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 2021 Minnesota Teacher of the Year selection panel:

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

Megan Bartel
Aspiring Educator, University of Minnesota-Duluth

Gina Brandt
Judge, Hennepin County Fourth District Court

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

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

Jessica Davis
2019 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

Noah Franz
Aspiring Educator, University of Minnesota - Duluth

Amy Hang
Hennepin County Attorney's Office

Lonnie Hartley
Senior marketing and communications specialist, Medtronic

Qorsho Hassan
2020 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

Kelly D. Holstine
2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

Karen Jacobson
Minnesota Rural Education Association board President, Executive Director of the MN River Valley Education District

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

Jennifer Niemi
Co-chair, Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program; Director, Native Studies Center, The College of St. Scholastica

Cheryl Polzin
Minnesota School Boards Association, Wayzata Public Schools

Gwen Rudney 
Professor of education, University of Minnesota–Morris

Joe Spencer,
President, St. Paul Downtown Alliance

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