2027 Professional Awards: Outstanding CEC Leadership Award
Ends on
The Outstanding CEC Leadership Award honors a CEC member who has provided exemplary leadership to the organization at the unit, division and/or national/international levels over an extended period. The nominee’s achievements and contributions have resulted in advancing CEC’s leadership in the field and the Council’s work to improve positive outcomes for children and youth with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.
Eligibility
The Outstanding CEC Leadership Award recipient must:
- Be a current CEC member at the time of nomination and granting of the award;
- Demonstrate CEC’s core values:
- Visionary Thinking: Demonstrated by forward-thinking and courageous decision-making dedicated to excellence and influence in an evolving environment.
- Integrity: Demonstrated by ethical, responsive behavior; transparency; and accountability.
- Inclusiveness: Demonstrated by a commitment to diversity, caring, and respect for the dignity and worth of all individuals.
In addition, nominees must have provided exemplary leadership within CEC in various areas, including:
- Governance
- Unit and/or division leadership
- Committee/workgroup leadership
- Member engagement
- DEIA initiatives (related to practice, professional development, or membership)
- Professional development/training
- Policy and advocacy
- Professional standards and/or accreditation
Recognition and Benefits
The award recipient will be:
- Provided with complimentary registration to attend the CEC Convention & Expo
- Recognized, and receive a commemorative plaque, at an Awards Luncheon
- Given a $500 cash honorarium; and
- Featured in a press release on the CEC website (https://exceptionalchildren.org)
How to Nominate
Nomination Materials
- A letter/statement of support from the nominator
- Three (3) additional letters/statements of support, not including the nominator's, from a colleague, supervisor, or other professional
- The nominee's Vita/Resume
Nomination Process
- All application materials must be submitted together to CEC Headquarters by September 30, 2026.
- Alternatively, responses can be emailed to Stephen Alleyne at salleyne@exceptionalchildren.org.
- Please use file name(s) to clearly indicate reference to the nominee and award. (e.g., “Smith_Lifetime_Award.docx” or “Smith_Lifetime_Nomination.docx”).
- All materials become the property of CEC and will not be returned.