James Hickey, Ph.D., a graduate of Fordham’s Educational Leadership, Administration and Policy (ELAP) program, has been named a recipient of the 2025 Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Award by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA). The national honor recognizes Catholic educators for exemplary leadership, service, and contributions to the mission of Catholic education.
Hickey serves as head of school at Austin Preparatory School in Reading, Massachusetts, where he has led since 2013. During his tenure, the school has implemented multiple strategic plans, expanded faculty, modernized facilities, and experienced enrollment growth. Earlier in his career, Hickey was named New Jersey Principal of the Year in 2009 for his work at one of the country’s largest public high schools.
In 2024, he was affiliated to the Order of St. Augustine—the highest honor the Order bestows on a layperson—for his role in advancing Augustinian education. He is also a Knight of the Sovereign Order of Malta.
More on the Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Awards and the full list of 2025 honorees is available at ncea.org.
