Press Release - White House Releases "Teachers of the Year" State Dinner Guest List
May 2, 2024
This evening, First Lady Jill Biden will host the first-ever "Teachers of the Year" State Dinner at the White House. This event will honor the 2024 National Teacher of the Year, Missy Testerman from Tennessee, and the State Teachers of the Year from across the country for their excellence in teaching and commitment to students' learning. The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) oversees the National Teacher of the Year Program, which identifies exceptional teachers across the country.
The following is a complete list of expected guests:
FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES, DR. JILL BIDEN
The Honorable Mala Adiga, Deputy Assistant to the President and Policy Director to the First Lady
Mrs. Kylie Altier, Louisiana Teacher of the Year & Mr. Garrett Altier
Ms. Kim Anderson
Mr. Zachary Arenz, New York Teacher of the Year & Mr. David Jarmusz
Mrs. Renée Atkinson, South Carolina Teacher of the Year & Mr. Johnson Atkinson
Mrs. Jillian Balow
Ms. Beth Barkley, District of Columbia Teacher of the Year & Ms. Dawn Barkley
Ms. Astral Battiste, U.S. Virgin Islands Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Sharnelle Molloy
Mr. Ronald Beaupre
Ms. Colette Beausoliel, Guam Teacher of the Year & Ms. Sharon Beausoliel
The Honorable Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & Dr. Carolina Reyes
The Honorable Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the First Lady
Dr. Ellen Bernstein
Dr. Roy Biñas Basa, New Mexico Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Rozel Jaena Basa
Ms. Leslie H. Blatteau
Mrs. Jen Bramson
Mrs. Sarah Brown
Ms. Sarah Brown Wessling
Mr. Taylor Bussinger, Kansas Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Jill Bussinger
The Honorable Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation & Mr. Chasten Buttigieg
Mr. Noel Candelaria
Dr. Liza Caraballo-Suarez
The Honorable Jessica Cardichon, Special Assistant to the President for Education
The Honorable Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education, U.S. Department of Education
Mr. Efrain Casillas, Arizona Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Evelyn Casillas
Mr. Joshua Chard, Maine Teacher of the Year & Mr. Robert Gauthier
Ms. Donna M. Chiera
Ms. Tanya T. Coats
Mrs. Sharon Cole, West Virginia Teacher of the Year & Mr. Chris Cole
Mr. Brian Michael Collins, Wisconsin Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Cynthia Collins
Mrs. Mary Kay Connerton, Maryland Teacher of the Year & Mr. Robert Connerton
Mr. John Corbin, Wyoming Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Melissa Corbin
Mrs. Aimée Couto, Rhode Island Teacher of the Year & Mr. Adam Couto
Mr. Casey Cuny, California Teacher of the Year & Mr. Dylan Cuny
Mr. Kevin James Dailey, Kentucky Teacher of the Year & Dr. Jessica Brownfield
Mr. Kevin Dalton
Mr. John Danielson
Ms. Evelyn DeJesus
Dr. Paolo A. DeMaria
Mrs. Elizabeth Duclos, New Hampshire Teacher of the Year & Mr. Jeremy Duclos
The Honorable Carlos Elizondo, Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary
Mr. Douglas Emhoff, Second Gentleman of the United States
Ms. Jasmine Estes
Ms. Brooke Evans
Ms. Marcella Fitisone, American Samoa Teacher of the Year & Mr. Lancelot Tei
Ms. Kiana Foster-Mauro, Connecticut Teacher of the Year & Ms. Jennifer Mauro
Ms. Margaret Frank
Mrs. Jackie Freitas, Hawai?i Teacher of the Year & Mr. Robert Freitas
Mrs. Kerrie Ann Gill, Department of Defense Education Activity Teacher of the Year & Mr. Andrew Gill
Ms. Julie Green
Mr. Cory Hafer, Delaware Teacher of the Year & Dr. Jocelyn Hafer
Ms. Andrea Hajek
Mr. Ryan Hardesty, Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Melissa Hardesty
Mr. David Hartsook
Mr. George J. Hawkins, Esq., South Dakota Teacher of the Year & Ms. Stacy Hawkins
The Honorable Jahana Hayes, U.S. Representative
The Honorable Chrissy Houlahan, U.S. Representative
Mr. Michael Houston, Minnesota Teacher of the Year & Ms. Amy Mousel-Houston
Mr. Aaron D. Huff
Mr. Roque C. Indalecio, Northern Mariana Islands Teacher of the Year & Mr. Andrew Romolo Orsini II
Mr. Fedrick Ingram
Ms. Candice Chavice Jackson, Michigan Teacher of the Year & Mr. Joseph Jackson
Mr. Edwin Jarnagin
Mr. Eric Jenkins, Indiana Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Kristen Jenkins
Mr. Mark Jewell
Ms. Deyon Johnson
Mrs. Yvonne Johnson
Mrs. Kimberly Samaria Jones, North Carolina Teacher of the Year & Mr. Joshua Norris
Mr. Jeff Keller, Virginia Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Courtney Keller
Mr. Gregory Kester, Missouri Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Amy Kester
Mr. Kevin Kicking Woman, Montana Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Joni Kicking Woman
Mr. Tom Klaameyer
Dr. Julie Kochanek
Ms. Kim Kohlhaas
Mr. Steve Kromer
Dr. James Lane
Ms. Nicole Lazarte
Mr. Dan Leeds
The Honorable Suzanne Lee, U.S. Representative
Mr. Mark Lowrie, Ohio Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Celina Lowrie
Dr. Eric G. Mackey
Mr. Fekru Makonnen
Ms. Aziza Malik, Vermont Teacher of the Year & Mr. Kevin Mailepors
Mrs. Carly Maloney, Utah Teacher of the Year & Mr. Jacob Maloney
Ms. Traci Manuel, Oklahoma Teacher of the Year & Ms. DeArnetta Ward
Ms. Gladys Márquez
The Honorable Cindy Marten, Deputy Secretary of Education
Mr. Ron Martin
Mrs. Jessica May, Colorado Teacher of the Year & Ms. Nancee Deason
Mr. Braeden Mayrisch
Ms. Shannon McCann
Mr. Beau McCastlain, Arkansas Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Dedra McCastlain
Ms. Melissa McGrath Mandato
Mrs. Margaret Reed Millar
Dr. Carissa Miller
Ms. Ann Mincks, Iowa State Teacher of the Year & Mr. Muneer Al Azzawi
Ms. Jennifer Mishory, Senior Advisor to the First Lady on Workforce Development and Education
Dr. Christyan Mitchell
Mr. Dan Montgomery
Dr. Jonathan Moore
Ms. Briana Morales, Illinois Teacher of the Year & Mr. Phillip Gordon
Ms. Lisa Morgan
Ms. Princess Moss
Ms. Sana-Alyse Muhammad
Mr. Joe Nappi, New Jersey Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Cristina Nappi
Ms. Janai Nelson
Mr. Jeff Norris, Alabama Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Sarah Norris
Mrs. Laura-Jeanne Penrod, Nevada Teacher of the Year & Dr. Tonia Holmes-Sutton
Mrs. Blaire Penry, Washington Teacher of the Year & Mr. Travis Penry
Mrs. Sheila Peterson, North Dakota Teacher of the Year & Mr. Jay Peterson
Ms. Rebecka Peterson, 2023 National Teacher of the Year
Mr. Scott Phillips, Nebraska Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Carissa Phillips
Ms. Jacqueline Pogue Lyons
Ms. Rebecca Pringle
Mrs. Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Education
Mr. Paul Rice
Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez
Ms. Peyton Rodriguez
Mr. Robert V. Rodriguez
Ms. Jennifer Rose
Mrs. Tabatha Rosproy, 2020 National Teacher of the Year
Ms. Christine Sampson-Clark
Mrs. Miriam Schneider
Mr. Amit Sevak
Ms. Shital C. Shah, Director of Strategic Partnerships, U.S. Department of Education
Ms. Nicoletta Skaggs
Mrs. Louise Smith, Mississippi Teacher of the Year & Mr. Brian Smith
Dr. Malbert Smith
Mr. Bertrand Sosa
Mr. Roy Sosa
The Honorable Molly M. Spearman, South Carolina State Superintendent of Education
Mr. Sean M. Spiller
The Honorable Mark Takano, U.S. Representative
The Honorable Neera Tanden, Assistant to the President and Domestic Policy Advisor
Mrs. Missy Testerman, National Teacher of the Year & Mr. David Testerman, Mr. Andrew Testerman, Ms. Caroline Testerman & Ms. Aileen Mendez
Mrs. Taniece M. Thompson-Smith, Texas Teacher of the Year & Mr. Theron M. Smith
Ms. Christy Todd, Georgia Teacher of the Year & Dr. Drew Todd
Ms. LaWanda Toney, Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Communications and Partnerships, U.S. Department of Education
Mr. Arthur Valentine
Mr. Trent Van Leuven, Idaho Teacher of the Year & Mrs. Cara Jo Van Leuven
Dr. Mandy Vance, Oregon Teacher of the Year & Mr. Paul Vance
Dr. Margie Vandeven
Mrs. Cat Walker, Alaska Teacher of the Year & Mr. Ben Walker
Mrs. Jessah Walker
Mr. De'Shawn Washington, Massachusetts Teacher of the Year & Ms. Shakeeda Bartee
Mrs. Randi Weingarten
The Honorable Frederica Wilson, U.S. Representative
Dr. Donna L. Wright
Ms. Stephanie Yoon
Mr. Peter Zamora
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Press Release - White House Releases "Teachers of the Year" State Dinner Guest List Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/371517