Seven Distinguished Lasallian Educators were recognized on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, during the opening night of the Huether Lasallian Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. These educators were selected by their Districts for their contributions to the mission and for their exceptional work in touching the hearts and minds of their students, leaving a lasting impression that often goes beyond the classroom.
See all the previous DLE award recipients, dating back to 1987.
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District of Eastern North America
Jean Gould
Chief Financial Officer and Director of Human Resources, Calvert Hall College High School, Baltimore, MD
“When I joined Calvert Hall 15 years ago as the CFO, I never expected to grow in my faith as much as I have as part of this wonderful school community. I view my role as steward and advocate for our faculty, who dedicate themselves to inspiring our students, and for the families who make financial sacrifices to send their boys to Calvert Hall. … Every day I spend at Calvert Hall leaves me feeling uplifted, inspired and motivated to build meaningful relationships.”
Throughout her 15-year career as chief financial officer and director of human resources, Jean Gould has shown great zeal and generosity for those young people and families most in need in the Calvert Hall community.
As Dr. Andy Moore, principal at Calvert Hall stated, “Jean has championed initiatives that support tuition assistance, scholarship programs and faculty development, ensuring that the needs of the community are met with compassion and dignity.” President Brother John Kane, FSC, highlighted that “Jean’s relentless advocacy for each young man and family serve as a reminder to him, and all her colleagues at Calvert Hall, of what it means to be Lasallian.”
Johnny Kue
Assistant Executive Director and Graduate Support Director, The San Miguel School of Providence, Providence, RI
“The beauty of the Lasallian charism is that it doesn’t demand perfection; it simply asks for us to be present with a full, unconditional heart. It asks us to have faith in the presence of God as we stand with those in our care. It is this conviction — that God is present in each and every moment, and in every person — that allows me to keep going, even when life feels unrelenting.”
Johnny Kue’s illustrious Lasallian journey began when he was 10-year-old student at San Miguel Providence. For more than three decades and across three Lasallian ministries, he has always been selfless, present and proactive in his vocational service to guide young people in the right direction. Whether as a student, residential care counselor, graduate support director, or assistant executive director, he has modeled the virtues of humility, patience, gentleness, vigilance and generosity.
San Miguel Executive Director Melissa Bride said, “Johnny is always there. His every interaction is a master class in listening, truly being in the moment with that person and helping them find meaning in their lives.”
Daniel Pier
Spanish Teacher, St. John’s College High School, Washington, DC
“Being an educator offers me the opportunity to share my passion for learning with young people who bring so much energy and openness to school every day. I try to offer them not only a great start toward learning the Spanish language, but also how to live a life of compassion and connection with others across cultures and life circumstances. It is a challenge, but a very important and meaningful one. … The Lasallian charism reminds me not to judge but to meet them where they are and call them to growth and learning.”
Daniel Pier has served the St. John’s College High School community with deep faith and ardent zeal. Whether in his Spanish classes, facilitating retreats, serving as an extraordinary minister of holy Communion or singing in the faculty liturgical choir, “Dan’s commitment to Lasallian values inspire young people to become thoughtful, empathetic leaders in a diverse and interconnected world,” said a department colleague.
In 2021, Dan designed and implemented an exchange program between St. John’s and Universidad La Salle in Mexico. This program and the time the student participants have enjoyed in each other’s countries and cultures have created lasting, cross-cultural relationships that embrace differing worldviews, transforming them into opportunities for collaboration and mutual understanding.
Midwest District
Joe Miley
Common Ground Director and Learning Lab Department Chair, Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul, MN
“Being a Lasallian educator means remaining patient, compassionate and faithful to one’s calling, even when we are challenged by the world around us, and helping students become who they are meant to be. I like the images of a sacred bridge and the Signum Fidei (Sign of Faith). We work to bring our students to God, and to bring God to our students. … When I was in college discerning a vocation in education, it was the Lasallian charism that moved and inspired me. In the years since then, it has continued to touch my life through the inspiration and encouragement of many Brothers and lay Partners, the privilege of accompanying young people, and the ongoing call to grow in faith and remember always that I am in the holy presence of God.”
Joe Miley, Cretin-Derham Hall graduate and learning lab director, founded the Common Ground Program in 2024, the first of its kind at a Minnesota Catholic high school. Common Ground brings students with and without intellectual disabilities together in shared learning and friendship. The program currently pairs two students with Down Syndrome with Cretin-Derham Hall peer mentors who accompany them to classes and activities, transforming the school culture by uniting the student body around inclusion and respect. Joe also builds sacred bridges through his parish by regularly accompanying men experiencing homelessness in St. Paul with respect and hospitality. Joe authentically lives out Lasallian values.
Susan Rackley
Principal and Lasallian Animator, San Miguel School of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
Susan Rackley has earned three master’s degrees (Curriculum and Instruction, Lasallian Leadership and Educational Leadership), but it is the students and the Holy Spirit that have her heart and guide her. She is a blessing to her students. The mission at the San Miguel School of Tulsa is to ensure learning for all takes place so that each person may learn from and embrace change as it comes along. That’s what Susan does every day.
Susan’s outstanding dedication and commitment to the mission are fundamental to the success of the students. Her expertise in Lasallian education will continue building a thriving future for everyone at San Miguel.
“Some of the biggest, most rewarding and spirit-filled discoveries came during my second year at San Miguel. (We all know that the first year at a new place is all about survival!) … A sense of peace, joy and realization flooded my being. Peace, because even though my journey was so difficult at that moment, I was in the right place, at the right time, for the right reason and for the right purpose. Joy, because how many people in this life actually know what their purpose is and I was living it. And then the realization that the way I had been teaching and living finally had a name and it was Lasallian. … With this new sense of understanding and belonging, I immersed myself in learning everything I could put my hands on regarding Saint John Baptist de La Salle and the Christian Brothers. … The ability to share with my colleagues the life and teaching philosophy of De La Salle adds a deeper layer to our relationships not only with each other but with our students and their families as well.”
District of San Francisco New Orleans
Tammy Christensen
Social Studies Teacher, Mullen High School, Denver, CO
“Receiving the Distinguished Lasallian Educator Award is an incredibly humbling and meaningful honor. To me, it is not simply recognition of my work as a teacher, but a profound affirmation of the values and mission that have guided me throughout my career. It is a reminder that the effort we put into forming young people — academically, morally and spiritually — truly matters. This award also represents the many students, colleagues and members of the Lasallian community who have shaped my journey as an educator. Every class discussion, every mentorship moment, every challenge overcome alongside a student has contributed to the shared mission of education as a transformative force. I am grateful to work in a community that believes in the dignity of each person, in the importance of social justice, and in the power of faith, compassion and learning to change lives.”
For three decades, Tammy Christensen has formed students and modeled the Lasallian mission for educators. Civic engagement defines her classroom, asking all students to serve their communities and sustain that work beyond Mullen High School. She has led countlessservice trips. Her impact in places like Poland and Togo endures well beyond the trip, calling others to continue the mission. Yet, Tammy’s legacy is not measured in awards. She changes students’ lives behind the scenes and without recognition. She walks beside both students and educators, reminding them they are valued. Her witness continues to inspire our mission.
Peter Imperial, Ed.D.
Principal, St. Mary’s College High School, Berkeley, CA
“Education snuck up on me quietly. I didn’t plan for it to become my career, but from the start I found teaching and coaching rewarding, sometimes exhausting, and — at times — impoverishing. But money can’t buy you purpose. And while the subjects I taught or the sports I coached were important, the students are — and must be — at the core of teaching. The students are the purpose. The Lasallians have understood this from the start, and I’m proud to be a part of the Lasallian community at Saint Mary’s College High School.”
Dr. Peter Imperial is a visionary Lasallian educator who has reimagined Catholic education for our time. At Saint Mary’s College High School, Pete pioneered “Rigor with Redemption,” an equitable assessment model rooted in justice and compassion. He introduced trimester scheduling to deepen learning and strengthen relationships. He also launched the “History Through Another’s Eyes” curriculum to center marginalized voices and cultivate global citizenship. A devoted mentor to emerging leaders, Pete builds sacred bridges that sustain our Lasallian community and ignite our shared vocation to faithfully serve the young people entrusted to our care.