Alumni

Miguel Cardona ’01 MA, ’04 UCAPP, ’11 Ed.D., ’12 ELP

Cardona served as the 12^th United States Secretary of Education from March 2021 to February 2025 and is the founding CEO of Cardona Solutions, an educational consulting organization. Cardona is one of three children whose grandparents migrated from Puerto Rico in the 1960s in search of better opportunities on the mainland United States. That experience, and his bicultural upbringing, helped shape his passion to serve all students and improve their opportunities for success.

Cardona has two decades of experience as a public school educator from Meriden, Connecticut, the same school system in which he attended as a child. He began his career as an elementary school teacher and later served as an elementary school principal. Following that role, Cardona led performance and evaluation efforts for Meriden Public Schools and became assistant superintendent for teaching and learning. He previously served as commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education from 2019 to 2021.

He is the recipient of the 2012 National Distinguished Principal Award for the State of Connecticut and the Outstanding Administrator Award from the University of Connecticut's Neag School of Education. Cardona earned a bachelor's degree from Central Connecticut State University, a master's degree, two additional advanced leadership certifications (UCAPP and ELP), and a doctoral degree from UConn's Neag School of Education.

Alan Addley ’07 ELP, ’14 Ed.D.

Addley is the former superintendent of Darien Public Schools, as he announced his retirement for June of 2025. He was named the state’s Superintendent of the Year in 2019 and recognized by the Neag School's Alumni Board as the Outstanding School Superintendent in 2017, all while serving as superintendent of Granby Public Schools. A native of Northern Ireland, Addley started his career as a professional soccer player and mathematics teacher. He has 34 years of administrative and teaching experience in private and public schools in the United States and Ireland. Addley completed a Connecticut Superintendent Certificate through the Executive Leadership Program in 2007 and earned his Ed.D. in 2014, both at the Neag School.

Steven Autieri ’21 ELP

Autieri is the assistant superintendent of Teaching & Learning for Milford Public Schools. Autieri has been a professional educator for 13 years, with experience at every level of educational practice in progressively responsible roles: teacher, science curriculum leader, and district-level administrator. Autieri earned his Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Keene State College in New Hampshire and a Master of Science degree in cell and molecular biology from the University of Rhode Island. After discovering his love of teaching, he earned a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from Fairfield University. He received his 6th year certificate (092) in educational leadership from Southern Connecticut University, followed by a CT superintendency certificate in executive leadership (093) from UConn's Neag School of Education. Autieri is pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership, also from UConn.

Tracy Avicolli ’22 ELP

Avicolli is the director of secondary teaching and learning for Hartford Public Schools. She previously served as the director of arts and wellness within the same district. Avicolli began her career in 2006 as an educator for the Grace S. Webb School and then the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC). From 2014 to 2016, she served as principal of EASTCONN, a public, non-profit regional educational service center.

Avicolli received her Bachelor of Applied Science in elementary education and teaching and music performance from Salve Regina University, a Master of Music in opera education from the Long School of Music, and a sixth-year degree in educational leadership and administration from Sacred Heart University. From UConn’s Neag School of Education, she received a CT superintendency certificate in executive leadership (093) and a doctorate in education.

Michael Bernardi ’96 (ED), ’00 MA, ’06 UCAPP, ’22 ELP

Bernardi has been the principal of Rochambeau Middle School in Southbury, Connecticut, for over 12 years. He previously served as an assistant principal for Weston Middle School. Bernardi previously worked as an educator at East Ridge Middle School. From UConn’s Neag School of Education, he received his bachelor’s in history, master’s in secondary education and teaching, master’s in educational leadership and administration, and a certification in superintendency and educational system administration. Bernardi additionally received a certificate in school management and leadership from Harvard Business School.

Paul Freeman ’09 Ed.D.

Freeman has been a Connecticut educator for more than 20 years. He has been the superintendent of Schools in Guilford since 2011. Before Guilford, Freeman served as the superintendent of the Griswold Public Schools, and prior to that, he worked as an assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent in the East Lyme School system. He began his career in education as a teacher of English language arts at the middle and high school levels in the Amity School system. He received the 2014 Outstanding Superintendent Award from the UConn Neag School of Education and was named the state’s Superintendent of the Year in 2020. He earned his bachelor's degree at Keene State University in New Hampshire, completed his master's and sixth-year degrees at Southern Connecticut State University, and completed his doctoral studies at UConn.

Jody Goeler ’07 ELP

Goeler is currently a senior policy associate at the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education. He retired as the superintendent of Hamden Public Schools in 2022, after eight years of leading the district. That same year, he was recognized by the Neag School's Alumni Board with its Outstanding School Superintendent Award. Before that, Goeler served as superintendent for Regional School District 14, which is based in Woodbury. Earlier in his career, he spent time as a teacher, president of the Avon Education Association, an assistant principal, and an assistant superintendent. He graduated from the State University of New York at Fredonia, where he received his bachelor’s degree in English and Language Arts with a focus in secondary education, and received degrees from the University of Hartford and Wesleyan University. Goeler earned his ELP from UConn’s Neag School of Education in 2007.

Donna Hayward ’98 UCAPP, ’10 ELP

Hayward has been the principal of Haddam-Killingworth High School in Higganum, Connecticut, for the past nine years. In November 2022, she was named the 2023 National Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary Principals. Hayward earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees from Smith College before enrolling in the Neag School's UCAPP program and earning her sixth-year certificate. She began her career as an assistant principal at Rocky Hill High School and was later promoted to principal. She also served as principal at Suffield High School before taking the principal position at Haddam-Killingworth High School. Hayward was Connecticut’s Assistant Principal of the Year in 2006 and served as president of the Connecticut Association of Schools. Through her leadership, Haddam-Killingworth High School was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2018, and she was named Connecticut’s Principal of the Year in 2022.

Scott Hurwitz ’06 ED, ’07 MA, ’19 Ed.D., ’21 ELP

Hurwitz is the assistant superintendent of personnel and administration for Glastonbury Public Schools. He previously served as the assistant superintendent of finance and operations for Farmington Public Schools. From UConn’s Neag School of Education, Hurwitz received his bachelor’s in secondary education, with a specialization in history, a doctorate in educational leadership, and a certificate in the Executive Leadership Program (ELP). Additionally, he received his master’s in school building leadership at the Teachers College at Columbia University.

Joe Macary '05 ELP, '16 Ed.D.

Macary earned a doctorate in education (Ed.D.) in 2016 and a certificate in the Executive Leadership Program (ELP) for superintendency in 2005 from UConn’s Neag School of Education. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from UConn, with a concentration in economics. Macary has served as the superintendent of Vernon Public Schools in Vernon, Connecticut, since 2015. In his superintendent role, Macary serves as the chief executive officer, advocating for students’ academic, social, and emotional growth and development while focusing on student learning and achievement. He also previously served as the superintendent for Wolcott Public Schools from 2009 to 2015. Macary was named the 2023 Outstanding School Superintendent by the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education Alumni Board in March 2023 and the 2024 Connecticut Superintendent of the Year by the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents.

Madeline Negrón ’98 MA, ’12 Ph.D., ’15 ELP

Negrón became superintendent of New Haven Public Schools in July 2023. She has spent her professional career as an educator in Connecticut’s urban environments, rich in cultural and linguistic diversity. Most recently, she served as acting deputy superintendent of academics and school leadership for the Hartford Public Schools; she had previously held the position of chief of academics, teaching, learning, and student supports. Negrón began her career as a bilingual education teacher and has worked as an assistant principal, principal, central office administrator, and senior executive-level administrator. Negrón is proud to be a first-generation college graduate; she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Spanish from Central Connecticut State University, a Master of Arts degree in Education with a minor in Bilingual Bicultural Education, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from UConn's Neag School of Education.

Theresa Rangel ’21 ELP

Rangel was appointed as West Hartford Public Schools’ executive director of equity advancement in September 2023. She previously served as the director of diversity, equity, and inclusion for Naugatuck Public Schools and has nine years of building and curriculum leadership in the Norwalk Public Schools, Newington Public Schools, and Danbury Public Schools. She began her career in Danbury Public Schools as an elementary school teacher. Rangel is a graduate of the Neag School’s Executive Leadership Program. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary and Spanish education and a master’s degree in instructional technology from Western Connecticut State University, as well as a master’s in education administration from Sacred Heart University.

Shawn Simpson ’22 ELP

Simpson is superintendent of Wolcott Public Schools. Simpson has spent his entire education career in Wolcott’s public schools, including three years as an assistant superintendent and then interim superintendent before being named superintendent in August 2022. Before his district-level positions, Simpson was principal of Alcott Elementary School for four years and assistant principal at Tyrrell Middle School for five years. He began his career as a school counselor and also coached basketball and track and field. Simpson earned a Bachelor's in Social Rehabilitation Services from
Assumption College and a Master of Education in Psychology from Springfield College. He is a graduate of the UConn Neag School of Education's Executive Leadership Program.

Kristina Wallace ’09 (CLAS), ’12 MA, ’17 UCAPP

Wallace is the principal of Avon Middle School, where she previously served as assistant principal. She began her career as a school counselor at Watertown High School. In 2014, she transitioned to the role of school counselor at Windsor High School, where she was named the lead counselor in 2017. She was recognized as Windsor Public Schools’ Educator of the Year in 2017 and the Connecticut School Counseling Association School Counselor of the Year in 2018. In the summer of 2018, she was named associate principal of Naugatuck High School before joining Avon Public Schools in 2019. Wallace earned two bachelor's degrees from UConn before earning her Master of Arts in Educational Psychology. She later completed UConn's Administrator Preparation Program, earning her sixth-year certificate.