Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1543424
W E N D Y B R I L L - W Y N K O O P, a member of College of the Canyons Faculty Association (COCFA), has been selected to receive the 2026 Travelers Award for Teaching Excellence from the NEA Foundation. Brill-Wynkoop, a professor of photography and digital media at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, is one of 48 public school educators from across the country to be honored. The annual award recognizes excellence in the classroom, leadership in the teaching profession, community engagement, and commitment to expanding opportunities for all through public education. " These exceptional educators exemplify the heart and soul of public education," said Sara A. Sneed, president and CEO of the NEA Foundation. " Their unwavering dedication to creating path- ways to success for all students through high-quality learning environments and supportive teaching practices, even in the face of immense challenges, is both inspiring and essential." "Receiving the NEA Travelers Award for Teaching Excellence has prompted me to reflect on my over 30 years of teaching and advo- cating for the profession," Brill-Wynkoop said. "It's thrilling to realize A Champion for Students and Educators Wendy Brill-Wynkoop honored for teaching excellence and advocacy work that after all these years, my hard work has made a difference and that my colleagues, particularly my union members who are fighting alongside me, acknowledge the impact I have made." A dedicated CTA member since 1997, Brill-Wynkoop has devoted her career to both teaching excellence and advocating for educators. She has served as a delegate to CTA State Council and on council's State Legislative Committee. She also previously served as COCFA president, where she led contract negotia- tions that secured salary schedule reform, lecture-lab parity, and improved working conditions for faculty. She also helmed the COCFA political action com- mittee for more than nine years. "During that time she led a [successful] three-year Flip-the-Board campaign to elect a labor-friendly Board of Trustees," wrote COCFA Past President Nicole Faudree in a let- ter to NEA. "As a result, faculty secured a 15% salary increase over two years and saw the departure of the longtime college president, paving the way for pro- gressive leadership." At the statewide level, Brill-Wynkoop served as president of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges from 2021 to 2025, working with policymakers to advance legislation that supports faculty and students. In 2021, she received CTA's statewide "We Honor Ours" (WHO) Award, and in 2025, she was honored with the CTA Higher Educa- tion Award at June State Council. In the classroom, Brill-Wynkoop is a champion of experiential, student-centered learning. She has built partnerships with institutions such as the Getty Museum, giving students opportunities to learn from master photographers and to exhibit their work at prestigious venues. She founded the Parallax Student Photography Club and has led immersive field-study programs in Death Valley and the Eastern Sierra Nevada, creating impactful learning experiences for diverse students. Brill-Wynkoop believes the power of teaching lies in guiding students to discover their potential and recognize that they have the power to change the world. "Witnessing the transformative journey of my students, from who they were when I first met them to who they have become, is more rewarding than anything else I could have done with my life." This year 's NEA Foundation honorees were cele- brated at the 2026 Salute to Excellence in Education Gala, which took place on Feb. 13 in Washington, D.C. For information about the Travelers Award for Teaching Excellence and to learn more about this year 's awardees, visit neafoundation.org. 49 W I N T E R 2 0 26 Wendy Brill-Wynkoop O