ACTE's National Work-Based Learning Conference 2026

Jason Van Nus, Georgia's ACTE Teacher of the Year in 2023, ACTE’s 2024 Region 2 Teacher of the Year, and Finalist for ACTE’s 2025 National Teacher of the Year, is the Director of Work-Based Learning (WBL) and Youth Apprenticeship (YA) Programs for Lowndes County Schools in Valdosta, Georgia. With over 21 years of experience teaching Career, Technical, and Agriculture Education (CTAE) in Georgia, Jason is a content expert in multiple instructional areas of CTE. His experience teaching Business Education, Business and Computer Science, Graphic Communication, and Work-Based Learning makes Jason very diverse in CTAE. He utilizes his content expertise, passion for technology, and skill set as an excellent recruiter, gifted communicator, and diligent networker to serve as a tireless promoter and advocate for CTE. Jason has spent the past seven years coordinating the WBL/YA programs for Lowndes County Schools. Under Jason's leadership, the WBL/YA program enrollment has grown 435.29%, from 51 students to 273. In a county with a population of 117,406, Lowndes County's WBL/YA program has generated over $9.35 million in raw wages earned during the first six school years under Jason's direction, with a total economic impact of over $37.4 million during those same school years. Jason's local community has recognized and appreciated the impact of his program by inviting him to participate in 'Leadership Lowndes' as part of the 2022 cohort. After graduation, he accepted a seat on their board from 2023-2026, where he recently served as the Vice President of Programs. On the National Stage, Jason is a member of ACTE's WBL Policy Committee, serving as the Region II representative. Jason also serves on the Advisory Board for the CTE Research Network 2.0, established by the Institute of Educational Sciences (IES) and the American Institutes for Research (AIR). In 2024, Jason was named YouScience’s Innovative Educator of the Year, and that same year, he was selected to be part of the 2025 Harbor Freight Leadership Lab Cohort.
On the state level, Jason was selected to participate in an elite leadership program for Georgia Career Educators, LEAD CTAE, in 2019. That same year, Jason was also recognized as Coordinator of the Year for the Southwest Region and separately identified as the overall 'TopGun' of the 2020 TopGun Cohort for Georgia's top Work-Based Learning Coordinators. In 2021, Jason was honored as a 'Distinguished WBL Coordinator' in Georgia. Jason's Youth Apprenticeship program and creative industry partnerships have garnered national awards and attention, resulting in his recruitment for presentations and speeches on his best practices for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Mississippi, New York, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Utah, Maryland, Washington, Kansas, Texas, California, and Virginia. His unique data-tracking techniques were featured in a National Research project by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) titled “Building Robust District Work-Based Learning Data Collection Systems”. Supreme, in his eyes, to all of these accomplishments, however, is the impact that his program has had on students from his community, who have obtained new opportunities, robust training, increased earning potential, and better career outlooks through the WBL program at Lowndes High School.
Jason's academic journey is a testament to his commitment to continuous learning and professional development. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Education and a Master's Degree in Adult and Career Education from Valdosta State University, as well as a Specialist Degree in Business and Marketing Education from Auburn University. Currently, Jason is in the final stages of completing his Ph.D. in Career and Technical Education at Auburn University, focusing on Workforce Development, Economic Development, and the impact of Work-Based Learning on CTAE. His academic qualifications and research interests further underscore his expertise and dedication to the field of Career and Technical Education.