Austin Independent School District Inc.
03/10/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 03/10/2026 10:57
2026 Salute Awards Finalists Announced
Austin ISD is proud to announce the finalists for the 2026 Salute Awards, our annual celebration of exceptional staff.
Staff, students and families were invited to submit open nominations across ten categories from November through January. Austin ISD received over 1,500 submissions across all 10 categories!
Custodial and Facilities Maintenance Staff of the Year
- Virginia Molina, Head Custodian, Ann Richards SYWL
- Ivan Tovar, Head Custodian, Eastside ECHS
- Carlos Valle, Custodian, Blazier Primary/Blazier Intermediate
Food Service and Warehouse Staff of the Year
- Bernadette Diaz, Food Service Manager, Winn Montessori
- Carrie Crouch, Food Service Manager Lead, Kealing MS/Garza Independence HS
- Ofelia Diaz, Food Service Specialist Lead, Anderson HS
Transportation Staff of the Year
- Jacqui Willis, Coordinator Transportation Planning & Scheduling
- Kimberly Hurtado, Bus Monitor
- Kevin Monzon, Bus Monitor
Teaching Assistant of the Year
- Dariuska Li-Gonzalez, Pleasant Hill ES
- Jennifer Staller, Brentwood ES
- Maria Esquivel, Gus Garcia YMLA
Campus Professional Staff of the Year
- Jami Kirkland, Instructional Coach, Burnet MS
- Corine Robbins, Instructional Coach, Dobie MS
- Melissa Alvarez, Occupational Therapist Bilingual
Campus Support Staff of the Year
- Lynn Tellechea, Administrative Assistant, Highland Park ES
- Nery Gouldner, Administrative Assistant, Bear Creek ES
- Carmen Alvarado, Administrative Assistant, Rosedale
Library Staff of the Year
- Courtney Ewing, Librarian, Casis Elementary
- Tara Lane Bowman, Librarian, Lamar MS
- Katy Price, Librarian, Blanton Elementary
Counseling Staff of the Year
- Kristel Sans, Counselor, St. Elmo Elementary
- Kelli Kirk, Counselor, Maplewood Elementary
- Adriane Kimmel, Counselor, Garza Independence HS
Administration Staff of the Year
- Kristin Troegle, Assistant Principal, Graham Elementary
- Kevin Owens, Assistant Principal, Navarro ECHS
- Martha Sanchez, Assistant Principal, Wooten Elementary
Principal of the Year
- Shana King, Principal, Crockett ECHS
- Brian Lancaster, Principal, Anderson HS
- Leyla Olano, Principal, Reilly ES
- Diana Vallejo, Principal, Govalle ES
The winners of each category will be announced at the annual Salute event on May 6. This year's Teachers of Promise and Teachers of the Year will also be honored at the event.
Let's celebrate the remarkable staff who help make Austin ISD a place of excellence, equity and joy.
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Austin Independent School District Inc. published this content on March 10, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 10, 2026 at 16:57 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]