Honoring a Legacy of Service: Celebrating Our Retiring NAEHCY Members

  • In

NAEHCY is proud to recognize and celebrate a distinguished group of NAEHCY members who retired in 2025 or are preparing to retire in 2026. These dedicated McKinney-Vento Liaisons, State Coordinators, Foster Care Points of Contact, and education leaders have devoted countless years to advancing educational access, stability, and opportunity for children and youth experiencing homelessness, foster care, and other vulnerabilities.

Throughout their careers, these individuals have served as advocates, problem-solvers, mentors, and champions for students and families, helping to remove barriers to educational success while strengthening systems of support within schools, districts, states, and communities across the nation. Their leadership has shaped policy, informed practice, and positively impacted the lives of thousands of children and youth.

As valued members of the NAEHCY community, they have also contributed their expertise, passion, and commitment to advancing our shared mission of ensuring that every child and youth has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. We are deeply grateful for their service, partnership, and unwavering dedication, and we congratulate them on this well-deserved milestone. While they may be retiring from their formal roles, their legacy of leadership and advocacy will continue to inspire and guide the work ahead.

NAEHCY Retiree Recognition List (2025- 2026)

Arizona

  • Valerie Gyory (“Jerry”) — McKinney-Vento Liaison and Foster Care Point of Contact | Chandler Unified School District

California

  • Carol Blackburn — McKinney-Vento Liaison | Guajome Park Academy
  • Monica Olmos — McKinney-Vento Liaison | Rowland
  • Elizabeth Tarango — County Liaison for Homeless and Foster Youth | Alameda County Office of Education

Colorado

  • Patrick Kilcullen — SVVSD Priority Schools Coordinator | St Vrain Valley School District

District of Columbia

  • Emily Anderson, LICSW — McKinney-Vento Liaison | DCPS

Georgia

  • Angela Stokes — McKinney-Vento Liaison | Valdosta City Schools
  • Tracie Turner — McKinney-Vento Liaison and Foster Care Point of Contact | Worth County School District

Illinois

  • Elmer Rice — McKinney-Vento Liaison | Regional Office of Education #4

Kentucky

  • Gina Sears — McKinney-Vento Liaison | Knox County Public Schools
  • Lori Knochelmann — McKinney-Vento Liaison and Foster Care Point of Contact | Covington Independent Public Schools

Louisiana

  • Beverly Cole — Director of Federal Programs | Caddo Parish Schools
  • Ricky Chatman Sr — McKinney-Vento Liaison | West Feliciana Parish School

Massachusetts

  • Julie Mador — McKinney-Vento Liaison | New Bedford Public Schools 

Missouri

  • Dr. Deidra C. Thomas-Murray — McKinney-Vento Liaison and Foster Care Point of Contact | Saint Louis Public Schools
  • Mark Catalana — McKinney-Vento Liaison | Northwest R1 

North Carolina

  • Heather Pigott — MVLiasion & FC- POC | Columbus County Schools 

Nevada

  • Olga Stanton — McKinney-Vento Liaison | WCSD/ Intervention Dept. 

New Mexico

  • Dana M Arredondo — McKinney-Vento Liaison | Lordsburg Municipal Schools 

Shannon Trujillo — McKinney-Vento outreach resource teacher | Albuquerque Public Schools

North Carolina

  • Drennan Rhyne Paylor — Foster Care Point of Contact | Guilford County Schools
  • Marjorie “Midge” Hudyma — Foster Care Point of Contact | Elizabeth City- Pasquotank Public Schools

South Carolina

  • Sonya B. Jones — McKinney-Vento Liaison | Charleston County School District

Texas

  • Cheryl Myers — McKinney-Vento Liaison | ESC 13

Virginia

  • Carol Cox — McKinney-Vento Liaison | Floyd County Public Schools

Wisconsin

  • Jani Koester — McKinney-Vento Liaison | Madison Metropolitan School District