Edward Donley Leadership Award
About the Award
The Edward Donley Education Policy Leadership Award was established in 2004 by the Board of Directors of The Education Policy and Leadership Center and is presented each year by EPLC at its annual Awards Event. The award is named after its first recipient, Edward Donley, the founding chair of the EPLC Board of Directors.
Ed Donley is an exemplary model of dedicated service to children, commitment to stronger educational opportunities for all, and hard work to improve the effectiveness of local, state, and national education policy. He sets a very high standard for the leadership this award is established to recognize and to encourage.
A former President and Chairman of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and former Chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Ed Donley served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education from 1991 to 2006. He also served on the Board of Directors of The Education Policy and Leadership Center from 1998 to 2007, and as its chair from 1998 to 2005. In addition, Mr. Donley’s great interest and involvement in education is demonstrated by his service for more than two decades as a member of several other state and national boards, including the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, the National Assessment Governing Board, the Teacher Education Accreditation Council, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Center for Workforce Preparation and Quality Education, the Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools, the Council for Aid to Education, the National Center on the Educational Quality of the Workforce, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, Good Schools Pennsylvania, and Standards Work, Inc. In addition to his service at the national and state levels, he has provided continuous leadership and service in the Lehigh Valley for many education and other community initiatives.
Previous Awardees
2022
Lee Burket
Director, Career and Technical Education, Pennsylvania Department of Education
2021
Pedro Rivera
President, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
2020
Thomas Gluck
Executive Director (Retired), Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units
2019
Jay Himes
Executive Director, Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials
2018
Senator Pat Browne
Member, Pennsylvania State Senate
Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee
2017
Stinson Stroup
Former Executive Director, Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators
2016
Donna Cooper
Executive Director, Public Citizens for Children and Youth
2015
Dr. Francis “Mike” Michelini
Former Chairman of the Council of Higher Education
Pennsylvania State Board of Education
2014
Thomas J. Gentzel
Executive Director, National School Boards Association
2013
Dr. Peter H. Garland
Acting Chancellor, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
2012
Joseph F. Bard
Executive Director, Pennsylvania Association for Rural and Small Schools
2011
Robert E. Feir, Ph.D.
President, EdStrat21 (an education strategies consulting firm)
Former Manager of the Pennsylvania School Funding Campaign
Former Project Manager of the State Board of Education’s Costing-Out Study and much more
2010
Governor Edward G. Rendell
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
2009
Honorable Dwight Evans
Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives (203rd District)
Chairman, House Appropriations Committee
2008
Dr. Carolyn Dumaresq
Executive Director, Pennsylvania State Education Association
2007
Senator James J. Rhoades
Chairman, Senate Education Committee
2006
Karl R. Girton
Chairman, Pennsylvania State Board of Education
2005
Dr. Paula Hess
Senior Advisor to the Speaker and Majority Leader,
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
2004
Edward Donley
Leadership Program Alumni Award
The EPLC Leadership Program Alumni Award is awarded annually to one or more individuals who have participated in an EPLC leadership program, including the Pennsylvania Education Policy Fellowship Program and the Parent and Community Leadership Institute. The honorees are selected by EPLC Board of Directors based on their exceptional leadership for significant education policy since participating in an EPLC leadership program.
2023
Ed Fuller
Chuck Allen
Monica Taylor
Previous Awardees
2022
Corinne Brandt
Manager of Policy Information and Programs, The Education Policy and Leadership Center
2011-2012 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Bridget O’Connell
Superintendent, Palisades School District
2013-2024 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Michael Vuckovich
Principal / Vocational Director
2012-2013 Education Policy Fellowship Program
2019 & 2020 & 2021
Bonita Allen
President-Elect, Pennsylvania PTA
2015-2016 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Erica Frankenburg
Assistant Professor, Department of Education Policy Studies, Penn State University
2011-2012 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Mary Margaret Kerr
Associate Professor, Education and Child Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh
2004-2005 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Art Levinowitz
President, Board of Directors, Upper Dublin School District
2016-2017 Education Policy Fellowship Program
2018
Mark Stutz
Director of Visual and Performing Arts, Parkland School District
2012-2013 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Tina Viletto
Director of Community and Government Relations, Montgomery County IU
2009-2010 Education Policy Fellowship Program
2017
Nathan Mains
Executive Director, Pennsylvania School Boards Association
2009-2010 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Carmen Medina
Chief, Division of Student Services, Pennsylvania Department of Education
2009-2010 Education Policy Fellowship Program
2016
Eric C. Eshbach, Ed.D.
Superintendent, Northern York County School District
2003-2004 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Susan Gobreski
Director of Community Schools, Mayor’s Office of Education in Philadelphia
2008-2009 Education Policy Fellowship Program
2015
Joseph H. Clapper, Ed.D.
Assistant Executive Director, Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals
2008-2009 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Karen Molchanow
Executive Director, Pennsylvania State Board of Education
2007-2008 Education Policy Fellowship Program
2014
Brian D. Barnhart, Ed.D.
Executive Director, Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit
2001-2002 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Adam Schott
Director of Policy Research, Research for Action
2003-2004 Education Policy Fellowship Program
2013
Dr. Hector R. Ortiz
Director, Office of Health Equity, Pennsylvania Department of Health
Spring 2010 Parent and Community Leadership Institute
Dr. Lee Burket
Director, Bureau of Career and Technical Education, Pennsylvania Department of Education
2003-2004 Education Policy Fellowship Program
2012
Jacqueline Edmondson
Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, College of Education, Penn State University
2003-2004 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Carol Obando-Derstine
Regional Manager for Berks, Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton Counties, U.S. Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.
2009-2010 Education Policy Fellowship Program
2011
James Testerman
Chair, Pennsylvania State Education Association ESEA Reauthorization Task Force
Former President, Pennsylvania State Education Association
2005-2006 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Kristen Lewald
Statewide Project Director, Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System, Pennsylvania Department of Education
2007-2008 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Sylvia Simms
Founder and President, PARENT POWER: What Will You Do With Yours?
2009 Parent and Community Leadership Institute – Philadelphia
2010
Lynn M. Cromley
Director, Center for Schools and Communities
2004-2005 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Carey Harris
Executive Director, A+ Schools
2005-2006 Education Policy Fellowship Program
2009
James Buckheit
Executive Director, PA Association of School Administrators
Executive Director, PA State Board of Education, 2003 to September 2009
2004-2005 Education Policy Fellowship Program
Dr. Mary Frances Archey
Vice President for Learning and Student Development
Community College of Allegheny County
2002-2003 Education Policy Fellowship Program
2008
Laura E. Cowburn
President-Elect, PA Association of School Business Officials
Education Policy Fellowship Program, class of 2000-2001
Dr. A. Lee Williams
Member, Pennsylvania State Board of Education
Education Policy Fellowship Program, class of 2003-2004
2007
Chris Wakeley
Executive Director, House Education Committee
Education Policy Fellowship Program, class of 1999-2000
Elaine Harris-Fulton
Parent Advocate, Wilkinsburg Family Support Center
Institute for Community Leadership in Education, Pittsburgh class of 2001-2002
Jean Masiko
Staff Executive, Education 2010!
Institute for Community Leadership in Education, Lehigh Valley class of 2001-2002
2006
Diane Castelbuono
Deputy Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education,
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Education Policy Fellowship Program, class of 1999-2000
Dr. William R. Adams, Jr.
President, Board of Directors, Washington School District
Institute for Community Leadership in Education, Pittsburgh class of 2001-2002
Daniel Fogarty
Director of Salaried Personnel and Development, Specialty Alloys Operations Division, Carpenter Technology Corporation
Institute for Community Leadership in Education, Lehigh Valley class of 2002-2003
2005
Sylvester Pace
Executive Director of the NEED Scholarship Program
Institute for Community Leadership in Education, Pittsburgh class of 2000-2001
Jean Dexheimer
President, Board of Directors, Wilkinsburg School District
Education Policy Fellowship Program, class of 2001-2002
Partner Award
The EPLC Partner Award is presented annually to one or more organizations that have worked with EPLC on various initiatives and activities.
Previous Awardees
2016
College of Education, The Pennsylvania State University
Penn Center for Educational Leadership, University of Pennsylvania
2015
Pennsylvania Association of Career & Technical Administrators
Center for Schools and Communities
2014
American Alliance for Theatre and Education
Pennsylvania Art Education Association
Pennsylvania Music Educators Association
Pennsylvania State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
2013
Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Citizens for the Arts in Pennsylvania
2012
Education Voters of Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center
2011
Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools
AFT-Pennsylvania
2010
Children’s Coalition of the Lehigh Valley
Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials
2009
Public Citizens for Children and Youth
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
U.S. Army War College
2008
Education Law Center
Good Schools Pennsylvania
2007
Pennsylvania School Boards Association
2006
Laboratory for Student Success at Temple University Center for Research in Human Development and Education
Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators
2005
Pennsylvania State Education Association
Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties
2004
Pennsylvania PTA
Lehigh Valley Business-Education Partnership