AWSP is excited to share that AWSP Member Dr. Ricardo Macias, Director of Welcome Center and Community Engagement in Bellevue School District, is a recipient of the 2026 PEMCO Robert J. Handy Most Effective Administrator Awards.
Sponsored by PEMCO Insurance and WASA, the Robert J. Handy Awards recognize exceptional leadership among Washington’s school administrators. Recipients share a $10,500 award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to public education. This year’s recipients were:
- Large District: Dr. Ricardo Macias, Director of Community Outreach and Welcome Center, Bellevue School District
- Medium District: Pete Rosenkranz, Superintendent, La Center School District
Dr. Ricardo Macias is recognized for his exceptional leadership in advancing equitable, student-centered systems that improve access, engagement, and academic success. He has transformed district enrollment processes to better serve students and families, developed innovative tools to measure student engagement, and helped schools use data to drive continuous improvement. Previously, as Director of Multilingual Services, he led a research-based redesign of the district’s dual language program, resulting in measurable gains in student achievement and bilingual proficiency. His collaborative leadership and commitment to removing barriers have created lasting, systemwide improvements that benefit students across the district.
Dr. Ricardo Macias along with several other educational leaders from across Washington were recognized in June for their extraordinary commitment to students, schools, and communities during the Washington Association of School Administrators’ (WASA) Honorary Awards Luncheon, held in conjunction with the 43rd Annual AWSP/WASA Summer Conference in Spokane.
