John Ramos, a 2025 Morehead-Cain Impact Educator, of Forestview High School in Gaston County (photo courtesy of Ramos)
The Morehead-Cain Foundation is proud to announce the 2026 Impact Educators honored by semifinalists for the Morehead-Cain Class of 2030. These 503 educators come from North Carolina and thirty-eight other states and the District of Columbia, and fourteen countries outside the United States.
The Impact Educator initiative, launched in 2023, recognizes K–12 educators worldwide who are shaping tomorrow’s change-makers. High school seniors at Morehead-Cain’s semifinalist level select these teachers and mentors for their positive influence on students’ lives and leadership development.
“We are honored to celebrate this year’s Impact Educators, whose dedication to their students exemplifies the transformative power of great teaching and mentorship,” Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford said. “These educators inspire curiosity, nurture potential, and help young people discover their capacity to lead and serve with purpose.”
View the full list of the 2026 Impact Educators below.
2026 Impact Educators
The Impact Educators are listed below alphabetically by North Carolina, out of state (other U.S. states and territories, and the District of Columbia), and international.
*Educator was nominated twice.
North Carolina
Cody Adams
Cape Fear Academy
Layla Aldousany
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics-Durham
Amy Almond
Triton High School
Tim Anglin*
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics-Durham
Volodymyr Babchenko
Cedar Ridge High School
Jacob Baker
Garner Senior High School
Lynette Baker
Perquimans County High School
Steven Barbour
Terry Sanford Senior High School
Benjamin Barry
Mallard Creek High School
Erin Bass
Trinity High School
Anne Beichner
Chapel Hill Senior High School
Adam Benoit
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics-Morganton
Alex Benoit
Greenfield School
Anthony Benson
West Wilkes High School
Amy Beveridge*
Winston-Salem-Forsyth County Schools
Donna Boggs (Retired)
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics-Morganton
Adam Bowen
Enloe Magnet High School
Dara Bowen
Ralph L. Fike High School
Kristen Bowers
Fuquay-Varina Senior High School
Chele Bradley
Hendersonville High School
Joshua Bragg
R. J. Reynolds Senior High School
Dalija Brecher
Pinecrest High School
Anthony Britt
Lumberton Senior High School
Michael Bruno*
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics-Durham
Laura Bryant
Weddington High School
Eugene Bumgardner
Palisades High School
Jeff Burr
Pine Lake Preparatory
Mona Butler
Apex High School
Amy Cagle
Asheboro High School
David Cantrell*
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics-Durham
Adam Capps
Midway High School
Mikayla Caron
Willow Spring High School
Amanda Carpenter
Pinecrest High School
Wes Carpenter
McDowell High School
Matthew Carr
Hope Academy
Amanda Carter
Roxboro Community School
Lisa Carter
Rockingham County Senior High School
Jennifer Christie
Lake Norman High School
Jennifer Civelli
Cape Fear Academy
Kristen Clarkson
Cary Christian School
Justin Colbert
Wilkes Central Senior High School
Elizabeth Coleman
Lake Norman Charter School
Randy Combs
Watauga High School
Christopher Cook
Southeast Guilford High School
Mark Cook
North Mecklenburg High School
Jesse Covault
John Taylor Williams Secondary Montessori School
Lindsay Cox
Alexander Central High School
Haley Cubbison
Smithfield-Selma Senior High School
Peyton Currin
Faith Christian School
Deborah Daniels
Apex Friendship High
Mary Katherine Davenport
Grace Christian School
Paula Dey
Carrboro High School
Ted Dickson
Providence Day School
Dale Dilworth
Westchester Country Day School
Alexandra Dixon
New Hanover High School
Sarah Dragoon
East Lincoln High School
Kevin Eagan
Davidson Early College High School
Gary Edwards
Roanoke Rapids High School
Joshua Faircloth
Asheboro High School
Jacques Fasan
The Burlington School
Becky Fergus
Clayton High School
Heather Ferguson
Gray Stone Day School
Layla Ferguson
East Rutherford High School
Shaney Fersinger
John T. Hoggard High School
David Few
Pinecrest High School
Marie-Pierre Field
John T. Hoggard High School
Michelle Ford
Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies (NEAAT)
Jason Forrister
Tri-County Early College
Caitlyn Fox
Alexander Central High School
Heidi Freeman*
Asheville High School
Chandler Fry
Person Senior High School
Jennifer Fuller
Harnett Central High School
Jennifer Gallagher
Highland School of Technology
Ryan Gardner
South Lenoir High School
Topher Gee
Charlotte Latin School
Lorre Gifford
Ravenscroft School
Tyrone Gould
Durham Academy
Joe Grates
Cape Fear Senior High School
Chris Green
Highlands School
Dorcas Gyekye
Charles E. Jordan Senior High School
James Casey Hall
Vance Charter School
Lisa Hall
Providence Senior High School
Tyson Hamrick (Retired)
Charles D. Owen High School
Danielle Handlogten
SouthLake Christian Academy
Raquel Harris
Carrboro High School
Audra Hawley
Heritage High School
Alison Henry
Forestview High School
Kelly Higgins
Weddington High School
Tamara Hines
South Caldwell High School
Joseph Hoffman (In Memoriam)
Enloe Magnet High School
Paul Holloman
Rocky Mount Senior High School
Alexander Holmes
High Point Central High School
Johnathan Horner
Trinity Academy of Raleigh
Garrett Howlett
Mount Airy High School
Laura Huffman
Cannon School
Regina Hughes
Hertford County Early College High School
Ashley Hutchinson
Junius H. Rose High School
Amy Ingram
New Hanover High School
Lovato James
Davie County High School
David Jenkins (Retired)
Lenoir County Early College High
Susan Jenkins
Providence Senior High School
Brian Johnson
East Gaston High School
April Joyner
Martin County High School
Megan Justice
Topsail High School
Allison Kauffman
Chapel Hill Senior High School
Alex Kaulfuss
Wake Early College of Information and Biotechnologies
Darrell Keller
Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy
Bruce Kenney, PhD
Kalos Classical Academy
Jason King
Heritage High School
Ray King
Neuse Charter School
Thomas King (Retired)
Blue Ridge Community College – Transylvania Center
Kim Kirk
Union Academy
Elizabeth Knight
Junius H. Rose High School
Jaclyn Knight
Charlotte Engineering Early College
David Laughinghouse
Swansboro High School
Adrienne Lefler
William Amos Hough High School
Stephanie Lemons
John Motley Morehead Senior High School
Barry Lentz (In Memoriam)
A. L. Brown High School
Briley Lockamon
Panther Creek High School
Jeri Locklear
Purnell Swett High School
Michelle Mahoney (Retired)
Pisgah High School
Andy Mangum (Retired)
North Carolina School of Science and Math-Durham
Venetia Mann (Retired)
Clinton High School
Christine Marshall
Providence Day School
Cindy Martin
Montgomery County Early College
Gretchen Martin
Richmond Early College High School
Lindsay Matthews
Harrells Christian Academy
Steve McGill
Davidson Day School
Daniel McKinney
Mountain Heritage High School
Amy McNelis
Ballantyne Ridge High School
Michelle Meadows
Rocky Mount Academy
Erin Mercer
Wake Forest High School
Carrie Merner
Lincoln Charter School
Jennifer Miller
Ashe County High School
Larry Minton
Caldwell Early College High School
Andrew Moffit
South Iredell High School
Deanne Moore
Burlington Christian Academy
Amelita Mooring
North Johnston High School
Karen Mullins
Northwest Cabarrus High School
Courtney Murdock
East Lincoln High School
Bart Murphy
Asheville High School
Shana Nix
Research Triangle High School
Greg O’Brien
Green Hope High School
Jessica Parker
Cox Mill High School
Tonya Parks
Mooresville High School
Sandra Perez Mora
High Point Central High School
Brandi Philipps
Pamlico County High School
Susan Pope
Wilmington Christian Academy
Pearle Pratt
Montgomery County Early College
Emily Pressley
Franklin High
Sayrd Price
Stokes Early College High School
Garrick Purdie
Duplin Early College High School
Erin Quinlan
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics-Durham
John Ramos
Forestview High School
Susan Ramsey
Bandys High School
Betty Raynor
Wallace-Rose Hill High School
Julie Reed
Elkin High School
Rebecca Reeves
Smithfield-Selma Senior High School
Matthew Renegar
Highland School of Technology
Colin Richardson
Green Hope High School
Coral Riley
Pine Lake Preparatory
Ashley Rimmer
Ashbrook High School
John Robertson
South Johnston High School
Lizzie Rogers
Asheville High School
Charles Ruff*
Shelby High School
Adam Sampieri
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics-Durham
Caroline Sanchez
Cumberland International Early College High School
Brad Sauls
Arendell Parrott Academy
Lenae Scafidi
South Iredell High School
Phillip Schutt
John Paul II Catholic High School
Nicole Scism
West Lincoln High School
Kim Silvers
Mountain Heritage High School
Tracy Skeens
Crossroads Arts and Science Early College
Melissa Smith
Gray Stone Day School
Phillip Smith
Southeast Guilford High School
Larisa Spillman
Chatham Charter
Sherri Stubbs
Seaforth High School
Monica Sweitzer-Cochran
Career Center High School
Jonathan Taylor
South Columbus High School
Matt Taylor
Maiden High School
Renny Taylor
Nash Central High School
Kelly Teagarden
Durham Academy
Trent Teague
Lincolnton High School
Hunter Tharpe
North Iredell High School
Lori Torone
Myers Park High School
Laura Trojan
Charlotte Country Day School
Candi Tucker
Washington Senior High School
Jason Turner
Rockingham County Senior High School
Kimberly Tuttle
Levine Middle College High
Michael Valder
Charles E. Jordan Senior High School
William Vincent
East Chapel Hill High School
Cherice Washington
Lee County Senior High School
Dustin Webb
East Wilkes High School
Waverley Westbrook
Athens Drive Senior High School
Jill Wheeler
Ralph L. Fike High School
Mike White
Seaforth High School
Sarag Wiles
Porter Ridge High School
Cristofer Wiley
R. J. Reynolds Senior High School
Shannon Willaert
Lee Early College
Jennifer Williams
North Carolina School of Science and Math – Morganton
Brianna Wilson
Lucy C. Ragsdale High School
Kristin Winchester
Durham School of the Arts
Rachel Wrenn
Forsyth Country Day School
Bryant York
North Iredell High School
Ana Zurita Posas
Chatham Central High School
Out of State
Alabama
Jeffrey Sides
Indian Springs School
Arizona
Agatha Andersen
Xavier College Preparatory
Melinda Fernandez
Arizona College Prep
Juhee Park
Hamilton High School
Homee Shroff
BASIS Tucson North
Arkansas
Richard Maher
Thaden School
California
Elena Bazaldua
San Jacinto Leadership Academy
Ramsey Casteneda
Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences
Margarita Dellamano
Sacred Heart Preparatory
Nolan Donoghue
Viewpoint School
Nirdeshika Guntakatta
Dougherty Valley High School
Neha Kamdar
The Branson School
Lani Keller
The Bishop’s School
Jamie Lundy
Saint Ignatius College Preparatory School
Dennis Millstein
Menlo School
Regina Parsons
Crystal Springs Uplands School
Tyson Sacco
Chadwick School
Edye Udell
Westridge School
Alec Villagomez
Justin-Siena High School
Colorado
Kristie Letter
Peak to Peak Charter School
Jakob Meils
East High School
Megan Schwabauer
Littleton High School
Connecticut
Christopher Allegretti
Valley Regional High School
April Davis
South Windsor High School
Kristen Eggleston
New Britain High School
Rob Kyff
Kingswood Oxford School
Edward Pond
The Loomis Chaffee School
Sierra Thomsen
Kent School
Sarah Tracy-Wanck
Westover School
Sarinda Parsons Wilson
The Hotchkiss School
Delaware
Mike Lo Sapio
St. Mark’s High School
District of Columbia
Joe Boltri
Georgetown Day School
Nathaniel Green
Basis DC
Colleen Kyle*
The School for Ethics and Global Leadership
Florida
Tina Casibang
Walter L. Sickles High School
Kristi Combs
Pine Crest School
Robie Cornelious
Samuel W. Wolfson School for Advanced Studies
Chiho Cotton
Gulliver Preparatory School
Matha DeWeese
Berkeley Preparatory School
Paul Dostert
The Bolles School
Kristie Dowling
Shorecrest Preparatory School
Seferino Fierroz
Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches
Julie Halsey
Timber Creek High School
Zaina Hashmi
Riverwood International Charter School
Kelly Meahl
Seminole High School
Erin Miller
Trinity Preparatory School
Kira Morgan
Ransom Everglades School
Kate Wallis
Episcopal School of Jacksonville
Milagros Zequeira
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School
Georgia
Christine Carter
Pace Academy
Dana Davenport
Coffee High School
Heidi Gray
The Lovett School
Trisha Klein
Charles R Drew Charter School
James Martin
West Forsyth High School
Andy Mattick
Wesleyan School
Kate Towery
Athens Academy
Ed Williams
The Westminster Schools
Hawaii
Joshua Lawrence
Punahou High School
Idaho
Josh Udesen
Riverstone International School
Illinois
Jefferey Batt
Lane Tech College Prep High School
Thomas Bredemeier
Barrington High School
Amanda Marvin
The Barstow School
Mark Smith
John Burroughs School
Wendy Xu
Saint Charles East High School
Indiana
Chris Buczek
Indiana Academy for Science, Math, and Humanities
Erin Crowley
Bloomington High School South
Evan Grotemat
R. Nelson Snider High School
Tracey Hayden
Signature School
Andy Hodson
North Central High School
Iowa
Patrick Cory
John F. Kennedy High School
Kentucky
Debbie Hudson
Sacred Heart Academy
Rachel Rogers
Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics
Louisiana
Ray Lucas
Ascension Episcopal School
Bruno Van Moer
East Ascension High School
Maine
Debbie Eustis-Grandy
Maine School of Science and Mathematics
Maryland
Scott Allen
Sherwood High School
Tania Berkowitz
Indian Creek School
Michael Laukaitis
Walter Johnson High School
Christopher McTamany
Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School
Steve Sorkin
Landon School
Georgia Summers
The Bryn Mawr School
Massachusetts
Lisa Baker
Milton Academy
Will Becker
Tabor Academy
Jennifer Benson
Concord-Carlisle Regional High School
Kerry Brennan (Retired)
The Roxbury Latin School
Shawna Frost
Holliston High School
Sam Hoar
Middlesex School
Sarah Hoffman
Pitcher Berkshire School
Jill Lapato
Wellesley High School
Alec Lewis
Acton-Boxborough Regional High School
Carolyn Plosky
Winchester High School
Kimberly Polin
The Williston Northampton School
William Quigley (Retired)
The Governor’s Academy
Christine Rebelo
Brockton High School
Peter Sniffen
Northfield Mount Hermon School
Michelle de la Guardia
The Governor’s Academy
Michigan
Troy Dostert
Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School
Kelsey Ronan
University Liggett School
Minnesota
Karen Elliott
Eagan High School
Kati Kragtorp
Breck School
Amy Stading
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Missouri
Leila Green
Metro Academic & Classical High School
Carolyn Hood (Retired)
Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day School
Jen Meyer
Parkway Central High School
New Hampshire
Anne Rankin
Phillips Exeter Academy
Peggy Sica
Bishop Brady High School
New Jersey
Danielle Beato
Bergen County Academies
Colin Gross
Thomas Edison Energysmart Charter School
David Hessler
Montclair Kimberley Academy
Dennis Hu
Montclair Kimberley Academy
Katherine Janssen
Bergen County Academies
Alex Lamon
Livingston High School
Haifa Nouaime
Newark Academy
Michelle Sipe
Livingston High School
New Mexico
Anna Hagele
The Academy For Technology And The Classics
New York
Jenna Frem
Kellenberg Memorial High School
Cate Guimaraes
Nightingale-Bamford School
Alison Huenger
Manhasset High School
Caroline Kim
United Nations International School
Caswell Nilsen
The Stony Brook School
Dave O’Brien
Harley School
Justin Pelzer
Saint Ann’s School
Wesley Phillipson
Scarsdale Senior High School
Lingyan Wang
Francis Lewis HS
Ohio
Scott Boehnen
University School
Steve Crossin
Bishop Watterson High School
Michael Featherstone
Bexley High School
Robert Friel
Mayfield High School
Lori Grace
Seymour High School
Jannette Milligan
New Albany High School
Marilyn Orseno
Olmsted Falls High School
Kyle Scudder
Walnut Hills High School
Timothy Trepal
Cleveland School of Science and Medicine
Ann Trocchio
Solon High School
Erin Vore
Sycamore High School
Anne Wilkinson
Laurel School
Oklahoma
Janet Hubbell
Casady School
Oregon
Mickey Del Castillo
Catlin Gabel School
Andrea Dunn
Lake Oswego High School
Pennsylvania
Jennifer Bayley
West Chester East High School
Jim Brinson
Mercersburg Academy
Kara Cleffi
The Haverford School
Shawn Feiock
Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy
Julie Houseman
Downingtown High School East
Jeffrey Kahn
Strath Haven High School
Becky Lu
Germantown Friends School
Kerry McGrath
Quaker Valley High School
J.R. Meo
Central Bucks High School West
Laura Prosser*
North Allegheny High School
Cole Wisdo
Moravian Academy
Puerto Rico
Zacha Ortiz
Baldwin School of Puerto Rico
Dora Ramírez
Baldwin School of Puerto Rico
South Carolina
Will Ericson
Spartanburg Day School
Christina Frazier
Academic Magnet High School
Benjamin Holladay
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School
Holly Hyde*
Porter-Gaud School
George Simpson
Hammond School
Julie Vandiver
River Bluff High School
Kaith Young
Lucy Garrett Beckham High School
Tennessee
Travis Barclay
Montgomery Bell Academy
Darin Clifft
Memphis University School
Anne Dervan
University School of Nashville
Thomas Gilroy
Franklin Road Academy
Will Givens
McCallie School
Christian Jenkins
Hume-Fogg Magnet School
David Krebs
West High School
Heather Ott (Retired)
Baylor School
Tim Vacek
Bearden High School
Texas
Meghann Adkins
TaskUs (Retired)
Dan Armstrong
Anderson High School
Michael Brock
Coppell High School
David Caraway
Keystone School
Shayne Coker
Frisco High School
John Cordell
Fort Worth Country Day
William DeLong
Bryan Adams High School
Imon Ferguson
Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas
Elizabeth Gonzalez
Bishop Lynch High School
Laura Hudec
Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas
Robert Kolar
Boerne Samuel V Champion High School
Kathrine Miles-Finch
Austin High School
Gregory Novinski
Cistercian Preparatory School
James Owen
Westlake Academy
Denice Reed
Thomas Jefferson High School
Gina Rico (Retired)
West Brook Senior High School
Aaron Smith
The John Cooper School
Karin Thomas
Greenhill School
Michael Vischak
The Kinkaid School
Utah
Andrea Brunken
The Waterford School
Virginia
Kelly Alford (Retired)
Hampton Roads Academy
Kaitlyn Daily
Washington-Liberty High School
Colleen Dunn
St. Albans School
Diana Glaser
McLean High School
Brita Halus
Oscar Frommel Smith High School
Jessica Landi
Centennial High School
Molly Miracle
Western Albemarle High School
Kristina Nguyen
Henrico High School
Jessica Notestine
Grafton High School
Laura Petro
The Potomac School
Gerald Shapiro
Academies of Loundoun
Kathleen Sharp
Cape Henry Collegiate School
Raphael Sydnor
Woodberry Forest School
Kirsten Youngquist
Highland School
Washington
Rachel Maiorano
Lakeside School
Wisconsin
Samantha Bannach
Beaver Dam High School
Andrew Farley
Brookfield East High School
Manjula Guru
Brookfield Academy
Lisa Moore
Nicolet High School
International
Brazil
Maggie Moraes
Graded – The American School of São Paulo
Canada
Jennifer Manuel
Shawnigan Lake School
Paul Proznick
St. George’s School
Ross Petersen
West Point Grey Academy
Simone Kuklinski
St. Michaels University School
Steven Tweedle
St. George’s School
China
David Jonker
Daystar Academy
Kang Li
Beijing Number 4 High School
Milan Neeley
Shanghai American School-Puxi
Colombia
Juan Hernandez
Colegio Nueva Granada
India
Jitendra Soni
Jayshree Periwal International School
Jordan
Fuad Habjouqa
King’s Academy
Jeffrey Koch
King’s Academy
Kenya
Erastus Mulu
The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa
Montenegro
Vesna Velickovic
Gimnazija Miloje Dobrašinovic
North Macedonia
Bela Gligorova
NOVA International Schools
Pakistan
Muhammad Shafiq Ur-Rehman
Aitchison College, Lahore
South Africa
Catherine Delight
African Leadership Academy
Taiwan
Ricky Wu
International Bilingual School at Hsinchu Science Park
Turkey
Dilek Kösedagi
Robert College
Halime Ocal
The Koc School
Susan Akyurek
Uskudar American Academy
Zeynel Kizilelma
Hisar School
United Kingdom
Brenda Magenis
St. Dominic’s Grammar School
Christian Beadling
Brentwood School
Christa Clark
Clifton College
Emily Cluer
Pate’s Grammar School
James Gilks
St. Paul’s School
Joshua Marchant
Roedean School
Jonathan Patrick
St. Pauls Girls’ School
Kostas Konstantinou
TASIS, the American School in England
Melanie Garner
Burnham Grammar School
Nicola Peak
TASIS, the American School in England
Simon Phillips
Sevenoaks School
McManus
St. Ambrose Catholic Grammar School
Tom Fox
St. Paul’s Girls’ School
Torin Morgan
Shrewsbury School
Graham Wilson
Dulwich College
Edward Jones
Pencoed Comprehensive School
