Member Spotlight

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.

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.

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.

The first of three finalists was celebrated at a ceremony in Mandan on February 5, 2024.

Cyle Golde's commitment to serving in multiple capacities positively impacts students and the community, making him an exemplary figure and role model in small-town education.

Laine Martinez, a Spanish instructor from Bismarck High School and the 2023 Foreign Language Association of North Dakota's Teacher of the Year award winner, credits always having a positive attitude and the human connections we can create through language to her success as an educator.

Nearly four thousand feet long and 162 above the river, building this engineering marvel required a lot of critical thinking and problem solving. Nearby at Valley City High School–those are the exact skills chemistry, physics and STEM teacher Matt Nielson is teaching his students.