During March, the Albany Special Education Parent Advisory Council – SEPAC, for short – recognized 84 City School District of Albany employees as HEROes!
Parents, faculty and staff nominated this year's HEROes for going above and beyond in their work on behalf of students with disabilities.
All the HEROes received a certificate that includes an explanation of why they were nominated for HERO status, and each school has received a poster with the names of all of 2025 HEROes.
Congratulations to all of them! A list of who they are and where they work follows in alphabetical order:
Marlette Aanensen-Ramundo, New Scotland Elementary • Dawn Abrams, New Scotland • Laverne Alexander, Hackett Middle School • Marlene Anderson, Delaware Commmunity School • Erin Andrews, Roots Academy at West Hill • Kandie Antonetti, Albany High School • Mary Ann Arnesen, Albany School of Humanities (ASH) • Michelle Belvedere, North Albany Middle School • Meghan Bisceglia, Arbor Hill Elementary • Andrew Bosse, North Albany • Allisen Brodie, Pine Hills Elementary • Rachel Burnetter, Delaware • Joanna Calcavecchia, Eagle Point Elementary • Danielle Christie, Montessori Magnet School • Kristen Clancy, New Scotland • Donna Cunningham, Albany High • Kristen Davey, Albany High • Lauren DeLara, Albany High • Sayo DeLara, Montessori • Alicia Diaz, Thomas O'Brien Academy of Science and Technology (TOAST) • JoAnnie Dickson-Bostick, Albany High • Joey DiPiazza, Albany High • Bridget Dolan, Albany High • Sonya Emery, Albany High • Lori Finneran, Delaware • Breianna Fish, Albany High • Jill Flood, TOAST • Lynn Foley, ASH
Nicole Forkeutis, Sheridan Preparatory Academy • Katie Freeman, Harriet Gibbons Students Services Center • Teresa Giglio, Albany High • Colleen Giminiani, Harriet Gibbons • Katie Googins, Montessori • Chris Harkavy, Delaware • Kelly Hayes, North Albany • Julia Hendley, Arbor Hill • Gabriella Igoe, Montessori • Joshua Jenkins, Delaware • Shana Johnson, TOAST • Laura Joy, Harriet Gibbons • Karen Junco, Harriet Gibbons • Amy Kaiser, ASH • Peter Kantrowitz, Albany High • Christine Kelle, Albany High • Sharon Knox, Hackett • Kyle Koblensky, Albany High • Razmiah Koonce, Eagle Point • Christina Lebrecht, Harriet Gibbons • Kelly MacNabb, Hackett • Lisa Mancini, ASH • Donna Mannarino, Albany High • Valarie Manning, Myers Middle School • Kevin Marcinko, districtwide • Karla Matos, Eagle Point • Kara McLoughlin, Albany High • Shane McMillian, Arbor Hill • Clifford Mele, Albany High • Jennifer Merritt, Pine Hills • Nikki Messere, North Albany • Tajada Mitchell, TOAST
Emily Neuffer, Pine Hills • Sophia Newell, TOAST • Erica O'Connell, New Scotland • Brianna O'Rourke, ASH • Jennifer Pratt, New Scotland • Christopher Ryan, Arbor Hill • Shelby Samuel, Albany High • Naomi Sanders, Montessori • Ysa Santos, Albany High • Stephanie Scott, Pine Hills • Mikayla Shade, Pine Hills • Kristie Shakow, Albany High • Catherine Shanahan, Pine Hills • Takysha Soto, New Scotland • Theresa Story, Albany High • Maria Torres, Eagle Point • Brittany VanPatten, Pine Hills • Keira VanVranken, Pine Hills • Erin Verhagen, ASH • Damien Watts, Giffen • Peg Webb, Arbor Hill • Emily Weijola, Pine Hills • Tim Weklar, Myers • Julie Yanson, North Albany
Find out on this poster find out why each was nominated.
SEPAC is a partner organization operated by district families, educators and community members who support each other and share information related to special education services in the district. Learn more about SEPAC here.
