SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Education Association (IEA) awarded seven educators from around the state for their outstanding commitment to their schools, students, communities and public education. This year’s Reg Weaver Human and Civil Rights Award was posthumously awarded to the late IEA President Al Llorens, who passed away Sept. 25, 2025.
The awards were presented during the IEA Representative Assembly (RA). The RA is the legislative body of the IEA and helps the state’s largest union set its agenda for the year. There are 1,200 IEA delegates, guests and state dignitaries who attend the RA.
The IEA award recipients were nominated and chosen for their awards by their peers.
The 2026 IEA RA award winners are:
Bob Haisman Early Career Teacher of the Year Award – Gianna Miritello (special education teacher, A.E.R.O. Education Association, A.E.R.O. Special Education Cooperative, Region 28)
While Gianna Miritello may be at the beginning of her career, she is already viewed as a leader. As the membership chair of her local, Miritello is one of the first union contacts for new employees. When new members arrive, she is someone who will go out of her way to give a tour or invite a member to observe one of her lessons. She is warm, welcoming and provides endless encouragement to her peers. As a junior high multi-needs teacher, Miritello’s knowledge of special-needs education is on display every day. Working with students with low-incidence disabilities, complex medical and physical needs and cognitive delays, she accommodates the unique needs of every student. Her relationships with students are based on care, understanding and high expectations. Miritello encourages her students to communicate with others through AAC devices, Big Mac switches and other forms of whole communication, which has led to more visibility and understanding of disabilities in her school community. This has helped build compassion and empathy, as well as led to more advocacy for students with disabilities. In her third year of teaching, Miritello received the inaugural A.E.R.O. Aviator of the Year Award for excellence in teaching. Staff frequently come to her for guidance due to her creative problem solving skills, passion and advocacy efforts. For example, she advocated for equity in classroom sizes in her program. In describing Miritello, one of her fellow union members shares, “Gianna Miritello is a teacher who provides the most amount of support, thought, and care into every aspect of her job… Her impact, even at this early stage in her career, has been monumental and will undoubtedly continue to grow.”
Bob Haisman Aspiring Educator Award – Anabella Chlada (Illinois State University Aspiring Educators, Illinois State University, Region 89)
Bella Chlada possesses wonderful qualities of intelligence, hard work, compassion and inclusivity that set her apart from other students at ISU and around the state. Her dedication to the role of Aspiring Educators chairperson is evident in everything she does. Chlada has a natural ability to connect with others and she is always the first to greet people when they walk into a room. Her enthusiasm for leading, coupled with her ability to craft new ideas, inspires everyone around her. Many aspiring educators look to follow in Chlada’s footsteps and cause “good trouble” in public education. Because of her leadership, IEA Aspiring Educators is a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps most impressive is the work she has done to push for paid student teaching in Illinois. On top of her academic work and student teaching, she puts in extra hours to brainstorm ideas, draft plans, coordinate with her team and build the momentum needed to WIN! One of Chlada’s biggest points of pride is her teacher Instagram, @Bella.AspiringEd. She has posted her entire journey of being a member of the union and shares about the opportunities it has provided her. Many members have expressed that her Instagram is how they found out about Aspiring Ed or the reason why they became more involved. Chlada takes immense pride in enhancing and supporting the work of the union in whatever way she can. She was recently named the Bone Scholar for the Illinois State University College of Education, a top honor at ISU. Chlada is an integral member of the Illinois Education Association; we know she will make a fantastic special education teacher and future union leader.
Dr. Cheryl L. Thayer Higher Education Advocate Award – Charmian Tashjian (adjunct, Harper College Adjunct Faculty Association, Harper College, Region 42)
Charmian Tashjian began teaching at Harper College in 2003, when the Harper College Adjunct Faculty Association (HCAFA) was just being formed. Even before she was eligible to join, she attended meetings and assisted the negotiations team. By 2005, she was finally eligible to become an active member and eventually was elected vice president. In her various union leadership roles, she has consistently advocated on behalf of adjuncts and students–from advocating for professional development centered on student success to developing a “Level II” program for adjuncts, a program Harper College uses to this day. During her three terms as president of HCAFA, Tashjian proposed to neighboring adjunct union presidents that they meet to discuss common issues. Her idea led to the formation of the Collar Counties Higher Education Presidents’ Group, which she has continued to coordinate for about 10 years. The benefits of these meetings have been invaluable, and their group discussions have helped build momentum for equity in SURS benefit calculations for adjuncts, a state-wide minimum salary for adjuncts, dual credit, remedial courses and more. As a member of the IEA Higher Education Council, she helped write legislation on some of those topics. When Thashjian sets a goal, she achieves it. Her passion and dedication have not only strengthened her local and Harper College, but also higher education contingent unions across the state and IEA as a whole. She is a powerful leader and absolutely deserving of this honor.
Education Support Professional of the Year – Teresa Boraas (credit recovery coordinator, Sherrard Education Association, Sherrard CUSD 200, Region 17)
Teresa Boraas is the reason many Sherrard CUSD 200 at-risk students graduate. She runs the credit recovery program, but it is far more than a program—it is a lifesaver, a dream maker and a lifelong connection for the students she serves. Boraas gives students a path to get back on track by providing everything they may be missing: love, support, guidance, decision-making skills, clothing, food, positive affirmations and the redirection they need when they make poor choices. Through it all, she holds them to high academic standards. Boraas is always the first to sign up for anything, whether it’s food distribution, scholarship donations or supporting every new ESP who joins the district. She voluntarily trains new ESPs, providing them with a detailed instruction book, a shoulder to lean on and even a monthly dinner out to help them feel welcomed. Because of her dedication, the ESP turnover rate is lower than 2%. She is the welcoming committee, support system and guide all wrapped into one. Boraas is a champion for SEA, always encouraging new staff to join the union and explaining union benefits. After 25 years in the district, taking on a variety of different roles, she is retiring at the end of the year. She has touched the lives of so many educators and students. Because of her, our schools and our union are stronger.
Mary Lou and Keith Hauge Retiree of the Year Award – Kelly Holland (IEA-Retired, Deep South IEA-Retired (Carterville))
Kelly Holland taught 32 years at Marion Unit 2 schools, with more than 20 years spent as a fifth-grade teacher, before moving into her position as a reading specialist. Following her retirement from Marion, she worked part-time as a consultant and curriculum director in a smaller school district for three years. But with a history of union leadership, having served as union president and vice chair of Region 1, Holland knew she wanted to continue union work through the Deep South IEA-Retired chapter. Holland accepted the position of local secretary and quickly became an integral part of the executive committee. Early on, she took on the project of updating the local’s bylaws and constitution–something she completed without assistance from the committee. When the chapter needed a volunteer to chair the membership committee, Holland stepped up to the plate. She worked with members of the team to come up with a new member recruitment plan and took the initiative to contact all local presidents to acquire lists of potential retirees. She contacted every member on the list, and the results were incredibly positive! Her work expands beyond her chapter, as Holland regularly contributes to the IEA-R Insider to share information with all IEA-Retired members. Her communication skills keep our members informed and engaged, and she has brought a positive new energy to Deep South IEA-Retired. Holland gives 100% to building power in her local and encouraging recently retired members to continue this important work of advocating for retirees, students and strong public schools. She is a unionist through and through and absolutely deserving of this award.
NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence – Sarah Henkel Gehant (8th grade social studies teacher, Mendota Elementary Education Association, Mendota Community Consolidated District 289, Region 15)
As a National Board Certified teacher with masters degrees in both history and natural science, it is clear that Sarah Henkel is an expert social studies teacher. But what makes her so remarkable goes beyond her lessons and assignments. It is her commitment to supporting her students’ social and emotional development, in addition to maintaining a rigorous social studies classroom, that makes her truly special. Some of Henkel’s practices include encouraging students to engage outside their social circles, promoting collaboration and always providing positive feedback on students’ work. In 2015, Henkel and a student were selected for the National History Day Silent Heroes program, through which her student received the opportunity to present her research at the grave of a local WWII fallen soldier buried in the Normandy American Cemetery in France. The experience inspired her student to enlist in the U.S. Army, where she served honorably for five years. Henkel has since incorporated this research project for fallen heroes into her classroom, which has led to wonderful experiences for students, including interviews with local veterans and public speaking opportunities to share their research. Henkel served as a grassroots political activist (GPA) and is a proud graduate of IEA’s Leaders for Just Schools program. She has received multiple SCORE grant awards to fund school and community initiatives, including a clothing closet and a “lunch and learn” program focused on racial and social justice. Long before it was a district directive, Henkel translated her classroom materials to communicate with parents in their native languages. The result of this work has been greater trust and stronger relationships with students’ families. A former student describes Henkel as “one of the most caring and attentive students I have ever had.” Her commitment to personal growth as an educator, advocacy for her school community and dedication to her students’ success at all levels make Henkel an outstanding candidate for this honor.
Reg Weaver Human and Civil Rights Award – Al Llorens, former IEA president, posthumously awarded
Math teacher. Coach. Family man. Advocate. Labor leader. Friend.
It is only fitting that Al Llorens receive an honor named after the person who most inspired him to become president of the Illinois Education Association. Llorens was deeply committed to lifting up the next generation of leaders. He continued the work of his mentors (including Reg Weaver, Anne Davis and Pearl Mack) in breaking down barriers within our union, promoting inclusion and encouraging members of color to take on leadership roles. One of his proudest achievements was starting and leading the Ethnic Minority Emerging Leadership Training (EMELT). Supporting ethnic minority members on their pathway to union leadership will forever be a part of Llorens’ legacy. As a teacher and coach, Llorens reminded his students to never give up. As a Tai Chi instructor, he reminded us to breathe. As IEA president, he reminded us that even in this tumultuous period in the history of public education, we must be courageous and strong. He believed the work our members do is the most important work there is. From IEA member Karen Moore: “I’ll never forget the time when I was feeling weighed down by the challenges in front of me, questioning if I could really make a difference. Al leaned in, looked me straight in the eye, and said, ‘You are exactly where you’re supposed to be. Your voice matters, and your work matters—don’t ever doubt that.’ That encouragement still carries me on the hardest days.” Our union is better because of Llorens’ leadership, mentorship, kindness, thoughtfulness and courage. His legacy will live on in all of us.
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The 135,000 member Illinois Education Association (IEA-NEA) is the state’s largest union. IEA represents Pre K-12 teachers outside the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.
