Four Women from MCPS Honored with Women Making History Awards
In a celebration of outstanding women who have made significant contributions to their communities, four individuals from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) were among 31 women honored with Women Making History Awards. The award, established by the Montgomery County Commission for Women in collaboration with Montgomery Women, recognizes women who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, service and advocacy. The MCPS honorees—Liliana Katz-Hollander, Brittany Love-Campbell, Jeanette Jones Simmons and Thea LaFond-Gadson —have each made lasting impacts on education, community engagement and advocacy for gender equality and social justice.
Liliana Katz-Hollander, a senior at Richard Montgomery High School, is a dedicated youth advocate passionate about women's rights and amplifying youth voices. She is co-chair of MoCo EmpowHER, where she leads the executive board of 15 students. During her time as co-chair, EmpowHER has reached thousands of students through its leadership institute, school outreach programs and events, such as the recent EmpowHERed Leaders’ Summit. She is also president of the Tri-M Music Honors Society and RM Chorus, vice president of Compostology and leads RM’s EmpowHER club. She also works with the Young Feminist Party, SafeBae and USYA to advance gender equality. Katz-Hollander is committed to advancing women’s rights, promoting community service and advocating for students within MCPS and beyond.
Brittany Love-Campbell, principal at Gaithersburg High School, is deeply committed to her students and staff. Love-Campbell fosters a culture of collaboration by actively engaging students, staff, and parents in decision-making, ensuring that the best possible solutions are put into practice. Her commitment to the school is evident—she regularly participates in student events and activities to show her unwavering support and build a strong sense of community. Beyond her leadership at the school, Love-Campbell is also deeply involved in her church, reflecting her dedication to service and community both within and outside the school. With a compassionate heart and an unwavering desire to help, she consistently goes above and beyond for those in need.
Jeanette Jones Simmons, a substitute teacher and retired educator, is a dedicated professional with more than 45 years of experience, continuing to support under-resourced students in Maryland after retiring from MCPS. She serves as Parent Advocacy Committee Chair for the Maryland Coalition of Gifted and Talented Education, empowering parents and advancing educational equity. A strong advocate for STEM education, she mentors K-2 students in Destination Imagination. Simmons has helped hundreds of students get into college, raised over $100,000 in scholarships, and increased SAT scores through free SAT prep workshops. She continues to substitute teach, addressing staff shortages while maintaining educational excellence. A member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., she leads STEM programs, organizes community events and helped award over $50,000 in scholarships to Montgomery County students. She is also active in theater ministry and appeared as a background actress in the 2023 Color Purple musical movie.
Thea LaFond-Gadson, Olympic Champion, is the reigning Gold Medalist in the triple jump. After her family immigrated from Dominica when she was 7, LaFond-Gadson was raised in Silver Spring, and has made a lasting impact on and off the track. She previously supported her athletic career as a special education, fitness and health teacher at her alma mater, John F. Kennedy High School. She served as an assistant coach for cross country and track and field at Northwest High School. Beyond athletics, she is working to bring field facilities to her mother’s home village and hopes to provide shoes for many children on the island, after a memorable athletic day when children under 14 participated without shoes because they couldn’t afford them.
MCPS is dedicated to sharing stories that reflect its core values of Learning, Relationships, Respect, Excellence, and Equity, inspiring a brighter future for all students and the community.