Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools Announces 2026 Teacher, Administrator, and Volunteer of the Year
by Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools | April 8, 2026
Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Teacher, Administrator, and Volunteer of the Year awards. These individuals have been recognized for their exceptional contributions to Catholic education and their unwavering commitment to students, schools, and the greater community. They will be honored at the fifth annual Bishop's Celebration of Catholic Schools on August 29, 2026.
Lana Duff Named Teacher of the Year
Lana Duff of St. Theresa Catholic School in Des Moines has been named the 2026 Teacher of the Year. A second-grade teacher with 30 years of dedicated service at St. Theresa, Duff is known for bringing the Catholic faith to life in her classroom every single day and for the deep, lasting impact she leaves on every child who passes through her door.
A native of Protivin, Iowa, Duff attended Catholic grade school and knew from childhood that she wanted to be a second-grade teacher. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in education and special education from Iowa State University before joining St. Theresa, where she has remained for three decades. She and her husband Kevin have been members of St. Theresa Parish for 40 years. They have five children, all graduates of St. Theresa Catholic and Dowling Catholic, and seven grandchildren, several of whom are current or former students at the school.
Duff was recently recognized with a Golden Apple Award, a special recognition given by WHO 13 to one special teacher each month during the school year based on student nominations. It's easy to see why she was honored. Colleagues, parents, and students alike describe her as the rare kind of teacher who makes you want to go back to second grade.
"Mrs. Duff is the much-loved 2nd grade teacher," said one nominator. "From the viewpoint of a co-teacher and parent, there is no one more dedicated to academic excellence and having a faith-filled classroom than Lana."
Beyond her classroom skill, nominators praised her holistic and deeply spiritual approach to teaching. "She provides her students with a safe and loving space and teaches them skills to become a good person — to learn cooperation, to be self-directed learners, to solve problems, to value forgiveness, and to love their neighbor," one nominator shared.
"She talks the faith and walks the faith. She prays for her past and current students every day," another added.
Duff is also recognized as a curriculum leader among her peers. "She is an exceptional leader with staff on curriculum and instruction," one colleague noted, "but more importantly, a leader in reverence and devotion to Our Lord and the vocation of Catholic education."
St. Theresa's mission is to educate the individual child within the Catholic faith by providing excellent academic experiences and dynamic faith formation, and by all accounts, Lana Duff embodies that mission completely.
Susan Battani Honored as Administrator of the Year
Susan Battani, administrator of Christ the King Catholic School in Des Moines, has been named the 2026 Administrator of the Year. Battani joined Christ the King in July 2024, bringing with her nearly two decades of educational experience in both public and Catholic schools, a deep commitment to faith, and a servant-leader approach that has quickly made her presence felt throughout the entire school community.
Battani holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with endorsements in reading and language arts from the University of Northern Iowa and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Creighton University. Before coming to Christ the King, she served as assistant administrator at Sacred Heart Catholic School in West Des Moines, where she implemented a mentor program for new teachers, led faith retreats, and strengthened the school's approach to positive behavioral interventions and supports. She has also taught as a kindergarten teacher at St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic School in Ankeny and in early childhood and first-grade classrooms throughout her career.
Those who nominated Mrs. Battani consistently pointed to her authenticity and her gift for making every person feel seen and valued.
"She is committed to creating and cultivating an authentic Catholic culture of faith, helping students, staff, and family members encounter God," wrote one nominator. Another described her as "a principal who has helped to create a true culture that honors and supports each person with dignity and respect."
Several nominators highlighted the way Battani models Christ-like leadership in the ordinary moments of each school day. "Like Christ, she goes above and beyond in personally encountering each person, to ask them how they are and listen to what they have to share," one noted. "She greets students and staff in the morning. She is always present and available."
Colleagues also praised her professional competence alongside her compassion. "She is prompt to address concerns while remaining very clear-minded and level-thinking," said one nominator. "She has a strong understanding of child development and appropriate teaching practices and she executes them artfully."
Ultimately, those who nominated her summed it up simply: "Mrs. Battani truly cares about supporting the people she encounters, above and beyond what would be expected. She has the virtues to lead: compassion and heart to care for our school and make it a better place."
Sue O'Brien Recognized as Volunteer of the Year
Sue O'Brien — affectionately known throughout the St. Pius X community in Urbandale as "Nurse Sue" — has been named the 2026 Volunteer of the Year. A retired nurse who spent her career serving the Des Moines area, O'Brien has channeled her professional gifts and her generous spirit into the St. Pius X school community for decades, and she received nominations from 17 different people, a testament to how widely her impact is felt.
Sue's connection to St. Pius X goes back to the 1990s, when she first began volunteering to help with office and construction projects. In the years since, she has never stopped showing up. Almost every week, she is present at the school, greeting students, assisting in the nurse's office, supporting teachers, and being a warm, steady, joyful presence in the daily life of the community.
"She is a constant, loving, patient, gracious, kind, knowledgeable, caring," one nominator wrote. "Her commitment dates back to the 90s. She is present almost every week for school Mass. She is a model of faith for our students whether they see her at school Mass or on the weekends."
What makes Nurse Sue exceptional, nominators said, is that she serves entirely for the sake of giving, never seeking recognition or compensation for her time. "Sue has a deep commitment to volunteering for the pure sense of stewardship," noted one nominator. "She is not compensated in any of her roles, wishing to remain a volunteer and give back. She sets the example of selflessness, putting the school's needs ahead of her own convenience and schedule."
School administration echoed these sentiments. "Nurse Sue's love for St. Pius X is woven into the story of the school itself," school leadership wrote. "She knows our children, our families, and our staff, and she advocates for their well-being. Sue's willingness to step in wherever needed, without ever seeking recognition, strengthens the sense of unity and care that defines our school."
Whether she is in the nurse's office, the school office, or the lunchroom, Nurse Sue brings the same warmth and dedication. "Whenever she is in our building," one nominator shared, "she adds to the experience of all who work and learn at St. Pius X in a very positive way."
Duff, Battani, and O'Brien will be honored at the fifth annual Bishop's Celebration of Catholic Schools on August 29, 2026. To celebrate with them, purchase a ticket for make a donation to support the lasting mission of our diocesan schools.
The Bishop's Celebration of Catholic Schools is an annual event that unites the entire Diocese of Des Moines community in celebration of the life-changing impact our faith-centered education has provided for more than 150 years.
Proceeds from this year's event will help meet the needs of diverse learners in our Catholic schools.
The Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools includes 16 schools in 23 counties in central and southwest Iowa. Catholic schools in the Des Moines Diocese build Christ-centered, collaborative, inclusive partnerships with parents, students, and parishes to provide students with innovative academic excellence and inspirational faith formation.