Our tradition every year is to honor the outstanding work of local union leaders, educators, paraprofessionals, and school staff with awards recognizing their excellence. In 2023, we hosted our first-ever AFT Pennsylvania Education Champions Awards Celebration, and the 2025 awards ceremony was hosted on Saturday, July 12, 2025. The awards categories are as follows -
Outstanding Leadership Award
The Outstanding Leadership Award is presented to a building representative, local union officer, organizing or bargaining committee member who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in their local's fight for a fair contract, initial organizing, defeating anti-union activity by management, and/or protecting members' rights. Awards by size of local.
Small Local | Mid-Size Local | Large Local | New Organizing
Member Engagement Awards
Organizing
Recognizes a current member responsible for initiating action and motivating coworkers, organizing a new union or dramatically increasing member engagement.
Political Involvement
Recognizes a local or individual member who displayed outstanding commitment to mobilizing members to vote through GOTV in the 2022 General Election.
Community Outreach
Recognizing an individual member's contribution to the surrounding community through activism, volunteerism, and outreach outside of their union activities, especially on those issues that impact students - food insecurity, houselessness, healthcare accessibility, mental health, inclusivity, diversity, and a safe community.
Retirees
Recognizing a current retiree working with their local retiree chapter or the national retiree chapter championing issues facing Pennsylvania retirees and leading engagement relevant to this population.
Professional Excellence Award
Recognizes an individual member who has distinguished themselves as leaders in education in their individual sector’s school setting.
K-12 & Charter Educators | Higher Education | Paraprofessionals | Para/School-Related Personnel | Career & Technical Education
Al Fondy Award
The Al Fondy Award recognizes an individual member who has championed workers' rights, specifically fair wages, better working conditions, and respect for educators. This individual is also actively involved in advocating for students' educational experience.
This award is named for the long-time and iconic AFTPA and Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers #400 President who passed away in 1995. This honor is bestowed by our AFTPA President.
Congratulations to our 2025 award recipients:
Outstanding Leadership Awards
Jodi Greene, Federation of Reading Area Community College #3173
Outstanding leadership in a Small Local
Mary Cwiklinski, Neshaminy Federation of Teachers #1417
Outstanding Leadership in a Mid-Size Local
Junior Brainard, Faculty & Staff Federation of the Community College of Philadelphia #2026
Outstanding Leadership in a Large Local
Kim Coughlin and Emily Parico, Alliance of Charter Schools Employees #6056 - Northwood
Outstanding Leadership in New Organizing
Membership Engagement Awards
Taya Curtis, Pennsylvania School for the Deaf #9642
Outstanding Membership Growth and Organizing
Marissa Johnson Valenzuela, Faculty & Staff Federation of the Community College of Philadelphia #2026
Outstanding Political Involvement
Luke Dougan, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers #3
Exceptional Community Outreach
Anne Schmidt and Marian Reed, Neshaminy Federation of Teachers #1417R - Retiree Chapter
Exceptional Retiree Member Engagement
Professional Excellence Awards
Kathy Monti-Trievel, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers #400
Professional Excellence in Early Childhood through Secondary
Dr. Melissa Hillwig, Robert Morris University Faculty Federation #3412
Professional Excellence in Higher Education
Paulette Hunt, Green Tree Federation of Teachers #4802
Professional Excellence in Paraprofessionals
Al Fondy Award
Nina Esposito-Visgitis, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers #400R and interim AFT Pennsylvania Executive Director
2023 award recipients:
Outstanding Leadership Awards
Andrew Fair, Erie County Vocational-Technical Federation of Teachers #1589; Outstanding Leadership in a Small Local
James Simkins, Alliance of Charter Schools Employees #6056; Outstanding Leadership in a Mid-Size Local
Harold Grant, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers #400; Outstanding Leadership in a Large Local
Daniel Pieczkolon, United Academics of Philadelphia #9608; Outstanding Leadership in a New Organizing
Membership Engagement Awards
Brittany Shoup, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers #400; Outstanding Membership Growth and Organizing
Kerry Hammon, Neshaminy Federation of Teachers #1417; Outstanding Political Involvement
Don Alexander, Carlynton Federation of Teachers #2120; Exceptional Community Outreach
Professional Excellence Awards
Edith Gamble, Green Tree Federation of Teachers #4802; Professional Excellence in K-12 or Charter
Allegra Slick, PA Highlands Community College Federation of Teachers #6221; Professional Excellence in Higher Education
Brenda Marks, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers #400; Outstanding Paraprofessional / School-related Personnel
Nicholas Rivituso, Steel Center Vocational-Technical Federation of Teachers #3621; Outstanding Career & Technical Educator
Special Organization Awards
United Staff of the Day School (USTDS #6056); Outstanding Dedication for a New Local
Temple University Graduate Student Association (TUGSA #6290); Outstanding Dedication in Collective Action
Education Champion Ally Awards (nonmember)
Donna Fann-Boyle and Arla Patch, Coalition of Natives and Allies; Champion Community Allies
PA Representative Elizabeth Fiedler; Champion Legislative Ally
Hon. Cherelle Parker; Distinguished Public Service
Al Fondy Award
Patrick Festa, Scranton Federation of Teachers #1147