Presidential Award
DR. ELINOR R. FORD
Dr. Elinor R. Ford has long been a friend, a supporter, a champion and a challenger to those who so valiantly serve and lead the various ministries within Catholic education and parishes.
Dr. Ford received her doctorate from Columbia University, New York. She served as Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York, becoming the first woman appointed to this system that at the time served approximately 200 elementary and 80 secondary schools across ten counties of New York State. Following this, Dr. Ford chaired the New York Archdiocesan Council for Religious Education, and established NCEA’s first national Catholic parent organization. At the same time, she was a full professor in the graduate education department at Fordham University where she directed the graduate program for nonpublic school administrators, and co-founded with Fr. Vincent Novak, SJ, a doctoral program for church leaders. During this time, Dr. Ford was elected to be a trustee of the Middle States Accreditation Association, and was named first Chair of MSA’s newly established accreditation process for elementary schools. It was a long time dream of Elinor’s to have Catholic elementary schools recognized by an accrediting agency. As first Chair, she saw many elementary schools in the Middle Atlantic states and in Europe so approved. After this, Dr. Ford became publisher, president and chief executive officer of the William H. Sadlier Publishing Company.
Elinor has spent the past fifteen years of her life following another dream – to help create the future leaders of Catholic education in both schools and parishes. To do this, she has partnered with visionary diocesan leaders to teach at the various Catholic universities with whom they have created specific graduate programs to train teachers and catechists to become principals, DRE's, and other local and diocesan leaders.
Dr. Ford has been the recipient of numerous honors and honorary degrees. In 1995, she was honored by the Canadian Catholic Schools Trustees Association for her contributions to and support of Catholic education. In 1996, she was given the Monsignor John Meyer Award by the National Catholic Educational Association. In 1997, Dr. Ford was named by Today’s Catholic Teacher as one of the 25 most influential people in Catholic education in the past 25 years. And in 2003, Fordham University awarded her its Catholic Education Executive Leadership Award.
