Nominees for ACSA’s Exemplary Woman in Education Award announced
Winner will be honored at Leadership Summit, Nov. 4-6
June 14, 2021
ACSA’s women’s award was created to lift up and recognize exemplary female leadership among the ranks of ACSA members. Its purpose is to spotlight women who have demonstrated courageous leadership, especially throughout the pandemic.
“This award comes with high expectations,” said Senior Director of Member Services Margarita Cuizon-Armelino. “The winner will have made noticeable contributions to her profession and has a demonstrated and clear desire to promote and grow other women leaders, all while under the pressures of a pandemic.”
A record number of nominations were submitted, which will make selecting one winner a challenge. The selection committee will be chaired by ACSA’s 2019 Exemplary Woman in Education Award winner, Dr. Cindy Petersen, superintendent/CEO of Gateway Charter Schools. The committee meets during the last week of June and will announce their winner in July. The winner will be honored at the November 2021 Leadership Summit and again at the Spring 2022 Women in School Leadership Forum.
“This award comes with high expectations.”
— Margarita Cuizon-Armelino, ACSA Senior Director of Member Services
Nominees for 2021 Exemplary Woman in Education Award
Cynthia Altemeyer, Senior Director, Human Resources, Monterey County Office of Education
Frances Baez, Local District Central Superintendent, LAUSD
Shannon Baker, Senior Director, Curriculum and Instruction, San Diego County Office of Education
Hilaria Bauer, Superintendent, Alum Rock Union School District
Jammie Behrendt, Assistant Superintendent, Menlo Park City School District
Susan Bishop, Director of Pupil Services, Moraga School District
Jennifer Brown, Principal, Walker Junior High School, AUHSD
Renae Bryant, Director of English Learner & Multilingual Services, Anaheim Union High School District
Nancy Bui, Principal, Rooftop Pk-8 School, San Francisco Unified School District
Roberta (Bobbi) Burkett, Assistant Superintendent, HR and Student Services, Alpine Union School District
Caroline Calero, Director of Educational Services, Hollister School District
Donna Campbell, Assistant Superintendent of Special Education & Student Services, Palmdale School District
Mary Castner, Elementary Principal, Temple Academy, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District
Angela Clark-Louque, Professor/Consultant, CSU San Bernardino Dept. of Educational Leadership
Paulette Cobb, Director of Special Education, San Benito High School District
Jennifer Earl, Principal, Hoover High School, Glendale Unified School District
Vivian Ekchian, Superintendent, Glendale Unified School District
Megan Esquer, Assistant Principal, Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School, Monrovia Unified School District
Judy Flores, Superintendent of Schools, Shasta County Office of Education, Shasta County
Cindy Frazee, Associate Superintendent, Human Resources, San Dieguito Union High School District
Yolanda Gardea, Principal, Van Nuys High School, Los Angeles Unified School District
Jennifer Gaviola, Deputy Superintendent, District Office, Paso Robles Joint Unified School District
Hannah Geddy, Assistant Superintendent Human Resources, Temple City Unified School District
Kip Glazer, Principal, San Marcos High School, Santa Barbara Unified School District
Lisa Gonzales, Chief Business Officer, Mt. Diablo Unified School District
Andree Grey, Superintendent, Encinitas Union School District
Trudy Gross, Associate Superintendent, Fremont Union High School District
Shannon Hansen, Assistant Superintendent, Business Services, San Benito County Office of Education
Dulcinea Hearn, Instructional Coordinator, San Diego Unified School District
Shana Henry, Principal, Encina Middle High School, San Juan Unified School District
Julianne Hoefer, Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services, Ocean View School District
Amy Illingworth, Assistant Superintendent Educational Services, Encinitas Union School District
Marian Kim-Phelps, Superintendent, Poway Unified School District
Debra Kubin, Superintendent, Ukiah Unified School District
Kathleen Leary, Director Early Child and After School Programs, Newport-Mesa Unified School District
Michele Lee, Principal, Charter Oak Adult Education
Sabrina Lee, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services, Solana Beach School District
Laura Lemos, Principal, Juarez Elementary, San Diego Unified School District
Kimberly Lewis, GLA, Computech Middle School, Fresno Unified School District
Delores B. Lindsey, Professor, CSU San Marcos
Kimberly MacKinney, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Oro Grande School District
Norma Martinez, Superintendent, Centralia Elementary School District
Christine McCormick, Assistant Superintendent, Gateway Community Charters
Robin McMillon, Principal, Rialto High School, Rialto Unified School District
Jennifer Meglemre, Principal, Dolores Huerta Middle School, Burbank Unified School District
Alexis Meron, Assistant Principal, Bohannon Middle School, San Lorenzo Unified School District
Terry Metzger, Superintendent, Denair Unified School District
Melissa Moore, Superintendent, El Segundo Unified School District
Michele Mower, Principal, Beech Avenue Elementary, Fontana Unified School District
LaRonda Ortega, Elementary School Principal, Arthur F. Corey Elementary School, Buena Park School District
Elodia Ortega-Lampkin, Associate Superintendent Educational Services, Woodland Joint Unified School District
Kim Ortiz, Director of Pleasanton New Teacher Project, Pleasanton Unified School District
Grace Park, Associate Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, Innovation, and Support Division, Chino Valley Unified School District
Dana Pedersen, Superintendent, Guerneville School District
Joan Perez, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, San Gabriel Unified School District
Kim Reed, Assistant Superintendent Education Services, Lakeside Union School District
Erica Renfree, Principal, Junipero Serra High School, San Diego Unified School District
Ziggy Robeson, Superintendent, Ripon Unified School District
Regina Rossall, Superintendent, Westside Union School District
Sherry Segura, CEO, The Foundation for Hispanic Education
Shana Smith, Assistant Director, Employee Development Department, Human Resources, San Bernardino City Unified School District
Angela Stevenson, Principal, Martin Luther King Junior High School, Pittsburg Unified School District
Adele Thomas, Director of Professional Development and Teacher Support, District Office, Fontana Unified School District
Robin Torres, Assistant Superintendent HR, El Monte Union High School District
Karen Villalobos, Superintendent/Principal, Twin Rivers Charter School, Yuba City Unified School District
Terry Walker, Assistant Superintendent, Instructional Services, Keppel Union Elementary
Denise Wickham, Deputy Superintendent of Personnel Services, Ceres Unified School District
Beth Wodecki, Assistant Superintendent, Secondary Education, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
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