U.S. Department of Education - 400 Maryland Ave, SW - Washington, DC 20202

www.ed.gov/green-ribbon-schools - www.ed.gov/green-strides

The Director’s Award

The Director’s Award recognizes state education authorities’ efforts to administer U.S. Department 

of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS). Annually, the ED-GRS Director’s Award goes to 

the state education official who does the most to advance sustainable education in his or her state, 

by such means as:

• Running a robust nomination process, including extensive outreach to early learning centers, 

schools, districts, and/or postsecondary institutions, support to nominees, and detailed 

consideration to all three Pillars in concise and well-documented nomination packages;

• Connecting more early learning centers, schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions to 

sustainability resources in all three Pillars;

• Amplifying the stories of their honorees through online, social media, and in-person fora;

• Helping schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions connect to and learn from one

another;

• Partnering with a variety of state and private sector entities, both non- and for-profit, to 

bring more resources and expertise into early learning centers, schools, districts, and 

postsecondary institutions; and

• Exhibiting a dedication to exceptional school facilities, health, and sustainability education 

through activities outside of the administration of the ED-GRS award, such as participation 

in professional development, conferences, and/or organizational work.

The ED-Green Ribbon Schools Director will annually present the ED-GRS Director's Award at the 

ceremony, considering input from states, non-profit organizations, and the ED Green Team. Any 

state education official who is involved in implementing the ED-GRS award and has not yet 

received the Director’s Award is eligible for nomination. If you wish to nominate a state education

official, please send your nomination and justification to ed.green.ribbon.schools@ed.gov.

Honorees and some of their achievements include:

2023: Alexandria Roe, Vice President for Capital Planning and Budget, University of Wisconsin 

System

• Established a statewide postsecondary nominating committee and hired a systemwide 

sustainability coordinator.

• Runs a robust competition with a clear application process and extensive outreach to all 

institutions in the state, regardless of affiliation.

• Effectively communicates the opportunity to campus leadership and encourages them to 

engage in the higher education sustainability conversation with experts across their own 

campuses.

• Through her enthusiasm for the award, she generated friendly sustainability competition –

and collaboration – amongst University of Wisconsin campuses and led to the most 

postsecondary honorees of any state.

2022: Jon Long, Architect, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

• Supports and coaches applicants on how to put their best foot forward.
U.S. Department of Education - 400 Maryland Ave, SW - Washington, DC 20202

www.ed.gov/green-ribbon-schools - www.ed.gov/green-strides

• Offers applicants flexibility and feedback on their efforts.

• Hosted the successful 2021 Green Strides Tour, despite pandemic circumstances.

• Looks for opportunities to promote the award at conferences, meetings, and presentations.

• Engages his whole agency in sustainable school efforts.

2021: Joseph DaSilva, School Construction Coordinator, Manuel Cordero, Assistant School 

Construction Coordinator, and Mario Carreno, School Construction Finance Specialist, Rhode 

Island Department of Education

• Established a home for ED-GRS shortly after the inception of the program.

• Hosted an ambitious “Education Built to Last” facilities-themed Green Strides Tour in 2013.

• Engaged stakeholders from various agencies and sectors to share sustainable best practices, 

select ED-GRS nominees, and celebrate honored institutions. 

• Worked to cultivate applicants by linking a facilities grant program to green schools work, 

encouraging not only exemplary facilities practices, but also efforts to improve 

environmental literacy and wellness.

2020: Elizabeth Schmitz, Environmental and Sustainability Education Program Supervisor, Office 

of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (WA and previously KY)

• Hosted the Green Strides Tour in KY and WA, in 2014 and 2019, respectively.

• Spearheaded outreach to underserved school populations.

• Worked to streamline applications for ED-GRS.

• Engaged stakeholders from peer state agencies and non- and for- profit private sectors in 

order to share sustainable best practices, select ED-GRS nominees, and celebrate honored 

institutions.

• Participated in and presented at numerous conferences promoting the award and 

environmental education, including the North American Association for Environmental 

Education and the Green Schools Conference and Expo.

2019: John Olson, Science Content Specialist, Minnesota Department of Education

• Hosted the 2014 Green Strides Tour.

• Successfully engaged postsecondary counterparts in 2015, becoming the only state to 

nominate a full six institutions of a possible six in the first year of the postsecondary award.

• Developed a detailed plan to sustain his efforts during a Peace Corps leave of absence in 

early 2016. 

• Engaged stakeholders from peer state agencies, non- and for- profit private sectors, and the 

higher education community in order to share sustainable best practices, select ED-GRS 

nominees, and celebrate honored institutions.

2018: Penny Taylor, Director, Office of Healthy Schools, Florida Department of Education

• Hosted the 2014 Green Strides Tour.

• Provided feedback and mentoring to schools and districts so that they might improve for reapplication.

• Worked to simplify the Florida application process.
U.S. Department of Education - 400 Maryland Ave, SW - Washington, DC 20202

www.ed.gov/green-ribbon-schools - www.ed.gov/green-strides

• Participated in professional gatherings related to school health, environment, and 

sustainability. 

• Partnered with numerous inter- and intra- agency entities.

• Devised a Memorandum of Understanding among state agencies and a non-profit that

established the Florida Green School Network, helping to create a pipeline of nominees for 

ED-GRS recognition and to support the green school movement in the state.

2017: Keisha Ford-Jenrette, Program Manager, Georgia Department of Education

• Hosted the 2017 Green Strides Tour.

• Fostered collaboration among many government, non-profits, and for-profit partners, and 

schools.

• Supported schools and districts in the process of applying, including providing feedback and 

mentoring so that they could improve for re-application.

• Worked with Captain Planet Foundation to offer a significant cash award to honorees.

• Collaborated with the lieutenant governor’s office for state recognition festivities, releases, 

and citations each year and developed a state-level honorable mention to broaden 

recognition and reward promising efforts.

2016: Bernard Piaia, Director, Office of School Facilities, New Jersey Department of Education

• Hosted the 2013 Green Strides Tour.

• Developed mechanisms to use honorees to incentivize more schools to apply for ED-GRS.

• Built lasting partnerships with the New Jersey Department of the Environment, U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, New Jersey Building and Grounds Association, School 

Boards Association, and the EIRC, among others.

• Encouraged postsecondary counterparts to nominate.

• Sought new ways to improve the process each subsequent year.

• Mentors other states.

2015: Lynn Bamberry, Director of Competitive Grants and Awards, Colorado Department of 

Education

• Hosted the Green Strides Tour in 2014.

• Continually improved the Colorado application process.

• Ensured comprehensive nomination packages from school, district, and postsecondary 

nominees.

• Effectively worked with partners and sponsors, creating mechanisms for mentoring 

applicants with the assistance of both past honorees and private sector.

• Successfully fundraised for both honorees’ travel to ceremony and Green Strides Best 

Practices Tour.

• Worked with postsecondary counterparts to oversee nomination for the postsecondary 

award.

2014: Lesley Taylor, Consultant, Facilities Planning, California Department of Education

• Hosted the 2013 Green Strides Tour
U.S. Department of Education - 400 Maryland Ave, SW - Washington, DC 20202

www.ed.gov/green-ribbon-schools - www.ed.gov/green-strides

• Developed an online application, a feedback scorecard to applicants, and a California Green 

Ribbon Schools program..

• Offered helpful contributions on all-state calls.

• Provided a model submission format to ED to use as a template.

• Participated in Green Schools National and Green California Schools conferences.

• Proactively recruited schools, hosting webinars, revamping the California Department of 

Education Green Ribbon pages, conducting social media outreach, and coordinating with an 

array of partners.

2013: Victoria Rydberg, Environmental Education Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public 

Instruction

• Revamped Wisconsin Green and Healthy Schools, enrolling hundreds of Wisconsin schools 

in this pathway to ED-GRS.

• Hosted the 2013 Green Strides Tour.

• Provided a model submission format to ED.

• Served as a member of the Green Schools National Network Advisory Council.

• Developed a website that shares the practices of each Wisconsin Green and Healthy School.

2012: Gilda Wheeler, Program Supervisor, Sustainability and Science, WA Office of Public 

Instruction

• Pioneered a multi-state, multi-sector committee structure and online application and scoring 

process in the pilot year of ED-GRS.

• Effectively participated on numerous all-state calls to help define the program and how it 

would become a tool to encourage collaboration among state education officials and their

partners.

• Participated in the 2012 Green Schools National Conference.

• Worked to develop a Washington Green School and District award and recognition events.

• Hosted the 2013 Green Strides Tour.

• Developed an application format that has served as a template for states.