Past Winners

TC Faculty Emerita Dr. Boehm has focused on the importance of the early childhood years in the discipline of School Psychology. Her groundbreaking research led to the identification of basic relational concepts (e.g., same, least, left) as critical vocabulary used in virtually all classroom instruction and test directions. She created the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts (the first assessment of its kind) to measure knowledge of these relational concepts which, if lacking, impacts the learning of students from all backgrounds and can be particularly challenging for those with special needs.

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Addressing the bridge between cultural responsiveness and dysphagia practice through his clinical practice, teaching, research and writing, Dr. Riquelme also emphasizes the importance of reducing bias in the practice of medical speech-language pathology by encouraging all healthcare providers to recognize a patient’s multiplicity of cultures and the influence this has on their overall health outcomes. He focuses on promoting best practices in the management of dysphagia nationally and internationally.

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Lisa C. DeLorenzo (Ed.D. ’87) is a critically acclaimed scholar in music education. Prior to serving on the faculty at Montclair State University, from which she recently retired, DeLorenzo taught in Pennsylvania public schools. Her later studies with scholar John Godlad led to a profound interest in democratic practice teaching and examining education inequity. 

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.