The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) is pleased to announce that Bonnie McFarland (pictured above) and Adrienne Balcazar, were recognized as National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators (NAFEPA) State Leadership Award Recipients. 

The award honors directors who are dedicated and committed to serving students and educational programs in our state and most importantly advocating for children. 

McFarland was LACOE’s Project Director for LCAP/State and Federal Programs Unit, before retiring in March after many years of service. She is renowned across California and the U.S. for her extensive knowledge of Federal Title Programs and regulations. McFarland has worked at both LACOE and Orange County Department of Education, where she worked tirelessly to ensure equity for our most marginalized students.  

Balcazar was the Coordinator III in the LCAP/State & Federal Programs Unit, until she was recently promoted to the Project Director Position. Balcazar served as a site administrator and State and Federal Program Director at the district level, before joining LACOE. 

McFarland was named a 2023 recipient of the State Leadership Award, along with four others. Balcazar received the honor in 2020, but due to the pandemic, accepted her award virtually then. Last month, both women were able to celebrate their achievements at the NAFEPA 2023 National Conference in Washington, DC.