From left: Madera County Superintendent of Schools Tricia Protzman; 2025 Madera County Excellence in Education Award Honorees Kristin McKenna, Danielle Willeke, and Kristin Sheehan; and EECU President and CEO Elizabeth J. Dooley. EECU photo

Educational Employees Credit Union (EECU) and the Madera County Superintendent of Schools celebrated the county’s top school employee, administrator and teacher at the 2025 Excellence in Education Awards on Thursday. 

EECU has partnered with the superintendent’s office to host the annual event, which recognizes the educators who inspire students and strengthen the community, since 2007.

Elizabeth J. Dooley, who has been the CEO of EECU since 2007, presented the awards to the honorees, who were nominated by their peers from the county’s nine school districts. 

“For nearly two decades, we’ve partnered with the Madera County Superintendent of Schools to honor the dedicated individuals who teach, lead, and support students every day,” Dooley said in a news release. “Their dedication leaves a lasting mark on our community and we’re proud to celebrate their hard work.”

This year’s recipients were: Danielle Willeke, Special Day Class instructional assistant, Chowchilla Elementary School District (School Employee of the Year); Kristin McKenna, director of college and career readiness, Madera Unified School District (Administrator of the Year) and Kristin Sheehan, agricultural instructor and FFA advisor, Madera South High (Teacher of the Year). 

The celebration is one of six annual Madera County events sponsored by EECU.