NCEA President's Awards
The NCEA President's Awards afford NCEA an opportunity to highlight important contributions to the evangelizing mission of the Catholic Church occurring in Catholic schools.
For more information regarding the NCEA President’s Award program, please contact Fr. Tom Simonds, SJ.
Meet the 2026 President's Award Winners
Catherine T. McNamee, CSJ Award
This award recognizes an individual or institution that demonstrates outstanding leadership in advancing a vision of Catholic education that embraces and supports cultural and economic diversity or effectively serves students with diverse needs.
Jan Breen
President
Saint Joseph’s Academy
Diocese of Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, LA
Jan Breen has served in Catholic education for 53 years, the last 14 as president of St. Joseph’s Academy (SJA) in Baton Rouge, LA. A graduate of SJA and an Outstanding Alumna, Mrs. Breen was named the school’s first lay president in July 2012.
During Mrs. Breen’s tenure at SJA, enrollment increased to the largest number in school history. The campus expanded with the construction of two buildings and numerous improvements to facilities. Under her leadership, total assets in the SJA Foundation increased by 60 percent, and 53 new endowed scholarships were established to provide need-based tuition assistance to families. The school was twice named a National Blue Ribbon School. Mrs. Breen implemented three strategic plans to ensure that the school continues to live its mission in the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Mrs. Breen is an engaged Baton Rouge community member and has served on civic and non-profit boards, including Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, Public Relations Association of Louisiana, Junior League of Baton Rouge, St. Aloysius Parish Council, and Diocesan Marketing Committee. She was honored as a Baton Rouge Volunteer Activist in 2022.
Msgr. John F. Meyers Award
This award recognizes an individual who has significantly
supported Catholic education through contributions in development,
public relations, scholarship programs, financial management or
government relations.
Father Mark Beran
Executive Director and Pastor
Saint Augustine Indian Mission
Archdiocese of Omaha
Winnebago, NE
Father Mark Beran is the executive director and pastor of St. Augustine Indian Mission in Winnebago, NE, and is also the pastor of the Holy Apostles Family of Parishes. He has been a priest of the Archdiocese of Omaha for 23 years. His priestly ministry has included serving in college campus ministry, as a Nebraska Army National Guard Chaplain, along with his parish and school assignments.
St. Augustine is a K-8 Catholic school, founded by St. Katharine Drexel, that serves the children of the Winnebago and Omaha Tribes in northeast Nebraska. A few years ago, Father Mark was blessed to be given a Winnebago name, "Waisep Manape Ga" (translated "Black Robe Soldier") in honor of his ministry as an army chaplain and Catholic priest.
Father Mark has used innovative and effective development strategies to raise more than $10 million to build a new school, providing access to a Catholic education for students of the Winnebago and Omaha Indian Tribal Nations. Without his work, the school’s future would have been in jeopardy.
Dr. Karen M. Ristau Innovations Award
This award recognizes an individual, school or program that has
advanced the mission of Catholic education through an innovative program
or approach.
The Roche Center for Catholic Education at Boston College
Boston College
Boston, MA
The Barbara and Patrick Roche Center for Catholic Education at Boston College is an innovative hub for research and professional formation dedicated to strengthening and transforming Catholic schools. Operating within the top-ranked Lynch School of Education and Human Development, the Center’s mission is to form educators who are agents of change, working as a community to build excellent and equitable Catholic PK-12 schools.
The Center translates its mission into action through an expansive set of programs designed for leaders and teachers. This includes offering a suite of leadership programs focused on strengthening the pipeline of leaders for the Catholic school system. These programs reach over 200 leaders annually, including: Teacher-Leadership Academy, Catholic Leadership Cohort, Board Development Institute, Executive Leadership Academy, and Superintendent PLC. The Two-Way Immersion Network for Catholic Schools (TWIN-CS) is a national initiative that assists schools transitioning to dual-language immersion models, supporting students in becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural.
A leading voice in Catholic educational research on topics such as whole-child education, engagement of the Hispanic community, and governance, the Center publishes widely in peer-reviewed journals and translates this research into practitioners’ articles and podcasts. It has expanded sharing this research internationally as a founding member of GRACE, Global Researchers Advancing Catholic Education.
The dynamic Roche Center team, inspired by the Jesuit tradition of the magis (striving for the greater glory of God), bridges the gap between academic research and classroom practice. By fostering a global network of scholars and practitioners, the team ensures that Catholic education remains a vibrant apostolate of hope in a changing world.
C. Albert Koob Merit Award
This award recognizes an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution to Catholic education at any level – early childhood, elementary, secondary, higher education – or in any educational setting. Eligible areas include teaching, administration, parish religious education, research, publication or educational leadership. The awardee’s service and contributions should have current national significance.
Maureen Dowling, Ed.D.
Director
Office of Non-Public Education (ONPE)
U.S. Department of Education
Maureen Dowling is the director of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Non-Public Education, which is charged with maximizing the participation of private school students and teachers in federal education programs.
She began her career in Catholic education as an elementary school teacher and later served for eight years as a Catholic school principal. She was a founding member of the Catholic School Leadership Advisory Board at Marymount University in Virginia and was an adjunct professor for ten years in the School Leadership Graduate Program.
Nationally recognized in the field of federal education programs and private education, Dr. Dowling has shaped policy for over 25 years to ensure the participation of private school students and teachers in federal education programs and initiatives. She works to foster constructive relationships between the department and the nonpublic school community and other stakeholders. She also led the department's military affairs team for five years, shaping policy and advocating on behalf of military-connected students, service members, and veterans.
Dr. Dowling has a bachelor's degree in English from San Diego State University, a master’s degree in education administration from The Catholic University of America, and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Leonard F. DeFiore Parental Choice Advocate Award
This award recognizes an individual who has shown exceptional leadership in advancing equitable and comprehensive parental choice in education.
Bruce Hermie
Vice President
American Federation for Children
Bruce Hermie is the vice president of implementation at the American Federation for Children (AFC). He formerly served as a school principal, dean of students, and high school English teacher in the Diocese of Phoenix.
Mr. Hermie is the central hub and organizer of AFC’s implementation work across the country, from policy advice to tangible support and connections. A former Catholic high school administrator and teacher, he now works at the national level, advocating for parental choice in the education of their children. He has built a national reputation as a trusted expert and top leader in this space, combining policy expertise with hands-on experience. He founded AFC’s School Leader Fellowship, which provides training for school leaders to help them engage the legislative process and advocate on behalf of their students and families.
He is the author of From the Schoolhouse to the Statehouse: The Role of School Leaders in Legislative Advocacy through the Lens of School Choice.
Lifetime Commitment to Catholic Education Award
This award recognizes individuals who over a career have advanced the mission of Catholic education.
Sister Joan Carberry, OSF
Assistant Principal
Saint Paul Catholic School
Diocese of Saint Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL
Sister Joan M. Carberry, OSF, a Franciscan Sister of Allegany, has faithfully served the Church through Catholic education and pastoral ministry for nearly seven decades. For 25 years, she has been the assistant principal of St. Paul Catholic School in St. Petersburg, FL, and director of admissions and pastoral support. Offering steady leadership, wisdom, and a compassionate presence, at least twice, Sister Joan filled the role of acting principal for six-month terms.
She has devoted 48 years to Catholic education, teaching in elementary and middle schools in New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina. Her ministry reflects a deep commitment to forming young minds and hearts, rooted in gospel values and the Franciscan tradition.
Sister Joan holds a Bachelor of Science in education from St. Bonaventure University. As a Pastoral Care Chaplain and a Certified Chaplain (Emeritus), and a member of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. Her service includes membership on the Commission for Religious for the Diocese of St. Petersburg, as well as board service for the St. Anthony/Bayfront Foundation, St. Petersburg; St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, Tampa; St. Mary’s Hospital/Hanley-Hazelden, West Palm Beach; and the Board of Directors of Catholic Social Services, Diocese of Palm Beach.
Donald L. Edwards, Ed.D.
Associate Superintendent
Archdiocese of Miami
Miami, FL
Donald Edwards is associate superintendent of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese of Miami. He has served as principal of Bishop Byrne Middle and High School in Memphis, TN, and principal and president of Memphis Catholic Middle and High School. Having served at every level in PK-12 Catholic schools for 53 years, he is acutely adept at the effective operation of Catholic schools.
He is currently an adjunct professor of education and leadership at St. Thomas University. The author of Valuing Others and consistent with his strong background in Catholic education and social teaching, Dr. Edwards is a proponent of values-based education, character education, and social justice.
Dr. Edwards is a member of the State Advisory Council of Cognia, the foremost regional accrediting agency of schools in the country. He was also a national consultant for Catholic schools through Catholic School Management, Inc. He is the director of music for the Office of Black Catholic Ministry of the Archdiocese of Miami, a volunteer in the Miami-Dade County Guardian ad Litem program, and a member and chairperson for mentoring and professional development of the National Association of Black Catholic Administrators.
Dr. Edwards holds bachelor's degrees in biology and music from Bishop College in Dallas, TX, a Master of Education from Memphis State University, and a Doctor of Education in management of programs for children and youth from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.