Each year, the AET Awards Committee accepts nominations for distinct awards established to honor individuals whose efforts significantly support the profession, its members, and the Association. These awards are considered on a yearly basis and recognized at the Annual Conference. For 2024, nominations are due by Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

The Dorothy Ungerleider Award

The Dorothy Ungerleider Award was established in 2003 in honor of AET’s founder and first president, Dorothy Ungerleider, for her creative vision, initiative, and leadership. This award recognizes an individual who has made exceptional contributions to expand knowledge and visibility of the field of educational therapy. Membership in AET is not required. Nominations must be submitted by a member of the Board of Directors and approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Past Winners

2022 • George McCloskey, PhD
2021 • Beverly Borine, MA, BCET®, FAET
2008 • Barbara Keogh, EdD, BCET®, FAET
2006 • Jane Holmes Bernstein, PhD
2005 • Richard A. Mesaros, PhD and Michael E. Spagna PhD
2004 • Rasjidah Franklin, PhD
2003 • Barbara Cull

Nan Freund Distinguished Service Award

This award was established in 2020 to recognize and honor members who have given generous and exemplary service to the Association. It is named in honor of AET’s eleventh president, Nan Freund, for her more than 30 years of service, unwavering commitment, and steadfast loyalty to the Association of Educational Therapists.  established in honor of Nan Freund, MEd, BCET, FAET, may be given to a deserving person who has contributed extraordinary time through service to multiple committees and has shown dedication to the principles of educational therapy and the Association.

Nominees for this award must:

• Demonstrate qualities of compassion and service to AET and the profession of educational therapy.
• Support or mentor colleagues and students of educational therapy.
• Demonstrate qualities of leadership by having held a position as an elected Officer or elected Director of AET.
• Inspire others, through the individual’s life and contributions to AET, to promote the profession of educational therapy.
• Offer endless time and talent in support of AET.

Additionally, the nominee must have been a member of AET for a minimum of 10 years and at the time of nomination be an ET/P or BCET, including Retired ET/P or BCET. Lastly, current members of the Board of Directors are not eligible for nomination.

Past Winners

2023 • Marion Marshall MS, BCET®, FAET
2022 • Risa Graff, MA, BCET®, FAET
2021 • Dorothy Ungerleider, MA, BCET®, FAET
2020 • Nan Freund, MEd, BCET®, FAET

Fellow of the Association of Educational Therapists (FAET)

The honorary designation, Fellow of the Association of Educational Therapists (FAET), may be awarded to a Board Certified Educational Therapist (BCET) or an Educational Therapist/Professional (ET/P) member, including Retired ET/P or BCET, for exceptional work performed on behalf of the Association and the profession. Nominations may be submitted by any ET/P or BCET member in good standing and must be approved by a majority vote of the Directors.

FAET Recipients

Jane Adelizzi, PhD, BCET®
Beverly Borine, MS, BCET®
Judith Brennan, MEd, BCET®
Jone Bycel, MS, BCET®
Lynne Cook, PhD
Sherry Cramer, MS, ET/P®
Barbara Cull, MA, ET/P®
Marcy Dann, MA, BCET®
Deborah Doyle, MA, ET/P®
Maxine Ficksman, MA, BCET®
Susan Fogelson, MA, BCET®*
Nan Freund, MEd, BCET®
Caren Gitlin, MEd, BCET®
Risa Graff, MA, BCET®
Susan Grama, MA, CCC-SLP, ET/P®
Ann Kaganoff, PhD, BCET®
Karen Kass, PhD, LMFT, BCET®*
Barbara Kornblau, EdD, BCET®
Marion Marshall, MS, BCET®
Mary F. Marthe, MS, BCET®
Beverly Metcalf, MS, BCET®*
Phyllis Maslow, PhD
Sandra Mosk, MEd, BCET®
Ellen Opell, MA, BCET®
Alice Pulliam, MA, BCET®
Kaye Ragland, EdD, LMFT, BCET®
Jeanette Rivera, MA, BCET®
Selma G. Sapir, EdD
Linda Schwarz, MA, BCET®
Carole Slucki, MS, BCET®
Janet Switzer, PhD*
Dorothy Ungerleider, MA, BCET®
Gail Werbach, MA, BCET®

* deceased

Visionary Volunteer Award

The Visionary Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes an individual who:

• Has made a significant impact towards fulfilling the mission, vision, core values, and growth of AET;
• Imagines what AET can accomplish and leads the efforts to create change; and
• Contributes to the long-term sustainability of AET through their vision and volunteerism.

An eligible recipient must have:

• Actively provided leadership during the past year to bring their vision to fruition;
• Maintained membership in AET for a minimum of five years; and
• Inspired others to engage in volunteer activities through their extraordinary commitment of time and talent to the Association.

Nominations may be submitted by any member in good standing. The awards committee may select more than one recipient per year.

How To Nominate

The Dorothy Ungerleider Award:

If you are a current Board member you may nominate someone for The Dorothy Ungerleider Award.

Nan Freund Distinguished Service Award:

If you are an AET member in good standing, you may nominate an ET/P or BCET (including Retired ET/P or BCET), who has been a member for a minimum of 10 years, for the Nan Freund Distinguished Service Award.

Fellow of the Association of Educational Therapists (FAET):

If you are an ET/P or BCET (including Retired ET/P or BCET) in good standing, you may nominate an ET/P or BCET for the honorary designation Fellow of the Association of Educational Therapists (FAET).

Visionary Volunteer Award:

If you are an AET member in good standing, you may nominate any member who has maintained membership in AET for a minimum of five years for Visionary Volunteer Award.

Nomination Process

• Nominations are made in writing and must be submitted to the Secretary of the Association, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by August 22, 2024.
• Nominations must express the depth and significance of the nominee’s service.
• The Awards Committee will acknowledge receipt of the nomination to the principal nominator(s), review nominations and forward its final recommendations to the President of the Association. All nominees not chosen shall remain confidential.