128 teachers are candidates for 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year
For more information, contact:
DOUG DOOHER
651-245-6141 (cell)
CHRIS WILLIAMS
651-292-4816 (work)Â
651-247-5539 (cell)
ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Jan. 29, 2026 – The 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be chosen from a field of 128 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 62nd 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 3 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 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, listed by their school districts or operating entities, are:
Matt Boelke, Anoka-Hennepin Public School District
Holly Boisjolie, Anoka-Hennepin Public School District
Alex Keeney, Anoka-Hennepin Public School District
Scott Maki, Anoka-Hennepin Public School District
Rebecca Maxey Thomas, Anoka-Hennepin Public School District
Jamie Weisz, Anoka-Hennepin Public School District
Thomas Rosengren, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City School District
Laura Jertson, Austin Public Schools
Julia Moe, Bloomington Public Schools
Ricardo Rivera, Bloomington Public Schools
Bryon Rogers, Chisago Lakes School District
Kari Olesiak, Cromwell-Wright Public Schools
Mei-Kuei Hjermstad, Eastern Carver County Schools
Marisol Alcazar Gerszewski, Eden Prairie Schools
Jessica Brent, Eden Prairie Schools
Alan Hergott, Eden Prairie Schools
Lauren Koller, Eden Prairie Schools
Sean Laughlin, Eden Prairie Schools
Stacy Natal, Eden Prairie Schools
Monica Nichols, Eden Prairie Schools
Anna Nystrom, Eden Prairie Schools
Katie Teslow, Eden Prairie Schools
Jeff Thelen, Eden Prairie Schools
Isabella Vermedahl, Eden Prairie Schools
Maria Villavicencio, Eden Prairie Schools
Lisa Warbritton, Eden Prairie Schools
Erin Webster, Eden Prairie Schools
Molly Swiderski, Edina Public Schools
Erin Rehnblom, Elk River Public School District
Lauren Wondra, Elk River Public School District
Chris Engelby, Fairmont Area Schools
Kelsey Amundson, Farmington Area Public Schools
Alysha Nelson, Farmington Area Public Schools
Jinnea Zenzen, Grand Rapids Area Schools
Brittany Bancroft, Hopkins Public Schools
Lana Boord-Barton, Hopkins Public Schools
Cruz Conejo Cervantes, Hopkins Public Schools
Paige Frondell, Hopkins Public Schools
Kayla Gale, Hopkins Public Schools
Becca Galey, Hopkins Public Schools
Marian Gass, Hopkins Public Schools
Laura Kuehmichel, Hopkins Public Schools
Krista LaPlant, Hopkins Public Schools
Tim McCarren, Hopkins Public Schools
Amy Phung, Hopkins Public Schools
Jeremy Reichel, Hopkins Public Schools
Natalie Ringold, Hopkins Public Schools
Autumn Schacht, Hopkins Public Schools
Lisa Schmid, Hopkins Public Schools
Karl Schroeder, Hopkins Public Schools
Pam Shrestha, Hopkins Public Schools
Kate Sorenson, Hopkins Public Schools
QiuQin (QQ) Tisdell, Hopkins Public Schools
Sher Unruh-Friesen, Hopkins Public Schools
Donghong Wang, Hopkins Public Schools
James Schmidtke, Intermediate District 287
Karla Olson-Line, International Falls School District
Stewin Bernal Flick, ISLA – International Spanish Language Academy (charter school)
Jordan G. Verke, Kaleidoscope Charter School
Ben Young, Kaleidoscope Charter School
Colleen Tentis, Kasson-Mantorville Schools
Lisa Hennen, Kimball Area Public Schools
Hilary Moorlach, Lakeville Public School District
Erin Mulvany-Mankowski, Lakeville Public School District
Jim Lane, Mahtomedi Public Schools
Michelle Modrow, Mankato Area Public Schools
Carissa Hoha, Medford Public School
Sophia Butler, Minneapolis Public Schools
Dr. Jesus Cervantes Quiroz, Minneapolis Public Schools
Jonathan Edington, Minneapolis Public Schools
Maureen Mulvaney, Minneapolis Public Schools
Kara Noble, Minneapolis Public Schools
Larissa Parr, Minneapolis Public Schools
Hannah Walker, Minneapolis Public Schools
Renee Morabito, Minnetonka Public Schools
Dan Dooher, Moorhead Area Public Schools
Kate Berger, Mounds View Public Schools
Molly Caswell, Mounds View Public Schools
Deb Seitz, Northfield Public Schools
Dr. Amanda Sass-Henke, Orono Public School District
Kathryn Grivna, Osseo Area Schools
Michael Herdan, Osseo Area Schools
Lisa Thorson, Owatonna Public Schools
Dr. Tanya J. Miller, Park Rapids Area Schools
Kami Berg, Pillager Public Schools
Angel Brown, Princeton School District
Jessica Reilly, Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools
Dehlia Seim, Proctor Public Schools
Matt Toppin, Prodeo Academy (charter school)
Jamie Steffl, Redwood Area School District
Markus Hahn, Robbinsdale Area Public Schools
Rajaa Ali, Rochester Public Schools
Bridget Hinzmann, Rochester Public Schools
Josh Weckman, Roseau Community School District
Isaiah Pritzl, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan District
Alison Coe, Roseville Area Schools
Jennifer Danielson, Roseville Area Schools
Scott Lauinger, Roseville Area Schools
Megan Martin, Roseville Area Schools
Sara Mortel, Roseville Area Schools
Nick Altringer, Saint Paul Public Schools
Daniel Bettino, Saint Paul Public Schools
Eric Erickson, Saint Paul Public Schools
Allison Hartzell, Saint Paul Public Schools
John Horton, Saint Paul Public Schools
Alli Kildahl, Saint Paul Public Schools
Beth Tierney, Saint Paul Public Schools
Boon Yang, Saint Paul Public Schools
Britney Soldner, Sartell-St. Stephen Schools
Lindsey Trimbo, Sartell-St. Stephen Schools
Lisa Schramel-Magnuson, Sauk Centre Public School District
Susana Manea, Sauk Rapids-Rice Schools
Michelle Grubbs, South Washington County Schools
Dana Liberty, South Washington County Schools
Tricia Schmidt, South Washington County Schools
Jodee Blair, St. Cloud Area School District
Devon Bowker, St. Cloud Area School District
Paige Janorschke, St. Cloud Area School District
Vida A. Petersen, St. Cloud Area School District
Emily Sevenz, St. Francis Area Schools
David Davis, St. Louis Park Public School District
Emma Wortman, St. Louis Park Public School District
Michelle Bannie, West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools
Shannon Dodson, West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools
Debbie Loomis, Westonka Public Schools
Ashley Schroeder, Westonka Public Schools
Lisa Bonk, Westonka Public Schools
Brittney Steine, Winona Area Public Schools
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
