Horace Mann joins AASA in recognizing the 2023 Women in School Leadership recipients

San Antonio, Texas - Feb. 17, 2023 – As part of a long-standing tradition to create more pathways for women who wish to enter the field of education administration, Horace Mann, is proud to partner with, AASA, The School Superintendents Association, to announce the honorees of the 2023 AASA Women in School Leadership Awards.

Today’s announcement was held at the organization’s National Conference on Education. The award, sponsored by Horace Mann and AASA, pays tribute to the talent, creativity and vision of outstanding women educational administrators in the nation's public schools.

The honorees in each category were as follows:

  • Superintendent Award: Tiffany Anderson, Topeka (Kan.) Public Schools
  • Central Office/Principal Award (for any female central-office or building-level leader): Cheyanne Fant, district director of nutrition services and afterschool programs, Barren County (Ky.) Schools

"Horace Mann is excited to partner with AASA in an effort to spotlight the positive changes being made in our school districts by women leaders," Marita Zuraitis, president and CEO, Horace Mann. "The outstanding women we are honoring at AASA’s National Conference on Education are effectively navigating a constantly changing landscape. At Horace Mann, we are committed to recognizing and celebrating the achievements of leaders in education and assisting all educators to secure a strong financial future.

"Significantly increasing the number of women in education administrative positions and recognizing those who are taking on bold and innovative challenges is why we are proud to congratulate our 2023 Women in School Leadership honorees," said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. "This award continues to serve as an example of accelerating a national movement to spotlight female education champions while creating more pathways for talented women who wish to further their professional development and grow their careers."

The applicants were measured against the following criteria:

  • Leadership for learning – creativity in successfully meeting the needs of students in the school system
  • Communication – strength in both personal and organizational communication
  • Professionalism – constant improvement of administrative knowledge and skills, while providing professional development opportunities and motivation to others on the education team
  • Community involvement – active participation in local community activities and an understanding of regional, national and international issues

For more information about the program, visit the AASA website or contact Jennifer Rooney, AASA director, meetings and awards, at jrooney@aasa.org.

Regarded as the most comprehensive professional learning and networking event for school superintendents and administrators, AASA’s National Conference on Education addresses the most critical issues affecting public education today, including leading through the COVID-19 pandemic, health and wellness, equity in education, social and emotional learning, personalizing education, technology and school safety.

For more information about the 2023 National Conference on Education, access AASA’s Conference Daily Online.

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.