Teacher of the Year selection panel

The Minnesota Teacher of the Year selection panel is an independent committee representing Minnesota leaders in education, business, nonprofits and government. The panel chooses the Minnesota Teacher of the Year from individuals who are nominated and who then choose to become a candidate.

Here is the 2019 Minnesota Teacher of the Year selection panel:

Heather Campbell 
Chair, Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program; associate professor, St. Olaf College

Nancy Antoine
Principal, Bridgewater Elementary; Minnesota Elementary School Principals Association

Lance Bagstad
Superintendent of Park Rapids; President, Minnesota Rural Education Association

Marc Berris
Assistant Washington County attorney, Washington County

Robbie Burnett
Director for Recruitment and Retention, Minnesota State Mankato at Edina

Heather Campbell 
Chair, Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program; associate professor, St. Olaf College

Mary Pat Cumming
Principal, The FAIR School; Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals

Jessica Davis
2019 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

Beth Daniels
STEM Content and Education Manager, TPT–Twin Cities PBS

Thomas Gale 
Past board president, Minnesota Alliance for Arts in Education

Melissa Gallant
Senior marketing manager, General Mills

Lonnie Hartley
Senior marketing and communications specialist, Medtronic

Amy Hang
Hennepin County Attorney's Office

Kelly D. Holstine
2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

Tim Lutz
Superintendent, Bemidji Area Schools; Minnesota Association of School Administrators

J.B. Mayo
Associate chair, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, associate professor, University of Minnesota

LeeAnna Nevin
Aspiring Educator-University of Minnesota-Duluth

Jennifer Niemi
Director, Native Studies Center, The College of St. Scholastica

Anna Panek
Aspiring Educator-Saint Cloud State University

Cheryl Polzin
Minnesota School Boards Association, Wayzata Public Schools

Gwen Rudney 
Chair emerita, Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program; professor of education, University of Minnesota–Morris

Mona Springis-Doss
Board member, United Educators Credit Union

Heather Starks
President, Minnesota Parent-Teacher Association

Steven Toeniskoetter
Senior attorney, Hormel Foods Corp.   

Amanda Twite
Curriculum Implementation Specialist, Minnesota Office of Higher Education