Katy ISD celebrated people who power its success on April 16, honoring the 2026 “Of the Year” recipients during an evening dedicated to excellence, leadership and service across the district.

Held under the theme “The Blueprint of Katy,” the annual event recognized educators, campus leaders, support staff, safety professionals and operations teams who exceed expectations in serving more than 95,000 students, and their families, across the community.

“This evening is about recognizing those who consistently go above and beyond in their roles,” Board President Lance Redmon said. “These individuals exemplify what it means to serve with heart and integrity, and they show up each day for our students and staff across Katy ISD.”

“Earning an ‘Of the Year’ honor in a premier District like Katy ISD reflects excellence, character and meaningful impact,” Katy ISD Superintendent Ken Gregorski said. “The strength of our district comes from the people we honor tonight – individuals who lead, serve and inspire in every role across Katy ISD.”

The celebration also recognized the district’s top educators, including its Rookie Teachers of the Year and Teachers of the Year, who will serve as ambassadors for Katy ISD in the year ahead.

The 2026 ‘Of the Year’ honorees include:

Category Name Location

District Elementary Rookie Teacher

of the Year Porchea Butler Faldyn Elementary

District Elementary Rookie Teacher

of the Year Victoria Stornello Griffin Elementary

District Secondary Rookie Teacher

of the Year Blake Kane Freeman High School

District Elementary Teacher of the

Year Quarde D. Alfred Leonard Elementary

District Secondary Teacher of the

Year Jessica Melancon Katy Junior High

Elementary Principal of the Year Kara Fox Schmalz Elementary

Secondary Principal of the Year Dr. Rick Hull Katy High School

Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year Kaleena Roman McElwain Elementary

Secondary Assistant Principal of the

Year Lauren White Paetow High School

Maintenance & Operations

Employee of the Year Martin Courville Maintenance & Operations

Maintenance & Operations Student

Program Support Employee of the

Year Matthew Patman Maintenance & Operations

Nutrition & Food Services

Employee of the Year Margie Fagan Jordan High School

Transportation Employee of the

Year Brandon Sykes East Transportation Center

Elementary Security Officer of the

Year Juliana Rivas Morton Ranch Elementary

Secondary Security Officer of the

Year Ruth Wilson Tompkins High School

Police & Emergency Management

Employee of the Year Heidy Macias Law Enforcement Center

Police Officer of the Year Ana Wilkinson West Memorial Junior High

Elementary Library Media Specialist

of the Year Traci Trykoski Shafer Elementary

Secondary Library Media Specialist

of the Year Rebecca Gruen Morton Ranch High School

Elementary Counselor of the Year Morgan Ditchman Creech Elementary

Secondary Counselor of the Year Meghan McCarthy WoodCreek Junior High

Campus Student Support Personnel

of the Year Sonya Rebec-Dobbs Mayde Creek High School

Elementary Nurse of the Year Loretta Tourish Boudny Elementary

Secondary Nurse of the Year Kasey Nelson Tompkins High School

School Psychologist of the Year Sara Blakley-Cosser Seven Lakes High School

Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year Karen Hong Stephens Elementary

Diagnostician of the Year Tiffanye Dorsey WoodCreek Junior High

ARD Facilitator of the Year Carol Ann Hoevelman Cimarron Elementary

Elementary Administrative

Paraprofessional of the Year Dawn Weis Cross Elementary

Elementary Instructional

Paraprofessional of the Year Eleanny Bracho Gonzalez West Memorial Elementary

Secondary Administrative

Paraprofessional of the Year Jill Baros Memorial Parkway Junior High

Secondary Instructional

Paraprofessional of the Year Anna Mansfield Morton Ranch High School

Substitute of the Year Swapna Shivananda Districtwide

ESC Administrative

Paraprofessional of the Year Melody Ellis Education Support Complex

Elementary Instructional Coach of

the Year Jaclyn O’Connell Shafer Elementary

Secondary Instructional Coach of

the Year Fabia Mendez Beckendorff Junior High