2023-2025 NAAE Region I Vice President | Agricultural Educator at Nezperce Junior-Senior High School, Idaho
Email: kstapleton@nezpercesd.us
Career Profile:
Agricultural Educator in Idaho for 29 Years
American Falls High School
Kendrick high school
Nezperce Junior-Senior High School
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education, University of Idaho
Master of Science in Educational Administration, University of Idaho
Professional Accomplishments:
NAAE Region I Vice President (2023-2025)
NAAE Region I Secretary (2021-2023)
Idaho Agriculture Teachers Association Most Inspirational Teacher (2017)
Honorary American FFA Degree (2019)
Value of NAAE:
NAAE has been an integral part of my professional journey since 1993, when I attended my first NAAE Region I Conference in Medford, Oregon. From the very beginning, I recognized the true value of this organization, not only in the resources and benefits it offers, but in the strength of its community and its steadfast advocacy for agricultural education.
What continues to stand out most to me is the exceptional professional development available through both regional events and the National Convention. Aside from being part of a close-knit network of over 10,000 dedicated educators, I have found the quality and relevance of the professional development opportunities to be unmatched. Learning from experienced professionals who understand the realities of the classroom is truly the most impactful kind of development we can receive.
With more than 80 workshops offered at the national convention alone and many more at regional events, there's no shortage of learning opportunities across a wide range of topics. This ensures that every educator, regardless of their experience level or teaching context, can find meaningful and practical content to support their growth.
Equally important are the programs NAAE provides to support educators at every stage of their careers. Whether it’s developing new skills, accessing classroom-ready resources, or gaining tools to sustain a long and successful career, NAAE is committed to helping its members thrive. I’ve personally found great value in these programs, and I believe they play a crucial role in fostering longevity and excellence in agricultural education.
What do you want to accomplish as you serve as President-Elect in our organization?
As a leader, my foremost goal is to listen to the needs and aspirations of our members and to serve as a strong advocate on their behalf. I believe in the power of unity; that together, we can achieve far more than any one of us can accomplish alone.
One of my priorities is to expand our advocacy efforts at both the state and national levels. Too often, our legislative leaders lack a true understanding of what agricultural education entails. Agricultural Education is not an extracurricular activity; it is an intra-curricular program rooted in the proven three-circle model; classroom/laboratory instruction, FFA, and supervised agricultural experiences. I am committed to ensuring that policymakers fully grasp the depth and value of this model and its vital role in developing tomorrow’s leaders in agriculture.
I also intend to elevate awareness of the resources and benefits NAAE currently provides, while working collaboratively with our committees to identify unmet needs and opportunities. We must ask ourselves: What more could we be offering to better serve our members? By answering that question together, we can grow stronger as a profession and as an organization.
My vision is to create a welcoming and dynamic NAAE. One that offers something of value to every agricultural educator, no matter their career stage or geographic location. I want to position NAAE as the premier professional organization for agricultural educators, a place where every current and future member feels supported, empowered, and proud to belong.
Every state brings unique strengths and perspectives to the table. By building on those strengths, I believe we can transform NAAE into the national powerhouse our educators deserve and continue to have a unified voice for agricultural education across the country.
2023-2025 NAAE Region VI Vice President | Agricultural Educator at Manchester Valley High School, Maryland
Email: naaeregionvivicepresidentag@gmail.com
Career Profile:
Agricultural Educator in Maryland for 27 Years
North Carroll High School
Westminster High School
Manchester Valley High School
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education and Animal Science, Oklahoma State University
Master of Education in Career and Technical Education, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Professional Accomplishments:
NAAE Region VI Vice President (2023-2025)
NAAE Region VI Secretary (2021-2023)
NAAE Region VI Outstanding Agricultural Educator (2015)
Carroll County Teacher of the Year (2011)
CASE Master Teacher
Value of NAAE:
To Mr. Geiman, the value of NAAE membership is three-fold. First, NAAE is a conduit of innovation for Agricultural Education. Through its Professional Development programs, like XLR8, Influence, and FAST, NAAE improves the capacity of teachers to deliver high quality education on the latest topics. Next, NAAE provides a common voice for the Agricultural Education community. NAAE’s engagement with FFA, ACTE, AdvanceCTE, the Council, and other AERO group boards (by NAAE board members and NAAE members-at-large) maintains our “place at the table” for critical discussions. Finally, NAAE honors its role as a member-driven organization, facilitating peer collaboration, collegiality, and sociality through regional and national events, such as the Educators Lounge at the National FFA Convention, Regional Conferences, and the NAAE Convention itself. As numerous NAAE members have said, “without the connections made through NAAE, many of us would not have remained in the profession.
What do you want to accomplish as you serve as President-Elect in our organization?
Mr. Geiman’s vision for NAAE, if elected to be President-Elect includes three key foci. The first focus: continue to increase membership. In the 2025 membership year, NAAE set a record, surpassing ten-thousand members. This included active members, student members, and life members. The value of NAAE is evident in this growth; people spoke to this value with their membership. Nonetheless, not all in the profession take advantage of the value of NAAE with membership. NAAE needs to continue to recruit from several critical regions of the nation, to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard, valued, and empowered. The second focus should be sustaining the high-quality programming for which NAAE is well recognized. In the past two decades, NAAE programming has exploded, providing multiple opportunities for every member to engage. These programs come with costs: planning, implementing, revising and improving, and in some cases, sunsetting. Sustaining these programs, which have direct value to our members, is a high priority. Finally, the third focus should be to continue NAAE’s role as a premier communicator for the profession. Both internally, between leaders and members, and externally, between AERO groups and sponsors, NAAE has done an amazing job telling the Agricultural Education Teacher story, keeping members informed, and sharing the message broadly. NAAE should continue to focus energy on messaging to a diverse audience.
