The Julian Robertson Award for Excellence in Teaching today announced its inaugural class of winners, honoring 10 outstanding New York City educators who have demonstrated instructional excellence, exceptional leadership, and meaningful impact in their classrooms and school communities.
The 2025 Julian Robertson Award for Excellence in Teaching winners are:
- Alicia Bharat, East-West School of International Studies, Queens
- Jessica Boyle, Knowledge & Power Preparatory Academy High School, Bronx
- Rabab Elassa, KIPP STAR Harlem College Prep Elementary School, Manhattan
- Alan Kadlec, Young Women’s Leadership School, Bronx
- Lauren Lucksavage, Forte Preparatory Academy Charter School, Queens
- Karleen Marcone, Northside Center for Child Development, Manhattan
- Amy Matthusen, East-West School of International Studies, Queens
- Emmanuel Perez, Bronx School of Law & Finance, Bronx
- Kylie Rodriguez, MESA Charter High School, Brooklyn
- Barbara Zanzano, P.S. 032 Belmont, Bronx
Named in honor of renowned investor and philanthropist Julian Robertson, the award was established by Coleman Family Ventures, in partnership with Tiger Foundation, to celebrate excellence in teaching and recognize the extraordinary dedication of educators who shape students’ growth and development.
“Teaching is among the most important, impactful, and demanding professions, yet, unfortunately, it remains one of the least recognized and rewarded,” said Chase Coleman, Founder of Tiger Global and Coleman Family Ventures. “That’s the imbalance we set out to address with this award.
“One of my greatest teachers outside the classroom, my mentor Julian Robertson, deeply believed in the transformative power of great teaching. Showing up for our children – our future – and nurturing their potential is no small job. It takes dedication, resilience, and a willingness to choose purpose over convenience, day after day. We must, in turn, show up for our teachers, and recognize their vital contributions.”
In its pilot year, the award was open to full-time classroom educators across more than 250 eligible schools in New York City. Following a rigorous selection process – including nomination and submission reviews and classroom visits – a committee made up of current and former educators, as well as leaders from school networks and nonprofit organizations, selected 10 recipients who best exemplified the award’s core values: excellence in instruction, school community leadership, innovation, continuous improvement, use of data and evidence in teaching, and the ability to foster engagement and a love of learning.
Each awardee received an unrestricted cash prize of $20,000 and was honored – alongside their schools – at a celebratory event held in Midtown Manhattan.
“My father believed in the value of exceptional teaching – he felt strongly that great teachers deserve respect, support, and recognition for their contributions to society,” said Alex Robertson, Co-Chair of Tiger Foundation and Chairman of Tiger Management. “For decades, he invested in schools and educational innovation in New York City. With this award, we are thrilled to be honoring and celebrating our teachers who do the extraordinary work every day of helping the next generation acquire the skills and knowledge they will need to thrive.”
For more information about the Julian Robertson Award for Excellence in Teaching and the 2025–2026 nomination process, please visit julianrobertsonteacheraward.org.
About Coleman Family Ventures
An impact-focused organization founded by Chase and Stephanie Coleman, Coleman Family Ventures invests in leaders and innovators across education, poverty alleviation, healthcare, and ocean-based climate solutions.
About Tiger Foundation
Tiger Foundation partners with community-based nonprofits that help individuals and families thrive and provides them with financial resources that allow them to build and maintain healthy and strong organizations. Through investments in its three core funding portfolios (Education; Family Support; and Youth, Workforce, and Justice), the foundation strives to meet the needs of New Yorkers experiencing poverty, with a particular focus on families, children, and young adults, and to enable the organizations that provide services to them to sustain and continually improve on their work.
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Contacts
For media inquiries, please contact: media@cfv.org