Harvard Heroes Reflect the Heart of the HGSE Community

At the Harvard Graduate School of Education, students arrive from around the world driven by a shared mission: to improve education and create opportunities for learners everywhere. Behind every class, advising meeting, event, research project, and moment of support is a dedicated network of staff members working to ensure students can thrive.

This year, three HGSE staff members were recognized through the university-wide Harvard Heroes program, an honor celebrating high-performing staff members whose contributions have made a significant impact across Harvard, and five others have received the award in the past two years. The recognition reflects not only professional excellence but also the culture of care, collaboration, and student support that defines the HGSE experience.

2026 Harvard Heroes from HGSE:

• Abbie Bloom, Director, Residential Master’s Programs
• Nicole Barone, Director, Online Master’s Programs
• Katie Igiede, Technical Expertise and Mentorship Specialist

2025 Harvard Heroes from HGSE:

• Kevin Boehm, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Student Life
• Frank Arce, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid
• Andrea Le, Associate Director for Community Building and International Student Support

2024 Harvard Heroes from HGSE:

• Allison Pingree, Associate Director, Instructional Support and Development
• Faina Gould, Senior Research Development Manager

Together, these staff members represent the many ways HGSE students are supported throughout their academic journeys from admissions and financial aid to student affairs, instructional support, research administration, technology, online learning, international student support, and community-building.

Allison Pingree: Supporting Teaching and Learning Behind the Scenes

As associate director of instructional support and development in the Teaching and Learning Lab, Allison Pingree works closely with faculty to strengthen teaching and student learning experiences.“The chance to work with great colleagues in a school that truly values learning” is what first brought her to HGSE, Pingree says. “HGSE is a genuinely kind place to be.”

While much of her work happens behind the scenes, Pingree’s impact is felt throughout classrooms across the school. “I support faculty to support student learning,” she explains.

For six years, she also taught a coaching module, which allowed her to engage directly with students. Being recognized as a Harvard Hero, Pingree says, was both surprising and deeply meaningful. “There are so many people who contribute to making HGSE the wonderful place that it is, all deserving of recognition and support and celebration — not just me,” she says.

Pingree highlights her colleagues in the Teaching and Learning Lab as central to her HGSE experience. “My wonderful TLL colleagues, particularly my boss and friend, Josh Bookin,” she says, “and the many faculty I’ve had the opportunity to work with.”

Faina Gould: Advancing Research That Shapes Education

As senior research development manager, Faina Gould helps faculty and researchers secure funding to pursue projects that can influence educational policy and practice. “I wanted to be part of a community that thinks deeply and critically about education, equity, and opportunity,” Gould says.

While the work of her office often goes unnoticed, it directly supports HGSE's research mission. “Being named a Harvard Hero is deeply meaningful to me because it recognizes work that often happens quietly and collaboratively, behind the scenes,” she says.

Gould occasionally works with students pursuing funding opportunities alongside faculty mentors. “For many, it is their first exposure to external funding, and it is rewarding to help demystify the process, answer questions, and set a clear, supportive standard they can carry forward in their future research careers,” she explains.

She hopes students understand the broader ecosystem supporting research at HGSE. “In the Office of Sponsored Projects, we help faculty and researchers secure and manage external funding,” Gould says. “We are always happy to support students when they are involved in research.”

Katie Igiede: Solving Problems So Students Can Focus on Learning

For many students, one of the first people they may encounter during an inevitable technical issue is someone from HGSE’s Information Technology team. Katie Igiede, technical expertise and mentorship specialist in Information Technology, sees her work as helping students focus less on technical problems and more on learning. “Working with HGSE has taught me the importance of education,” Igiede says. “My work at the IT desk helps students focus more on their academic work and less on technical issues.”

Igiede shared that the recognition was especially meaningful because it reflected the impact of her day-to-day support. “Being named a Hero is a meaningful acknowledgment of my commitment to HGSE,” she says.

She hopes incoming students know the IT team is always ready to help. “Our HGSE IT team is dedicated to supporting students with technology-related needs and providing timely assistance,” she says.

Kevin Boehm: Creating a Place Where Students Feel Supported

For nearly two decades, Kevin Boehm, assistant dean of student affairs and student life, has worked closely with students during some of the most transformative periods of their lives. “I was drawn to the idea of being able to support students as they were engaged in such a demanding program,” Boehm shares. “Having experienced graduate school myself, I understood the importance of having people who genuinely care about students’ well-being and success.”

Boehm first came to HGSE as an intern in the Office of Student Affairs while he was a student himself. Since then, he has become a familiar and trusted presence for generations of HGSE students. “I have learned more than one could ever imagine by working with HGSE students,” he says. “It is incredible to hear their stories — where they are joining us from, what they were doing prior to being at HGSE, and how they plan to make an impact after they graduate.”

For Boehm, the award reflects the deeply collaborative culture at HGSE. “The biggest honor in being named a Harvard Hero is that it means someone recognized your work enough that they went through the process of nominating you,” he says.

His message to incoming students is simple: the Office of Student Affairs is there for them. “I am hopeful that incoming students will come to see the Office of Student Affairs as a place they can go with any question — big or small, HGSE-related or personal.”

Frank Arce: Expanding Access and Opportunity

As assistant dean for admissions and financial aid, Frank Arce helps guide students through one of the most important and often stressful parts of the HGSE experience: making graduate education financially and logistically possible. “What drew me in was the opportunity to support students in a real, tangible way and help them navigate how to make graduate education possible,” Arce says.

Arce emphasized that his work is rooted in ensuring students feel seen and supported from the very beginning.“Students show up with a real commitment to making an impact in education, and they push you to think bigger and be better in your own work,” he says.

Being named a Harvard Hero, he explained, was especially meaningful because it reflected the collective effort of his team. “My team, full stop,” Arce says when asked who shaped his journey at HGSE. “They challenge me, support me, and push the work forward every day.”

He hopes students understand that the Admissions and Financial Aid office is more than an administrative unit. “We’re not just processing applications or awarding aid,” Arce says. “We’re here to help make the HGSE experience accessible and manageable.”

Abbie Bloom: Supporting Students Through Every Step of Their Journey

For Abbie Bloom, director of Residential Master’s Programs in Academic Programs, education has always been personal. “My dad was a public school teacher for 30-plus years and I’ve always been drawn to education,” Bloom says. “I love being able to work with and support students who go out into the world to impact children, families, and communities every day.”

Over the years, Bloom has held several student-facing roles at HGSE, all centered on supporting Ed.M. students. “I love learning about students’ goals and passions and supporting their HGSE journey,” she says.

Bloom describes being named a Harvard Hero as “humbling,” especially given the dedication of colleagues across the school. “I do this work because I care deeply about students, about education, about opportunity, and about my colleagues,” she says.

She credits much of her growth to the people around her. “I have mentors and colleagues who have modeled how to create inclusive spaces, how to lead with empathy, and how to think strategically while always centering students,” Bloom says.

Her advice to incoming students reflects the collaborative culture she tries to foster. “We want to get to know you and to support your academic and professional goals,” she says.

Nicole Barone: Building Community in Online Learning

As director of Online Master’s in Education Leadership, Nicole Barone helps lead programs serving students across time zones, professions, and countries. “What drew me to apply was HGSE’s reputation for its student-centered and caring culture,” Barone says.

That culture, she explains, became even more apparent once she joined the School. “Our online students are inspiring,” she says. “The depth of experience they bring, alongside the tenacity required to pursue a Harvard degree while managing full lives and careers, has shaped how I lead and how I advocate.”

Barone emphasizes that online students deserve the same sense of belonging and support as residential students. “The Online Master’s team is here to provide guidance, resources, or simply someone in your corner,” she says. “Your success and your experience here matter deeply to us.”

Being named a Harvard Hero, she adds, reaffirmed the purpose behind her work. “It is a reminder of why I chose a career in higher education,” Barone says.

Andrea Le: Building Community and Supporting International Students

For Andrea Le, associate director for community building and international student support in the Office of Student Affairs, supporting students means helping them feel welcomed, connected, and understood. “I see my work as helping ensure students are not only able to persist through these challenges, but are truly seen, valued, and supported,” Le says.

Le was drawn to HGSE because it allowed her to combine her experience in international education with community building and student support. “HGSE’s mission of ‘learn to change the world’ resonates deeply with my own values,” she says.

Le, who comes from a family of immigrants, shared that her personal experiences shape how she supports students navigating unfamiliar systems and cultures.“Many international and immigrant students are carrying that invisible load alone,” she says.

She describes being named a Harvard Hero as “one of the greatest honors” of her career. “To me, this honor signals that my colleagues recognize both the vital role these students play in our community and the importance of investing in the support structures that allow them to fully access all that HGSE has to offer,” Le says.

She hopes incoming students know they do not need to navigate transitions alone. “My work centers on helping students feel informed, welcomed, and connected,” she says.