SkillsUSA offers a dazzling array of awards for its students and advisors, underscoring their commitment to promoting excellence and leadership in career and technical education. From distinguished personal honors like the Advisor of the Year to individual and collective achievements like the President’s Volunteer Service award, these recognitions highlight the dedication, skill, and community spirit that define SkillsUSA.
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), in partnership with SkillsUSA, is seeking nominations for the National Trade and Industrial Education Division Awards to be presented during the annual ACTE CareerTech VISION conference. (Please note the Trade and Industrial VISION Awards are separate from the ACTE Excellence Awards.)
The deadline for nominations will be announced soon!
SkillsUSA Advisor of the Year Award honors SkillsUSA’s most dedicated career and technical education instructors. These talented instructors serve SkillsUSA advisors and embrace the SkillsUSA Framework and national programming to create career-ready graduates and opportunities for every member. States hold an Advisor of the Year competition, and the state winners advance to the regional competition. The top five regional winners are interviewed during the national conference, and a national Advisor of the Year is selected.
For more information, please contact your state association director.
The 2025 regional Advisors of the Year are:
Jennifer Probst
(Region 1, New York)
Jennifer Probst is a certified Dental Assisting instructor at Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES Career and Technical Education in Spencerport, N.Y., where she has transformed the dental program into one of the most advanced in the state. With over 25 years of experience in the dental field as a hygienist, assistant and office manager, she brings unmatched industry insight into her teaching. Her work has earned her numerous honors, including ACTE Region 1 New Teacher of the Year in 2020 and finalist for National New Teacher of the Year in 2021.
Under Jennifer’s leadership, WEMOCO expanded its dental assisting program from one to two years, providing students with over 200 hours of hands-on work-based learning at more than 60 partner dental offices and labs. This innovation has made WEMOCO the only high school in New York where graduates earn licensed dental assistant credentials recognized by the state’s Office of Professions. Jennifer is also a member of the American Orthodontic Society and the Academy of Laser Dentistry, where she serves on the Safety Committee.
Her SkillsUSA chapter has been recognized as a Gold Chapter of Distinction for multiple years and was named a national Model of Excellence in 2023. “By blending academic knowledge with real-world experience,” she says, “we prepare students to enter their careers confident, capable and ready to lead.” Despite her many accomplishments, Jennifer says her favorite roles are being a wife and a mom to two daughters.
Wanda Tyson
(Region 2, North Carolina)
Wanda Tyson is the department chair and instructor for Applied Engineering Technologies at Nash Community College in Rocky Mount, N.C. Her path to education is a testament to resilience and purpose: she began working in the computer industry at 18, took time away to raise her children, and returned to college at age 45 to pursue a new calling in education. Since then, she has become a dynamic leader in career and technical education, committed to helping students gain the skills they need to earn livable wages and build stable futures.
Wanda is deeply involved in SkillsUSA and serves as her college’s chapter advisor, where she collaborates with student officers to embed the SkillsUSA Framework into all aspects of learning. She developed a tracking tool that maps Essential Elements to assignments and projects, ensuring that students are growing not just in technical ability but in leadership, communication and professionalism. “It’s not just about the trade,” she says, “it’s about building students who are prepared for life.”
She was honored with the J. Edgar and Peggy T. Moore Peer Award for Teaching Excellence and plays an active role in workforce development efforts in automation, technology and applied engineering across her state. One of her proudest moments was watching a student win gold at SkillsUSA nationals — a reminder of the life-changing power of hands-on learning. “SkillsUSA has changed my life and my students’ lives,” she says. “It’s helped me become the educator I was meant to be.”
Matt Mullins
(Region 3, Illinois)
From student member to standout advisor, Matt Mullins has come full circle with SkillsUSA. Now the chapter advisor at Lockport Township High School in Illinois, Mullins brings real-world energy and purpose to career and technical education (CTE). He earned his degree in CTE with a focus on technology from Eastern Illinois University and quickly launched his teaching career at Lockport, where he’s led courses ranging from Automotive Technology to Robotics Engineering and 3D Design. Mullins views SkillsUSA as more than an organization — it’s a bridge between the classroom and the workplace. His approach emphasizes hands-on learning and career readiness, empowering students to build technical know-how and essential life skills like communication, professionalism and responsibility.
Beyond the classroom, Mullins is committed to lifelong learning. While teaching, he earned a master’s degree in educational technology and completed several industry certifications to stay aligned with evolving workforce demands.
One of his standout initiatives was a resume-building unit rooted in the SkillsUSA Framework. Students crafted job-ready resumes, practiced mock interviews, participated in volunteer work and connected class projects to real-world careers. The result? Confident, prepared and motivated students who understand the value of what they’re learning — and where it can take them. “I’m proud to guide students through the same SkillsUSA journey that inspired me,” Mullins says. “Helping them grow into skilled, confident professionals is the most rewarding part of my work.”
Pake Carlson
(Region 4, Oklahoma)
Pake Carlson isn’t just teaching students how to frame walls — he’s helping build character, confidence and future careers. A construction instructor at High Plains Technology Center in Oklahoma, Carlson combines real-world experience with a deep commitment to shaping well-rounded, skilled professionals. “My goal is to teach more than just technical skills,” he says. “It’s about building good people.”
A former custom home builder with nearly a decade in the industry, Carlson brings authenticity and relevance to the classroom. His students gain not only hands-on experience but also essential soft skills — like integrity, teamwork and communication — through active involvement in SkillsUSA. “When students learn leadership and responsibility alongside their trade, they don’t just become job-ready — they become world-ready,” he says.
Carlson’s roots run deep in northwest Oklahoma, where he lives on his family’s centennial farm with his wife and two daughters. He’s also a volunteer firefighter and EMT, modeling the values of service and community that he encourages in his students.
As a proud alumnus of High Plains Technology Center, Carlson now celebrates 13 years as an instructor, serving as CTSO coordinator, district advisor, and past T&I cluster president for Oklahoma construction trades. He’s been honored as Oklahoma’s SkillsUSA Advisor of the Year and a Breaking Traditions Award winner.
But for Carlson, the greatest reward is seeing students grow. “Helping young people find their confidence and their purpose — that’s what drives me every day.”
Brady Mitchell
(Region 5, Arizona)
Brady Mitchell, Automotive Technology instructor at West-MEC in Surprise, Arizona, is a passionate educator and industry expert who brings real-world relevance to the classroom. His journey began as a SkillsUSA chapter officer and national competitor in high school, igniting a lifelong passion for automotive technology and student development. After earning his ASE Master Technician credentials, he worked at Sanderson Ford before transitioning to education, where he’s taught at both secondary and postsecondary levels, including Peoria High School, Glendale Community College and multiple West-MEC campuses.
Brady’s leadership goes beyond instruction, he’s served as a curriculum and instruction specialist, helped lead ASE program accreditations, and launched new programs like West-MEC’s powersports technician initiative. As a committed SkillsUSA advisor, he has mentored students in leadership and skills competitions, with many advancing to national events. He also contributes as a technical committee member for Arizona’s state and regional competitions. Active in the broader CTE community, he is the current president of ATIEA, serves on the ACTE Arizona board, and is an NCCER Master Trainer.
Brady says, “Our programs do more than teach technical skills. They help students build confidence, adaptability and leadership. Through hands-on learning and SkillsUSA, students discover their potential to thrive in today’s workforce.”