Kayla Dornfeld

Kayla Delzer Dornfeld is the 2020 Top Educator of the Year and the 2019 North Dakota Teacher of the Year. She is a two-time (2017 and 2018) Global Hundred honoree, recognizing her as one of the top 100 innovative educators in the world. The New York Times named her "one of the tech-savviest teachers in the United States."

Dornfeld has over 15 years of teaching experience in second grade, third grade, and kindergarten. She holds a master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of North Dakota. In September 2018, she received the University of North Dakota Sioux Award, the highest honor of achievement offered by her university. In 2021, she was named the "Youth Volunteer of the Year" by St. Jude Hospital.

She has been recognized as both an "ISTE Influencer" and "HarperCollins Publishing Influencer." Additionally, in March 2018, Dornfeld was named one of just 30 "All-Star Digital Innovators" in the United States by PBS. Who's Who in America has also recognized her contributions to education by publishing her biography. Dornfeld frequently travels around the United States and other countries as a featured and keynote speaker. She delivered her first TEDx Talk, "Reimagining Classrooms: Students as Leaders and Teachers as Learners" on July 23, 2015. Her pioneering work with classroom redesign and flexible seating has become the standard worldwide.

Dornfeld is a co-author of the best-selling book "Education Write Now," published in December 2017, and "10 Perspectives on Learning in Education," available now on Amazon. She teaches educators how to implement tools like Twitter, Instagram, and Remind 101 to enhance communication with families and engage students. This commitment extends to her advocacy for student-led learning, underscoring the importance of allowing students an hour each week to explore their passions.