Technician of the Year
When an area of need was identified, a call went out. Danae Hicks, an agent with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, answered that call.
Although her professional background had long centered on chronic disease, healthy aging and emergency preparedness, Hicks saw an opportunity to shift her focus. She stepped in to expand child passenger safety education in Ellis County, a North-Central Texas region where families craved greater access to safety resources, training and reliable information.
Danae’s commitment and leadership have earned her recognition as the 2026 National Child Passenger Safety Technician of the Year. The award is presented by the National Child Passenger Safety Board and sponsored by Toyota Motor North America.
To learn more about Danae’s work in child passenger safety, download this Technician of the Year press release.
Instructor of the Year
Over the years, many who have participated in Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification Training courses led by Kathy Vasilopulos have sampled her well‑known homemade peanut butter cups.
Kathy, a resident of Lake County, IN, works as state coordinator for the Child Passenger Safety program within the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute’s Division of Traffic Safety. She knows how to serve up the goods – and win over the hearts and minds of her students.
In 2025, she trained 1,156 officers statewide using Car Seat Basics for Law Enforcement. Her dedication to child passenger safety dates to when her then 3‑year‑old daughter was riding in a car seat that was recalled because of a safety issue. Kathy, not realizing it at the time, was embarrassed during her own CPST Certification Course. That experience ignited her commitment to helping others avoid similar missteps.
In recognition of her work, she is the 2026 National Child Passenger Safety Instructor of the Year, an achievement that reflects her ability to teach, mentor and inspire. The award is presented by the National Child Passenger Safety Board and sponsored by Toyota Motor North America.
To learn more about Kathy and her dedication to child passenger safety, download this Instructor of the Year press release.
Team of the Year
In recognition of outstanding leadership, innovation and commitment to safety, Austin-based Dell Children’s Medical Center is the 2026 National Child Passenger Safety Team of the Year.
The award is presented by the National Child Passenger Safety Board and sponsored by Toyota Motor North America.
Dell Children’s Medical Center is the only Pediatric Level I Trauma Center in Central Texas, serving as a regional leader in pediatric specialty care and injury prevention. As part of the Ascension Texas system of 14 hospitals and more than 120 clinic locations, Dell Children’s is uniquely positioned to advance child safety initiatives.
At the heart of this recognition is Dell Children’s dedicated Child Passenger Safety Technician Team, composed of four certified Instructors and four certified Technicians who work daily with patients, families and community members to keep children safe on the road.
- Meet the Team: Xiomara Barragan, Paula Bell, Barbara Cosart, Sarah Faiq, Brandon Medina Garcia, Stewart Williams, Raven Hood, Taylor Meehan.
To learn more about the work of the Dell Children’s Medical Center team, download this Team of the Year press release.
2026 National CPS Awards
Download and share: Here is the full list of 2026 CPS awards winners and nominees.
Sponsors
The 2026 National CPS Awards are presented by the National Child Passenger Safety Board and sponsored by Toyota Motor North America. For more information about Toyota, visit https://www.toyota.com/usa/