Golden Apple Impact Award

On Monday, October 27, 2025, The Golden Apple Foundation will honor the distinguished Amb. Rahm Emanuel, former Chief of Staff to President Obama, former U.S Ambassador, and former Mayor of Chicago with the 2025 Golden Apple Impact Award. At the event, Janice K. Jackson, our 2022 Golden Apple Impact Award Honoree, will present the award to Amb. Emanuel.

We look forward to honoring Amb. Emanuel’s influence and support Golden Apple’s work to address the teacher shortage with recruitment, high quality preparation, and sustained retention of excellent teachers where preK-12 students need them the most.

About the Award

The Golden Apple Foundation’s Impact Award is an honor bestowed upon a private individual, company, policymaker, or decision-maker who has had a positive and significant influence on the lives of students.

Award recipients are recognized through several rigorous criteria, which include a commitment to better outcomes for all students in Illinois, an aspirational vision for the future, backed by actionable strategies, and data-driven, research-based decision-making paired with innovation.

Impact Award Recipients

Dr. Maureen Dunne