On April 11, NJEA held the fifth Celebration of Women at the Grove in Cedar Grove. More than 600 guests attended to honor influential women who have helped New Jersey’s public schools and NJEA serve as models of excellence in the nation. The honorees for 2026 are Shihong Zhang, Linda Miller and Marie Blistan.
Shihong Zhang
Shihong Zhang is a Chinese language teacher who is passionate about supporting the growth of language education in public schools. While serving as the state representative for the National Network of Early Language Learning, she advocated for early language opportunities for all students.
Zhang organized to strengthen Chinese language programs across the state as the founding president of the New Jersey Chinese Teachers Association (NJCTA). Under her leadership, the NJCTA became an affiliated special interest group of NJEA. In her role as secretary-general of the United Chinese Americans of New Jersey and as an active member of NJEA, she has supported the development and continued engagement of the Chinese American community.
Linda Miller
Linda Miller is an American Sign Language bilingual speech therapist. Miller goes above and beyond to make not only her students feel seen, but the adults she interacts with as a liaison to the hard of hearing community at large.
Miller has facilitated workshops for educators at local, county and national conferences, and has assisted other members through the proposal process to become presenters themselves. Through her training, she teaches educators to live a life that is illuminated by what truly matters, empowers them and brings them joy.
Marie Blistan
Marie Blistan is a retired special education teacher whose leadership and advocacy has shaped public education across New Jersey. As a past president of NJEA, she represented more than 200,000 school employees and led statewide efforts to strengthen public schools, elevate educator voice and create safer, healthier learning environments for all students.
Throughout her career, Blistan championed major initiatives including the creation of the Teacher Leader Endorsement, the passage of Chapter 44 and critical job justice protections for ESPs. She founded and led statewide coalitions, served on numerous boards and commissions and worked tirelessly to uplift educators, students and communities. Her impact continues through her ongoing service in civic, educational and advocacy organizations.
See more of the celebration
More photos can be found at https://flickr.com/njea/albums