SkillsUSA Advisor of the Year
Recognizing the Advisors Who Lead with Heart and Purpose
Each year, SkillsUSA honors one exceptional advisor who exemplifies what it means to lead, serve and support students on their journey to success. The Advisor of the Year Award celebrates individuals who have made an extraordinary impact through mentorship, innovation and dedication to career and technical education.
This award is a tribute to those who go beyond instruction — advisors who build community, foster leadership and change lives.
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1993
Virginia M. Osgood, Oklahoma (Region 4)
Finalists:
Janene Dawes, Wabash, Indiana (Region 1)
Sondra S. Massie, Lebanon, Virginia (Region 2)
Debra J. Holcombe, Cullman, Alabama (Region 3)
Ray Polesky, Glendale, Arizona (Region 5)
1994
Edward L. Haynor, Fremont, Michigan
(Region 1)
Finalists:
Franklin M. Yongue, Ocala, Florida (Region 3)
Joe Mathis, Afton, Oklahoma (Region 4)
G. Graham Yarborough, Jr., Bladenboro, North Carolina (Region 2)
Jeff Trotter, Palmer, Alaska (Region 5)
1995
Rodney Park, Hawaii (Region 5)
Finalists:
Paul Sanders, Bedford, Indiana (Region 1)
Monna Booth, Blacksburg, Virginia (Region 2)
Sue Lepisto, Dade City, Florida (Region 3)
Lynda Kouri, Norman, Oklahoma (Region 4)
1996
Janet Miller, Carroll, Ohio (Region 1)
Finalists:
Daniel J. Glover, Clarksburg, West Virginia (Region 2)
Charles Rossetti, Springdale, Arkansas (Region 3)
Donett B. Hendrix, Wayne, Oklahoma (Region 4)
Glade Bailey, Hillcrest, Utah (Region 5)
1997
Nick Gerulli, Roseau, Minnesota (Region 4)
Finalists:
Linda Pontes, Newport, Rhode Island, (Region 1)
Carolyn Powell, Virginia Beach, Virginia (Region 2)
James Walker, Springdale, Arkansas (Region 3)
Bill Kramer, Lewiston, Idaho (Region 5)
1998
Paul King, Tulsa, Oklahoma (Region 4)
Finalists:
Linda Pontes, Newport, Rhode Island (Region 1)
Linda Soderling, Little Rock, Arkansas (Region 2)
John Williams, Dunbar, West Virginia (Region 3)
Paul King, Tulsa, Oklahoma (Region 4)
Irene Saavedra, Los Angeles, California (Region 5)
1999
Frank W. Taylor, Maryland (Region 1)
Finalists:
Frank Taylor, Frederick, Maryland (Region 1)
Warren Landry, West Monroe, Louisiana (Region 2)
David G. Lechleitner, Fort Wayne, Indiana (Region 3)
Elaine Dock, Drumwright, Oklahoma (Region 4)
Carl Shepherd, Sandy, Utah (Region 5)
2000
Cheryl Licklider, Oklahoma (Region 4)
Finalists:
Loren “Joe” Knight, Watertown, New York (Region 1)
Charles Ehemann, Russellville, Arkansas (Region 2)
Linda Crager, Groveport, Ohio (Region 3)
Cheryl Licklider, Enid, Oklahoma (Region 4)
Victor Schiro, Colton, California (Region 5)
2001
Lisa L. Romeiser, New York (Region 1)
Finalists:
Lisa L. Romeiser, Fairport, New York (Region 1)
Phil Tanner, Irmo, South Carolina (Region 2)
Nat Greenfield, Grayslake, Illinois (Region 3)
Nancy Kirschner, Tulsa, Oklahoma (Region 4)
Darin Taylor, Orem, Utah (Region 5)
2002
Lou Edna Musquiz, Texas (Region 4)
Finalists:
Mary Holben, Sicklerville, New Jersey (Region 1)
Wayne Fruge, Port Barre, Louisiana (Region 2)
Debra Monday, Eleanor, West Virginia (Region 3)
Lou Edna Musquiz, Del Rio, Texas (Region 4)
Bonnie Hardy, Cheyenne, Wyoming (Region 5)
2003
Julise Clement, Alabama (Region 2)
Finalists:
John Fernandez, New York (Region 1)
Julise Clement, Alabama (Region 2)
Tina Hummel, Ohio (Region 3)
Anthony Woodside, Missouri (Region 4)
Jim Burke, Nevada (Region 5)
2004
Ronald McGuire, Oregon (Region 5)
Finalists:
Mary Beth Brace, New Jersey (Region 1)
Mike Howard, Georgia (Region 2)
Bonnie Holaday, Indiana (Region 3)
Pamela McFarland, North Dakota (Region 4)
Ronald McGuire, Oregon (Region 5)
2005
Richard Carter, Delaware (Region I)
Finalists:
Richard Carter, Woodside, DE (Region I)
Scottie Burchett, Bauxite, AR (Region II)
Steven Lick, Allegan, MI (Region III)
Robert Salas, Mission, TX (Region IV)
Alain Archuleta, Albuquerque, NM (Region V)
2006
Darryl Jirinec, New York (Region 1)
Finalists:
Darryl Jirinec – Region 1, Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES, Auburn, NY
William Poe – Region 3, Greene County Career Center, Xenia, OH
Terry Robinson – Region 4, Canadian Valley Technology Center, El Reno, OK
John Stokes – Region 5, Paso Robles High School, Paso Robles, CA
2007
Linda Shelton, Tennessee (Region 2)
Finalists:
Gerald Suggs, Region 1, William M. Davies, Jr., Career & Technical High School, RI
Linda Shelton, Region 2, Hickman County High School, TN
Donald Borchert, Region 3, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, WI
Bob Summer, Region 4, Seminole High School, TX
Jan Garrett-DeSimone, Region 5, Southern Nevada Vocational-Technical Center, NV
2008
Cheryl Rees, Georgia (Region 2)
Finalists:
Nancy Bell, Region 1, Calvert Career Center, Prince Frederick, MD
Cheryl Rees, Region 2, Kendrick High School, Columbus, GA
David Richard, Region 3, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Sturgeon Bay, WI
Larry Kuretsch, Region 4, El Campo High School, El Campo, TX
Michael Pointer, Region 5, Regional Technical Institute, Reno, NV
2009
John Crosby, California (Region 5)
Finalists:
James Maynard, Sr., Region 1, Parkside High School, Salisbury, MD
Paul Elder, Region 2, Harris County High School, Hamilton, GA
Tom Renninger, Region 3, Sentinel Career Center, Tiffin, OH
Jennifer Leff, Region 4, Carver-Scott Educational Cooperative, Chaska, MN
John Crosby, Region 5, Lassen High School, Susanville, CA
2010
Crystal Gutshall, Pennsylvania (Region 1)
Finalists:
Crystal Gutshall, Region 1, Sun Area Technical Center, New Berlin, PA
Rose Blevins, Region 2, Kecoughtan High School, Hampton, VA
Linda Ward, Region 3, Mecosta-Osceola Career Center, Big Rapids, MI
Jayson Floyd, Region 4, Canadian Valley Technology Center, El Reno, OK
Roy Angle, Region 5, Pocatello High School, Pocatello, ID
2011
Mark American Horse, Oklahoma (Region 4)
Finalists:
Carol Olsen, Region 1, Cape Cod Regional Technical High School, Harwich, MA
Thomas Washburn, Region 2, Centennial High School, Roswell, GA
Mary Motz, Region 3, Huron Area Career Centre, Bad Axe, MI
Mark American Horse, Region 4, Central Tech, Sapulpa, OK
Oscar Olivas, Region 5, Peoria High School, Peoria, AZ
2012
Donald Runyan, California (Region 5)
Finalists:
James Berman, Region 1, Delcastle Technical High School, Wilmington, DE
Debra Peabody, Region 2, Union Grove High School, McDonough, GA
Angela Haley, Region 3, Oakland Technical Campus - Northeast, Pontiac, MI
Larry Batson, Region 4, Tulsa Tech, Tulsa, OK
Donald Runyan, Region 5, Cleveland High School, Reseda, CA
2013
Jackson Tegarden, Texas (Region 4)
Finalists:
Sharon Farrington, Region 1, Northeast Metro Technical High School, Wakefield, MA
Chef Darin Nine, Region 2, Belleview High School, Belleview, FL
Cora Duncan-Foster, Region 3, Breithaupt Career and Technical Center, Detroit, MI
Jackson Tegarden, Region 4, Homer Hanna High School, Brownsville, TX
Chuck Veloni, Region 5, Aberdeen High School, Aberdeen, WA
2014
Mark Sponaugle, Missouri (Region 4)
Finalists:
Ellen Coughlin, Region 1, Delaware Chenango Madison Ostego BOCES, Norwich, NY
James Dinsmoor, Region 2, Rockdale Career Academy, Conyers, GA
Tobin Prinsen, Region 3, Apollo Career Center, Lima, OH
Mark Sponaugle, Region 4, Carthage Technical Center, Carthage, MO
James Adamson, Region 5, Central Kitsap High School, Silverdale, WA
2015
Denise Foster, West Virginia (Region 3)
Finalists:
Katrina Fiorenza, Region 1, Adirondack High School, Boonville, NY
Jesse Wayne Lee, Region 2, Pine Forest High School, Fayetteville, NC
Denise Foster, Region 3, Putnam Career and Technical Center, Eleanor, WV
Todd Huxford, Region 4, South Central College, North Mankato, MN
Gene Karas, Region 5, Petaluma High School, Petaluma, CA
2016
Jerry Macintosh, West Virginia (Region 3)
Finalists:
David Nash, Region 1,Mercer County Technical Schools, Pennington, NJ
Robert Jett, Region2, Stafford High School, Falmouth, VA
Jerry Macintosh, Region 3, Carver Career and Technical Center, Charleston, WV
Lynn Nelson, Region 4, Mounds View High School, Arden Hills, MN
Mary Anderson, Region 5, Deming High School, Deming, NM
2017
Julie Ivan, Michigan, (Region 3)
Finalists:
Richard Stephens, Region 1, Worchester Technical High School, Newark, Md.
Clyde Rush, Region 2, Cleveland High School, Cleveland, Tenn.
Julie Ivan, Region 3, Saginaw Career Complex, Saginaw Mich.
Debbie Lathum, Region 4, Current River Career Center, Doniphan, Mo
Oscar Contreras, Region 5, Hobbs High School, Hobbs, N.M.
2018
Joyce Price, Virginia (Region 2)
Finalists:
Marjorie Kellman, Region 1, Washington County Technical High School (Maryland)
Joyce Price, Region 2, Blacksburg High School (Virginia)
Jeff Bertke. Region 3 Upper Valley Career Center (Ohio)
Corine Triplett, Region 4, Tulsa Technology center (Oklahoma)
Shaun Smith, Region 5, Durango High School (Colorado)
2019
Jason McCuish, Massachusetts (Region 1)
Finalists:
Jason McCuish, Region 1, Lynn Vocational Technical Institute (Massachusetts)
Rita Yeary, Region 2, Southampton High School (Virginia)
Daid Urlaub, Region 3 Bay-Arenac Independent School District Career Center (Michigan)
Jeanne McClish, Region 4, Moore Norman Technology Center (Oklahoma)
Rebecca Dickerson, Region 4, Eldon (Mo.) Career Center (Missouri)
Norman Champagne, Region 5, Kofa High School (Arizona)
2020
Joseph Chapman, South Carolina (Region 2)
Finalists:
Charlene Zinnel, Region 1, Dorchester Career & Technology Center, (Maryland)
Sara Plozay, Region 3, Upper Valley Career Center (Ohio)
Cody McPherson, Region 4, Geary High School (Oklahoma)
Kimberly Miller, Region 5, Woodland High School (Washington)
2021
Gloria Houston, Missouri (Region 4)
Finalists:
John Stratton, Region 1, Oneida Herkimer Madison BOCES CTEC (New York
Rushe Hudzinski-Sero, Region 2, Savannah Technical College (Georgia)
Fred Ganter, Region 3, Elkhorn Area High School (Wisconsin)
Nikki Gerner, Region 4, Dinuba High School (California)
2022
Kim Petronella, New York (Region 1)
Finalists:
Kenneth Brown, Region 2, Richlands High School (North Carolina)
Warren Caskey, Region 3, Warren County Career Center (Ohio)
Jessie Zweep, Region 4, Louisville Public Schools (Nebraska)
Troy Reichert, Region 5, Guernsey-Sunrise High School (Wyoming)
2023
Andrea Barallardos, Arizona (Region 5)
Finalists:
Peggy Reilly-O’Brien, Region 1, Cape Cod Regional Technical High School (Massachusetts)
Stephen Icenogle, Region 2, Enterprise High School (Alabama)
Gus Schmid, Region 3, Johnsburg High School (Illinois)
Bobbi Jo Linn, Region 4, Macon Area Career and Technical Center (Missouri)
2024
Angel Mead, Region 1, Broome Tioga BOCES, Binghamton, New York
Finalists:
Allison Terry, Region 2, York Technical College (South Carolina)
Tiffany Beard, Region 3, Morton High School (llinois)
Benjamin Applegate, Region 4, Waverly-Shell Rock High School (Iowa)
Joshua Ronstadt, Region 5, Canyon del Oro High School (Arizona)
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