Tom Gelardi is a New York City elementary physical education teacher with more than 20 years of experience teaching students in PreK–5th grade. He is the 2025 SHAPE America National Elementary PE Teacher of the Year and was previously named the 2022 New York State Elementary PE Teacher of the Year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tom’s innovative online PE lessons earned recognition from New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York State Senator John C. Liu.
Tom has been featured on NBC’s Today Show and CBS Morning News for inspiring children to lead active and healthy lives through movement and fitness. Through his PhysEdZone platform, he shares practical ideas, activities, and professional learning opportunities with educators around the world. He has presented workshops and keynotes throughout the United States and internationally and previously served as a curriculum advisor for Sesame Street. Tom lives in New York with his wife, Krissy, and their three children, Alexandra, Erika, and Nicholas.