Billy Hagberg was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before attending the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California for his undergraduate degree. He majored in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing (with no Rose Bowl wins) before moving here to New York City. He is an alumnus of Columbia University Master of Fine Arts program for poetry and has taught students from kindergarten to the collegiate level. Billy believes that students should be taught ELA skills not just for their classes but for how those skills apply in their other classes and in life outside the classroom. He remains a passionate Pittsburgh sports fan and hopes his passion for reading and writing will inspire the same drive in his students.