Joan Ava Gillman Selected as Woman of the Year by IAOTP

The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) will honor Joan Ava Gillman at their Annual Awards Gala in NYC at the Plaza Hotel

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, April 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Joan Ava Gillman, Science teacher at the Browning School, was recently selected as Woman of the Year for 2026 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for her outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry.

While inclusion with the International Association of Top Professionals is an honor in itself, only one woman is selected for this distinction based on her years of experience in the field, professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, and contributions to their communities. This is the female member of IAOTP who has demonstrated a lifetime of achievement and success throughout her career. Ms. Joan Gillman is a leader, a true pioneer in her field, and a role model for professionals across all industries.

www.iaotp.com/award-gala

With over four decades of experience in the industry, Ms. Gillman has certainly proven herself an expert in the field. As a dynamic, results-driven leader, Ms. Gillman is a certified educator via National Geographic and is celebrated for her tenure at The Browning School in New York. Since 2019, she has taught second, fourth, and sixth-grade students in STEM disciplines, having previously served as a science teacher for second, fifth, and sixth-grade students. She is also a licensed K-8 educator in New Jersey with an endorsement in K-12 education for students with hearing impairments. Prior to her career at the Browning School, Ms. Gillman was a fifth and sixth-grade science teacher at the Calhoun School in New York for 10 years, having formerly taught at Anna C. Scott Elementary School, Yeshivat Noam, the Bede School in Englewood, New Jersey, Joytown Kent Elementary School and St. Angela Merici School. Likewise, she served for two decades as a fourth and fifth-grade teacher and a sixth-grade mathematics and science teacher at the Professional Children’s School in New York City, which bestowed upon her the Young Teachers Incentive Award. She just recently presented a workshop at STEMteachersNYC

Areas of expertise include, but are not limited to program and curriculum development, instructional and curriculum design, public speaking, grant writing and research. Ms. Gillman has given workshops at numerous science conferences for many years. (NSTA, NSTA STEM, STANYS, SCONYC, and NYSAIS Diversity Symposium) She has also had her science unit, "Straw Rockets are Out of This World," published in "Science and Children," a publication of NSTA. In addition, the unit was also chosen to appear as a chapter in a book titled "Bringing STEM to the Elementary Classroom." Recently, her work appeared in another book from Corwin Publishers titled "What Teachers Want to Know About Teaching Climate Change."

Before embarking on her career path, Ms. Gillman earned the Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Teaching from Felician College (Summa Cum Laude) followed by her Master’s degree in Education from New York University.

Throughout her illustrious career, Ms. Gillman has received many awards and accolades and has been recognized worldwide for her accomplishments. Ms. Gillman was recognized with the Urhy/Thompson Award on behalf of the Calhoun School in 2017. In 2021, she received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and is named a Marquis Distinguished Leader by Marquis Who’s Who. Recognized as Teacher of the Year, Ms. Gillman was featured in Enterprise Magazine’s “Most Inspiring Businesswomen to Follow in 2024” and Fortunes Time Magazine’s “Top 10 Influential Voices Transforming the Education Sector” in 2024. In 2025, she was awarded Top Educator of the Year by IAOTP and selected to be published in IAOTP’s Top 25 Global Impact Leaders publication. This year, she will be considered for a feature in TIP (Top Industry Professionals) Magazine. Most recently she received Top 50 Fearless Leaders, where she will be featured in a book, as well as her prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award and Top Educator of the Decade. She will be awarded on stage in December at the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York for the Empowered Woman of the Year award.

The President of the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP), Stephanie Cirami, stated, "Choosing Ms. Gillman for this honor was an easy decision for our panel to make. She is inspirational, influential, and a true visionary and thought leader. We cannot wait to see her and celebrate her accomplishments at this year's gala."

Looking back, Ms. Gillman attributes her success to a strong values-based leadership style, a passion for her work, and the mentors she had along the way. When not working, she enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family. Alongside her primary work, she is a talented performance pianist and violinist for several orchestras. In the future, she hopes to empower people going into the field.

For more information, please visit: https://www.joangillman.com/

About IAOTP

The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) is an international boutique networking organization that selects the world's most distinguished and accomplished professionals across a wide range of industries. These elite professionals are provided opportunities to collaborate, share insights, serve as keynote speakers, and inspire others within their fields. Membership is not open to the general public. Candidates must be personally invited by the President or nominated by an esteemed honorary member following a brief interview.

IAOTP's experts have recognized and credentialed thousands of top-tier professionals worldwide, helping them strengthen their personal brands and expand their influence. The organization prides itself on being a one-of-a-kind boutique network that handpicks only the most exceptional individuals and brings them together on a premier platform designed to foster meaningful connections and professional growth. IAOTP remains one of the most elite and highly respected professional recognition organizations in the world.

For more information on IAOTP, please visit: www.iaotp.com

Annette Natoli
IAOTP
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