Awards & Stipends

List of Past MSLBD Award & Stipend Recipients

Outstanding Service/Leadership Award

2024 Richard Van Acker, Emeritus, University of Illinois, Chicago
2023 Terrance M. Scott, University of Louisville
2022 Timothy Landrum, University of Louisville
2021 none awarded
2020 Sheldon L. Braaten, Behavioral Institute for Children and Adolescents
2019 Joseph Wehby, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University
2018 Antonis Katsiyannis, Clemson University
2017 Renee Bradley, Office of Special Education Programs, United States Department of Education
2016 Timothy J. Lewis, University of Missouri
2015 Debra Kamps, Juniper Garden Children's Project, University of Kansas
2015 Kathleen Lynne Lane, University of Kansas
2014 none awarded
2013 Robert Horner, University of Oregon
2012 none awarded - 30th Anniversary Program
2011 Carl R. Smith, Iowa State University
2010 Mitchell Yell, University of South Carolina
2009 Michael Bullis, University of Oregon
2008 Reece L. Peterson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2007 Robert Zabel, Emeritus, Kansas State University
2006 Gary Sasso, University of Iowa
2005 George Sugai, University of Oregon
2004 Eleanor Guetzloe, Emeritus, University of South Florida
2003 Hill Walker, University of Oregon
2002 Richard L. Simpson, University of Kansas
2001 Mike Epstein, University of Nebraska
2000 Mike Nelson, University of Kentucky
1999 Richard Shores, University of Kansas
1998 none awarded
1997 none awarded
1996 Nick Long, Emeritus, American University
1995 Lyndal Bullock, North Texas University
1994 Jane Knitzer, New York City
1993 Steve Forness, University of California-Los Angeles
1992 No Award - 10 Year Retrospective
1991 Jim Kauffman, University of Virginia
1990 Frank Hewett, University of California-Los Angeles (deceased)
1989 Peggy Wood, Emeritus, University of South Carolina
1988 Bill Morse, Emeritus, University of Michigan (deceased)
1987 Frank Wood, Emeritus, University of Minnesota
1986 Dick Whelan, University of Kansas
1983-85 Awards not yet started; First Award 1986

Outstanding Educator Award

2019 - 2024 none awarded
2018 Janet Burgess, North Kansas City School District
2014 - 2017 none awarded
2013 John Eisenach, Boys Town Wegner School, Nebraska and
         Lisa Lewis, Thomas Hart Benton Elementary School, Columbia, Missouri
2012 none awarded - 30th Anniversary Program
2011 Kathy Huppe, Shawnee Mission Kansas Public Schools, Kansas
2010 Amy Quinley, Shawnee Mission Kansas Schools
2009 Sandra Smith, USD 231, Gardner-Edgerton, Kansas
2008 Deborah Edwards, USD 372, Silver Lake, Kansas
2007 Cathy C. Sheridan, Santa Fe Elementary School, Overland Park, KS
2006 Debra Lyons, St. Joseph Public Schools, St. Joseph, Missouri
2005 Jodie Tuttle, Millard Public Schools, Omaha, NE
2004 Barbara Mitchell, Columbia Public Schools, MO
2003 Katherine N. McNeil, Seattle, Washington
2002 Susan Probst, Fort Atkinson Public Schools,, Wisconsin
2001 Donna Mumaw, Kansas City Kansas Public Schools
2000 Ruth Holzschuh
1999 Jen Yoder, Lincoln Public Schools, Lincoln, Nebraska
1998 Carleen Seaborn, Kansas
1997 Sue Roods, Missouri
1996 Francee Scheele, Lincoln, Nebraska & Peg Beck, Minnesota
1995 James Teagarden, Manhattan Public Schools, Manhattan, Kansas
1994 Debbie Sisco, St. Joseph Public Schools, Missouri
1993 Dennis Brayton, Missouri
1992 Mitch Yell, Minneapolis, Minnesota (now Univ. of South Carolina)
1991 Al Marshall, Iowa
1990 Joyce Reece
1989 Barbara Shaw, Kansas
1988 Karen Vespestad, Missouri
1987 Vicki Vaughn, Omaha Public Schools, Nebraska
1986 Mary Beth Noll, Kansas City, Kansas (now St. Cloud State Univ., MN)
1983-85 Awards not yet started

Outstanding Advocacy Award

2024 non awarded
2023 Alexis Walker, Greenville County Schools, Greenville, South Carolina
2013 - 2022 none awarded
2012 none awarded - 30th Anniversary Program
2011 none awarded
2010 Cindy Scarbrough, Principal, Marysville Junior High School, KS
2009 none awarded
2008 Jane Rhys, Executive Director, Kansas Developmental Disabilities Council, Topeka, KS
2007 Kari Ramos, Parent Advocate, Topeka, KS
2006 none awarded
2005 Dixie Jordan, Retired Staff Member from the PACER Center (Parent Advocacy Center), Minneapolis, MN
2003 - 2004 none awarded
2002 Barbara Huff, Executive Director, Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, Washington, D.C. (First award)

Unsung Hero Award

2024 Dr. Deborah Griswold, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
2023 Dr. Howard P. Wills, University of Kansas, Juniper Garden Children's Project, Kansas City, Kansas
2022 Dr. Sharon Maroney, Blue Grass, Iowa
2020 Dr. James Teagarden, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas (First Year of Award)

Building Bridges Program Development Award

2024 none awarded
2023 Carrie Fairbairn, Educational Service Unit #3, Brook Valley South, La Vista, Nebraska
2022 Edgar Murray Learning Lab, Edgar Murray Elementary, St. Clair R-13 School District, Missouri
2020-2021 none awarded
2019 Carrie Fairbairn, Millard Public Schools, Omaha, NE
2018 Columbia Public Schools - Child and Family Support Process, Columbia, Missouri
2017 none awarded
2016 Carrie Fairbairn, Millard Public Schools, Omaha, NE
2014 - 2015 none awarded
2013 St. George Elementary Lunch Bunch, St. George, Kansas
2012 none awarded - 30th Anniversary Program
2011 Augusta Georgia Youth Development Campus, Augusta, GA
2010 Burt Nash Therapeutic Classroom, Lawrence Public Schools
2009 Behavior Disorders Program, Turner High School, Kansas City, Kansas
2008 Behavior Program, Fort Atkinson High School, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
2007 Hillside Conant School, Atlanta, Georgia
2006 none awarded
2005 Reading Initiative, Fulton County Juvenile Court, Atlanta, Georgia
2004 Operation Real Jobs-Cherryvale High School, Cherryvale, Kansas
2004 Operation Real Jobs, Cherryvale High School, Kansas
2003 Behavior Skills Program, Lincoln Public Schools, Nebraska
2002 none awarded
2001 Building Bridges Alternative School, St. Joseph Missouri
Award started in 2001

Outstanding Building Leadership Award

2024 Teagan L. Stanley, Pine Hills School Miles City, Montana
2023 Tara Kalis, Russell Jones Education Center, Park Hill School District, Kansas City, Missouri
2022 PJ McGinnis, Northgate Middle School, North Kansas City Schools, Missouri
2021 none awarded
2020 Karen Hile, Buckner Elementary, Fort Osage R-1 School District, Independence, Missouri
2019 Gina Keirns, Tri-City Day School USD 261, Haysville, Kansas
2017 Thomas Lee, Omaha Northwest High Magnet School, Omaha, Nebraska
2016 none awarded
2015 Canise Salinas, Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, Kansas City, Kansas
2014 Stacie Hardy, Umonhon Nation Public School Macy, Nebraska
2013 none awarded
2012 Timothy Finkbeiner, Greiffenstein & Wells Alternative School, Wichita, Kansas
2012 Award started in 2012

Outstanding Educator of Students With Autism Award

2023 Anna Ramo, Blue Springs School District, Blue Springs, Missouri  
2022 Stacey C. Martin, BCBA for Summit Behavioral Services and Assistant Director of Summit Center for Child Development, Kansas City, Missouri
2021 Teri Berkgren, Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center and TASN-ATBS
2020 Jessica Schmidt, Leavenworth Unified School District 453, Leavenworth, Kansas
2019 Carin Paullin, Shawnee Mission School District, Shawnee Mission, Kansas
2018 Danielle Wesley, Lee's Summit School District, Lee's Summit, Missouri
Award Started in 2018

Stipends - Doctoral Student, Master's Student, and Commitment to Equity Pre-Service