Celebrating the 2025 Visionary Awards: Shining a Spotlight on CTE Leadership and Innovation

KENOSHA, WI — At the recent 2025 NC3 Annual Leadership Summit—held July 22–24 at Gateway Technical College—NC3 proudly presented the 2025 Visionary Awards, celebrating this year’s recipients of the Founders Award, Leadership Award, and Instructors of the Year Awards for their exceptional contributions to Career and Technical Education.

The Visionary Awards spotlight individuals and institutions making a real difference in technical education. These honorees are recognized for:

• Advancing CTE through innovative teaching strategies and partnerships
• Strengthening alignment between education and workforce needs
• Fostering student success through certification and experiential learning

Why These Awards Matter in CTE

By recognizing visionary leadership, NC3 emphasizes the importance of continuous innovation in CTE. These recognitions:

• Highlight best practices in education and industry integration
• Encourage schools to adopt meaningful, future-forward approaches
• Elevate the visibility of industry-recognized credential programming that prepares students for tomorrow’s workforce

Spotlight on Excellence: 2025 Visionary Award Recipients

The NC3 Visionary Awards are a cornerstone of the NC3 Annual Leadership Summit, recognizing the educators and institutions who are setting the standard for excellence in CTE.

Founders Award

The Founders Award is NC3’s highest honor, given to a leader who has made a lasting impact on CTE at a national level. This recipient is celebrated for their dedication to building meaningful industry-education partnerships, expanding access to certification opportunities, and advocating for workforce development initiatives that empower students and communities.

2025 Recipients

Rhonda Hodges, Vice President, Workforce, Economic, and Community Development | Patrick & Henry Community College

Nancy Wilson, Assistant Dean, Career and Technical Education | Lawson State Community College

Leadership Award

The Leadership Award recognizes an outstanding administrator who has championed the growth of industry-recognized certifications and inspired colleagues to innovate within their programs. This year’s honoree is known for their ability to bring together educators, employers, and policymakers to drive measurable outcomes for students and industry.

2025 Recipients

Dr. Ian Roark, Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs,
Acting Vice Chancellor of Workforce Development & Innovation | Pima Community College

Dr. Lisa Avery, President | Linn Benton Community College

Dr. Matt Janisin, Executive Vice President – Academic Affairs | Gateway Technical College

 Instructors of the Year

At the heart of every successful program is a passionate instructor, and this award celebrates exactly that. These recipients have gone above and beyond in the classroom — not only implementing certifications but also mentoring fellow educators, creating engaging hands-on experiences, and motivating students to achieve their goals.

This year Festo, Starrett, Tormach and Snap-on recognized four extraordinary instructors. Click below to read the press releases featuring these amazing instructors.

These awards highlight the full spectrum of leadership driving CTE forward — from visionary institutional champions to the instructors working directly with students every day. By celebrating these recipients, NC3 reaffirms its commitment to supporting innovative programs, strong partnerships, and student-centered learning.

We are honored to work alongside our NC3 schools to support students across the globe. Thank you, all, for your commitment to your communities!