AASA Announces 2025 Women in School Leadership Award Finalists

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Erin McCallum
Associate Executive Director, Strategy & Communications
emccallum@aasa.org

Alexandria, Va. – Nov. 18, 2024 – AASA, The School Superintendents Association, is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2025 Women in School Leadership Awards.

The awards, presented by AASA in partnership with Horace Mann Educators Corporation, recognize outstanding female leaders who have made significant contributions to education in two key categories: Superintendent and Central Office/Principal.

“Horace Mann is proud to partner with AASA to recognize the 2025 finalists for the prestigious AASA Women in School Leadership Awards,” said Marita Zuraitis, president, Horace Mann Educators Corporation. “The passion, dedication, and vision demonstrated by these finalists significantly impacts both students and educators every day.”

The 2025 Women in School Leadership Award finalists are:

Central Office/ Principal Category

• Alicen Gaytley, Director of Teaching and Learning, Quincy School District (Wash.)
• Jennifer Halter, Principal, Clay High School, Clay County District Schools (Fla.)

Superintendent Category

• Wendy Birhanzel, Superintendent, Harrison School District 2 (Colo.)
• Martha Salazar-Zamora, Superintendent, Tomball Independent School District (Texas)

These remarkable leaders have demonstrated a deep commitment to student success, staff development, and innovation in education.

“These remarkable leaders have demonstrated a deep commitment to student success, staff development, and innovation in education. We are thrilled to honor their achievements and showcase their outstanding contributions to public education,” said David R. Schuler, Executive Director of AASA.

Finalists will be evaluated on their leadership in meeting the learning needs of students, personal and organizational communication strength, constant professional improvement of knowledge and skills, and active community involvement.

The final award recipients in each category will be announced during the 2025 AASA National Conference on Education, March 6-8 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

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.

About Horace Mann
Horace Mann Educators Corporation is the largest financial services company focused on helping America's educators and others who serve the community achieve lifelong financial success. The company offers individual and group insurance and financial solutions tailored to the needs of the educator community. Founded by Educators for Educators® in 1945, the company is headquartered in Springfield, Illinois.