Without educators, where would we be?
We’re excited to be highlighting the winners and honorable mentions of the 2024 Excellence in Equity Awards during Teacher Appreciation Week! Click on the names below to learn about these outstanding educators, practitioners and leaders.
Congratulations — and thank you to everyone who’s working to make teaching and learning more equitable and inclusive.
2024 Winners
Champion of Equity
General Education Teacher
Champion of Equity
Special Education
Champion of Equity
Social-Emotional Learning
Champion of Equity
Mental Health Professional
Champion of Equity
Technology Leadership
Champion of Equity
Support Staff
Champion of Equity
Librarian or Media Specialist
Champion of Equity
Teacher Recruitment and Retention
Champion of Equity
Resilient Schools and Districts
Champion of Equity
District Leadership
Champion of Equity
School Leadership
Champion of Equity
Higher Education
Honorable Mentions
Saido Abdirashid, Special Education Director at Multiple Districts
Karen Blaha, Assistant Professor at University of St. Francis
Dr. Antonio Boyd, President and CEO Think Tank Consulting Group, Lecturer Northeastern University, Columnist Getting Smart at Northeastern University, South Carolina After School Alliance
Anna Marie Candelario, Director of Planning and Development of CUSD 308 Oswego, IL
Nury Castillo Crawford, Executive Director of Madison Metropolitan School District
Dr. Jennifer Cruz, Superintendent at Pendergast Elementary School District
Kevin Gallagher, Computer and Data Science Educator at Keystone Oaks High School, Keystone Oaks School District
Amy Handy, Teacher at Laurel High School Laurel School District
Matthew Iske, Founder & General Manager / Entrepreneurship Teacher at Abraxas High School / Poway
Dominique Janeway, Education Specialist- School Improvement at Education Service Center- Region 2
Dr. Lori Koerner, Assistant Superintendent at Riverhead CSD
Dr. Latasha Casterlow-Lalla, Supervisor of Visual & Performing Arts at Passaic Public Schools
Dr. Catherine Linhardt, STEAM & Technology Integration Specialist at Pendergast Elementary School District
Dr. Oscar Macias, Director of Equity, Access, and Family Engagement at Glendale Unified
Joanna McDonough, Dean of Teaching and Learning at Brooks School, North Andover, MA
Sean Mullins, Instructional Technology Director at Olympia CUSD 16
Sheri Murphy, Assistant Principal at Frederick High School Frederick County Public Schools, MD
Hilda Ortega-Rosales, Pendergast District Governing Board Member at Pendergast Elementary School District
Susan Shapiro, Associate Professor at Touro Graduate School of Education
Gladys Faith Spencer, Special Education Teacher at Floyd Central High School
Dr. LaTanya Strange, Coordinator, Diversity, Equity and Family Engagement at Desert Sands Unified School District – Administrative Offices
