AASA Names 2024 Women in School Leadership Award Finalists
November 21, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
James Minichello
703-774-6953
jminichello@aasa.org
Alexandria, Va. – Nov. 21, 2023 – AASA, The School Superintendents Association, is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2024 Women in School Leadership Awards. The awards, sponsored by the Horace Mann Educators Corporation and AASA, pay tribute to the talent, creativity and vision of outstanding women educational administrators in the nation’s public schools.
Today’s announcement comes at a time when we’ve only had a modest gain in the number of women in the superintendency over the past few years. According to the 2022-23 AASA Superintendent Salary Study, 26.22 percent of superintendents were female in 2022, compared to 22.60 percent in 2012.
“Horace Mann is proud to partner with AASA to recognize the 2024 finalists for the prestigious AASA Women in School Leadership Awards,” said Marita Zuraitis, president, Horace Mann Educators Corporation. “We applaud AASA’s commitment to increasing the number of opportunities for women to secure leadership positions in school systems across the country.”
“We applaud AASA’s commitment to increasing the number of opportunities for women to secure leadership positions in school systems across the country.”
“Given the rapid changes happening throughout the public education spectrum, I am proud that AASA continues to serve as a national driver to increase the number of women in district administration positions. That’s precisely why this recognition is mission critical to our organization,” said David R. Schuler, executive director, AASA. “Our nation is filled with phenomenal women who have the ability to create future-driven and forward-leaning changes in the lives of the students they are serving. We congratulate our finalists, and we are most grateful to Horace Mann for supporting this program.”
The finalists are:
The Central Office/ Principal Category
- Romy DeCristofaro, assistant superintendent of student services, Evanston/Skokie District 65, Evanston, Ill.
- Liann Hanson, director of standards-based instruction, Fargo Public Schools, Fargo, N.D.
The Superintendent Category
- Kimberly Carter, superintendent, Battle Creek Public Schools, Battle Creek, Mich.
- Deborah Wortham, superintendent, Roosevelt Union Free School District, Roosevelt, N.Y.
Candidates are judged on leadership in meeting the learning needs of students, personal and organizational communication strength, constant professional improvement of knowledge and skills, and active community involvement.
“Given the rapid changes happening throughout the public education spectrum, I am proud that AASA continues to serve as a national driver to increase the number of women in district administration positions.”
The final award recipients in each category will be announced during the AASA National Conference on Education, Feb. 15-17, 2024, in San Diego, Calif. For more information about the Women in School Leadership Awards, please visit the AASA website or contact Jennifer Rooney, AASA senior director of meetings and awards, at jrooney@aasa.org.
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About AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.
