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ISTE Impact Award

Nominations are now closed.

The ISTE Impact Award recognizes individuals who have done outstanding work to improve learning opportunities and have been a major force for innovation in education. These are trailblazers whose work will have national or global impact for years to come. Candidates:

  • Bring innovation to the national or global education community.

  • Focus on closing opportunity gaps and creating a more equitable education system.

  • Embody the spirit of the ISTE Standards to transform learning, teaching and leading.

Learn More

Impact Award Winners

Impact Award 23 Gregg Behr
2023 Impact Award Winner
Gregg Behr

Gregg Behr is the founder and co-chair of Pittsburgh-based Remake Learning, a network of educators, technologists, designers and makers focused on igniting children's curiosity, encouraging creativity and fostering justice and belonging in schools, libraries and museums. Behr also serves as the executive director of The Grable Foundation.

Impact Award 23 Rose Luckin
2023 Impact Award Winner
Rose Luckin, Ph.D.

Rose Luckin is a professor of learner-centered design at UCL Knowledge Lab in Brighton, UK. She’s also the founder of EDUCATE Ventures Research Ltd., a hub for start-ups, researchers and educators involved in evidence-based edtech who leverage data and artificial intelligence (AI) for educational benefit.

Impact Award 23 Sharif El Mekki
2023 Impact Award Winner
Sharif El-Mekki

Sharif El-Mekki is the founder and CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development in Philadelphia. Prior to founding the center, El-Mekki was a nationally recognized principal and U.S. Department of Education principal ambassador fellow. His school, Mastery Charter Shoemaker, was awarded the prestigious EPIC award for accelerating student achievement.

About the Awards Process

ISTE Impact Award Winners receive:

  • Engraved plaque acknowledging the recipient’s outstanding achievement.

  • $500 cash prize.

  • One-year premium individual ISTE membership ($295 value).

  • Complimentary registration to ISTELive 24 ($525 value).

  • $1,000 travel stipend to attend ISTELive 24.

  • Recognition at ISTELive 24.

  • Recognition on the ISTE website.

  • Opportunities to contribute to the field.

Past Impact Award Winners

Roberto Rodriguez
2022 Impact Award Winner

Roberto J. Rodríguez, assistant secretary, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.

ISTE Impact Award Winner Sydnee Dickson
2022 Impact Award Winner

Sydnee Dickson, Ed.D., state superintendent of public instruction, Utah State Board of Education, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Erin Mote
2021 Impact Award Winner

Erin Mote, executive director of InnovateEDU, Brooklyn, New York.

John C. Tsang
2021 Impact Award Winner

John C. Tsang, founder of Esperanza, in Hong Kong SAR, China.

Pedro Noguera
2021 Impact Award Winner

Pedro Noguera, dean of USC Rossier School of Education, Los Angeles, California.

Hadley Ferguson
2020 Impact Award Winner

Hadley Ferguson, executive director, Edcamp Foundation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Jhone Ebert
2020 Impact Award Winner

Jhone Ebert, superintendent of public instruction for the Nevada Department of Education, in Carson City, Nevada.

Kimberly Bryant
2020 Impact Award Winner

Kimberly Bryant, CEO and founder of Black Girls Code, Oakland, California.

Betsy Corcoran
2019 Impact Award Winner

Betsy Corcoran, CEO and cofounder of Edsurge, Burlingame, California.

Jennie Magiera
2019 Impact Award Winner

Jennie Magiera, chief program officer of EdTechTeam, Chicago, Illinois.

Sophia Mendoza
2019 Impact Award Winner

Sophia Mendoza, director of Instructional Technology Initiative, Los Angeles Unified School District, California.