Legislative Education Staff Network

Connecting legislative education staff since 1986

Recognition Awards

The Legislative Education Staff Network (LESN) annually recognizes an outstanding education legislative staff member who has provided outstanding service to the legislative process and who has been active in the network. To be eligible for the award, legislative staff must meet the criteria set forth in the award guidelines and chosen by the selection committee. The selection committee consists of four members including the current LESN steering committee co-chairs, one current LESN steering committee member and one former steering committee member, each to be appointed by the current co-chairs. Nominations are submitted to the committee for consideration. The award winner is recognized at the Education Commission of the States (ECS) National Forum and at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Legislative Summit (formerly Annual Meeting). Sara Vitaska is the NCSL LESN Coordinator in the Denver office.

Previous winners of the award are:

2007 -- Audrey Carr, Committee Staff Administrator, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky

2006 -- Philip McCarthy, Legislative Analyst, Office of Policy and Legal Analysis, Maine

2005 -- David Summers, Chief Legislative Analyst, Office of the Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, Florida

2004 -- Julie Pelegrin, Senior Attorney, Legislative Legal Services, Colorado

2003 -- Ethel Alston, Analyst, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky

2002 -- Cathy Eslinger, Ballot Analyst, Legislative Counsel, Colorado General Assembly

2001 -- H. Pepper Sturm, Chief Deputy Research Director, Legislative Counsel Bureau, Nevada

2000 -- Pauline Rindone, Director, Legislative Education Study Committee, New Mexico