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Siena Cypress and Key Supporter Awards

Honoring Those Who Make a Difference 

In 2007, the school established the Siena Cypress Leadership Award, given annually to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the education of students who learn differently. For centuries, Cypress trees have been planted to honor people of significant accomplishment. The Siena award, which is hand-crafted each year, includes a larger and smaller cypress tree and captures the spirit of the school reflecting mentorship, creativity, and resilience.

 

We're thrilled to honor Dyslexia Advocate and Consultant Lorraine Hightower with the 2024 Cypress Leadership Award.

 

Past Awardees

William Stixrud, Ph.D., 2007

Rick Riordan, 2008

Claire Nissenbaum, 2009

Thomas West, 2010

Dr. Martha Denckla, 2011

Dr. Gordon Sherman, 2012

Dr. Larry Silver, 2013

Dr. Kathleen Nadeau, 2014

Quinn Bradlee, 2015

Marilyn Zecher, 2016

Learning Ally, 2017

Weinfeld Education Group, 2018

Senator Craig Zucker and Delegate Eric Luedtke, 2019

Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide, 2020

Noah Lyles, 2021

Dyslexic Edge/Sliding Doors, 2022

Gil Gershoni, 2023

Lorraine Hightower, 2024
 


Key Supporter Awards

A

Academic Language Therapy Association, Virginia Branch (ALTA-Virginia)

Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Education Center (ASDEC)

B

Judy Bass (Bass Educational Services)

Connie Belfiore (Friends Community School)

Dr. Sarah Irvine Belson (School of Education, Teaching and Health, American University)

Suzanne Keith Blattner, Ed.S. (Suzanne Keith Blattner, Ed.S. & Associates

Rebecca Blodgett

Elliot Blumenstein, Psy.D.

Kevin Bowlin (Printing and Promotional Unlimited, Inc.)

Timothy Brown (Arent Fox LLP)

C

Tom Carr (Carr Design and Construction Solutions LLC)

Calvary Lutheran Church (Pastors Alex Harris and Carl Johnson)

Dr. R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center

D

Jose Dominguez (Pyramid Atlantic Art Center)

E 

Guinevere Eden, Ph.D. (Georgetown University)

Paul Elbo (formerly of P R S Associates)

Janice Ellis

Valerie Ervin (Montgomery County Councilmember, 5th District)

G

Bill Gray

Dave Gudes

The George Washington University – Meltzer Psychological Center

H

Margaret R. Harrington, Ed.D. (Victory Education Partners)

Dr. Anthony Harris (UMD School of Medicine)

Rickie Hartman

Pastor Joel Hawthorne (Montgomery Hills Baptist Church)

Susan Healy (LDA-MC)

Ann Hoopes

I

Georgia K. Irvin and Pamela Tedeschi (Tedeschi Educational Consulting, formerly Georgia K. Irvin & Associates)

J

Agnes Jones-Trower, Ph.D.

K

Pearl R. Kane, Ed.D. (Teachers College, Columbia University)

Terri King, Montgomery Hills Baptist Church

Michael Krasnow, Judge

Kennedy Krieger Institute

Natalia Kormeluk (The Field School)

M

E. Jane McCarthy, Ph.D., Ms.N.

David Meininger, SFCCA

Katherine K. Merseth, Ed.D. (Harvard Graduate School of Education)

Milton Janitorial Services

Montgomery Hills Baptist Church

Matthew Moyer (National Geographic)

N

Dr. Lorrie Ness (Ness Psychological Services)

NeuroBehavioral Associates

P

Caryn G. Pass, Esq. (Venable LLP)

Allen Perper (Alumni Parent)

Bill Poulos 

S

Lou Salza, M.Ed. (The Lawrence School)

The School Counseling Group

Rhona Schwartz, M.A. (The Katherine Thomas School)

The Siena School Scholarship Foundation

Larry B. Silver, M.D.

Aaron Smith, A. Morton Thomas & Associates, Inc.

Ruth B. Spodak, Ph.D., & Associates

William R. Stixrud, Ph.D., & Associates

Nancy Streim, Ph.D. (Teachers College, Columbia University; formerly University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education)

U

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax

University of Maryland Department of Environmental Science and Technology

V

Susan L. Van Ost, Ph.D.

Dr. Rachna Varia (Mindwell

W

Washington Scholarship Fund

Rich Weinfeld (The Weinfeld Education Group)

Ms. Abigail B. Wiebenson (Lowell School)

Ms. Janet L. Wintrol (Ivymount School)

Dr. Valaida Wise (Dr. Valaida Wise Consulting, LLC)

Z

Marilyn Zecher (ASDEC)

Eve Zimmerman (Siena Parents Association)

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