The 20th Excellence in Education awards ceremony sponsored by the Educational Employees Credit Union (EECU) was held at the Madera County Superintendent of Schools Conference Center.
An elegant reception honored school employees, administrators, and teachers from Madera County school districts on September 24.
2026 Classified Employee of the Year Finalists
• Ashly Bragdon, Library Technician, Yosemite Unified School District
• Maria Cachu, Operational Specialist II/Janitor, Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary School District
• Mariana Encinias, Student Advocate, Golden Valley Unified School District
• Norma Ibarra, Lead Custodian, Chawanakee Unified School District
• Yajaira Yaya Jimenez, Lead Campus & Community Liaison, Chowchilla Union High School District
• Claudia Rocha, Fiscal Analyst, Madera County Superintendent of Schools
• Serina Ulrick, Secretary, Chowchilla Elementary School District
• Ronda Vaughn, Safety Officer Lead, Madera Unified School District
2026 Classified Employee of the Year
Ronda Vaughn, Safety Officer Lead, Madera Unified School District: “It’s all about relationships. When you see someone every day, you know when something’s off. It takes the students a minute to realize that you really care, but when they do, it speaks volumes to them. I wouldn’t change these thirty-nine years for nothing, for nothing.”
2026 Administrator of the Year Finalists
• Filiberto Camacho, Technology Director, Chawanakee Unified School District
• Melissa Esquivel, Principal, Chowchilla Elementary School District
• Jessica Fairbanks, Principal, Yosemite Unified School District
• Erin Falke, Principal, Madera Unified School District
• Nicholas Mihall, Assistant Director, Information Systems & Technology Support, Madera County Superintendent of Schools
• Kelli Reeves, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Golden Valley Unified School District
• Catherine Williams, Principal, Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary School District
• Brandon Yamasaki, Director of Maintenance Operations & Transportation, Chowchilla Union High School District
2026 Administrator of the Year
Catherine “Cat” Williams, Principal, Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary School District: “Students can’t be ready to learn until their basic needs are met. So, I work with teachers to allow students to take frequent brain breaks, be sure students have had a chance to eat, and encourage them to take time to regulate their bodies, because you have to go slow before you can go fast.”
2026 Teacher of the Year Finalists
• Weston Borba, Teacher, Athletic Director, Chowchilla Union High School District
• Chris Coburn, Teacher, Physical Education, Madera County Superintendent of Schools
• Sundae Ervin, Teacher, Third Grade, Chowchilla Elementary School District
• Heather Mackney, Teacher, Art & Design, Golden Valley Unified School District
• Barbara Morales, Teacher, Independent Study, Chawanakee Unified School District
• Heather Rodriguez, Teacher, Social Science, Madera Unified School District
• Sylvia Sloas, Teacher, Multiple Subjects, Yosemite Unified School District
• Tawny Tafoya, Teacher, Special Day Class, Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary School District
2026 Teacher of the Year
Sundae Ervin, Teacher, Ronald Reagan Elementary School, Chowchilla Elementary School District: “When students enter my classroom, they become a part of Team Ervin. Once you’re on Team Ervin, you are always a part of the family, because students won’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. Being a part of this team allows students a safe place to make mistakes and ask questions. Because when you make a mistake, we are all here to help.”
Tricia Protzman, Madera County Superintendent of Schools, said, “This year’s honorees understand that sometimes the greatest difference we make cannot be measured by a test score. It is measured by the students who know they matter because someone took the time to see them, the confidence that grows because someone inspired and believed in them, and the lives that are forever changed because someone truly cared. That is what is so special about the individuals we honor tonight.”
“It is an honor for EECU to sponsor the prestigious Madera County Excellence in Education Awards program,” said Elizabeth J. Dooley, President & CEO, Educational Employees Credit Union. “We extend our sincere congratulations to this year’s nominees, finalists, and winners, whose unwavering dedication to education will make a lasting difference in the lives of their students. Their commitment to excellence deserves our deepest appreciation, and we are proud to partner with the Madera County Superintendent of Schools on this special celebration in their honor.