2025 NCAEA Award Winners

NCAEA Art Educator of the Year

Anne Meulink

Elementary Art Educator, Lynn Road Elementary School, Wake County Schools

NCAEA Elementary Art Educator of the Year  

Anne Meulink 

Lynn Road Elementary School, Wake County Schools

NCAEA Middle Level Art Educator of the Year

Kasey Gruen

Valley Springs Middle School, Arden, Buncombe County Schools

NCAEA Secondary Art Educator of the Year  

Caitlyn Bachman

Topsail High School, Hampstead, Pender County Schools

NCAEA Higher Education Art Educator of the Year

Dr. Jane E Dalton

Professor of Art Education, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

NCAEA Rookie Art Educator of the Year   

Tiffany Zarinana

Creekside Elementary School, Winterville, Pitt County Schools

NCAEA Supervision/Administration Art Educator of the Year 

Leigh Ann Little

Director of Arts Education, Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, NC

NCAEA Museum Division Art Educator of the Year

September Krueger

Director of Lifelong Learning, Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, NC

NCAEA Emeritus Art Educator of the Year      

Susan Hess

Retired Elementary Art Educator, Person County Schools

NCAEA National Art Honor Society Chapter Sponsor of the Year

Kimberly Davis Wyatt

South Davidson High School, Denton, Davidson County Schools

COMC's Ester Page Hill Award for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Teaching

Natasha Young

Northwest Middle School, Winston-Salem, Forsyth County Schools

NCAEA Pre-Service Art Educator of the Year

Lily Buckley

Topsail High School, Hampstead, Pender County Schools

Friends of the Arts I 

Russell Knight

Administrator of Arts Education, Greenville, Pitt County Schools

Friends of the Arts II

Kathryn Ervin

Founder, The Old School Studio (TOSS), Morganton, NC

Linda Royal

Documentary Film Maker- By the Brook Productions, Wilmington, NC