Announcing the 2023 ACSA awards winners
March 27, 2023
ACSA’s annual Awards Program honors educational leaders who strive to create and support equitable educational opportunities for California students.
Administrators of the Year awards in 21 categories and five special awards are given to outstanding educational leaders and one school-community partnership program.
This year’s recipients are no exception, representing the excellence, dedication and innovation of administrators throughout the state.
Nominations were submitted to the leadership of ACSA’s 19 regions, with more than 250 finalists presented to the 2023 Awards Committee for consideration at the state level.
Past President Charlie Hoffman chaired the committee, which is made up of current board members Roxane Fuentes, Grant Bennett, Julie Olesniewicz and Gina Lynch. Their selections were approved by the ACSA Board Executive Committee, and winners were personally notified of their award.
The 2023 recipients will be featured in EdCal beginning in June and will be honored at the Leadership Summit Statewide Awards Ceremony, Nov. 3 in Sacramento. More information about the 2023 Leadership Summit and recognition event will be available in the coming months at acsa.org/leadershipsummit.
Visit acsa.org/awards to learn how you can nominate colleagues for next year’s program.
2023 Special Awards and Administrator of the Year recipients
ACSA’s Awards Committee has announced the following winners for its Special Awards and Administrator of the Year Awards.
Special Awards
Ferd. Kiesel Memorial Distinguished Service Award
Ron Carruth
Superintendent, El Dorado Union HSD
Region 2
Marcus Foster Memorial Award for Administrator Excellence
Susan Salcido
Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools, Santa Barbara COE
Region 13
Robert E. Kelly Award
Kathy Wehunt
Region 15
Valuing Diversity Award
Natalie Taylor
Director of Intervention and English Learner Programs, Claremont USD
Region 15
Partners in Educational Excellence Award
LA Metropolitan YMCA
Region 16
2023 Administrators of the Year
Superintendent of the Year
Cheryl Jordan
Superintendent, Milpitas USD
Region 8
Secondary Principal of the Year
Erika Tejeda
Principal, Liberty High Schools, Perris Union HSD
Region 19
Middle Grades Principal of the Year
Christa Glembocki
Principal, Dwyer Middle School, Huntington Beach CSD
Region 17
Elementary Principal of the Year
Justine Turner
Principal, Oakbrook Academy of the Arts TK-8, Fairfield-Suisun USD
Region 4
Central Office Administrator of the Year
Joy Ceasar
Director of Learning, Instruction & Accountability, El Centro ESD
Region 18
Secondary Co-Administrator of the Year
Monica Luther
Assistant Principal, Orange High School, Orange USD
Region 17
Elementary Co-Administrator of the Year
Nate Diamantine
Assistant Principal, Patricia Kay Beaver Leadership Magnet, Ceres USD
Region 7
Classified Leader of the Year
Corrin Conley
Personnel Services Director, East Whittier CSD
Region 15
Confidential Employee of the Year
Priscila Caballero
Senior Executive Assistant, County Superintendent of Schools, Santa Clara COE
Region 8
Personnel/Human Resources Administrator of the Year
Brian Meisenheimer
Associate Superintendent of Human Resources, Merced CSD
Region 9
Adult Education Administrator of the Year
Michelle Claprood Lee
Principal, Charter Oak Adult Education, Charter Oak USD
Region 15
Career Technical Education Administrator of the Year
Alicia Caddell
Career Technical Education Coordinator, Folsom Cordova USD
Region 3
Special Education Administrator of the Year
Nanette Gray
Senior SELPA Director, Pleasanton USD/Tri-Valley SELPA
Region 6
Superintendent/Principal of the Year
Karen Villalobos
Superintendent/Principal, Twin Rivers Charter School, Yuba City USD Charter Authorizer
Region 2
Business Services Administrator of the Year
Kimberlie Linz
Chief Business Official, El Segundo USD
Region 14
Student Services Administrator of the Year
Donna Campbell
Assistant Superintendent of Student Services/Special Education, Palmdale SD
Region 15
Curriculum & Instruction Administrator of the Year
Lisa Cruikshank
Director of Special Projects, Thermalito Union ESD
Region 2
Continuation/Educational Options Administrator of the Year
Maria Lopez-Cisneros
Principal, Valley Oak High School and Napa Valley Independent Studies, Napa Valley USD
Region 4
Professor of Education of the Year
Maureen Latham
Superintendent in Residence, Azusa Pacific University
Region 19
Retired Administrator of the Year
Julie Braun Martin
Region 6
Technology Administrator of the Year
Christine Jones
Coordinator of Educational Technology, Palmdale SD
Region 15
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