IATE Life Membership Award Recipients – Illinois Association of Teachers of English

The Awards Committee of the Illinois Association of Teachers of English accepts nominations for the Life Membership Award. IATE members may nominate other members of the organization who, throughout their career in education, have contributed to the advancement of the mission of the Illinois Association of Teachers of English by their advocacy for the organization or by their exemplary teaching practices.

Recipients of the Life Membership Award are recognized at the awards dinner at the annual fall conference and given lifetime membership in the organization.

2025 Dr. Kim Musolf, Lincolnshire	District 2, Northwest Suburban District Leader, 2008 – 2011 2nd VP (Conference Chair), 2013-14 1st VP, 2014-15 IATE President, 2015-16 IATE Special Projects, 2018-25 Director of Communication Arts, Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire
2024 Jennifer Gouin, Lincoln	District 13, Central District C0-Leader, 2009-present 2nd VP (Conference Chair), 2019-21 1st VP, 2021-22 IATE President, 2022-23 Secretary, _-present (after Richard Pommier) English teacher, Lincoln Community High School, Lincoln
2023 Gary Anderson, Palatine	Co-founder (1995), with Tony Romano, of the annual Writers Week Celebration at William Fremd High School IATE Special Projects, 2012-present Conference Volunteer, 2012-present Cybils Awards Board Member Clinical field instructor for ISU student teachers Author of the blog What’s Not Wrong Co-author of Expository Composition: Discovering Your Voice (EMC Publishing) English teacher, William Fremd High School, Palatine
2022 Dr. Dianne L. Chambers	2007-08 Elmhurst University Excellence in Teaching Award
2021 Michelle Ryan, Lincoln	District 13, Central District Co-Leader, 2009-present 2nd VP (Conference Chair), 2010-11 1st VP, 2011-12 IATE President, 2012-13 Treasurer, _-present English teacher, Lincoln Community High School, Lincoln
2020 Pandemic Year no award
2019 Carol Medrano	District 3, Western Suburban District Leader, _-present
2018 Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) Kahn, DeKalb	IATE President, 2008-09 Professor of English Education, Northern Illinois University
2017 Deborah Althoff Will, Zion	Intellectual Freedom Chair IATE President, 2021-22 and 2009-10 Instructional Materials Center Coordinator, Zion-Benton Twp. High School, Zion English teacher, Round Lake High School President of the Association of Illinois School Librarian Educators (AISLE), 2022-2023 EIU Alumni Award recognition, 2022
2016 Dr. Angelo Bonadonna, Chicago	Website Coordinator District 5, Metro South District Leader, 2003-2025 IATE President, 2011-12 Associate Professor of English and English Dept. Interim Chair, Saint Xavier University, Chicago
2015 Cheryl (Simonds) Staley	IATE President, 2013-14
2014 Marilyn Hollman
2013 Donna Binns, Charleston	District 17, Eastern District Leader, _-present
2012 Norman Boyer, Chicago	District 5, Metro South District Leader, _-present Associate Professor of English, Saint Xavier University, Chicago
2011 Jean Black	President, 2007-08
2010 Barb Fuson	President, 2002-03
2009 Tom McCann
2008 Claire Lamonica	President, 2005-06
2007 Richard Pommier, Arlington	Secretary English and Latin teacher, Hall High School, Spring Valley
2006 Herb Ramlose	Treasurer
2005 Betty Jane Wagner
2004 Jean Wallace	President, 2000-2001 District Leader
2003 George Shea	President, 1995-96 Convention Sites Committee
2002 Donna Blackall	President, 1986-87
2001 Kay Parker, Normal	President, 1993-94 District Leader
2000 Wendell Schwartz, Chicago	President, 1990-91 Treasurer
1999 Janice Neuleib, Normal	President, 1990-91 Executive Secretary, 2000-2020
1998 Sue Howell, Carbondale	President, 1991-92 S.L.A.T.E. Representative Publications Committee
1997 Kay Jacob, Romeoville	District Leader President, 1989-90 Honorary Awards Chair, 1985-86
1996 James Stottlar, Urbana	Executive Secretary, 1986-96
1995 Ken Holmes, East St. Louis	District Leader President, 1987-88 Honorary Awards Committee
1994 Lydia Martin, Roxana	District Leader Local Arrangements Chair, 1985 Honorary Awards Committee
1993 Rachel B. Faries, Alton	District Leader President, 1984-85 Honorary Awards Committee Chair, 1987-97
1992 Robert Workman, Evanston	District Leader Audit Committee Chair Local Arrangements Chair, 1990
1991 Lee Mulcrone, Hoffman Estates	District Leader President, 1979-80 Illinois Curriculum Council Committee
1990 David Briggs, LaGrange	Program Committee Local Arrangements Committee
1989 Marti Swanson, Fox Lake	District Leader Secretary 1977-1989
1988 Mildred Largent, Carbondale	District Leader Honorary Awards Committee
1987 Beth Stiffler, Macomb	District Leader President, 1985-86 Secretary, 1975-77
1986 Dorothy Matthews, Urbana	Treasurer, 1970-74 Editor, Illinois English Bulletin, 1975-87
1985 Raymond Hollmann, O’Fallon	District Leader President, 1972-73
1984 Dr. Mary Frances (Hawley) Sasse, Carbondale	District Leader President, 1980-81 Legislative Liaison Committee Representative Publications Committee Minority Affairs Committee English teacher, Carbondale Community High School, Carbondale Professor of English, SIU, Carbondale President, SIATE, 1974-75 Recipient, Spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commitment to Service Award, 2014
1983 Glenn Grever, Normal	President, 1978-79 Illinois Curriculum Council Representative English teacher, Ottawa Twp. High School, 1958-1965 Assoc. Professor of English, Illinois State University, 1965-1983
1982 Jeanne Claeys, Rockford	District Leader Secretary, 1969-71
1982 Eldonna Everts	Elementary English Committee Chair Illinois Alliance for the Arts Education
1982 Tom Kent, Peoria	President, 1988-89 District Leader Local Arrangements Chair 1972, 1973, 1981
1981 Addie Hochstrasser, Paris	President, 1950-51
1981 Dr. Taimi Maria Ranta, Normal	Articulation/Intellectual Freedom Committee Honorary Awards Committee Chair Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award Representative President of the Children’s Literature Association, 1980-81 Recipient, Fulbright Research Grant Recipient, National Endowment for the Humanities Award Illinois Reading Council Hall of Fame inductee, 1993 Professor Emerita of Children’s Literature, Illinois State University, Bloomingt0n-Normal
1981 Norman Stewart, Decatur	District Leader Chair of English at Dwight D. Eisenhower High School, Blue Island Chair of English at Douglas MacArthur High School (ret. 1989) President, 1976-77
1980 Mary Brinkmann, Glen Ellyn	District Leader President, 1973-74 Honorary Awards Committee Chair, 1980-84
1980 Margaret Crowe, Carbondale	District Leader President, 1975-76
1980 Glen Rittmueller, Hillside	President, 1974-75
1979 Margaret Ann Cummings, Mt. Vernon	President, 1961-62
1979 Mary Ellen Poorman, Mattoon	District Leader
1978 Wilmer Lamar, Decatur and Urbana	President, 1953-54 Co-editor/Editor, Illinois English Bulletin, 1954-74 Executive Secretary 1967-78
1977 Paul Jacobs, Urbana	President, 1971-72 Executive Secretary, 1978-84 Special Projects Chair, 1967-71
1976 John Heissler, Normal	President, 1969-70
1976 Roy Weshinskey, Carbondale	President, 1962-63 English and Theater teacher, Carbondale Community High School Professor of English and Theater, Southern Illinois University Founder, actor, director: The Stage Company, Carbondale
1975 Stanley Gritzbaugh, Rockford	President, 1970-71
1975 Catherine Hudson, Mt. Carmel	District Leader
1974 Clarence Hach, Evanston	District Leader President, 1977-78
1973 F.P. Armstrong, Rochelle	District Leader
1973 Wilbur Hatfield, Chicago	President, 1913-14
1973 Dorothea Trump, Naperville	District Leader
1972 Jessie Frederick, East Moline	District Leader
1972 J.N. Hook, Urbana	President, 1960-61 Editor, Illinois English Bulletin, 1949-59
1972 Melba Wixom, Waukegan	District Leader