The Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance will honor and celebrate thirteen individuals at the 2019 Catalyst Award Ceremony at Emory & Henry College on June 5 as part of a biennial statewide gathering of advocates and activists.
The Catalyst Awards encompass superior work across eight different categories, including both sexual and domestic violence work, and apply to program staff, community leaders, volunteers, and allied professionals. The group of honorees has been selected for their innovative and outstanding contributions to the field. We are delighted to honor these individuals for their exceptional and inspiring work on behalf of survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence and for their extraordinary contributions to the field of sexual and domestic violence.
A “catalyst” is one whose enthusiasm and energy precipitates significant positive change. The Catalyst Awards recognize individuals and/or organizations who have made superior contributions to improving services for survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence and creating a Virginia free of violence.
Pioneer Award
Honors one who was among the first to fight the good fight in order to improve the lives of survivors and ultimately end sexual and/or domestic violence. This lifetime achievement is reserved for someone who has worked in the movement for 20 or more years.
2019 Pioneer Award Honoree: Kelly McCoy, Radford
Kelly McCoy, a longtime advocate at the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley in Radford, started working in the movement 36 years ago. Laura Beth Weaver, Kelly’s nominator for the Pioneer Award, writes, “Kelly has worked multiple positions since coming to the WRC in 1983 as a 17-year old volunteer. She coaches and mentors young volunteers and staff in a way that helps grow our system of support for victims of sexual and domestic violence in the New River Valley. Her steady presence in the shelter, her wisdom with organizational decisions and direction, and her insistence on grace and hope are a catalyst for a greater grace and hope within our community.”
Pathfinder Award
Honors an individual or group who broadens the boundaries of traditional domestic and/or sexual violence work through creative outreach to an underserved population. The nominee demonstrates a commitment to positive change, exceptional activism, and innovation in identifying survivors and providing services in marginalized communities.
2019 Pathfinder Award Honoree: Alex Weathersby, Fredericksburg
Alex Weathersby, of the Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault, is being honored for her work to make RCASA’s prevention program more trauma-informed, relevant to youth, and LGBTQ+ supportive. Alex’s anonymous nominator writes, “Alex has opened relationships with our area’s public schools, scout troops, four year university, and community college, along with a halfway house for previously incarcerated youth to spread prevention education efforts to a wider group of youth in our area and to allow them to participate in prevention education from multiple areas of their lives. Last year her prevention/education programs served 2,398 students in middle and high schools across five counties.”
Nexus Award
Honors an individual or agency that has created a high level of cooperation among members of the justice system and/or other systems within a local community. The nominee exemplifies the collaboration and unity of purpose in bringing together diverse individuals and disciplines to create a community that promotes safety for victims and accountability for perpetrators.
2019 Nexus Award Honoree: Brad Pugh, Warren County Sheriff’s Office
Brad Pugh is an investigator with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office. The Laurel Center’s Kelliann Harris, who nominated Brad, says, “Investigator Pugh is not only an advocate for justice in dealing with sexual assault crimes, but a pioneer in organizing and development in Sexual Assault Response Teams. Brad continues to expand his knowledge/skills in trauma-informed services, applying those techniques within the interviewing processes, and encouraging and relaying these trainings to other staff within his department and other community leaders. Whenever there is a task at hand, Brad does not steer away from it. He exemplifies all attributes of a leader to make change happen.”
Purple Ribbon Award
Honors one working specifically in the field of domestic violence for demonstrating exemplary commitment to restoring power and hope to victims who have experienced domestic violence through the provision of direct client services. The nominee excels in advocacy work by promoting empowerment which fosters healing.
2019 Purple Ribbon Award Honoree: Maria Altonen, Richmond
Maria Altonen has cultivated Project Empower in Richmond and transitioned it from a little-known entity into a unique crisis intervention, support, and advocacy team that serves Richmond’s large urban hospital. Utilizing their expansive knowledge of the Richmond area’s sexual and domestic violence agencies, offerings, limitations, and those who work in the field, Maria has developed Project Empower into the tremendous service it is today. Assisting hundreds of victim-survivors in 2018, they afforded those who had been at the most terrifying points in their lives to access shelter, legal assistance, transportation, food, housing, employment, medical and counseling, and the crucial awareness that they were not alone on their journey to recovery. Maria’s anonymous nominator says, “To enter a position in a department that was virtually unheard of and undefined, and create something that is now recognized by Commonwealth’s Attorneys, victim advocates, police officers, and most of the VCU Health system speaks volumes! Maria’s work is not just an asset in our community, but has literally saved lives.”
Teal Ribbon Award
Honors one working specifically in the field of sexual violence for demonstrating exemplary commitment to restoring power and hope to victims who have experienced sexual violence through the provision of direct client services. The nominee excels in advocacy work by promoting empowerment which fosters healing.
2019 Teal Ribbon Award Honoree: Terri Giller, Fredericksburg
Terri Giller is an art therapist who works with survivors of sexual violence at Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault in Fredericksburg. Through her nonjudgmental and supportive guidance, she gives survivors the tools to empower and express their own experiences on their terms. Terri’s anonymous nominator writes, “We have had former and current clients run up to our tables at events to tell us how much they loved working with her and how she has given them tools for coping, grounding, expressing, and processing their trauma. Terri also puts so much time into working with individuals and groups, without rushing people into engaging with the parts of themselves they aren’t ready to see. Terri has brought a highly specialized service into our area. Her work has brought many long-term benefits to our clients’ ability to connect and self-express. Many of her clients continue to engage in the arts community of our area after closing out their counseling.”
Blue Ribbon Award
Honors one working with children or adolescents who have witnessed or experienced domestic or sexual violence. The nominee is recognized for demonstrating exemplary commitment to restoring power and hope to young victims through direct client services. The nominee excels in advocacy work by promoting education and empowerment which fosters healing.
2019 Blue Ribbon Award Honoree: Andrew Ehrhard, Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office
Investigator Andrew Ehrhard is a staunch supporter of the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) in Lexington, trusting and relying on the expertise of allied professionals in the CAC, always conducting his work from a “child first” philosophy. A compassionate ally to children, Andrew makes himself accessible to young survivors and their families so they feel completely supported, rather than alone. Ellen Wheeler of Project Horizon, who nominated Andrew, says, “Andrew also participates in every volunteer training at Project Horizon to ensure that all volunteers are familiar with him and are trauma-informed within the Child Advocacy Center. Andrew is devoted to making the children as comfortable as possible, consistently putting the needs of the children he serves ahead of the investigation. Andrew is a pillar in Project Horizon’s Child Advocacy Center and without his spirit and dedication we could not provide children with trauma-informed investigations.”
Hope Award
Honors an individual or team who has made a significant contribution to the prevention of domestic and/or sexual violence. Nominees will have implemented prevention initiatives that inspire communities to create future generations of healthy, safe, and respectful relationships.
2019 Hope Award Honoree: Chad Lewis, Warsaw
Chad Lewis, a preventionist working at the Haven Shelter in Warsaw, was one of the first people to institute prevention programming within the rural community of the Northern Neck. He helped create a Trauma-Informed Leadership Team, implemented numerous free community trainings, started sex education in Westmoreland County, and implemented the Safe Dates curriculum in Richmond and Northumberland Counties. Dawn Brooks of the Haven, who nominated Chad, says, “Chad not only advocates for the people in the community who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing IPV and SV, but he is also an advocate for individuals within our workplace. He is always thinking about our mission and how we can best prevent not only our clients from dealing with hardship, but also the staff. He brings up the hard conversations with compassion and love and in hopes of changing society.”
Ann Crittenden “Unsung Hero” Award
Honors an individual who works diligently and quietly behind the scenes to do what needs to be done, providing daily support, coordination, or advocacy. The nominee may be an administrator, office staff, advocate and/or volunteer who eschews the limelight, yet shows up consistently, day after day, to keep us moving forward in our efforts to eradicate sexual and intimate partner violence. The award is named in memory of Ann Crittenden, a beloved, hard-working, and loyal member of the Action Alliance staff for over 20 years, who skillfully created the beautiful stained glass catalyst awards for years and passed away in 2017.
2019 Honorees: Act. Honor. Hope. Planning Committee: Betsy Williams, Jodi Leonard, Jennifer Bottoms, Michele Holleran, Zoe Best, Shannon Heady, Claire Sheppard
Betsy, Jodi, Jennifer, Michele, Zoe, Shannon, and Claire, an all-volunteer group of fundraising go-getters, have led the fundraising planning of the Action Alliance’s annual Act. Honor. Hope. Member Celebration Luncheon for the past several years. The Committee’s anonymous nominator writes, “The group has worked tirelessly and relentlessly to support the Action Alliance’s fundraising efforts. Each year their devotion to Act. Honor. Hope. has created an amazing and memorable event. They were instrumental in the awards luncheon selling out for the first time in 2018 and in fact, the 2018 gathering proved to be a record-setting financial success for Act. Honor. Hope. Every committee member sets the bar higher for themselves each year in order to honor the award recipients and establish Act. Honor. Hope. as a major fundraiser. This committee’s dedication and loyalty is evident as they continue to work assiduously behind the scenes to do what needs to be done.”
The Catalyst Awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday June 5, 2019 at Emory & Henry College in Emory, VA as part of the “Cultivate” 2019 Biennial Retreat/Conference. Visit here to learn more and to register by May 20 for the Catalyst Award Dinner and/or the 2019 Cultivate Retreat.
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