Boating Educator of the Year

Nominating: Pamela s. dillon boating educator of the year

In 2019, Pamela S. Dillon retired after more than 40 years in recreational boating safety. In recognition of Pam’s hard work, dedication and service given to NASBLA, the States and the recreational boating safety community, the Boating Educator of the Year award was renamed the ‘Pamela S. Dillon Educator of the Year’ award. In 2011, Pam began serving as the Education and Standards Director for NASBLA. In this position, she led NASBLA’s education efforts with monumental results. With all she accomplished in her time with NASBLA, it is just the tip of the iceberg in what she accomplished over a lifetime of vocation and service in the recreational boating community.

Educators and volunteers from state and local agencies and from nonprofit organizations are eligible. Boating law administrators should nominate candidates who have made an outstanding contribution to boating safety through education. A nominee should be someone in the education field who goes above and beyond to engage students and boaters, raise awareness, and make boating education and education initiatives relevant, thorough and exciting. Posthumous nominations are not eligible.

Three regional finalists will be chosen from among the state nominees and will win a paid trip to the NASBLA Annual Conference where the national winner will be announced and recognized during the Awards Ceremony.

Nominations for this award must be submitted by a boating law administrator.

The nomination deadline for the Educator of the Year award was March 31, 2026. Nominations for 2026 are now closed.

National boating educator of the year selection

NASBLA and Kalkomey Enterprises, Inc. are pleased to announce the regional winners of the Boating Educator of the Year Award. This award symbolizes the highest level of achievement among boating safety educators in the U.S.

National Winner 2026

Northern Region

Gwendolynn "Wendy" Flynn
Connecticut

Gwendolynn “Wendy” Flynn of the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection’s Boating Division was selected as the 2026 Northern Region Educator of the Year. For more than two decades, Flynn has helped shape Connecticut’s boating safety landscape through a combination of education, outreach and environmental stewardship. She oversees statewide outreach events and boating education assistants while serving as a leading voice in aquatic invasive species education. An active contributor to numerous NASBLA programs and committees, Flynn has earned a reputation for building strong community partnerships and advancing safe, responsible boating throughout Connecticut. Read the full press release.

Southern Region

Sgt. John Miller
Louisiana

Sgt. John Miller of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries was named the 2026 Southern Region Educator of the Year for his longstanding commitment to boating safety education and public service. Since becoming a Wildlife Enforcement Agent in 2007, Miller has certified more boating safety students than any other agent in his region and has spent years serving as its lead boating education instructor. As regional coordinator, he oversees educational initiatives across northeastern Louisiana and regularly engages with local communities to promote safe practices on the water. His practical, hands-on approach to instruction has helped leave a lasting mark on boating safety efforts throughout the state. Read the full press release.

Western Region

Josh Hoffman
Arizona

Josh Hoffman of the Arizona Game and Fish Department was recognized as the 2026 Western Region Educator of the Year for his dedication to boating safety education, outreach and program development. During more than a decade with Arizona’s Boating Safety Education Program, Hoffman has been instrumental in expanding educational opportunities and strengthening partnerships that support safe recreational boating. From coordinating paddlesports and powerboat courses to implementing life jacket outreach initiatives and developing innovative public engagement programs, his work has helped reach boaters across Arizona. A Certified Recreational Boating Professional (CRBP) and active NASBLA volunteer, Hoffman continues to champion boating safety through collaboration, education and service. Read the full press release.

Northern Region

Gwendolynn "Wendy" Flynn, Connecticut

Karen Fahy, New Jersey

Erin Shaw, Ohio

Adam Spangler, Pennsylvania

Southern Region

John Miller, Louisiana

Jeffery Payne, Mississippi

Hannah Shively, North Carolina

Chase Rich, Tennessee

Diane Kerr, Virginia

Gib Kerr, Virginia

Western Region

Josh Hoffman, Arizona


(Those in bold text are the regional boating educators of the year)

Previous Recipients