SELECTION COMMITTEE
Each year, a group of prior LifeChanger of the Year winners and higher education professionals comes together to select our top LifeChangers for the school year. Meet the 2025-2026 Selection Committee below!
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![Portrait of a woman with long black hair smiling, wearing a white blouse with black polka dots, against a plain white background.]()
Ann Abeshima
Assistant Professor, Early Childhood Education
University of Hawaii -
![A man with glasses and a beard wearing a white button-up shirt outdoors with trees and a body of water in the background.]()
Christopher Morales
Biology Teacher
Lee County Schools
2024-25 LifeChanger Award Winner -
![Close-up of a woman with shoulder-length, curly purple hair, wearing a green top with floral pattern on the sleeves, outdoors with green grass and a body of water in the background.]()
Dusty Spence
ISS (In-School Suspension) Coordinator
Montgomery County Public Schools
2024-25 LifeChanger Award Winner -
![A young man smiling outdoors, wearing a navy blue shirt.]()
Jumar Birao
Seventh Grade Math Teacher
Duval County Public Schools
2024-25 LifeChanger Award Winner -
![Older man with glasses and a blue jacket smiling in front of a dark background.]()
Mike Gonneville
Physical Education Teacher
Central Vermont Supervisory Union
2024-25 Grand Prize Finalist -
![Portrait of a man with black hair smiling outdoors in a tropical setting, wearing a blue patterned shirt.]()
Nathan Murata
Dean, College of Education
University of Hawaii -
![A smiling man wearing a black suit with a white shirt and a pink boutonniere, standing indoors in front of a wooden background.]()
Noel Alarcon
Automotive Teacher, Grades 10-12
Hawaii Public Schools
2024-25 Grand Prize Finalist -
![Female football player smiling, wearing a blue headband and black and blue uniform, holding an award plaque after a game.]()
Sydney Hebel
Physical Education Teacher
Detroit Public Schools Community District
2024-25 LifeChanger Award Winner -
![A woman with straight black hair, wearing makeup, a ring, and earrings, sitting inside a car.]()
Tiffany Wilson-Pugh
U.S. History Teacher
Bessemer City Schools
2024-25 Grand Prize Finalist -
![A smiling woman with a shaved head, wearing a colorful floral blouse and pearl earrings, poses against a dark background.]()
Tonya Kelly
Third Grade Teacher
KIPP Columbus
2024-25 LifeChanger Award Winner -
![Professional portrait of a man with short dark hair, wearing a black suit and red tie, smiling with a blue background.]()
Dr. Yuvraj Verma
Math Teacher
Bessemer City Schools
2023-24 Grand Prize Finalist
