Tomball ISD Superintendent Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora Named Finalist for 2025 AASA Women in School Leadership Award

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – For her exceptional leadership as Superintendent of Schools and her work as a leader in public education across the State of Texas, Tomball ISD Superintendent Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora has been named a 2025 Women in School Leadership Award Finalist, presented by AASA, The School Superintendents Association.

The awards, presented by AASA in partnership with Horace Mann Educators Corporation, recognize outstanding female leaders who have made significant contributions to education in two key categories: Superintendent and Central Office/Principal.

“Horace Mann is proud to partner with AASA to recognize the 2025 finalists for the prestigious AASA Women in School Leadership Awards,” said Marita Zuraitis, president, Horace Mann Educators Corporation. “The passion, dedication, and vision demonstrated by these finalists significantly impacts both students and educators every day.”

The 2025 Women in School Leadership Award finalists are:

Central Office/ Principal Category

• Alicen Gaytley, Director of Teaching and Learning, Quincy School District (Wash.)
• Jennifer Halter, Principal, Clay High School, Clay County District Schools (Fla.)

Superintendent Category

• Wendy Birhanzel, Superintendent, Harrison School District 2 (Colo.)
• Martha Salazar-Zamora, Superintendent, Tomball Independent School District (Texas)

Dr. Salazar-Zamora is coming off an incredible year of accomplishments, highlighted by being named the 2023 Texas Superintendent of the Year and a 2024 AASA National Superintendent of the Year Finalist. She currently serves as the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) President. 

Dr. Salazar-Zamora’s Full Bio. 

“These remarkable leaders have demonstrated a deep commitment to student success, staff development, and innovation in education. We are thrilled to honor their achievements and showcase their outstanding contributions to public education,” said David R. Schuler, Executive Director of AASA.

Finalists will be evaluated on their leadership in meeting the learning needs of students, personal and organizational communication strength, constant professional improvement of knowledge and skills, and active community involvement.

The final award recipients in each category will be announced during the 2025 AASA National Conference on Education, March 6-8 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

For more information about the Women in School Leadership Awards, please visit the AASA website or contact Jennifer Rooney, AASA senior director of meetings and awards, at jrooney@aasa.org.

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ABOUT AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.

ABOUT HORACE MANN
Horace Mann Educators Corporation is the largest financial services company focused on helping America's educators and others who serve the community achieve lifelong financial success. The company offers individual and group insurance and financial solutions tailored to the needs of the educator community. Founded by Educators for Educators® in 1945, the company is headquartered in Springfield, Illinois.

ABOUT TOMBALL ISD
Tomball ISD educates students to become responsible, productive citizens by providing innovative, individually rigorous, and personally valuable educational experiences. Founded in 1908, Tomball ISD now encompasses 83 square miles in northwest Harris County and southwest Montgomery County, and is located approximately 30 miles from downtown Houston. The district currently educates over 23,000 students across 24 campuses.