142 teachers are candidates for 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year
For more information, contact:
DOUG DOOHER
651-245-6141 (cell)
CHRIS WILLIAMS
651-292-4816 (work)
651-247-5539 (cell)
ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Feb. 3, 2025 – The 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be chosen from a field of 142 candidates. These candidates have accepted their nominations and completed the required materials to become eligible for the honor.
This year’s program will name the 61st Minnesota Teacher of the Year. The program celebrates the tradition of excellence in teaching in Minnesota. Eligible candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade, Early Childhood Family Education and Adult Basic Education teachers, from public or private schools.
An independent selection panel of leaders in the fields of education, business, government, nonprofit and philanthropy will read candidates’ portfolios over the next few weeks and narrow the list to a group of semifinalists. In March, the panel will convene again and review additional materials from the semifinalists to choose a group of finalists. The Minnesota Teacher of the Year banquet is set for May 4 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.
Education Minnesota, the 84,000-member statewide educators union, organizes and underwrites the Teacher of the Year program. The Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program also receives support from the following organizations: Aviben, Education Minnesota ESI, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors, Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, Tradition Mortgage and Expedition Credit Union.
The candidates for 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, listed by their school districts or operating entities, are:
Brittany Larson, Adrian Public School District
Dustin Richters, Aitkin Public Schools
Andrea Puder, Anoka-Hennepin School District
Katie Hauser, Anoka-Hennepin School District
Kate Tverberg, Anoka-Hennepin School District
Rebecca Thomas, Anoka-Hennepin School District
Ted Erickson, Anoka-Hennepin School District
Christoph Dundas, Austin Public Schools
Zachary Semon, Bloomington Public Schools
Lisa Berthiaume, Bloomington Public Schools
Jodi Carufel, Bloomington Public Schools
Jake Wypyszynski, Bloomington Public Schools
Laura George, Bloomington Public Schools
Maggie Mayernik, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District
Michelle Braun, Cannon Falls Area Schools
Erica Uttermark, Crookston Public Schools
Emily Bloomquist, Duluth Public Schools
Cory Henkel, Duluth Public Schools
Rachel Lofald, Duluth Public Schools
Michael Okwabi , Eden Prairie Schools
Rossigna Goytizolo-Blodgett, Eden Prairie Schools
Kristen Mantel, Eden Prairie Schools
Araceli Pastrana , Eden Prairie Schools
Lauren Koller, Eden Prairie Schools
Shelby Anderson, Eden Prairie Schools
Lieann Campbell, Eden Prairie Schools
Laura Eid, Eden Prairie Schools
Kayla Fahey, Eden Prairie Schools
Beatriz Hauth, Eden Prairie Schools
Rachel Spessard, Eden Prairie Schools
Linda Wallenberg, Eden Prairie Schools
Michelle Rada, Eden Prairie Schools
Marcela Roos, Eden Prairie Schools
Bianca Suglia, Edina Public Schools
Katharine Thomas, Edina Public Schools
Wendi Tonder, Fairmont Area Schools
Brian Maas, Faribault Public Schools
Heather Teigen, Faribault Public Schools
Andrew Sundberg, Grygla Public School
Melissa Kelly, Hill-Murray School (private school)
Nora Tycast, Hopkins Public Schools
Katie York, Hopkins Public Schools
Kyle Stark, Hopkins Public Schools
Jitka Sebek, Hopkins Public Schools
Katie Trembley, Hopkins Public Schools
Julie Dearring, Hopkins Public Schools
Dee DenHartog, Hopkins Public Schools
Nicole Mittelstaedt, Hopkins Public Schools
Alison Rubbelke, Hopkins Public Schools
Sara Vanhove, Hopkins Public Schools
Mykenna Yesnes, Hopkins Public Schools
Andy Jensen, Hopkins Public Schools
Yuqi Li, Hopkins Public Schools
Mitchell Schank, Hopkins Public Schools
Jana Jonasen, Intermediate School District #917
Debra Hinrichs, Kenyon-Wanamingo Schools
Jonathan Gilmer, Lakeville Public School District
Ryan Collins, Mahtomedi Public Schools
Michael Sipe, Mankato Area Public Schools
Melanie Urban, Maple River School District
Tim Larson, Medford Public Schools
Jessica Kunst, Milaca Public Schools
Yoseris Rosado, Minneapolis Public Schools
Katelyn Bruce, Minneapolis Public Schools
Amy Conwell, Minneapolis Public Schools
Ben Cuevas-Rengstorf, Minneapolis Public Schools
Lesley Earles, Minneapolis Public Schools
Melissa Favero, Minneapolis Public Schools
Travis Koupal, Minneapolis Public Schools
Jenna Strain Lutz, Minneapolis Public Schools
Andrea Welvaert, Minneapolis Public Schools
Marcia Wyatt, Minneapolis Public Schools
Megan Hill, Minnetonka Public Schools
Stacey Edlavitch, Minnetonka Public Schools
Sarah Strauss, Minnetonka Public Schools
Kristin Goeser, Minnetonka Public Schools
Tim Berndt, Mounds View Public Schools
Robin Betthauser, Mounds View Public Schools
Madison Critchley, Mounds View Public Schools
Megan Hebert, Mounds View Public Schools
Natasha Johnson, Mounds View Public Schools
Zoe Kourajian, Mounds View Public Schools
Katherine Norrie, Northfield Public Schools
Jessica Flygare, Norwood Young America District
Marcus Leab, Osseo Area Schools
Kelly Klecker, Osseo Area Schools
Caley Paripovich, Osseo Area Schools
Kari Roll, Osseo Area Schools
Katie Coudron, Owatonna Public Schools
Molly Neumann , Prodeo Academy (charter school)
Lindsey Larson, Richfield Public Schools
Morgan Steele, Richfield Public Schools
Garrett Bruce, Robbinsdale Area Public Schools
Emma Withers, Robbinsdale Area Public Schools
Heather Christensen, Rochester Public Schools
Shaun Lang, Rochester Public Schools
Brittany Lehrke, Rochester Public Schools
Criselda Martinez, Rochester Public Schools
Soren Olesen, Roseau Community School District
Megan Cogswell, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan
Sean Padden, Roseville Area Schools
Jennifer George, Roseville Area Schools
Varsha Leiseth, Roseville Area Schools
Averi M. Turner, Roseville Area Schools
John Horton, Saint Paul Public Schools
Colleen Haugen, Saint Paul Public Schools
Amanda Jagdeo, Saint Paul Public Schools
Alli Kildahl, Saint Paul Public Schools
Beth Tierney, Saint Paul Public Schools
Madeline Vukson, Saint Paul Public Schools
Hsing-I (Michelle) Chan, Saint Paul Public Schools
Karen Lacher, Saint Paul Public Schools
Cassandra Sheppard, Saint Paul Public Schools
Kong Vang, Saint Paul Public Schools
Karrie Fredrickson, Sartell-St. Stephen School District
Jill Zimpel, Sauk Rapids-Rice Schools
Christopher Lamprecht, Seven Hills Preparatory Academy (charter school)
Kim Neu, Shakopee Public Schools
Tyne Grefe, South St. Paul Public Schools
Lawrence Britton, South St. Paul Public Schools
Megan Frantzen, South St. Paul Public Schools
Mark J. Westpfahl, South St. Paul Public Schools
Rachel Mettille, South St. Paul Public Schools
Amanda Czepa, South Washington County Schools
Lisa Flynn, South Washington County Schools
Jennifer Strong, South Washington County Schools
Emily Ball, South Washington County Schools
Stephanie Harberts, South Washington County Schools
Jessica Wilds, South Washington County Schools
Celine Kronback, St. Anthony-New Brighton School District
Chris Ann Johnson, St. Cloud Area Schools
Ted Gehring, St. Francis Area Schools
Kim Wieber duSaire, St. Louis Park Public School District
Stacy Bartlett, Stillwater Area Public Schools
Hannah Reyes, Stillwater Area Public Schools
Courtney Skjerven, Thief River Falls Public Schools
Christopher Nelson, Visitation School (private school)
Robby Grendahl, Wadena-Deer Creek Public Schools
Emily Hedstrom, Wayzata Public Schools
Wendy Richards McKeehan, Westonka Public Schools
Sarah Wright, Westonka Public Schools
Sarah Dixen, Winona Area Public Schools
