NAGC Announces Dr. Paula Olszewski-Kubilius as the Recipient of the Ann F. Isaacs Founder's Memo

NAGC Announces Dr. Paula Olszewski‑Kubilius as the Recipient of the 2025 Ann F. Isaacs Founder’s Memorial Award

Washington, DC (11/25/2025) – The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) proudly announces Dr. Paula Olszewski-Kubilius of Northwestern University as the 2025 recipient of the Ann F. Isaacs Founder’s Memorial Award. This prestigious honor recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to the field of gifted and talented education through scholarship, leadership, or service. 

Dr. Olszewski-Kubilius, Director of the Center for Talent Development and Professor in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University, has spent over 38 years designing and implementing programs that meet the needs of diverse gifted learners. Her work has advanced talent development models that expand access and opportunity, particularly for underrepresented students, and her research and publications have influenced gifted education both nationally and internationally. 

“Dr. Paula Olszewski-Kubilius’s contributions to NAGC and to the field of gifted education have been profound and far-reaching,” said Catherine Little, NAGC Board President. “Her decades of leadership, innovative program design, and scholarship have shaped how we understand and nurture giftedness in all its forms. Her commitment to deep and lasting talent development exemplifies the spirit of the Founder's Award and continues to inspire educators and researchers across the country.”

Reflecting on the honor, Dr. Olszewski-Kubilius shared, “I am so honored to receive the Founder’s Award from NAGC. Mostly, though, I am deeply grateful for the opportunities NAGC has given me for service, leadership, learning, friendship, and support from practitioners and scholars across the country."

Dr. Olszewski-Kubilius’s recent publications include The Handbook of High Performance: Developing Potential into Domain-Specific Talent (American Psychological Association) and Unlocking Potential: Identifying and Serving Gifted Students from Low-Income Households (Prufrock Press). She has served as editor of Gifted Child Quarterly and co-editor of the Journal of Secondary Gifted Education. Currently, she serves on advisory boards for several leading centers in the field. 

Dr. Olszewski-Kubilius was formally recognized during NAGC’s Annual Convention, which took place from November 13 to 16 in Pittsburgh, PA.

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About the Ann F. Isaacs Founder’s Memorial Award 
The Ann F. Isaacs Founder’s Memorial Award honors NAGC members whose service, scholarship, and leadership have had a lasting impact on the field of gifted education.

About the National Association for Gifted Children

The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is the nation’s leading organization focused on the needs of gifted and talented children. Dedicated to uplifting and empowering those who support children with advanced abilities, NAGC provides energizing professional learning, impactful research, and inspiring advocacy to allow its members to work collaboratively so that all children have equitable opportunities and support to develop their gifts and talents.