News
State Leader of the Year Award
The State Leader of the Year (SLY) Award recognizes an active SETDA SEA member who has exhibited outstanding leadership by advancing educational technology in their state or collaborating with peers through SETDA initiatives. A SLY nominee creates positive change for SETDA and its members and furthers our mission by engaging with the broader education community at the regional, national, or international levels.
2024 State Leader of the Year
Lisa Helme
Vermont Agency of Education
Lisa Helme is the Student Pathways Division Assistant Director at Vermont Agency of Education. She has been a steadfast advocate for educational technology since joining SETDA in 2021. Her leadership in cybersecurity and digital literacy initiatives, as well as her support for Vermont’s State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, exemplifies her dedication to advancing secure and effective technology use in education. Known for her collaborative approach, Lisa consistently brings together educators, policymakers, and community stakeholders to drive impactful change across Vermont’s educational landscape.
Read the full press release here.
Previous SLY award recipient at the 2024 Leadership Summit
Previous SETDA State Leader of the Year Recipients
| 2023 | Melinda (Mindy) Fiscus | Learning Technology Center of Illinois |
| 2022 | Doug Casey | Connecticut State Commission for Educational Technology |
| 2021 | Julia Legg | West Virginia Department of Education |
| 2020 | Sandy O’Neil | New Jersey Department of Education |
| 2019 | Julia Fallon | Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction |
| 2018 | Jerome Browning | Utah Education and Telehealth Network |
| 2017 | Stan Freeda | New Hampshire Department of Education |
| 2016 | Candice Dodson | Indiana Department of Education |
| 2015 | Peter Drescher | Vermont Agency of Education |
| 2014 | Laurence (Larry) Cocco | New Jersey Department of Education |
| 2013 | Jeff Mao | Maine Department of Education |
| 2012 | Wayne Hartschuh | Delaware Center of Educational Technology |
| 2011 | Stephen Sanders | Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction |
| 2010 | Carla Wade | Oregon Department of Education |
| 2009 | Rick Gaisford | Utah State Board of Education |
| 2008 | Jayne Moore | Maryland State Department of Education |
| 2007 | Lan Neugent | Virginia Department of Education |
| 2006 | Melinda Maddox | Alabama State Department of Education |
| 2005 | Michael Golden | Pennsylvania Department of Education |
| 2004 | Anita Givens | Texas Education Agency |
| 2003 | Brenda Williams | West Virginia Department of Education |