Annual Awards
The DVRTF each year awards members of the victim services community with Outstanding Volunteer, Professional and Organization. In each of these three categories the people or group have shown a history of exemplary service and commitment, a uniqueness to their contribution, and made an impact on the community to improve the quality of services to victims or influenced long-term change in the victim services field.
The Elaine Aviola Memorial Award for Outstanding Professional
In 2010 the VRTF renamed the Outstanding Professional Award to honor the memory of Ms. Elaine Aviola who served selflessly as an advocate with the New Castle County Police Department Victim Services. She was an outstanding professional who worked tirelessly on behalf of crime victims in Delaware. This award is presented to an outstanding professional in the victim service field, who over the past year, has shown exemplary service, uniqueness of contribution, impact of service on the community, influence on positive long term change, initiation of grassroots efforts, establishment of an outstanding program and embodies the dedication and spark that Elaine put in her work every day. Elaine, you will always be remembered.
Below is a list of the awards for each year:
2019
Outstanding Professional - Mayra Reyes, Victim Services Specialist, Georgetown Police Department
Outstanding Agency - Capitol Police Department's Domestic Violence Intervention Program
Outstanding Volunteer - Lindsey McAleer, Volunteer Victim Advocate, Sexual Offense Support at U.D.
2018
Outstanding Professional - Maite Aros, Child Inc.
Outstanding Professional - Diedra Jones, Child Inc.
Outstanding Volunteer - Carolyn Morgan, Women of Color Task Force, Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence
2017
Outstanding Professional - Katie Pifer Morrison, University of Delaware SOS Advocate
Outstanding Volunteer - Rick Browne, for his contribution to the Day of Remembrance for Murder
Outstanding Agency - The Domestic Violence Advocacy Program Volunteer Advocates
2016
Outstanding Professional - Carolyn Becker, Wilmington Police Department
Outstanding Volunteer - Maggie Moody, Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence, WEAVER
2015
Outstanding Professional - Marki Mosley, New Castle Co. Police Department
2014
Outstanding Professional - Barbara Benezet, Child Inc., Domestic Violence , Advocacy Program
Outstanding Professional - Laurel Braunstein, Department of Justice, Victim/Witness Unit
2013
Outstanding Professional - Cherelyn Homlish, People's Place
Outstanding Agency - SOAR Inc.
Outstanding Agency - Delaware Center for Justice
Outstanding Volunteer - Renea Tate
2012
Outstanding Professional - Mariann Kenville-Moore, Department of Justice Victim Witness Unit
Outstanding Professional - Evelyn Smith, Department of Justice Victim Witness Unit
Outstanding Agency - Developmental Disabilities Council
Outstanding Volunteer - Leann Bullock, Victims Voices Heard/SHADE
2011
Outstanding Professional – Mona Bayard, Wilmington Police Dept. Victim Services Unit
Outstanding Agency - Department of Justice Sussex Co. Victim Services Unit and Delaware State Police, Victim Services Unit
Outstanding Volunteer – Neda Biggs
2010
Outstanding Professional – Stephanie Hamilton, Wilmington Police Dept., Victim Services Unit
Outstanding Agency - ContactLifeline
Outstanding Volunteer – Patty D'Angelo
2009
Outstanding Professional – Sheree Michaels, Department of Justice Victim Witness Unit
Outstanding Agency/Program – VINE (Peggy Bell DELJIS and Nicole Wilson VINE Program Coordinator)
Outstanding Volunteer – Robert Brandt
2008
Outstanding Professional – Dawn Culp, Bayhealth
Outstanding Volunteer – Phyllis Racz, DOJ Senior Advocate
Outstanding Project – Prevention Subcommittee of the DVRTF & DVTF
2007
Outstanding Professional – Carla Ennals
Outstanding Volunteer – Terri Willis, Visual Arts of Delaware
2006
Outstanding Professional – Trish Bachman
Outstanding Agency – Department of Correction – Renee Buskirk
Outstanding Volunteer – Jean Lange, H.E.R.O.S.
2005
Outstanding Professional – Kim Book, Victims Voices Heard
Outstanding Agency – Wilmington Police – Victim Services Unit
Outstanding Volunteers – Dolly Banks, Kiley Purcell, MADD
2004
Outstanding Professional – Mirta Colazzo
Outstanding Agency – Sexual Assault Network of Delaware (SAND)
Outstanding Volunteer(s) – Senior Program @ DOJ/Kent: Henrietta Morgan, Phyllis J. Racz, Richard C. Pulling, Sr., Jacquliene D. Pulling, Glenda Keighton
2003
Outstanding Professional – Eleanor Kiesel, CLASI/Sussex
Outstanding Agency – Domestic Violence Advocacy Ctr. Kent & Sussex
Outstanding Volunteer – Tina Buckingham, Lisa Burroughs
2002
Outstanding Professional
First State CISM – Gary Cooke, Diane Glenn, Pete Greeley, Bonnie Melvin, Pat Pratt, Cindy Ware
NOVA- Mona Bayard, Maureen Faulkner, Kristin Joyce, Corrine Pearson, Maureen Querey, Debbie Reed, Matt Rubincam, Vince Shipman, Cherly Stallman, Pat Tedford
Both teams recognized for work done in NYC after terrorist attacks
2001
Outstanding Professional – Susan Baldwin, U.S. Attorney’s Office
Outstanding Agency – Children’s Advocacy Center
Outstanding Volunteer – Shirley Horowitz, Victim Advocacy Program
2000
Outstanding Professional – Karen Cecchett, Department of Justice
Outstanding Agency – People’s Place II
Outstanding Volunteer – Almarie Laird
1999
Outstanding Professional – Joanne Kassees, Prevent Child Abuse/De.
Outstanding Agency – Violent Crimes Compensation Board
1998
Outstanding Professional – Anne DelNegro, VCCB
Outstanding Agency – Domestic Violence Project
Outstanding Volunteer – Bertha Pusey, Domestic Violence Advocacy Center
1997
Outstanding Professional – Lynn Lally, Department of Justice
Outstanding Agency – Delaware State Police & NCC Police, Victim Services Units
Outstanding Volunteer – Robert Brandt, CONTACT De.
1996
Outstanding Professional – Diane Glenn, Dover Police Department
Outstanding Agency – Child Inc.
Outstanding Volunteer – Pam DiBiaso
1995
Outstanding Professional – Senator David McBride
Outstanding Professional – Sgt. Gary Melvin
Outstanding Agency – Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home
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