Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) is proud to announce that three principals, Dr. Heather Abney from Woodbridge High School, R.J. Lucciotti from Pattie Elementary School, and Matthew Phythian from Bull Run Middle School, have been selected to participate in the prestigious Cahn Distinguished Principals Fellowship for 2025-26. They are among 60 principals chosen nationwide.

The Cahn Fellowship program is a prestigious, year-long professional development program designed to support and elevate school leaders. The program focuses on enhancing leadership skills, improving student outcomes, and increasing retention. This program empowers both Fellows and their Allies—emerging leaders chosen by the principals—to practice problem solving through practical application and deepen their leadership learning experience.

To be eligible for the Cahn Fellows program, candidates must receive a nomination from the school division’s supervisory administrators and complete five years as principal. The candidate must display demonstrated success in each of the following areas:

• Personal commitment to providing an excellent education to all public-school students,
• Evidence of effective leadership as demonstrated by growth or consistently high levels of student achievement at their school,
• Strong leadership qualities, including intellectual curiosity, resourcefulness, collaboration skills, mentoring skills, creativity, and self-awareness,
• History of professional accomplishments and contributions to the field of education and/or district/network.

The following are profiles on each PWCS principal selected.

Dr. Heather Abney:

Dr. Heather Abney, principal of Woodbridge High, is a transformative educational leader recognized for her data-driven decision-making, inclusive leadership, and unwavering commitment to student success. Over her career, she has held various roles including special education teacher, assistant principal, and principal since 2015. She focuses on equity, academic excellence, and professional development.

Under her leadership, the school has achieved remarkable gains including increasing on-time graduation rates, reducing overall student dropout rates, and boosting Standards of Learning (SOL) pass rates.

Abney has implemented innovative professional development initiatives, such as divisionwide Twitter chats, and led national student leadership conferences. Her leadership has also been recognized with the Virginia Department of Education’s Continuous Improvement Award.

“One of Heather’s most notable achievements is the establishment of the principle that ‘all means all’ for student achievement in her school. By building a foundation of teacher collective efficacy, Heather has ensured that every student has the opportunity to succeed,” shared one of Heather’s recommenders.

Her selection for the Cahn Distinguished Principals Fellowship reflects her courageous leadership, measurable impact on student outcomes, and her ability to inspire and collaborate with peers across the division.

R.J. Lucciotti:

R.J. Lucciotti, principal at Pattie Elementary, is a charismatic, passionate, and committed leader who serves as a role model within his school community. Among his many strengths, his recommenders emphasize the transformative effect he has had on the school’s climate.

“Upon R.J.'s appointment as principal of Pattie Elementary, he wasted no time making a significant impact. He cultivated a collaborative environment among staff and teachers, actively engaged with the professional community, and played a pivotal role in transforming the school's overall climate,” one recommender shared.

Lucciotti has led Pattie for the past seven years. Prior to that, he served as assistant principal at Ashland Elementary School for three years and has nearly a decade of teaching experience in PWCS.

Under his leadership, Pattie has seen notable advancements, including increased special education pass rates. Additionally, Lucciotti developed schoolwide professional development initiatives that have elevated instructional practices and boosted student achievement. His dedication to leadership extends to participating in several divisionwide committees.

His selection as a Cahn fellow reflects his deep dedication to educational excellence and his influential leadership within both his school and the broader community.

“Under Mr. Lucciotti’s leadership, Pattie Elementary School has become an extraordinary place for teaching and learning,” noted another recommender.

Matthew Phythian:

Matthew Phythian, principal at Bull Run Middle School, brings nearly 35 years of experience as an educator. He is deeply committed to a student-centered approach and is known for fostering a climate of high academic standards supported by a well-established curriculum.

One of Phythian’s recommenders offered the following praise, “His experiences in PWCS and other school divisions have afforded him a broad perspective of best practices in pedagogy and leadership. He elevates those around him and builds capacity within his school to create, implement, and sustain systems and practices that lead to outcomes that are more equitable.”

Phythian’s career spans three states and includes roles such as science teacher, administrative intern, curriculum specialist, and assistant principal. He began teaching in Mount Airy, North Carolina in 1990 and has served as principal at Bull Run Middle since 2012.

Beyond his commitment to advocating for students, Phythian is also devoted to empowering fellow middle school principals and educators.

A recommender remarked, “Mr. Phythian has been a valuable member of the middle level work group. The work group started as an opportunity to share ideas for how to navigate the pandemic; however, it has evolved into a work group to provide ongoing recommendations and guidance to middle school principals regarding a variety of topics.”

To support teachers, Phythian has developed collaborative learning teams, incorporates common planning time, and creates professional learning. His leadership and dedication have made a lasting impact across the division. Through supporting new principals as a formal mentor and leading key initiatives, he has strengthened support at Bull Run and contributed to divisionwide progress.