IAOTP to honor Denise McCormick in New York

Denise McCormick will be recognized by the International Association of Top Professionals as Most Inspirational Author and Educational Coach for 2026 at the group’s annual gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York this December. The honor highlights her three decades in education, her coaching work and her profile as an author, speaker and mentor.

Why it matters: - IAOTP is giving McCormick a top honor that can amplify her visibility as an education coach, author and speaker. - The recognition also underscores the growing profile of professionals who combine classroom experience, mentorship and public-facing thought leadership.

What happened: - The International Association of Top Professionals selected Denise McCormick as Most Inspirational Author and Educational Coach for 2026. - IAOTP will honor McCormick at its annual awards gala in December at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. - McCormick is a world-renowned educational coach and six-time international best-selling author. - IAOTP said only one Author & Educational Coach receives this distinction. - The organization cited McCormick’s determination, integrity and commitment to her field.

The details: - McCormick has more than 30 years of experience in education, including work from elementary through graduate-level teaching. - McCormick leads Success Mindset Mentorship LLC and runs the private Facebook group The Educator’s Edge. - McCormick appears on podcasts and TV shows to discuss success mindset and overcoming adversity. - McCormick is also an associate producer with Dr. Angela Sadler Williamson’s PBS documentary Authentic Conversations. - McCormick’s work focuses on helping educators prioritize self-care, personal growth, resilience and confidence. - Her writing has appeared in books including Ordinary Miracles, Women Who Impact, Women Who Shine, Never Mind the Monkey Mind, Polly the Talking Collie: I Am Taking 100% Responsibility, Leading With Legacy and Top Fifty Fearless Leaders. - McCormick is working on a new book, The Power of Living in the Moment, in a mastermind led by Jack Canfield and Steve Harrison. - McCormick serves on the board of directors for Links Across Borders, a nonprofit based in Ontario, Canada, and Ghana, West Africa. - In May 2024, McCormick traveled to Ghana to support that work. - McCormick spent five years as primary delegation leader for People to People Student Ambassadors, guiding 40 middle school students on educational trips across ten countries. - McCormick studied at Iowa State University and Iowa Wesleyan University. - McCormick earned an M.A.E. in education, a K-12 reading specialist credential and a K-8 reading endorsement from Viterbo University. - McCormick received the State of Iowa Literacy Award in 2000. - In 2023, McCormick was recognized by Marquis Who’s Who in America and featured on the cover of Insight Magazine. - McCormick was also named by The Wall Street Journal as one of nine Distinguished Leaders of 2024. - McCormick received multiple 2024 honors, including Top Best-Selling Author, Educational Coach of the Year 2024 and Empowered Woman of the Year. - McCormick was named Top Best-Selling Author & Educational Coach of the Decade by IAOTP last year. - McCormick appeared in the Winter 2025 edition of Vogue Magazine. - IAOTP also selected McCormick for its Top 25 Global Impact Leaders list this year. - McCormick is a Certified Jack Canfield Trainer in The Success Principles and a member of the World Class Speaker Society. - McCormick delivers workshops and keynote presentations as a motivational speaker and trainer.

Between the lines: - IAOTP’s honor fits a broader pattern in which recognition groups reward professionals with a mix of credentials, media presence and public influence. - McCormick’s portfolio blends education, authorship, nonprofit work and speaking, which gives the award reach beyond a single field. - The repeated emphasis on resilience, self-care and women’s leadership suggests McCormick’s brand is built around personal development as much as technical education support.

What’s next: - McCormick will be celebrated at IAOTP’s December gala in New York. - McCormick says she hopes to continue inspiring people entering the field. - More information is available in IAOTP’s award gala announcement and on McCormick’s website. - A video about McCormick is also available online.

The bottom line: - IAOTP is elevating Denise McCormick as a nationally visible education and leadership figure, with the December gala serving as the latest marker in a long recognition-filled career.