Member Spotlight

Every school day brings new challenges, and Katie Weiner embraces every one of them with a smile. The Thompson Elementary instructional paraprofessional and 2027 ESP of the Year finalist shares why helping students feel seen, supported and successful is the best part of her job.

Grand Forks paraprofessional Laurie Holcomb has spent decades helping students — and fellow educators — grow in confidence. Recognized as a finalist for 2027 North Dakota United Education Support Professional of the Year, Holcomb reflects on the relationships, mentorship and quiet moments that make her work so rewarding.

North Dakota United's 2027 Education Support Professional of the Year, Dawn Ressler, believes students learn best when therapy feels like play. Meet the Mandan Public Schools physical therapy assistant whose creativity, compassion and willingness to help wherever needed have made a lasting impact on students, colleagues and the school community.

Get to know the four candidates who are seeking to represent North Dakota United on the national stage, as delegates to the 2026 National Education Association (NEA) Representative Assembly the summer in Denver, Colo.

In a time when authenticity can feel risky, Dr. Bridget Brooks of the University of North Dakota has chosen to lead with courage. Inspired by UND’s OUTlist, which publicly celebrates LGBTQ+ faculty and staff, Brooks and her wife, Jody, founded the UND LGBTQ+ Endowment to support the university’s Pride Center — the only one of its kind at a North Dakota higher education institution.

Rooted in relationships and belonging, 2026 North Dakota Teacher of the Year Frannie Tunseth is redefining success in rural classrooms by helping students see themselves as capable, valued learners before anything else. Her student-centered approach — focused on confidence, agency and community — offers a hopeful model for both teaching and teacher leadership across the state.

For the first time in history, our state's federation of labor unions has selected a member of North Dakota United, Ashley Gaschk of Mandan, to serve as its president. Gaschk was elected to the office at the annual ND AFL-CIO Convention that was held in Bismarck in June.

For Joan Hall, a special education aide at Myhre Elementary in Bismarck, the greatest rewards come in small but powerful moments—like watching a student master a skill they’ve worked on for weeks. Her deep love for the kids she works with and her unwavering commitment to their success earned her the 2025–26 North Dakota United Education Support Professional of the Year award, a recognition Hall never expected but humbly embraced.

Erika Feole’s passion for the German language goes far beyond vocabulary lessons and grammar drills—it’s a way of life she enthusiastically shares with her students at Red River High School in Grand Forks. Named the 2024 Graciela Wilborn Foreign Language Teacher of the Year by the Foreign Language Association of North Dakota, Feole brings culture to life in her classroom through immersive experiences, personal stories, and a deep family tradition rooted in German education.

Grafton FACS teacher Katelyn Gorder was left speechless at surprise presentation of ‘Oscars of Teaching’ Milken Award.