California’s middle-school educators play a pivotal role in preparing young learners for an increasingly complex and technology-driven world. From implementing cutting-edge STEM programs to fostering inclusive, supportive campus environments, these leaders demonstrate exceptional dedication to middle-grades education.
Here is a spotlight on 25 distinguished California educators and administrators ranked from 1 to 25 making a transformative impact.
The teachers from California’s middle schools play an important role in helping shape the minds of young people so that they can be prepared for the complex technological world around them. As a reward for their commendable efforts, the selection of awardees is done on the basis of three major parameters which include: Peer & Industry Recognition (recognition received by the state or region, e.g. ACSA, CLMS, Principal of the Year); Innovation & STEM Leadership (innovation in robotics, coding, 3D designing and application of new technologies); and Culture & Impact (inclusion, SEL and equity programs). Here are some 25 noteworthy teachers in California.
| # | Name | Specialty / What They're Known For |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terri Daniels, Ed.D. | Student voice, STEM, robotics, mathematics, and middle-school leadership |
| 2 | Sherry Strausbaugh | Robotics, mathematics, science enrichment, and hands-on STEM learning |
| 3 | Kelly Kriss | Academic excellence, student success, and positive school culture |
| 4 | Scott Ferreira | Coding, electronics, engineering, applied mathematics, and 3D printing |
| 5 | Scott Nicotero | Academic rigor, social-emotional learning (SEL), and positive behavior support |
| 6 | Isaias Rumayor Jr., Ed.D. | Educational leadership, progressive instruction, and leadership development |
| 7 | Heather Sharp | Curriculum design, instructional alignment, and modern teaching practices |
| 8 | Lorianne Ventura, Ed.D. | Mathematics, data-driven instruction, curriculum reform, and equity |
| 9 | Kim Bente | Campus safety, academic growth, and community engagement |
| 10 | Jeffery Ancker | STEAM, Project Lead The Way, engineering, and hands-on design |
| 11 | Danielle Winford | Robotics, coding, STEM opportunities, and middle-school leadership |
| 12 | Christine Moore | Science, technology, applied mathematics, and hands-on learning |
| 13 | Michael Tsuboi | Coding, electronics, applied mathematics, 3D printing, and educational technology |
| 14 | Jamal Richardson | Coding, robotics, 3D design, and student enrichment |
| 15 | Dr. Abeni Carr-Johnson | Coding, robotics, Medical Detectives, culturally responsive teaching, and project-based learning |
| 16 | Young Mi Kim | Science education, engineering, coding, applied mathematics, and 3D design |
| 17 | Gina Ayala | Science, food science, STEM, robotics, and 3D printing |
| 18 | Joe Candeias | Project Lead The Way, coding, robotics, 3D design, and engineering |
| 19 | Vanessa Ruiz | Science, STEAM, coding, engineering, medical science, and collaborative projects |
| 20 | Kate Rennie | Innovative teaching, student development, and supportive learning environments |
| 21 | Meagan Serra | Mental-health support, SEL, student leadership, and holistic development |
| 22 | Olusola Oyinsan | Mathematics, quantitative reasoning, research-based instruction, and problem-solving |
| 23 | Jennifer Neely | Technical education, hands-on learning, and practical academic skills |
| 24 | Claudia Rubino | English Language Development, English learners, AVID, and college readiness |
| 25 | Tiffany Chez Robinson | Student advocacy, innovative teaching, and middle-school education |
#Rank 1- Terri Daniels, Ed.D.
Terri Daniels serves as the Principal of Folsom Middle School and stands out as a strong student-voice advocate. Recognized as the 2024 California Middle Grades Principal of the Year and a 2025 NASSP Advocacy Champion, she is dedicated to advancing middle-school leadership and innovative STEM, robotics, and math learning opportunities. Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terri-daniels-ed-d-679572182/ |
#Rank 2- Sherry Strausbaugh
Sherry Strausbaugh is the Principal of Thornton Middle School in Fremont USD. Honored as the 2025 ACSA Middle Grades Principal of the Year, she leads a vibrant 6–8 campus. Her leadership emphasizes robotics, math, and science enrichment, ensuring middle-school students gain hands-on access to critical STEM electives.
Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-strausbaugh-70a73920/
#Rank 3- Kelly Kriss
Kelly Kriss brings nearly a decade of middle and high school administrative leadership to her work as Principal at Mill Valley Middle School. Recognized as the 2024–25 ACSA Region 4 Middle Grades Principal of the Year, she is committed to fostering academic excellence, supportive school culture, and student success.
#Rank 4- Scott Ferreira
Scott Ferreira serves as Principal of Somerset Middle School and was named ACSA Region 7’s 2024 Middle Grades Principal of the Year. He actively promotes hands-on learning, integrating coding, electronics, engineering, applied math, and 3D printing into the curriculum to prepare students for future technological challenges.
Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-ferreira-b133541ab/
#Rank 5- Scott Nicotero
Scott Nicotero, Principal of Avery Middle School, is a long-serving administrator recognized as the 2023 ACSA Region 7 Middle Grades Principal of the Year. He focuses heavily on balancing rigorous academic standards with robust social-emotional learning (SEL) and positive behavior support systems across middle-grade classrooms.
#Rank 6- Isaias Rumayor Jr., Ed.D.
Dr. Isaias Rumayor Jr. is an education leader in Modesto City Schools and a former 2021 ACSA Middle Grades Principal of the Year. Combining practical administrative experience with university-level teaching, he helps shape future educational leaders while advocating for progressive instructional strategies in middle-school environments.
#Rank 7- Heather Sharp
Heather Sharp, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction at Lammersville USD, brings deep experience as a former K–8 and middle-grades principal. Honored as the 2022 ACSA Middle Grades Principal of the Year, she focuses on curriculum design, alignment, and modern instructional practices across district middle schools.
Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-sharp-345b4720a/
#Rank 8- Lorianne Ventura, Ed.D
Dr. Lorianne Ventura is a California education administrator who earned the 2021 ACSA Middle Grades Principal of the Year recognition. With a specialized background in mathematics and educational leadership, she focuses on data-driven instruction, curriculum reform, and building equitable learning environments for middle-grade students.
Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorianne-ventura-86928633/
#Rank 9- Kim Bente
Kim Bente is an accomplished middle-school administrator within the Fontana Unified School District. Named the 2021 ACSA Region 12 Middle Grades Principal of the Year, she is recognized for her dedication to campus safety, academic growth, and cultivating strong community relationships across middle-grade education programs.
#Rank 10- Jeffery Ancker
Jeffery Ancker serves as Principal of Barbara Chilton Middle School and actively participates in ACSA’s Middle Grades Education Council. Under his leadership, the school places a heavy emphasis on STEAM initiatives, Project Lead The Way, and hands-on engineering design, equipping students with real-world problem-solving capabilities.
Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-ancker-16273334/
#Rank 11- Danielle Winford
Danielle Winford, Principal of Martin Luther King Jr. Junior High in Pittsburg USD, was named the 2026 Region 6 Middle Grades Principal of the Year. Serving on ACSA’s Region 6 Middle Grades Education committee, she advocates passionately for expanding robotics, coding, and advanced STEM learning opportunities for students.
#Rank 12- Christine Moore
Christine Moore is the Principal of Luther Burbank Middle School in LAUSD and was named 2023 ACSA Middle Grades Principal of the Year. Leading a recognized California School to Watch, she emphasizes science, technology, and applied math, establishing high standards for engaging, hands-on middle-school learning.
Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-tsuboi-a3808054/
#Rank 13- Michael Tsuboi
Michael Tsuboi, Principal of Bartlett Middle School in Porterville USD, is a Past President of ACSA’s Middle Grades Education Council. He leverages his extensive leadership experience to promote technology-driven education, highlighting coding, electronics, applied math, and 3D printing across middle-grade learning programs.
#Rank 14- Jamal Richardson
Jamal Richardson leads Alliance Jack H. Skirball Middle Academy as Principal. With over 20 years of educational experience, he is committed to empowering students through innovative enrichment programming, integrating coding, robotics, and 3D design to prepare middle-schoolers for an evolving, technology-focused workforce.
#Rank 15- Dr. Abeni Carr-Johnson
Dr. Abeni Carr-Johnson is the Principal of Alliance Kory Hunter Middle School. With over 18 years as an educator and activist, she launched a dedicated STEM program featuring coding, robotics, and Medical Detectives, driving student engagement through culturally responsive, project-based learning methodologies.
Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-abeni-carr-johnson-a8a24139/
#Rank 16- Young Mi Kim
Young Mi Kim serves as Principal at Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 8. Beginning her career as a middle-school science teacher and instructional coach, she brings valuable classroom insight to school administration, actively advancing curriculum opportunities in engineering, applied math, coding, and 3D design.
Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/young-mi-kim-259b5118/
#Rank 17- Gina Ayala
Gina Ayala is a Science and Food Science teacher at Clifton Middle School in Monrovia USD. Recognized as the California League of Schools’ 2022 State Middle School Educator of the Year, she actively integrates hands-on STEM, 3D printing, and robotics directly into classroom learning.
#Rank 18- Joe Candeias
Joe Candeias teaches at Dartmouth Middle School and was selected as California’s 2023 State Middle School Educator of the Year. He leverages Project Lead The Way frameworks to introduce students to coding, robotics, 3D design, and engineering, fostering practical skills and creativity in the classroom.
#Rank 19- Vanessa Ruiz
Vanessa Ruiz is a 7th/8th-grade science teacher and Science Department Chair at Rincon Valley Middle School. Named a 2022 CLMS Middle School Educator of the Year, she co-leads a popular STEAM Club that engages students with coding, engineering, medical science, and collaborative design projects.
#Rank 20- Kate Rennie
Kate Rennie is an outstanding educator at Kenilworth Junior High School who was honored as a 2024 CLMS Middle School Educator. She is widely celebrated for her innovative classroom techniques, dedication to student development, and commitment to creating supportive learning spaces for middle-grade students.
#Rank 21- Meagan Serra
Meagan Serra serves as a mental-health therapist, leadership team member, and cheer coach at Dartmouth Middle School. Recognized as a 2024 CLMS Region 5 Middle School Educator of the Year, she plays a critical role in supporting inclusive, holistic student development and academic engagement.
#Rank 22- Olusola Oyinsan
Olusola Oyinsan is an educator at Middle College High School who was named a 2024 CLMS Region 1 Middle School Educator of the Year. Specializing in mathematics instruction and research-based teaching, he focuses on strengthening students’ quantitative reasoning, applied math, and problem-solving abilities.
#Rank 23- Jennifer Neely
Jennifer Neely is a middle-school educator at Pioneer Technical Center Charter who earned recognition as a 2022 CLMS Middle School Educator. She focuses on delivering practical, technical learning experiences that bridge core academic concepts with hands-on skills to inspire adolescent learners.
Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-neely-2b0a7845/
#Rank 24- Claudia Rubino
Claudia Rubino teaches AVID Excel and English Language Development at Monroe Middle School in Campbell USD. Honored as a 2021 CLMS Middle School Educator of the Year, she specializes in empowering English learners and advancing college-readiness strategies across diverse student populations.
#Rank 25- Tiffany Chez Robinson
Tiffany Chez Robinson is a classroom educator at Pomolita Middle School in Ukiah USD. Awarded the title of 2021 CLMS State Middle School Educator of the Year, she is celebrated for her transformative teaching methods, student advocacy, and unwavering commitment to middle-grade excellence.
Middle-school education sits at a critical crossroads, bridging foundational childhood learning with the independence and rigor of high school. The leadership, innovation, and unwavering passion demonstrated by these 25 educators and administrators highlight the profound impact that dedicated professionals have on student success.
By fostering inclusive campus environments, championing hands-on STEM and literacy initiatives, and advocating for the whole child, these leaders are actively shaping the future of education across California. Honoring their contributions not only celebrates their individual accomplishments, but also serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative role middle-grade educators play in inspiring the next generation of thinkers, creators, and leaders.
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