Willamette High School teacher Nate Jackson, UOTeach ’22, has been named an Oregon Lottery Regional Teacher of the Year. Since 2019, he has inspired students through American Studies and Black Studies, supported the school’s Black Student Union, and expanded opportunities for students to explore history, culture, and future possibilities.
As schools across Eugene and Springfield welcome new leadership for the 2026-27 school year, we're proud to see 11 University of Oregon College of Education alumni among the 25 principals, assistant principals, and district leaders stepping into new roles.
Congratulations to QRME doctoral student Havisha Khurana who was awarded a grant from EdFund to pursue her study of Oregon's Capped Special Education Funding Policy. Havisha's proposal was selected amongst competitive fields that included both senior academics and policy research teams. This study aims to inform the 2027 Oregon legislative session’s debate on funding caps and offer insights for other states managing special education costs.
UOTeach alum Lanelle Love was hired by Bethel School District shortly after completing the licensure program last year. Now in just her second year of teaching, she is already earning recognition for her exceptional work with students in the district’s summer literacy program.
Congratulations to Alum Sage Hatch, PhD, who was selected as a 2026 National Academy of Education (NAEd)/Spencer Research Fellow. Sage who was born and raised in Siletz, Oregon, holds a Master’s of Education (MEd) in Teaching and Curriculum from the COE's Sapsik’ʷałá program in partnership with UOTeach and a PhD in Critical and Sociocultural Studies in Education (CSSE). Dr. Hatch is now a Research Fellow here at the University of Oregon.
Dr. Brian Megert, currently the director of special programs at Springfield Public Schools, will be the district’s new assistant superintendent. Brian received a doctorate of education, a master’s in special education, and bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Oregon.
Jenn Mills, a special education instructor for Tualatin High School, changes lives with Unified, an inclusive program affiliated with the Special Olympics. Jennifer earned an undergraduate degree in education and a master’s degree in special education from the COE. She worked at Churchill High School in Eugene before returning to her hometown.
Finalist Kimberlee Pelster has a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy from the University of Oregon and this spring completed a doctoral degree, also in educational leadership. Pelster is currently principal at Thurston High School.
Ronda Fritz earned a special education doctorate in literacy from the University of Oregon in 2016. That was three years after Mississippi instituted a statewide literacy program that would bring its statewide reading scores from the bottom to the top of the country using a science of reading program.
Congrats to COE alum Mike Seager, MEd ’12 (Special Education), winner of Eugene School District 4J’s 2026 Golden Apple Award in the teacher/licensed specialist category. Mike is a special education teacher at Roosevelt Middle School. Core to his work with students is his Academic Success Rubric, a comprehensive list of skills needed for students to be successful in the classroom.
