Henry “Hank” Kepner (MS ’64/PhD ’70) was named president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Colleagues say he brings boundless energy, experience, and an ability to listen to the role.

“He’s going to be a great president. He listens and tries to help people with divergent perspectives come together around what’s important,” said DeAnn Huinker who has worked with Kepner at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for 18 years.

Kepner, a professor of mathematics in UWM’s School of Education since 1972, said his interest in math took off during his high school geometry class.

“It wasn’t so much because of the subject, but because the teacher engaged several students in daily preparation of the content for a lesson and completion of homework,” he said. “We collaborated in the learning process.”

Thanks to that early taste of teaching, Kepner has been involved in math education in one capacity or another for 45 years.

His first position was as a secondary math teacher and department head at University Schools in Iowa City .

In addition to his current role as professor, his most recent post has been as director of Secondary Mathematics at UWM and as a co-director and member of teams composed of mathematicians, math educators, and Milwaukee teachers charged with designing undergraduate mathematics courses for pre-service teachers.

“I have continually found it most rewarding to observe a student make sense of mathematics that might have seemed difficult or incomprehensible,” Kepner said. “For students, middle school through university level, I have relished the look of confidence and readiness to show that ‘I can do it!’”

Dan Lotesto, a high school math teacher in Milwaukee who has known Kepner for more than 15 years, said Kepner has had an amazing impact on math education in Wisconsin and around the nation because of his passion for engaging students.

“I’m just astounded, as are his students and anybody who knows him, at the unbelievable, unbounded level of energy that he has for his work,” Lotesto said.

Kepner said his main goal as NCTM president is to make the organization available and useful to teachers and to help them enhance their teaching.

“I seek to provide direction, resources, and activities that help them get through their workday with a positive reflection on their students’ growth,” he said. “In this process, I challenge teachers to take responsibility in helping their students make sense of the mathematics. Too often, students, parents, and teachers expect mathematics to be rules and procedures—too often without student-constructed meaning and connections.”

With more than 100,000 members and 240 affiliates, The NCTM is the world’s largest organization devoted to improving mathematics education. Kepner said his role as leader of that group will bring challenges, especially increased travel and time away from the classroom he loves, but he took on the task with strong support from friends and colleagues.

Sharonda Harris, an elementary teacher in the Milwaukee district who has worked with Kepner as a teacher in residence, said she knows Kepner will do well in his new role.

“He’s a wonderful person, a great educator, and when he’s behind something, he’s behind it 100 percent,” she said.

Kepner said he’s enjoying this new chapter in his career.

“I’m having as much fun and getting as much satisfaction as ever—in large part due to the encouragement and support of my family, friends, and colleagues,” he said. “Who could ask for more?”