Milken Educator Award

Founded in 1985 as an initiative of the Milken Family Foundation, the Milken Educator Awards program rewards and inspires excellence in the world of education by honoring top educators around the country with $25,000 unrestricted awards.  Not an accolade for “lifetime achievement” or the proverbial gold watch at the exit door, the Milken Educator Awards targets early-to-mid career education professionals for their already impressive achievements and, more significantly, for the promise of what they will accomplish in the future.

Missouri Recipients

2023 Milken Educator Award Winners - Leah Lawrence and Meghan Menchella

2022 Milken Educator Award Winners - Vanessa Thomson

2021 Milken Educator Award Winners - Mark Garascia and Ashley Gerald

2020 Milken Educator Award Winner - Melissa Fike

2019 Milken Educator Award Winner - Therese Shain

2017 Milken Educator Award Winner - Jordan McGaughey

 Past Milken Recipients

2016
Deborah Siebern-Dennis

2014
Jessica Karll

2013
Tobin Schultz

2011
Eric Cochran

2010
Anika Williams

2009
Eric Dunn

2008
Tiffany Morris

2007
Sara Crump
Curtis James

2006
Luella Atkins
Susan Carter

2005
Andy Gensler
​Kevin Lowery

2004
Lori Mathys
Jennifer Palardy

2003
Karen LaFever
Linda Sarver

2002
DeLois Booker
Kathryn Garrett

2001
Stephen Kimball
Brian Weaver

2000
Cheryl Brown Jackson
Mariann Jones
Shelia Perry

1999
Denise Fredrick
Gail Lileman
Amy Schaefer
Jeffrey White

1998
Kimberly Grempler
Pamela Holmes
Nelson Madden
Patty Morrow

1997
Kim Bertram
Kerry Cantrell
Martin Jacobs
Glenda Morrison

1996
Roger Berkbuegler
Angela Besendorfer
Tom Byrnes
Jeffrey Gall
Henri Gottel
Dixie Grupe
​Loes Hedge
Mark Lueckenhoff
​Dr. Pamela Stanfield
​Judith Whitener