"Enhancing, Promoting And Supporting Educational Leadership"
AWARDS & HONORS
2024 Dr. Brad Sneeden
Leadership Award
The North Carolina School Superintendents' Association (NCSSA) has announced the selection of Dr. Eisa Cox, Superintendent of Ashe County Schools, as the recipient of the Dr. Brad Sneeden Leadership Award. The award is presented in honor and recognition of a superintendent who has demonstrated a strong commitment to lifelong learning, unwavering integrity in leadership, and transformation of vision into action.
2024 NCSSA Dr. Dwayne Stallings Leadership Award
The North Carolina School Superintendents' Association (NCSSA) has announced the selection of Dr. Eric Cunningham, Superintendent of Halifax County Schools, as the recipient of the Dr. Dwayne Stallings Leadership Award. The award is presented in honor and recognition of a superintendent who has demonstrated a strong dedication to public education, commitment to academic excellence, and a continual focus on professional growth and student learning.
Previous Superintendent
of the Year Recipients:
2025 – Dr. Freddie E. Williamson, Robeson
2024 – Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr., Cumberland
2023 – Dr. Don Phipps, Caldwell
2022 – Dr. Valerie Bridges, Edgecombe
2021 – Dr. Brent Williams, Lenoir
2020 – Dr. Anthony Jackson, Vance
2019 – Dr. Patrick Miller, Greene
2018 – Dr. Janet Mason, Rutherford
2017 – Dr. Jim Merrill, Wake
2016 – Dr. Freddie E. Williamson, Hoke
2015 – Dr. Rodney Shotwell, Rockingham
2014 – Brady Johnson, Iredell-Statesville
2013 – Dr. Mark Adrian Edwards,
Mooresville City
2012 – Dr. Diane L. Frost, Asheboro
2011 – Dr. Donald L. Martin, Jr.,
Winston-Salem/Forsyth
2010 – Dr. Donna Cox Peters, Montgomery
2009 – Dr. Terry K. Holliday, Iredell-Statesville
2008 – Dr. Terry B. Grier, Guilford
2007 – Dr. Shirley B. Prince, Scotland
2006 – Dr. Larry E. Price, Wilson
2005 – Dr. James G. Merrill,
Alamance-Burlington
2004 – William R. McNeal, Jr., Wake
2003 – Dr. Edward D. Sadler, Jr., Gaston
2002 – Dr. Eric J. Smith, Charlotte-Mecklenburg
2001 – Dr. Neil G. Pedersen, Chapel Hill-Carrboro
2000 – Dr. Ann T. Denlinger, Durham
1999 – Dr. Jerry D. Weast, Guilford
1998 – Dr. James F. Causby, Johnston
1997 – Steven Wrenn, Lee
1996 – Douglas Scott Penland, Clay
1995 – Dr. John B. Dunn, Edenton-Chowan
1994 – Dr. Michael E. Ward, Granville
1993 – Charles L. Byrd, Hendersonville City
1992 – Dr. Travis Twiford,
Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Schools
1991 – Dr. James F. Causby, Polk
1990 – Dr. G. Thomas Houlihan, Granville
1989 – Dr. Emmett Malvin Floyd, Catawba
1988 – Dr. Cleveland Hammonds, Durham
Robeson County Superintendent Wins Burroughs Wellcome Fund 2025 A. Craig Phillips NC Superintendent Of The Year Award
GREENSBORO | Dr. Freddie Williamson, Superintendent of Public Schools of Robeson County (PSRC), was named the Burroughs Wellcome Fund 2025 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year at an awards presentation and banquet held Thursday, Oct. 10, at the Grandover Resort.
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This annual honor is presented jointly by the North Carolina
Association of School Administrators (NCASA), the North Carolina School Superintendents' Association (NCSSA) and the North Carolina School Boards Association (NCSBA) and includes a $5,000 award to the winner. The state award ceremony and selections process is sponsored by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF).
"In honoring the dedicated leaders vying for the Burroughs Wellcome Fund A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year Award, we celebrate the commitment to excellence in education that shapes the future of our students,” said Dr. Louis Muglia, President and CEO, Burroughs Wellcome Fund. “Their unwavering passion and innovative leadership inspire us all to strive for a brighter tomorrow in our state’s public schools."
Dr. Freddie Williamson has been serving in public education for nearly 40 years and has served as a superintendent in multiple districts throughout North Carolina. He joined PSRC as superintendent in 2021 in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon taking over as superintendent, Dr. Willamson quickly worked towards the needs of special education students and the inequities of instructional practices in his school district. His devotion to advocating for under-served students ensured all students in his district received access to high-quality instruction.
“To the Public Schools of Robeson County, what an honor it is to serve that great district as we continue to push forward, and it’s been said so much, … it means a lot that we can serve kids and that we can make a difference in their lives every single day,” said Dr. Williamson.
Jack Hoke, NCSSA’s Executive Director who presented the award, praised Dr. Williamson for his leadership that led to his receiving this state honor for the second time. Dr. Williamson also was the state’s Superintendent of the Year in 2016, while leading Hoke County Schools.
"It is a great honor to present Dr. Freddie Williamson with this award,” Hoke said. “Dr. Williamson has been a champion for children throughout his career as an educator. He is a great professional and held in high regard by those in his community and statewide by his peers."
Dr. Williamson’s efforts to increase opportunities for under-served groups in his district have led to marked improvement. Since the pandemic, PSRC schools showed signs of academic recovery in nearly every subject – with the strongest gains measured in End Of Grade Reading for Grade 3. Notable gains were also found in Reading and Math for grades 3-5.
Dr. Williamson’s leadership and vision has also led PSRC to serve as a pilot for North Carolina with the implementation of a model to enhance school instruction and leadership. In addition, PSRC fosters strong educational partnerships with Robeson Community College and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke to provide students in the district with the best opportunities possible to thrive in a global work environment.
With his many accomplishments and wealth of experience, Dr. Williamson continues to find ways to enhance instruction in his district to create a positive, more inclusive environment that leads to success for all students in his care.
Dr. Williamson continued, “If ever a time in the history of public education that we need to be united – one team, one goal – is now. Not for political reasons, not for recognition, but for the very future of this great nation and the very future of families yet to come.”
As the Burroughs Wellcome Fund 2025 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Williamson will compete at the national level for the Superintendent of the Year Award, to be given at the American Association of School Administrators’ National Conference on Education Mar. 6-8, 2025, in New Orleans, LA.
The 2025 North Carolina Regional Superintendents of the Year, all of whom were nominees for this prestigious state award, were also recognized as such at the Oct. 10 ceremony, thanks to the sponsorship of Scholastic Education:
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Northeast | Dr. Tanya Turner, Perquimans County Schools
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Central | Dr. Eric Bracy, Johnston County Public Schools
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Sandhills | Dr. Freddie Williamson, Public Schools of Robeson County
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Piedmont-Triad | Dr. Aaron Woody, Asheboro City Schools
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Southwest | Dr. Andrew Houlihan, Union County Public Schools
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Northwest | Dr. Aron Gabriel, Newton-Conover City Schools
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Western | Dr. Will Hoffman, Madison County Schools
Previous Raymond Sarbaugh Leadership Award Recipients:
2024 | Dr. Freddie Williamson
2023 | Dr. Ethan Lenker
2022 | Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr.
Marcie Holland
2021 | Tabari Wallace
2020 | Patrick Miller
2019 | Jeff Hollamon
2018 | Glenda Jones
David Hicks
2017 | Frank Till, Jr.
2016 | Dr. Rodney Shotwell
2015 | Dr. Dudley Flood
Charlie Glazener
2014 | Jo Ann Norris
2013 | Donald L. Martin, Jr.
2012 | Dr. James Casuby
2011 | Dr. Larry Price
2010 | Mr. Jack Hoke
2009 | Ms. Melisa Jessup
Robeson Superintendent Honored With NCASA 2024 Leadership Award
WILMINGTON | Dr. Freddie Williamson, Superintendent of the Public Schools of Robeson County, was awarded the North Carolina Association of School Administrators’ (NCASA) 2024 Raymond Sarbaugh Leadership Award during the NCASA 2024 Conference on Educational Leadership. This award, named in honor of NCASA’s first full-time Executive Director, the late Raymond Sarbaugh, is given annually to an NCASA member who shows outstanding leadership in public school service, as well as a commitment to enhancing and supporting the efforts of
fellow public school administrators. Over his decades of service to North Carolina public schools, Dr. Williamson has distinguished himself as a “leader among leaders” through his tireless dedication to improving public schools and for his support of his school leader colleagues and the thousands of students they serve.
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Dr. Williamson has served as the Robeson County Superintendent since 2020, after previously serving as Superintendent of Hoke County Schools for 15 years. During his time as district leader, he has earned a reputation as a true team player, focusing on building capacity in leadership and promoting a collaborative student-centered approach to district turnaround work. This focus on teamwork is not only reflected in his district accomplishments, but also highlighted in his ongoing collaboration with fellow education leaders across the state.
“Dr. Freddie Williamson is truly a leader among leaders,” says NCASA Executive Director, Katherine Joyce. “He has served as President of NCASA’s core affiliate, the NC School Superintendents’ Association, and he took an active role in advocating on behalf of all superintendents and other school leaders during his service as Superintendent Advisor to the State Board of Education. He models leadership and integrity daily and mentors others with his inclusive approach to school leadership.”
His leadership has earned him numerous accolades, including the 2016 A. Craig Phillips NC Superintendent of the Year. That same year, Dr. Williamson was recognized as one of four finalists for National Superintendent of the Year and was presented the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest civilian honor in the state of North Carolina. Prior to serving as a superintendent, Dr. Williamson worked in various education roles in surrounding districts, including but not limited to athletic coach, assistant principal, program director, and associate superintendent.
Dr. Williamson was raised on a family farm in Sampson County, NC, and despite not graduating from high school themselves, his parents instilled in him and his 12 siblings the importance of obtaining a strong education. As a result, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Education from North Carolina A&T State University and began his career as a classroom teacher, before finding himself drawn to educational leadership roles. He later obtained a Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership from A&T, an Education Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from East Carolina University, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership degree from Fayetteville State University.
Previous Champion for Children Award Recipients:
2024 | NC Rep. Donny Lambeth
2023 | Jack Hoke
2022 | NC Sen. Don Davis
2021 | Beverly Emory
2020 | NC Rep. Jeffrey Elmore
2019 | Gov. Roy Cooper
2018 | D. Craig Horn
2017 | Hugh Blackwell
2016 | James H. Langdon, Jr.
2015 | John Dornan
2014 | Ann B. Goodnight
2013 | Linda P. Johnson
2012 | Beverly E. Perdue
2011 | Bill McNeal &
June St. Clair Atkinson
2010 | Vernon Malone
2009 | Howard N. Lee
2008 | Rick Glazier
2007 | Douglas Yongue
2006 | James B. Hunt, Jr. &
Michael F. Easley
NC Rep. Donny Lambeth Named NCASA 2024 Champion For Children
WILMINGTON | State Rep. Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth) was awarded the 2024 Champion for Children Award during the NC Association of School Administrators’ (NCASA) 2024 Conference on Educational Leadership. The award, given annually to an individual demonstrating leadership in supporting and enhancing public education, recognizes Rep. Lambeth’s more than two decades of advocacy on behalf of public schools in key roles such as member and Chair of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education, Senior
Chair of the NC House Appropriations Committee, and active member of the NC House K-12 Education Committee.
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Throughout his political career, Rep. Lambeth has prioritized key issues for public schools, including but not limited to local district flexibility, student mental health support, and educator recruitment and retention. Most recently, his leadership during 2023 state budget negotiations helped secure additional funding for bus drivers to alleviate critical staffing shortages, enhanced school construction funding through state lottery proceeds, and increased state support for student safety and school health personnel. In addition, his public call for adequate accountability and transparency measures for the state’s Opportunity Scholarship Program, as it was being expanded in 2023, is a common-sense approach that NCASA applauds and hopes other legislators will pursue.
“Rep. Lambeth has been a long-time supporter of strong public schools, working tirelessly at the local and state levels to address specific needs for recruiting and retaining key personnel, providing compensation increases to school staff, and focusing on the health and safety needs of students,” said Katherine Joyce, NCASA’s Executive Director. “These past and ongoing efforts to ensure public schools have greatly-needed state resources, and his willingness to work with school administrators across the state, make him a true Champion for Children and deserving of this prestigious award.”
In addition to his efforts to uplift public schools, Rep. Lambeth has served as Chair of the House Health Committee, Healthcare Reform Committee, Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Medicaid Reform & Health Choice, and Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health & Human Services. In these roles, he has leveraged his 40 years of professional experience in the healthcare industry to effect positive legislative changes in health care for North Carolinians. Most notably, he was instrumental in bipartisan efforts spanning several years to expand Medicaid in North Carolina, resulting in enhanced health coverage options for thousands of adults and children statewide.
While Rep. Lambeth was unable to attend the recent NCASA awards ceremony due to another commitment recognizing his efforts in expanding Medicaid, he thanked NCASA for the prestigious honor, which has been awarded in the past to other influential lawmakers, Governors, and education leaders. As a lifelong resident of Forsyth County, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from nearby High Point University and his Master of Business Administration degree from Wake Forest University. He continues to live in Forsyth County with his wife Pam, a former teacher in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, and together they have four grown daughters, all of whom attended public schools in Forsyth County, as well as seven grandchildren.