LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Cindy Villanueva was nominated by her principal, Jodi Meyer, along with her colleagues. 

"We are pleased to recommend Cindy Villanueva for this honor. Cindy is our amazing nurse at Hiawatha Elementary School, and she also serves as the lead District 100 nurse. Cindy is not only a nurse, but our colleague and friend. When the pandemic began in March of 2020, we all found comfort knowing we had Cindy on our side," explains Meyer.

Ms. Villanueva has done more research than anyone and calms staff and students like no one else can. She works 24 hours a day to ensure all information has been communicated and safety measures are in place. If you ever have a question about anything COVID-related, she has the entire guidance memorized and can quickly tell you the section and page number with the answer and supporting facts.

Ms. Villanueva has more energy than everyone in any room combined, and she balances a very full plate with grace and integrity. At Hiawatha Elementary, you will find her comforting students, testing students and staff, helping to organize vaccination clinics, and most importantly, taking care of everyone in the building.

"At Hiawatha School and District 100, we consider ourselves a family, and we couldn't be more blessed or honored to have Cindy as part of our family. There is no one more deserving of this recognition. We are beyond proud of Cindy and all of her accomplishments. She is truly remarkable, and we are all better for knowing and working with her," said Meyer.