Awards Presented to 287 School Employees in the 16th District
BRADENTON, Fla. — Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan announced the recipients of his Congressional Education Awards. Buchanan established the Congressional Education Awards 12 years ago to give special recognition to administrators, educators and support staff in Florida’s 16th Congressional District for exceptional achievement.
“The educators and staff in our district are the true champions of student success,” said Buchanan. “Their daily dedication to our students and community is remarkable, and I’m proud to recognize them for their truly invaluable work.”
The following recipients were nominated and selected to receive Florida’s 16th District’s 2026 Congressional Education Award for their accomplishments:
- Barbara Harvey K-8 at North River Ranch: Lisa Peterson
- Braden River High School: Toni Garrett
- Braden River Middle School: Jane Beach, Christopher Brown, Andre Bryant, Kiera Gallon, Erin Lamaitis, Michele McClellan and Kathleen Stewart-Arande
- Buffalo Creek Middle School: Ken Huston, Michael Kawalya, Mandy Kersey and Courtney O’Leary
- Daughtrey Elementary School: Albana Balatoni, Evelyn Collado and Ashley Roberts
- Dorothy C York Innovation Academy: Jerry Turner and Kimberly Wheeler
- Dr. Mona Jain Middle School: David Moore
- Electa Lee Middle School: Elizabeth Ballate, Larry Benton, Melissa Causey, Joannie Cruz, Rebecca Farrell, Jacob Grimes, Luisa Jimenez, Ann McDonald, Tammila Smith, Sheree Thomas and Rodney Thompson
- Gene Witt Elementary School: Jennifer Alcantara, Charity Applegate, Brenda Arnold, Debra Barnard, Karen Barrett, Keary Bartless, Rina Becker, Brian Beverly, Cheryl Bice, Lisa Blakemore, Jennie Boone, Lisa Boyer, Beth Brack, Josiah Brooks, Megan Brown, Tom Brugos, Cheryl Bulfin, Catherine Burke, Amanda Cannon, Angela Cannon, Darren Carnes, Lauren Collins, Dawn Contes, Bill Culbreath, Olivia Danko, Cynthia Deras, Michelle Figueroa, Maddie Flinkman, Cindy Fosbenner, Tracylyn Frisch, Sharon Gagne, Susan Gallagher, Genda Garner, Amie Golden, Mary Green, Danielle Guida, Sarah Hammond, Erica Harris, Jenna Holden, Amy Holland, Amanda Houston, Kim Roberson Hoy, Ana Ibarra, Colleen Inners, Beverly Jackson, Susan Johnson, Peggy Linder, Amy Lindsey, Eileen McCourt, Lauren McDaniel, Taylor McLaughlin, Kristen Nunn, April Pellegrino, Lliana Perez, Debra Pope, Ali Pumphrey, Aniris Rivera, Jill Rubin, Laura Schuneman, Karrin Scully, Tracy Seiler, Machelle Sharp, Danielle Shaw, Michelle Shilling, Nicole Smith, Natasha Smith, Joanne Sollazzo, Cami Tabor, Brooke Tovar, Palak Trivedi, Stacey Vedder, Kelly Walker, Dave Walker, Susan Wheeler, Susan Whiddon, Lisa Wilkes, Katie Wilson, Nancy Wittner and Allison Wykes
- Haile Middle School: Amie Poole and Anthony Vasile
- Hillsborough County Schools: Johan Von Ancken
- Johnson K-8 School: Karen Gardiner
- Lakewood Ranch High School: Joseph Tommy Cuervo, Rennie Fink, Kristen Martin, Yesika Salcido, Meghan Sugalski, Donna Thomas, Bryan Thomas and Julie Young
- Lennard High School: Denise Savino
- Lincoln Middle School: Lisandra Tayloe
- Manatee High School: Aaron Bokelman and Jennifer Reynolds
- McNeal Elementary School: Andrea Berninger, Jorge Cabrera Espinosa, Michelle Dubendorf, Martha Ferra, Kathryn Flesche, Sarah Ford, Jeanine Germer, Amy Jendro, Vyacheslav Kolomiychenko, Dr. Shawn Mandel, Lillian Matazinski, Donna McCrane, Emma Mileham, Alex Padgett, Tina Peters, Adrienne Robotham, Beatrix Schaeffer and Catherine Sykes
- Miller Elementary School: Cynthia Bigelow, Debbie Brady, Sandra Hoffman, Amy Morris, Jennifer Pettas, Katelyn Potter and Michelle Westendorf
- Mills Elementary School: Trisha Roth
- Morgan High School: Rebecca Dougherty, Adria Reyes, Ebony Robinson and Brittney Wilhelm
- Mulrennan Middle School: Jennifer Stout-Ihland
- Myakka City Elementary School: Angelica Guerra-Guerra, Leslie Jones, Debbie Veldkamp and Karen Washington
- Newsome High School: Brittany Avery, Katie Best, John Feely, Carin Galimore, Aaron Haygood, Erich Herrmann, Jessica Lincoln, Lisa Maiello, April McGinley, Sardis Mercado, Vernessa Neu, Nancy Ohme, Nikki Pennington, Amanda Ryan, Carolyn Sims, Kimberly Tyll and Richard Unis
- Palm View K-8 School: Cindy Hutchinson and Brenda Van Horn
- Palmetto Elementary School: Kelly Howard
- Palmetto High School: Kathleen Brown
- Parrish Community High School: Amanda Hedman
- Manatee County Schools: Erin Chapman and Sheri Goodwin
- Reddick Elementary School: Analiese Cook, Kimberly Cooke and Julie Holubetz
- Riverview High School: Brian Adams, Taquanda Carlton, Ashley Clark, Ann Cruz, Lisa Feroben, Wancarlie Garnier, Carol Huftalen, Jeremy Murrell, Suzie Ratliff, Jessica Rodrigues, Pamela Smith, Rachal Stewart and Danielle Weigand
- Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary School: Christine Averitt, Rebecca Britto, Amy Cosens, Cassie D’Addeo, Michael Escorcia, Derek Hernandez, Julia Huffman, Albina Lopez, Barbara Marinaro and Jamie Rozek-Potter
- Samoset Elementary School: Rosaih Alvarez, Nicole Candelora Baker, Jennifer Bue, Hailey Cosby, Susan Crowley, Nuris Fanning, Katie Fleck, Yalimary Gonzalez, Rachel Griggs, Michelle Halbman, Sabra Hatley, Dottie Hodges, Teairra Horne, Rebecca Humphrey, Deelah Jackson, Rosa Johnson, Krista Keats, Keala Keiper, Yumi Kondo, Jamie Lavigne, Blue Lovell, Tawanda Means, Patti Mike, Lorraine Miller, Ariana Morales, Lakieffa Nickens, Peggy O’Connor, Stephanie O’Kelly, Andrea Padron, Andrea Perez, Tricia Pez, Tess Priest, Bonnie Raad, Donna Stoddart, Randy Taylor, Brittany Thigpen, Judith Vierra, Maddy Walter, Kelly Smith Williams and Lisa Wood
- School District of Manatee Transportation: Titinysha Holmes, Charlene Love, Carlos Lux Montano and Blanca Riojas
- Sea Breeze Elementary School: Jeff Bailey
- South County Career Acceleration Academy: Julia Boyett, Josephine Byers, Thomas Chapman, Emily Johnson-Lerch and Jennifer Woods
- Southeast High School: Rochelle Banach
- St. Stephen’s Episcopal School: Tyler Cotton
- State College of Florida Collegiate School: Julia Hathaway, Gulnaz Kalimullina, Ashley MacMunn and Thomas Shanafelt
- Sugg Middle School: Erin Craig and Dr. Terrance Marshall
- Sumner High School: Catherine Leon Gonzalez, Leah Henson, Autumn Hernandez, Juan Hernandez, Mike Layfield, Amanda Morehouse, Amber Pirotta, Jason Talley and Christine Wasylkiw
- Tara Elementary School: Linda Haluska
- Williams Elementary School: Kathy Bixler, Ashley Garner and Karen Haacke
- Willis Elementary School: Kelley Carpenter, Hanna Cuervo, Jennifer Hubley, Kristin Keclik and Karl Sidnam
The recipients will also be recognized by the congressman in the Congressional Record for their achievements.
Photos taken during the presentations of awards can be found here.
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