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Four graduates and an Educational Leadership doctoral candidate from Russell Sage College’s Esteves School of Education received prestigious recognition for their contributions to K-12 education in 2025:
- Michael Catalano, Ed.D., a school counselor at Saugerties High School in Saugerties, New York, and a graduate of Russell Sage College’s Professional School Counseling master’s program, was named the 2025 New York State School Counselor of the Year by the New York State School Counselor Association. He was recognized for his work connecting academic guidance, service learning, and student empowerment. Read a Q&A with Michael Catalano.
- Colleen Keough, a second-grade teacher at Hamilton Elementary School in Schenectady, New York, who earned a B.S. in Childhood Education and Psychology at Russell Sage, was named the 2025 New York State Teacher of the Year by the New York State Board of Regents. She was honored for her work connecting with students’ caregivers; trauma-sensitive practices; her involvement in a renewed, active PTO; and her effort to incorporate literacy in all subject areas. She also received the NEA Foundation’s Travelers Award for Teaching Excellence in 2025, which honors K-12 educators nationwide for outstanding teaching, advocacy for students, community engagement, and professional leadership. Read more about Colleen Keough.
- Pierre Orbe, principal of Dewitt Clinton High School in the Bronx and a candidate for a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, was named the 2025 New York State High School Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State. He was recognized for leading school transformation and driving student success at one of New York’s most historic public high schools. Read a Q&A with Pierre Orbe.
- Matthew Wentworth, Ed.D., principal of Goshen Intermediate School in Orange County and a graduate of Sage’s Ed.D. program, was recognized as New York State’s 2025 Elementary Principal of the Year by SAANYS and as a National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. Wentworth was honored for building a school culture that emphasizes belonging and strong relationships. Read a Q&A with Matthew Wentworth, Ed.D.
- Alexandra Estrella, Ed.D., superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools in Connecticut and a graduate of Sage’s Ed.D. program, received the Dr. Effie H. Jones Humanitarian Award from AASA, The School Superintendents Association. The national award recognizes leaders who champion educational equity. Read a Q&A with Alexandra Estrella.
These are just the latest in a string of recent statewide and national honors for professionals affiliated with Sage’s Esteves School of Education.
Carla Young, a middle school counselor in the Bethlehem Central School District and a graduate of Sage’s M.S. in Professional School Counseling program, is a previous New York State School Counselor of the Year, and Zaquan Irby, a physical education teacher and coach at Shaker High School, and a graduate of Sage’s B.S. in Physical Education and M.S. in School Health Education programs, was recognized as New York State’s Strength Coach of the Year by the National High School Strength Coaches Association in 2023.