World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth Honors Teacher Julia Wilson with 2026 International Educator of the Year Award

Julia Wilson, an educator at Trinity High School in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District (HEBISD), has been named the 2026 International Educator of the Year (IEY) by the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Wilson is associated with the Council through the Junior World Affairs Council (JWAC) program.
The Council supports high-school level educators devoted to enriching their students’ knowledge of world affairs and expanding their international learning opportunities. The IEY award honors these educators who go above and beyond their typical responsibilities.
The 2026 IEY Award luncheon will be held on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 11:00 at Fairmont Dallas and features a conversation with Diplomat in Residence at Southern Methodist University’s Tower Center and former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Robert Jordan.
During the critical period following the attacks of 9/11, Ambassador Jordan led American efforts to maintain relations with Saudi Arabia, enlist Saudi cooperation in combating terrorism, and advance U.S. values and interests. He has been a frequent commentator with international media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, Bloomberg, and the New York Times. He is a contributing columnist for the Dallas Morning News and his memoir, Desert Diplomat: Inside Saudi Arabia Following 9/11, was published by Potomac Books.
Wilson is an educator with 25 years of experience and currently serves as the International Baccalaureate Coordinator at Trinity High School. Prior to this role, she was an International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement teacher and the Social Studies Department Chair at Trinity. She is the sponsor of the Trinity Junior World Affairs Council Junior World Affairs Council, the most active chapter in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, featuring a weeklong Trinity Culture Week with activities for students daily.
In 2023 Wilson was awarded the HEBISD Educational Foundation Double Grant; and in 2025 she was awarded a spot on the Council’s United Arab Emirates teacher study tour. Her principal Ronald Pugh describes her as “one of the heartbeats of our campus” and “one of the most selfless humans I have ever met.”
Julia holds an M.Ed in Educational Technology and Leadership with numerous teaching certifications, serves as part of the Council’s teacher advisory and as an AP reader for U.S. Government and Politics. She is the proud mother of two sons.
More information can be found, and individual tickets can be purchased at dfwworld.org. https://www.dfwworld.org/event/2026-iey/.