Teacher of the Year

The VAME Teacher of the Year recognizes and acknowledges VAME members for their dedication to marketing education, as well as their community, school and students.

Nominee Criteria

All marketing teachers in Virginia are eligible, even if you have been nominated in the past for the award, if they meet the following criteria:

  • Involved in some capacity in Virginia Association of Marketing Educators’ activities at the local and/or state level

  • Must be a paid member for the current nomination year

  • Must not have been previously selected as VAME Teacher of the Year

Please direct any TOY questions to

Kelsey Treague

Previous VAME TOY Winners

Teresa Chavis

Briana Eifler

Sandra Tucker

Ellen Saunders

Sarah Hinkhouse

Dee Strauss

Duke Gardner

Theresa Caffee

Jason Uhry

Beth Markwood

Janet Jennings

Casey Hepner

Donna Roush

Donna Celio

Susan Loizou

Kathy Chrisman

Don Gresham

Jacqueline Lucki

Deborah Rogers

Bevin Pulliam

Kim Creamer

Linda Amburn

Jenee Pins

Nancy King

Suzanne Campbell

Paul Wardinski

Sharon Acuff

Diane Bakaysa

Dianne Tremblay

Dede Stone

Kim Wilkerson

Ina Baker

Sandra Motley

Irene Wheeler

Kelly Parnell

Woody McCain

Bonnie Stone

Bernard Glaser

Russell Holliday

Toni McLawhorn

Paul Desantas

Rick Calhoun

VAME 2022 Teacher of the Year Finalists

Teresa Chavis - Winner
Alexandria City High School, Region 2

Teresa Chavis is a Fashion Marketing teacher and current Marketing team lead at Alexandria City High School in Alexandria, Virginia. After teaching fashion in Maryland for four years she was recruited to Virginia to teach. Teresa has taught Marketing, Advanced Marketing (co-op and non-co-op) Economics and Personal Finance, Sports and Entertainment Marketing and her current subjects Fashion Marketing, Advanced Fashion Marketing and Intro to Fashion Careers which she loves. Teresa is entering her 20th year of teaching and has been a DECA advisor for as many years she has taught. She has served as the DECA District advisor for district 33 for the past 8 years. Teresa has also served on the VAME board for the past 6 years first as Director of Public Relations and now as Treasurer.Teresa has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fashion Merchandising with a minor in Business Administration from The University of Maryland Eastern Shore an HBCU located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore where she was born and raised. She also holds a Masters Degree in Educational Administration from Trinity Washington University. Despite earning a degree in Administration, she has decided to remain in the classroom. She completed a summer fashion track program at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) where she had the opportunity to take a sketch class with the late great Nancy Riegelman. She still maintains a great relationship with the college.In addition to teaching Teresa is the Fashion Club advisor and active in her church. However, her biggest role is being a wife and mom. This year Teresa will celebrate 22 years of marriage to her husband Alonzo who she met her senior year of college. She is also supermom to her 2 sons Nigel and Niles. Also, to her mini-me, or also known as her broke best friend, her daughter Leyna who is always in the backseat of mommy’s ride. Teresa loves brunching with her friends, getting stamps in her passport, and all things fashion.

Cody Smallwood
Heritage High School, Region 1

William (Cody) Smallwood is a marketing education teacher and the current Department Chair at Heritage High School in Leesburg, Virginia. Cody has taught all levels of marketing from Introduction to Business and Marketing, Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Travel, Tourism, and Destination Marketing, Marketing (Co-op and Non Co-op), and Advanced Marketing (Co-op and Non Co-op). Cody is entering his sixth year as a marketing education teacher and as a DECA Advisor in Loudoun County. Cody has also served on the VAME Board of Directors as the Region 1 Director for the past 3 years. Cody has a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with a focus in Sports Marketing & Management from Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia and also completed the Career Switcher program offered through Shenandoah University in June of 2017. Cody is currently on track to complete his Masters of Education in Teaching & Learning from Capella University in August of 2022. In addition to teaching, Cody has served as the Head JV Baseball Coach at Briar Woods High School in the past, as well as a Varsity Assistant. He is a former collegiate athlete, playing four years of baseball at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia. Cody is the proud husband of his wife, Morgan and a doting father to his twin two-year-old daughters, Laney and Scarlett.

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