January 14, 2025
Catholic School Educators Honored for Their Faithful Service
Nine extraordinary educators will be feted on April 21, the eve of the NCEA 2025 Convention in Orlando, FL, April 22 – 24, 2025.
Arlington, VA – The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) proudly announces the recipients of the NCEA 2025 Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Awards (LLP). Nine exceptional educators have been named faith-filled servant leaders in their Catholic school communities.
“The LLP awardees embody the mission of Catholic education through their faithful dedication to shaping hearts and minds in Christ’s image,” said Dr. Steven F. Cheeseman, NCEA President/CEO. “Their work is a testament to the transformative power of Catholic education. We are proud to celebrate their devotion to their students and communities.”
The 2025 LLP honorees are:
- Michael Arvites, M.Ed., teacher, Holy Cross School, Archdiocese of New Orleans
- Veronica Cardenal, M.Ed., advancement director, Lincoln International Academy, Managua, Nicaragua
- Diane Gasaway, teacher, Queen of All Saints School, Diocese of Gary
- James Hickey, Ph.D., head of school, Austin Preparatory School, Archdiocese of Boston
- William Huben, principal, Saint Wenceslaus, Archdiocese of Omaha
- Tonia Jones, middle school teacher, All Saints Catholic School, Diocese of Boise
- Maria de la Guardia, service learning coordinator, Immaculata-La Salle High School, Archdiocese of Miami
- Andrew M. McLaughlin, Ed.D., secretary of elementary education, Office of Catholic Education, Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Fr. James Valenzuela, pastor, Sacred Heart Cathedral School, Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee
To read the biographies of the 2025 LLP recipients, please go to www.NCEA.org/LLP.
For more information, visit www.NCEA.org and connect with NCEA on YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and X.
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In service of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, NCEA strengthens Catholic school communities by convening all stakeholders and providing professional development, data, public policy and resources to support faith and intellectual formation.