Hall of Fame

Glenna Adams

Glenna Adams '72, M.S. '75, earned bachelor's and master's degrees in elementary education from Illinois State University.

Through 35 years as an educator, Glenna championed collaborative learning environments while continuing to serve the profession after retirement.

She began teaching in 1972 at Valley View District 365U in Bolingbrook, Illinois, where rapid suburban growth demanded innovative approaches. Adams taught year-round with students rotating between nine-week sessions on four geographical tracks, constantly adapting to changing classrooms.

Her leadership journey led from team leader and assistant principal to curriculum director and middle school principal. She retired in 2007 as principal at Timber Ridge Middle School in Plainfield District 202.

As Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development president (2007-2009) and EdBriefs editor for over a decade, Glenna strengthened professional learning opportunities statewide. Her commitment earned national recognition through ASCD awards.

Today, Glenna provides student teaching supply bags for every Illinois State student teacher, supporting future educators as they begin their careers.

Dr. Brandon Caffey 

Dr. Brandon Caffey '96, '00, M.S. '02, Ed.D. '19, earned his degrees in sociology, history education, and educational administration from Illinois State University.

For 30 years, he has championed innovative practices that remove barriers to student success while fostering school communities grounded in belonging, accountability, and excellence. Throughout his career as teacher, principal, and district administrator, he has consistently worked to improve outcomes for underserved students.

His leadership across Central Illinois has implemented restorative practices, PBIS, MTSS, and equity-centered initiatives that transformed school culture and strengthened achievement. At Normal West Community High School, he helped implement RESET intervention and established the Black Student Union.

As McLean County Unit 5's inaugural director of Student Services, he leads districtwide efforts focused on attendance, discipline, and student success. He founded the Onward & Upward Educational Foundation and co-founded the Right Track Educational Foundation, creating pathways for students to access higher education and celebrate their achievements.

Dr. Suzy Dees 

Dr. Suzy Dees '91, '96, M.S. '11 earned bachelor's degrees in English and English education and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction at Illinois State University. She earned her Doctor of Education in educational leadership from the University of St. Francis in 2026.

For over 30 years, Dees has strengthened education across Illinois through leadership at classroom, district, regional, and state levels. As the Illinois State Board of Education's foundational services administrator, she led implementation of a statewide professional learning system serving more than 110,000 educators.

During the pandemic, she helped launch the Mobile Museum of Tolerance in Illinois, bringing equity-centered learning to over 11,000 participants in 2021. The initiative now reaches over 150,000 students annually across five states.

As senior director of professional learning at West40 Intermediate Service Center, Dees transformed a two-person department into Illinois's largest regional professional learning team of 20 professionals.

The National Council on Measurement in Education recognized Dees for excellence in classroom assessment practice, and the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools named her a Friend of Education twice.

Donna Hejtmanek

Donna Hejtmanek '76 earned a bachelor's degree in special education from Illinois State University and holds master's degrees in behavior disorders and educational administration.

Through nearly 50 years as a special educator, reading specialist, and literacy advocate, Donna has transformed how educators understand and teach reading while influencing policy nationally and internationally.

Her passion for literacy extended into statewide leadership, where she advanced Wisconsin's dyslexia and early literacy legislation as a member of the Wisconsin Read to Lead Literacy Council and the Legislative Council Study Committee on the Identification and Management of Dyslexia.

Following her 2018 retirement, Donna cofounded Credentials Unlimited, providing evidence-based professional learning through micro-credentialing. She created the international community Science of Reading: What I Should Have Learned in College, which has grown to more than 243,000 educators in over 100 countries.

She was awarded the Herb Kohl Fellowship. In 2025, the Donna Hejtmanek Scholarship Fund was created by WI-Reads in her honor.

Dr. Barry Reilly 

Dr. Barry Reilly '89, M.S. '95, Ed.D. '07, earned degrees in physical education and educational administration from Illinois State University.

Throughout a 33-year career with Bloomington Public Schools District 87, Reilly served as teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent before retiring in 2022. He now serves as executive director of Promise Council, helping students and families remove barriers to school success.

As superintendent, Reilly championed transformative initiatives including providing laptops to all students in grades 6–12 and securing free home internet access for low-income families. He led major facility improvements that strengthened fine arts and performing arts programs districtwide.

Reilly has served on numerous nonprofit boards including Heartland Community College Foundation, OSF Healthcare Community Advisory Board, and McLean County United Way. His awards include Superintendent of the Year and Superintendent of Distinction. He is in the Hall of Fame for District 87 and Illinois State's College of Applied Science and Technology.

Leslie Rennick 

Leslie Rennick '04 earned a bachelor's degree in special education from Illinois State University and holds a master's degree in curriculum and instruction.

She has spent her entire 23-year teaching career as a special education teacher at Stark County Elementary School, where she broadens students' horizons through innovative lessons in her rural community.

Throughout her career, Rennick has built lasting relationships with students and families that extend beyond the classroom. Her individualized instruction and unwavering commitment to meeting students where they are has transformed countless educational journeys. She has pursued specialized training in Orton-Gillingham instruction, collaborated with colleagues on effective accommodations, and created engaging learning experiences that connect students with their community.

In 2025, she was named the Northwest Regional Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education. She now mentors fellow educators, advocates for the teaching profession, and inspires others through statewide leadership opportunities.

Dr. Meg Schnoor

Dr. Meg Schnoor '93 earned a bachelor's degree in special education from Illinois State University, along with a master's degree in educational administration, a director of special education endorsement, and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction.

For nearly 30 years, Schnoor has championed initiatives strengthening special education programming, expanding family engagement, and improving student outcomes across Illinois. As a director of special education, she advocated for bringing students with self-contained needs back into their home districts. As an assistant superintendent in Illinois' second-largest elementary district, she led culturally and linguistically responsive teaching practices.

Schnoor established parent advisory groups and implemented districtwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Response to Intervention (RTI). As superintendent of the Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization (NSSEO), she guides initiatives preparing students with significant disabilities for meaningful futures.

Schnoor also teaches as an adjunct professor at two local colleges and has earned numerous awards, including Those Who Excel from the Illinois State Board of Education.