Lake Elsinore USD Educator Ryan Mulvanny Gets Special Surprise

The following is a Feb. 29, 2024, news release from the Riverside County Office of Education:

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — On Thursday morning, Ryan Mulvanny was responding to a request to help set up a projector in the Board Room at the Lake Elsinore Unified School District. Upon entering the room, he was warmly greeted by his family, colleagues, and Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez, where he was surprised with the news that he is the 2024 Riverside County Certificated Administrator of the Year.

“It’s always a privilege to visit our schools and sites to recognize amazing educators like Ryan
Mulvanny,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “His exceptional
leadership qualities and dedication to student success have left an indelible impression. Ryan’s
remarkable ability to identify and address needs beyond his immediate scope of responsibility
speaks volumes about his character and commitment to our educational community.”

“There are so many people who deserve to be up here receiving this award,” Ryan Mulvanny said
immediately after the surprise announcement. “I love my job, at every step along the way, and I’m
humbled to come to work every day and make a difference in people’s lives and to be a little better
every day for our students. We have the greatest jobs in the world, and our kids deserve the best
from us.”

About Ryan Mulvanny – 2024 Riverside County Certificated Administrator of the Year

Ryan Mulvanny’s educational career started in 2007 as a teacher in a first-grade classroom at Rice
Canyon Elementary School in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District. Sixteen years later, after
positions as a principal and instructional technology specialist within the same district, his focus
remains on improving student success by promoting a culture of continuous learning for all staff.

On November 1, 2023, Ryan coordinated the district’s first all-day, all-staff professional development event that drew nearly 3,000 employees to sharpen their skills in order to better serve students and one another. Ryan believes that “we owe it to our students to always be seeking to improve ourselves” and that “quality educational outcomes are a civil right.”

His colleagues describe him as “the type of leader who does all the things” and “the one we all want to be on our team for the next big thing we want to do as a district.”

All honorees will be recognized at the 2024 Celebrating Educators Luncheon set for May 7, at the
Riverside Convention Center.

The 2024 Riverside County Educators of the Year:

 Riverside County School Counselor of the Year
Gabriella S. Zlaket, School Counselor
Arlington High School, Riverside Unified School District
 Riverside County Classified Employee of the Year
Michelle Forcina, Secretary III
Canyon Springs High School, Moreno Valley Unified School District
 Riverside County Classified Administrator of the Year
Michael Sattley, Director of Facilities Services
Hemet Unified School District
 Riverside County Principal of the Year
Dr. Emily Price, Principal, Megan Cope Elementary School
San Jacinto Unified School District
 Riverside County Confidential Employee of the Year
Cindy Vasquez, Executive Assistant
Jurupa Unified School District
 Riverside County Certificated Administrator of the Year
Ryan Mulvanny, Director II, Professional Development and Learning
Lake Elsinore Unified School District
 Riverside County Site Support Employee of the Year – TBD

The Riverside County Educators of the Year are selected from the more than 36,000 educational employees in the county. The rigorous application process starts with nominations by teachers, classified employees, and school district administrators throughout the county.

Applications are then submitted to the Riverside County Office of Education, where an outside selection committee selects the honorees before the county superintendent announcement.

Along with the 2024 Riverside County Teachers of the Year named previously, all 2024 Riverside
County Educators of the Year will be honored at the Celebrating Educators Luncheon, set for
Tuesday, May 7, at the Riverside Convention Center.

The 2024 Riverside County Teachers of the Year were named in mid-2023 to align with the 2023 California State Teacher of the Year competition. The 2025 Riverside County Teachers of the Year will be announced in May/June of 2024 and will via for the 2025 California State Teacher of the Year award that will be named in the fall of 2024 by the California Department of Education and State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond.

2024 Riverside County Teachers of the Year (named in mid-2023):

Marie Stevenson
Mathematics Teacher
Rancho Mirage High School
Palm Springs USD

James Waedekin
English Teacher
New Horizon School
Banning USD

Lindsay Hill
4 th Grade Teacher
Sundance Elementary School
Beaumont USD

Lorena Morales
Mathematics/AVID Teacher
La Sierra High School
Alvord USD