National Award Recipients
2024 Award Winners:
Excellence in Executive Leadership Award: Gladys Cruz, Questar III Board of Cooperative Educational Services
Outstanding Individual Achievement Award: Mary Ann Dewan, Santa Clara County Board of Education
Outstanding Achievement in ESA Writing & Research Award: Willamette Education Service District Communications Team
Exemplary Service & Innovation for Technological Advancement Award: Tim McIlvain, Learning Technology Center
Women of Inspiration in Leadership Award: Naomi Norman, Washtenaw Intermediate School District
Congressional Service Award: Radha Sekar, Universal Service Administrative Company
Exemplary Service Award: Craig Burford, Ohio Educational Service Center Association
Past Award Recipients
2023 Award Winners:
- Peter C. Young Service Award: Mike Soules | Read more
- Exemplary Service and Innovation For Technological Advancement Award: Michael Doughty | Read more
- Women of Inspiration in Leadership Award: Jan Hanlon | Read more
- Excellence in Executive Leadership: Dr. Greg Florio | Read more
- Individual Achievement Award: Gary Peterson | Read more
- Outstanding Achievement in ESA Writing & Research: Butte County Office of Education (CA)/Mary Sakuma | Read more
2022 Award Winners:
- Peter C. Young Service Award: Dr. Jerry Maze, Executive Director, Education Service Center (ESC) Region 12 | Waco, TX | Read more
- E. Robert Stephens Award: Dr. Denise Shockley, Superintendent, Gallia-Vinton EducaBonal Service Center | Rio Grande, OH | Read more
- E. Robert Stephens Award: Los Angeles County Office of Education/Dr. Kathryn Edwards
- Walter G. Turner Award: Mike Snowberry, Director of Learning Services, Luxemburg-Casco School District | Luxemburg, WI | Read more
- Walter G. Turner Award: Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (CA)
- Brian Talbott Award: Placer County Office of Education (CA)
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Cecilia Massetti (CA)
- Congressional Service Award: Senator Ron Wyden (OR)
2021 Award Winners:
- Peter C. Young Service Award: Cliff Carmody, Executive Director, SWWC Service Cooperative, Marshall, MN
- Congressional Service Award: U.S. Representative, Rosa DeLauro, and Jessica Rosenworcel, Acting Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission. Read more
- E Robert Stephens Award: Dr. Mary Ann Dewan, Superintendent, Santa Clara County Office of Education in San Jose, California. Read more
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Dr. Debra Duardo, Superintendent, Los Angeles County Office of Education, and Dr. Paul Gothold, Superintendent of the San Diego County Office of Education. Read more
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Shannon Cox, Superintendent, Montgomery County Educational Service Center (MCESC), Dayton, Ohio. Read more
- Walter G. Turner Award: Senator John Laird, District 17 (CA)
2020 Award Winners:
- Peter C. Young Service Award: Dr. Mike Cook, Executive Director, ESSDACK, Hutchinson, KS
- E. Robert Stephens Award: Dr. Sheldon Smith, Assistant Superintendent, Business Services, San Luis Obispo COE, San Luis Obispo, CA
2019 Award Winners:
- Peter C. Young Service Award: Dave Distel, Executive Director, Hamilton County ESC, Cincinnati, OH
- Brian L. Talbott Award: California Center of Teaching Careers, Tulare County Office of Education, Tim Hire, Superintendent, Tulare COE, Visalia, CA
- E. Robert Stephens Award: Dr. Janet Gordon, VP of Education, Kaufman Associates, Inc., and Dr. Hilary Loeb, Director of Strategy, Evaluation & Learning, Puget Sound ESD (WA)
2018 Award Winners:
- Peter C. Young Service Award: Susan Leddick, President PSR and AESA Foundation Board of Directors
- Congressional Service Award: Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK)
- E. Robert Stephens Award: Dr. James J. Brescia, Superintendent of Schools, San Luis Obispo County Office of Education, (CA)
2017 Award Winners:
- Brian L. Talbott Award: Northeastern Regional Information Center, Dale Breault, Director, Albany, NY
- Congressional Award: Senator Jack Reed (RI)
- Peter C. Young Award: Peter C. Young, Retired AESA Chief Operating Officer
2016 Award Winners:
- Walter G. Turner Award: Kristin Olsen, California State Assembly Member, District 12
- E. Robert Stephens Award: Kelly Gillespie, CEO, Southwest Plains Regional Service Center, Sublette, KS
- Brian L. Talbott Award: Education Matters, Jim Yovino, Superintendent, Fresno County Schools, CA
2015 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Lisa Hagel, Superintendent, Genesee Intermediate School District, Flint, MI
- Walter G. Turner Award: Dale McCall, Executive Director, Colorado BOCES Association
- Brian L. Talbott Award: K12 High Speed Network (K12HSN), Operated by the Imperial County Office of Education, CA
2014 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Joseph Crozier, Chief Administrator, Grant Wood Area Education Agency, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Walter G. Turner Award: James V. Denova, Ph.D., Vice President, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
- E. Robert Stephens Award: Mark Jones, Deputy Superintendent & COO, Capital Region BOCES, Albany, NY
- Brian L. Talbott Award: Grant Wood Area Education Agency Technology Team, Cedar Rapids, IA
2013 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Wayne A. Bell, Administrator, Educational Service Unit 10, Kearney, NE
- E. Robert Stephens Award: Sue Feldman, Director for Assessment & Educational Research, Educational Service District 112, Vancouver, WA
- Brian L. Talbott Award: Northeast Service Cooperative, Paul Brinkman, CEO, Mountain Iron, MN
- Meritorious Award: William G. Keane, Former Superintendent, Oakland Schools, MI, Former AESA Perspectives Editor, Huntington Woods, MI
2012 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: David W. Gordon, Superintendent, Sacramento County Office of Education, Sacramento, CA
- Walter G. Turner Award: Sonia Chang-Diaz, Massachusetts State Senator; Alice H. Peisch, Massachusetts State Representative
- Brian L. Talbott Award: EDJOIN, California Country Superintendents Educational Services Association
2011 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Monte E. Bridges, Superintendent, Puget Sound Educational Service District, Renton, WA; Joan Schuman, Executive Director, Collaborative for Educational Services, Northampton, MA
- Walter G. Turner Award: Lowell Johnson, West Virginia State Board of Education Member, Lewisburg, WV
- E. Robert Stephens Award: Jerry Maze, Executive Director, Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX
2010 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Lee Warne, Retired Executive Director, Southwest/West Central Service Cooperative, Marshall, MN
- Walter G. Turner Award: Carolyn (Lynne) Cannon, Board Vice President, Grant Wood Area Education Agency, Iowa City, IA; William K. Bogdan, Asst. Superintendent & COO, Hamilton County Educational Service Center, Cincinnati, OH
- Brian L. Talbott Award: Educational Service Unit 10, Kearney, NE
2009 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: William McKinney, Executive Director, Region 4 ESC, Houston, TX
- Walter G. Turner Award: Michael P. Flanagan, Michigan State Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Brian L. Talbott Award: Geoffrey Craven, Telecommunications & Technical Support Manager, Central Susquehanna IU, Lewisburg, PA
- Congressional Award: Senator Patty Murray (WA); Congressman George Miller (CA)
2008 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Joseph Marinelli, District Superintendent, Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES, Newark, NY
- Walter G. Turner Award: Darrell Steinberg, State Senator, Sacramento, CA
- E. Robert Stephens Award: Milton Chen, Executive Director, George Lucas Educational Fund, San Rafael, CA
- Congressional Award: Senator Edward M. Kennedy (MA)
2007 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Twyla G. Barnes, Superintendent, ESD 112, Vancouver, WA
- Walter G. Turner Award: Jay D. Rockefeller, US Senator, West Virginia; Arlene Setzer, Ohio House of Representatives, Vandalia, OH
- E. Robert Stephens Award: Susan Leddick, Education Consultant, PKR Inc., Bozeman, MT
- Congressional Award: Senator Tom Harkin (IA); Representative Dale E. Kildee (MI)
2006 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Virginia Seccombe, Executive Director, LEARN, Old Lyme, CT
- Walter G. Turner Award: Shirley Neeley, Commissioner of Education, Texas Education Agency, Austin, TX
- E. Robert Stephens Award: Hobart Harmon, Education Consultant, Timberville, VA
2005 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: David Calchera, Former Executive Director, EASTCONN, Hampton, CT
- Walter G. Turner Award: Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, US House of Representatives (CA); Lee Baggett, Board Member, Umatilla-Morrow ESC, Pendleton, Or
- E. Robert Stephens Award: David Arsen, Courtney Bell, David Plank, Michigan State University, MI
2004 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Dave Distel, Superintendent, Hamilton County ESC, OH
- Walter G. Turner Award: Ted Stilwill, Former Chief State School Officer, IA
2003 Award Winners:
- Justus A. Prentice Award: Dennis Harkin, Executive Director, Montgomery County IU, PA
- Walter G. Turner Award: Terry Bergeson, Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Olympia, WA
- E. Robert Stephens Award: M. Craig Stanley, Executive Director, Greater Lawrence Educational Collaborative, MA