The Will J. Hancock Unsung Hero Award is given to business officers who have made extraordinary contributions to their schools and exemplify exceptional integrity, knowledge and motivation. At the end of each school year, new Unsung Heroes receive their award from their head of school, often at a significant school occasion such as a board meeting or an all-school ceremony. What makes these Unsung Heroes so special? The highlights below come straight from their colleagues' nominations.
See a full list of the 2025 recipients. Stay tuned throughout the summer for additional profiles.
Title: Assistant Head of School for Finance and Operations
School: St. Albans School, Washington, DC
Years at the School: 3
Superpower: Financial Legend. “One colleague called her the Wayne Gretzky or Michael Jordan of business operations,” said her nominator, Purchasing Manager Matthew Hess. “She identifies room for improvement and seizes opportunities that others can’t.” Since joining St. Albans School, Erin Summers has modernized business processes for efficiency and customer focus; implemented zero-based budgeting; and collaborated with the finance committee to limit chargebacks.
Dual Leader: Over the past year, Summers has taken on additional leadership duties in the National Cathedral’s close, which includes St. Albans School, National Cathedral School, and Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School. “When the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation’s President requested [Summer’s] leadership to improve facilities' shared services, Erin accepted. She believed she could not only help St. Albans, but could contribute to the whole close. Amazingly, but not surprisingly, she [accomplished this while staying] committed to her role at St. Albans,” said Hess.
Affordability Advocate: Summers championed an effort to incorporate school supplies into tuition cost for lower school grades, with the goal of creating consistent supplies and making things more equitable for families of all socioeconomic backgrounds. She also successfully advocated for a generous tuition remission benefit to help attract and retain top-tier faculty and staff.
Equity-minded: Summers supported diverse hiring within the finance team and used the school’s annual summer retreat to foster open dialogue around equity challenges, encouraging collaborative solutions to strengthen community and belonging.
Team Player: Summers “strongly advocates for the well-being of her team … and celebrates her team. If she has the microphone, she highlights the accomplishments of others.”
