In 1988, seeing a need for collaboration in the Utah international educator field and deciding to act, Kathy Firmage founded the Utah Board of International Educators (UBIE). Kathy worked in K-12 education, and her three and a half decades of service in the international field is an inspiration to many. After Kathy created UBIE, she remained as part of the leadership until her retirement in 2018. The purpose of this award is to recognize those who exemplify and embrace such dedication to the international field.