Willowbrook DECA adviser named 2026 Illinois DECA Marketing Educator of the Year

On March 6, Willowbrook Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher and DECA adviser Laura Lopez (pictured above) was named as the 2026 Illinois DECA Marketing Educator of the Year.

Lopez was honored and recognized during the Illinois Career Development Conference in Rosemont. She was nominated by DECA colleagues for her leadership within the region and state organization and was selected as this year’s award recipient by fellow Illinois DECA advisers. 

Lopez helped implement DECA at Willowbrook in 2012 and has served as the adviser since that time. She has been a DECA adviser for 20 years total and is currently a member of the Illinois DECA Executive Board.

DECA is a competitive club that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. For more information about DECA, go to www.deca.org.