Supporters of student mental health were honored tonight for their work in Delaware schools.
School counselors, social workers, licensed clinical social workers, psychologists, and school nurses from nearly 20 Delaware schools were recognized during the Delaware Department of Education‘s Behavioral Health Professional of the Year awards dinner.
Each nominee representing a district or charter school received a $2,000 award from their respective district or charter school in recognition of their work with students.
This year’s 2026 Delaware Behavioral Health Professional of the Year winner is Taylor Richey, a school counselor with the Woodbridge School District.
Richey received a total of $5,000 from the state and her district as this year’s winner. The Woodbridge School District will also receive $5,000 to support the students Richey serves.
Last year, social worker Jaclyn Durant from the Red Clay Consolidated School District was named Behavioral Health Professional of the Year.
The 2026 District and Charter Behavioral Health Professionals of the Year are:
Appoquinimink School District: Debra Taylor, school counselor, Townsend Elementary SchoolBrandywine School District: Tina Lombardo, school counselor, Mount Pleasant Elementary SchoolCaesar Rodney School District: Nicole Boris, school counselor, Nellie Stokes Elementary SchoolCape Henlopen School District: Terri Tipton, school social worker, Sussex ConsortiumCapital School District: Heather Barcus, school nurse, Hartly Elementary SchoolChristina School District: Angelique “Angel” Boyce, school nurse, Sarah Pyle AcademyColonial School District: Nicole Irwin, school social worker, John Leach SchoolDelaware Charter School Network: Dawnyel Furlong, school nurse, Sussex AcademyIndian River School District: Denise Parsons, school nurse, Selbyville Middle SchoolLake Forest School District: Jennifer Satterfield, school counselor, Lake Forest Central Elementary SchoolLaurel School District: Logan Downes, school nurse, Laurel High SchoolMilford School District: Angel Mills, school counselor, Morris Early Childhood CenterNew Castle County Vo-Tech School District: Kristan Garofalo, school counselor, Hodgson Vocational Technical High SchoolPOLYTECH School District: Andrea Spence, school counselor, POLYTECH High SchoolRed Clay Consolidated School District: Kelly R. Nichol, school psychologist, Conrad Schools of ScienceSeaford School District: Rhonda Bailey, school social worker, Blades Elementary SchoolSmyrna School District: Dina Pennington, school counselor, Sunnyside Elementary SchoolSussex County Vocational Technical School District: Krista Schirmer, school counselor, Sussex Technical High SchoolWinner — Woodbridge School District: Taylor Richey, school counselor, Woodbridge Early Childhood Education Center