VCSU’s Aberle named NDACTE Teacher Educator of the Year
VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSU) – Valley City State University faculty member Dr. Amber Ussatis Aberle has been named the 2026 North Dakota Teacher Educator of the Year by the North Dakota Association for Career and Technical Education (NDACTE).
The award was announced August 4 during the ND Career and Technical Education Professional Development Conference in Bismarck. The Teacher Educator of the Year award recognizes secondary or postsecondary teacher educators who are committed to preparing teachers to deliver high quality CTE programs, demonstrated innovation in teacher education and leadership in improving CTE.
Dr. Aberle currently serves as an associate professor and the Director of the Transition to Teaching programs at Valley City State University, where she leads both the K-12 and post-secondary pathways. Since stepping into the director role in 2018, Aberle has played a significant role in supporting industry professionals, career changers, and nontraditional teacher candidates as they transition into education careers.
Through the long-standing partnership between VCSU and North Dakota Career & Technical Education, she has helped address statewide teacher shortages while ensuring schools have access to qualified and well-prepared CTE educators. Under Dr. Aberle’s leadership, the Transition to Teaching program has undergone significant modernization and improvement efforts focused on increasing accessibility, improving communication, and strengthening support systems for incoming educators and school districts.
She has collaborated extensively with North Dakota Career & Technical Education, school administrators, and the Education Standards and Practices Board to improve processes, update program resources, and better support candidates navigating alternative licensure pathways.
Aberle is a proud graduate of VCSU where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business education and later completed a master’s degree in education and technology. She earned her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from Capella University.