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The Nelson H. Brooks Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Profession
The Nelson H. Brooks Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Profession
The Nelson H. Brooks Leadership Award honors a passionate leader who has made significant contributions to the world language community layered from the local, state, regional and/or national levels. Applicants’ dossiers include evidence of their dedication, influence, and collaboration in service to language learning, language learners, and language educators. The Northeast Conference Board of Directors has honored a member of the profession for distinguished service and leadership since 1968. In 1978 the award was renamed in honor of Nelson H. Brooks, who, through his work and publications about the importance of culture in the world language classroom, dramatically influenced second language instruction.
2026 Nelson H. Brooks Award Recipient Cynthia Chalupa, Ph.D.
2026 Nelson H. Brooks Award Recipient Cynthia Chalupa, Ph.D.
James Madison University (VA)
James Madison University (VA)
Cynthia’s leadership is unparalleled and her work in the field deserves recognition. She is always ready to jump into a project and lead. She has a keen eye for the larger frame of the effort while also seeing, clearly, the small details. Her years of dedication to the NECTFL Board in multiple capacities, her leadership on the AATG, her teaching of German for more than 20 years, developing course materials to reflect the globalized world, authoring several instructional volumes used widely across the country, shepherding students to programs in Germany and her work guiding many of them to attain teaching licenses. Then there is her tenacity. Weathering educational challenges beyond her control yet still rising with strength and professionalism to overcome the past and be prepared to meet and create new possibilities.
Past Recipients
Past Recipients
2025: Robert Terry, University of Richmond, emeritus
2024: Leslie Grahn, Howard County Public Schools, (ret.)
2023: John D. Carlino, Northeast Conference (posthumous)
2022: Susanne Nimmrichter, Millersville University
2021: Rita A. Oleksak, Glastonbury Public Schools
2020: Amanda Seewald, Maracas Language Programs
2019: Sr. Mary Helen Kashuba, SSJ, DLM, Chestnut Hill College
2018: Janis Hennessey, Dover HS, (ret.)
2017: Thekla Fall, Pittsburgh Public Schools, (ret.)
2016: Laura Franklin, Northern Virginia Community College
2015: Charlotte E. Gifford, Greenfield Community College
2014: Gladys Lipton, National FLES Institute
2013: Heidi Byrnes, Georgetown University
2012: Richard Brecht, Center for Advanced Study of Language
2011: Gregory Duncan, InterPrep, Inc.
2009: Marjorie Hall Haley, George Mason University
2008: Eileen W. Glisan, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
2007: Stephen L. Levy, ACTFL
2006: Kathleen M. Riordan, Springfield MA Public Schools (ret.)
2005: Ray T. Clifford, Brigham Young University
2004: Martha G. Abbott, Fairfax County (VA) Public Schools
2003: Frank W. Medley, Jr., West Virginia University
2002: Robert J. Ludwig, NYSAFLT
2001: C. Edward Scebold, ACTFL
2000: Protase E. Woodford, Educational Testing Service (ret.)
1999: June K. Phillips, Weber State University
1998: Helene Zimmer-Loew, AATG
1997: Ronald Walton, National Foreign Language Center (posthumous)
1996: Edward D. Allen, Emeritus, Ohio State University
1995: Earl W. Stevick, Emeritus, Foreign Service Institute
1994: Eleanor Jorden, Emerita, Cornell University
1993: Dorothy James, Hunter College
1992: Sandye Jean McIntyre II, Morgan State University
1991: Helen Warriner-Burke, Virginia State Dept. of Education
1990: Ann Beusch, Maryland State Dept. of Education
1989: Dora Kennedy, Prince George’s County (MD) Public Schools
1988: Leo Benardo, New York City Public Schools
1987: Mary P. Thompson, Glastonbury Public Schools
1986: Robert Lado, Georgetown University
1985: James E. Alatis, Georgetown University
1984: Wilga M. Rivers, Harvard University
1983: James R. Frith, Foreign Service Institute
1982: Lorraine A. Strasheim, Indiana University
1981: Laurence Wylie, Harvard University
1980: Richard I. Brod, Modern Language Association
1979: Dwight Bolinger, Harvard University
1978: Howard Lee Nostrand, University of Washington
1977: Kenneth W. Mildenberger, Modern Language Association
1976: Wilmarth H. Starr, New York University
1975: Theodore Andersson, University of Texas
1974: Donald D. Walsh, Northeast Conference
1973: Emma Birkmaier, University of Minnesota
1972: Freeman Twadell, Brown University
1971: Robert G. Mead, University of Connecticut
1970: Harry L. Levy, Fordham University
1969: Nelson H. Brooks, Yale University
1968: Stephen A. Freeman, Middlebury College
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