In 1999, Robinson Peete and her husband, former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete, founded the HollyRod Foundation, initially inspired by her father's battle with Parkinson's disease, with the mission to help improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson’s. The foundation expanded following their eldest son's autism diagnosis, leading to the creation of RJ's Place Vocational and Family Support Services Center in Los Angeles, which provides job training and support services for young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Robinson Peete has authored four books, including the NAACP Image Award-winning "My Brother Charlie," co-written with her daughter Ryan Elizabeth Peete. Robinson Peete and her husband are proud parents of four adult children. Her mantra: "I wouldn't change my child for the world—but I would change the world for my child."

As Chairman of Special Olympics, he has driven the largest expansion of the organization in its history—growing the movement from one million athletes to over six million athletes in 193 countries around the world. Before joining Special Olympics in 1996, Dr. Shriver co-founded and currently chairs the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), the leading school reform organization in the field of social and emotional learning (SEL).

As Chairman of UNITE, a nonprofit that also emerged from this exploration, Shriver has helped to pioneer the Dignity Index—a new tool to help Americans disagree without demonizing each other—and catalyze dozens of moonshots that unite Americans in common purpose to tackle our country’s most intractable challenges.

His work has appeared in outlets like Time Magazine, the Hechinger Report, the Dallas Morning News, the Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, Houston Chronicle, the Philadelphia Inquirer and The New Republic, and been covered at NPR, NBC News, CBS News, Forbes, Fox News, CNN, New York Magazine, Time and other major media outlets. Dr. Cowen’s book, “The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers” (Harvard Education Press), is an inside look at voucher politics and policymaking.

As a first-generation college student, Crosson found that teachers and counselors were essential to her success. Crosson has expanded opportunities for her colleagues and students, such as launching MC Goes Global, an international travel program to enhance student learning opportunities. In class, her students can be found researching the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and building websites as often as they are reading novels and writing papers.

Crosson strives to create learning experiences that resonate with her students, foster empathy and build critical thinking skills. As the 2025 National Teacher of the Year, Crosson will spend a year representing educators and serving as an ambassador for the teaching profession.