States when she was 5 years old, grew up in the Bronx, New York. She graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism, earned a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Mercer University, and earned a Doctorate of Education degree in Teacher Leadership from Walden University. Tamika has taught 4th and 5th grade for a total of 10 years and currently serves as the STEM Lab teacher at Harmony-Leland Elementary School in Cobb County, a position she has held since 2016. She was named the 2017-2018 Teacher of the Year.