Awards & Recognitions
First General Session | Monday, January 29, 2024 | 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Martha Salazar-Zamora
Superintendent, Tomball ISD
Texas Nominee for 2024 National Superintendent of the Year & 2023 Texas Superintendent of the Year
James B. Crow
Executive Director, Retired, Texas Association of School Boards (TASB)
2023 Golden Deeds for Education Award
Honorary Life Members
School Leaders Selected for TASA Honorary Life Membership in 2023-24
Jennifer Spears
Principal, Popham Elementary, Del Valle ISD
2024 Johnny L. Veselka Scholarship Recipient
Lorie Squalls
Area Superintendent, Richardson ISD
2024 Johnny L. Veselka Scholarship Recipient
Alief ISD and Dallas ISD
These districts’ school architecture projects were selected for the Caudill Award, the highest honor in the annual Exhibit of School Architecture competition.
Second General Session | Tuesday, January 30, 2024 | 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Taniece Thompson-Smith
5th Grade Science Teacher, Stafford Elementary, Abilene ISD
2024 Texas Teacher of the Year
Naveen Cunha
8th Grade Robotics 1 Teacher, Stephen F. Austin Middle School, Bryan ISD
2024 Texas Secondary
Teacher of the Year
Cheryl Beard
Gifted/Talented Education Administrator, Garland ISD
TAGT 2023 State Administrator of the Gifted
Julie Novak
Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations, Fort Sam Houston ISD
TASBO 2023 Commitment to Excellence Award Winner
Kevin Worthy
Superintendent, Royse City ISD (Recently Retired)
2022-23 Texas Education Technology Leaders (formerly Texas K-12 CTO Council) Empowered Superintendent
Sommer Reynolds
Assistant Principal, Little Cypress Elementary, Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD
NAESP (in partnership with TEPSA) 2023 National Assistant Principal of the Year for Texas
Nikol Youngberg
Principal, Flour Bluff Primary & Elementary, Flour Bluff ISD
NAESP (in partnership with TEPSA) 2023 National Distinguished Principal of the Year for Texas
Kelsey Taylor
Frenship 9th Grade Center, Frenship ISD
TASSP 2023-24 Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year
Angelee Morales
Ouida Baley Middle School, Royse City ISD
TASSP 2023-24 Outstanding Middle School Principal of the Year
Charles Ryan
Principal, Community High School, Community ISD
TASSP 2023-24 Outstanding High School Principal of the Year
Marcy Corley
Director of Professional Learning, Frisco ISD
2024 Outstanding Professional Learning Award – Learning Forward Texas
Dr. Jennifer Perry
Executive Director of Instruction and Advanced Academics, Birdville ISD
2024 Outstanding Professional Learning Award – Learning Forward Texas