Gov. Kim Reynolds announced this week the names of 16 members of her first Governor’s Teachers Cabinet, which is being convened to give teachers a more prominent voice in education policy decisions.

Sheila Graham, Welding Instructor at the Career Academy of Pella was named among the first seven. Graham was recognized as the 2017 American Welding Society Howard Adkins Instructor of the Year. In August Reynolds announced the first seven members and sought additional nominations from the public by Oct. 15. Iowans submitted the names of 46 candidates for consideration.

The first meeting will be Jan. 4 in Des Moines.