Western & Southern Financial Group has named Kristen Carter, a Career and Technical Education teacher at Riverview East Academy, as the 2025 Dr. Lawrence C. Hawkins Educator of the Year.
Carter earned the top honor after a review panel selected her from a group of Cincinnati Public Schools educators nominated by their peers. She received the award during a ceremony at the Guilford Building in downtown Cincinnati, where Western & Southern presented her with a plaque and a $10,000 personal check.
“Western & Southern Financial Group is pleased to honor Kristen Carter for her remarkable dedication and impact on her students,” said John F. Barrett, chairman, president and chief executive officer of the Cincinnati-based company. “Kristen’s inspiring commitment to the youth of Cincinnati plays a vital role in strengthening our community and enhancing the quality of life across our region.”
This year, Western & Southern also recognized the four other finalists with $2,500 checks for their outstanding work in the classroom. The finalists included Gretchen Bayer (Woodford Academy), Jaclyn Deutsch (Academy of Multilingual Immersion Studies), Brad Gerard (School for Creative and Performing Arts) and Heather Woodyard (Walnut Hills High School). CPS surprised each finalist with at-school announcement earlier this spring.
Longtime local newscaster Courtis Fuller emceed last week’s Western & Southern event. It also featured remarks from Barrett and CPS Superintendent Shauna Murphy.
“At Cincinnati Public Schools, we believe in preparing students for life ‘Beyond the Tassel,’ and educators like Kristen Carter are leading the way,” said Murphy.
“Through her deep commitment to academic excellence and real-world learning in healthcare, Ms. Carter is equipping our students for successful careers after graduation,” she continued. “We are proud to celebrate her dedication and grateful to Western & Southern for honoring the outstanding educators who are building brighter futures for our kids.”
About the winner
Western & Southern created the Dr. Lawrence C. Hawkins Educator of the Year Award in 2007 to celebrate exceptional CPS teachers who demonstrate an extraordinary level of dedication, leadership and impact. The award’s namesake, Dr. Lawrence C. Hawkins, served as a Tuskegee Airman, a respected Cincinnati educator, a top administrator at the University of Cincinnati and a member of Western & Southern’s board. He died in 2009.
Carter, who transitioned to teaching after a career in nursing, said she feels honored to receive the recognition.
“It’s an incredible honor to win this award,” she said. “I’m very passionate about healthcare; I was a nurse by trade before I became a teacher – and so I see the need for these young people to have a quality education in healthcare. I’m very humbled to be recognized among all the great Cincinnati Public Schools educators.”
Dr. Lawrence C. Hawkins Educator of the Year Award
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