Past Winners

Claudia Schrader (M.A. ’92, Ed.M. ’01, Ed.D. ’02) is currently serving as the interim president of York College, CUNY. Previously, she was president of CUNY’s Kingsborough Community College, which was recognized as one of the nation’s top 10 community colleges under her leadership. Schrader has also held top roles at Bronx Community College, William Paterson University and Medgar Evers College. A peer evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Dr. Schrader is a member of the NYC Habitat Board of Directors and is the head of the Eta Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Louis N. Wool (Ed.D.’ 14) has served as the superintendent of Westchester County’s Harrison School District for 22 years. By prioritizing equity and access — like through Harrison HS’s International Baccalaureate program — Wool’s leadership has resulted in academic advancements for all students in the district and notable recognition from publications like U.S. News & World Report. His career in education has also included service as Harrison’s assistant superintendent for instruction, as well as 18 years in the Mount Vernon City School District as a teacher and administrator. Dr. Wool was recognized as superintendent of the year (2010) by the NY State Council of School Superintendents.

Researcher, practitioner, and prolific author, Dr. Bensimon is committed to advancing racial equity and opportunities for historically marginalized populations in American higher education. Through critical illumination of blind spots in educational policymakers’ and practitioners’ thinking, and invention of research-guided interventions, she has continually sought to turn her research into tools and models for thinking and acting, towards enhanced equity.

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A. Brooks Bowden (M. Phil. ’13, Ph.D. ’14) is a leading education policy scholar focused on reducing barriers for student success by offering actionable insights through economic analysis to inform policy and practice. She is an associate professor at the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, where she leads the Center for Benefit-Cost Studies of Education. A graduate of TC’s Education Policy program, Dr. Bowden serves as an editor of AERA’s Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis journal. Her numerous published titles include Economic Evaluation in Education: Cost-Effectiveness and Benefit-Cost Analysis.

Vikash Reddy (M. Phil. ’15, Ph.D. ’16) serves as the vice president of research at the Campaign for College Opportunity, where he leads numerous research projects focusing on higher education policy issues, specifically equity reform at American community colleges. His entrance into the policy space followed time as a third-grade teacher. Dr. Reddy has conducted critical work at the California Policy Lab at UC Berkeley, as well as the Community College Research Center and the Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness at Teachers College. His numerous publications include the book Performance Funding in Higher Education, which he co-authored during his time at TC.

A twenty-year teacher, teacher educator, and researcher, Dr. Fagan’s work through the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) field fosters inclusivity in the classroom and beyond, touching lives around the country and the world.

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Beverly Elmyra Johnson (Ed.M. ’83, Ed.D. ’86) is a dedicated educator, social worker and champion of Teachers College. Her 40-year career in education included classroom teaching, teacher preparation at the higher education level, and time as a school counselor for elementary and middle school aged students. Dr. Johnson, a long-time member of the College’s Maxine Greene Society (which recognizes three or more consecutive years of giving to TC), has served TC in numerous capacities, with roles on the Alumni Council, the 125th Anniversary Gala Committee and the Where the Future Comes First campaign committee. In 2017, she established the Beverly Elmyra Johnson Scholarship, an endowed scholarship for students in the Art & Art Education program.

Dr. Boultbee's tenure at Teachers College began in 1989 as a student and part-time employee in the International Student Office. Her career path eventually led to her serving as the Director of International Services from 2001-2009. After retiring, she became an active member of the Alumni Council, and President from 2017-2019. Her dedication to TC is palpable, and she can often be found on campus volunteering for student and alumni events.

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Maryalice “Ali” Mazzara (Ed.D. ’84) is a highly recognized and regarded leader in designing and implementing globally focused educational, arts, and business programs and projects. Her work often includes partnerships with diplomats, business executives, and thought and cultural leaders. In 2021 she was selected to be a U.S. Department of State Fulbright Scholar to China.