Every year, NACAC honors special individuals and groups by publicly recognizing their outstanding service and achievements in the areas of adoption and child welfare.
2020 Award Winners
We will announce the 2020 NACAC award winners this spring. The awards will be presented at the NACAC conference in Toronto, Ontario, from August 26–29.
2019 Award Recipients
At the 2019 NACAC conference in Las Vegas, we honored these extraordinary individuals and organizations for their contributions to adoption and child welfare!
Adoption Ambassador
- Sean Anders, writer/director of Instant Family, California
Child Advocate of the Year
- Irwin Elman, child ombudsman, Ontario
- Generations United, District of Columbia
Youth Advocate of the Year
- Alexis Nichols, Big Brothers Big Sisters Little Sister, Nevada
- Dashun Jackson, Foster Club, Nevada
Parent Group of the Year
- Arizona Association for Foster and Adoptive Parents (AZAFAP)
Champion for Change
- Ali Caliendo, Foster Kinship, Nevada
- Reed Cowan, KSNV-TV News Anchor and Host of Wednesday’s Child, Nevada
Past Award Recipients
We are grateful for the individuals and organizations that have made tremendous contributions in the areas of adoption and child welfare throughout our history.
Child Advocate of the Century
| Year | Recipient |
| 2018 | Joe Kroll, child welfare consultant and former NACAC executive director, Minnesota |
Child Advocate of the Year
| Year | Recipient |
| 2017 | Terry Cross, Oregon Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, British Columbia |
| 2016 | Nicole Dobbins, District of Columbia and Pam Wolf, Tennessee |
| 2015 | Denise Goodman, Ohio and Pat O’Brien, New York |
| 2014 | Ruth McRoy, Massachusetts and Ada K. White, Louisiana |
| 2013 | Sandra Scarth, British Columbia |
| 2012 | J. Toni Oliver, Georgia |
| 2011 | Senator Ben Nelson, Nebraska |
| 2010 | Dr. Gerald Mallon, New York |
| 2009 | Senators Max Baucus, Charles Grassley, and John Rockefeller; Representatives Jim McDermott and Jerry Weller |
| 2008 | Phil Fontaine, Ontario |
| 2007 | Dixie van de Flier Davis, Colorado |
| 2006 | Zena Oglesby, California |
| 2005 | Wilbert Talley, Virginia |
| 2004 | Amy Silberberg, Minnesota |
| 2003 | H. David Kirk, British Columbia |
| 2002 | MaryLee Allen, District of Columbia |
| 2001 | Joyce Maguire Pavao, Massachusetts |
| 2000 | Carol Williams, District of Columbia |
| 1999 | Sara Berman, California |
| 1998 | Judith Anderson, Minnesota |
| 1997 | Carolyn Johnson, Pennsylvania |
| 1996 | Bob and Dorothy DeBolt, California |
| 1995 | Dave Thomas, Ohio |
| 1994 | Ernesto Loperena, New York |
| 1993 | Gary Morgan, Illinois |
| 1992 | Ken Watson, West Virginia |
| 1991 | Joan and Bernard McNamara, North Carolina |
| 1990 | Kathryn Donley, New York |
| 1989 | Sydney Duncan, Michigan |
| 1988 | Elizabeth S. Cole, North Carolina |
| 1987 | Barbara Tremitiere, Pennsylvania |
| 1986 | Peggy Soule, New York |
| 1985 | Dawn Degenhardt, Maine |
| 1984 | Judith Ashton, New York |
| 1982 | Father George Clements, Illinois |
| 1980 | David Soukup, Washington |
| 1978 | George Miller, California |
Parent Group of the Year
| Year | Recipient |
| 2018 | South Carolina Foster Parent Association |
| 2017 | Adoptive and Foster Parent Association of Georgia |
| 2016 | Adoption Resource Centers of Missouri |
| 2015 | Indiana Foster Care and Adoption Association |
| 2014 | Adoption Network Cleveland Post-Adoption Support Group, Ohio |
| 2013 | Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine Families with Children from South Africa, Ontario |
| 2012 | Foster and Adoptive Parent Advocacy Center, District of Columbia |
| 2011 | Iowa Foster and Adoptive Parent Association |
| 2010 | Adoption Support for Kentucky |
| 2009 | Cuyahoga County Cluster Support Group, Ohio |
| 2008 | Adoption Support Centre of Saskatchewan |
| 2007 | Alabama Foster & Adoptive Parents Association |
| 2006 | Louisiana Adoption Advisory Board, Louisiana |
| 2005 | Heritage Family Preservation Center, Florida |
| 2004 | Adoption and Blended Family Ministry, Maryland |
| 2003 | Society of Special Needs Adoptive Parents, British Columbia |
| 2002 | Concerned Persons for Adoption, New Jersey |
| 2001 | Adoptive Parents Committee, New York |
| 2000 | FAIR (Families Adopting in Response), California |
| 1999 | Adoptive Families Together, Massachusetts |
Youth Advocate of the Year
| Year | Recipient |
| 2018 | Lexie Gruber, District of Columbia |
| 2017 | Ashley Ash, Ontario |
| 2016 | George White, California |
| 2015 | Precious Rooks, Texas |
| 2014 | Claudia Felder, California |
| 2013 | Alisha Badeau, New Brunswick and Alisha Bowie, Ontario |
| 2012 | Christina Hume, Virginia and Betty Krupa, District of Columbia |
| 2011 | La Terra Cole, Colorado |
| 2010 | Jarel Melendez, New York |
| 2009 | Maurice Webb, North Carolina |
| 2008 | Coltyn Renzetti, Alberta |
| 2007 | Anni Keane, New York |
| 2006 | Wendy Piccus, California |
| 2005 | Bobbie Junker, Minnesota |
| 2004 | Chris Brown, Kentucky and Ashley Rhodes-Courter, Florida |
| 2003 | April Curtis, Illinois |
| 2002 | Anthony Barrows, Massachusetts |
| 2001 | Jennifer Hoxie, Maine |
Champion for Change
| Year | Recipient |
| 2018 | Michelle Chalmers and Ampersand Families, Minnesota Messerli & Kramer, Minnesota |
Friend of Children
| Year | Recipient |
| 2017 | Pam Hasegawa, New Jersey Rhonda Roorda, Michigan |
| 2016 | National Down Syndrome Adoption Network, Ohio |
| 2015 | Judge Michael Nash, California |
| 2013 | Cindy Blackstock, Ontario |
| 2012 | Dr. Richard P. Barth, Maryland |
| 2011 | Judge Karen Ashby, Colorado |
| 2010 | Dr. John Raible, Nebraska |
| 2009 | O. Jane Morgan, District of Columbia |
| 2008 | Nancy Umbach, Ontario |
| 2007 | Dr. Scott Ryan, Florida |
| 2006 | Michael Piraino and CASA Volunteers, Washington |
| 2005 | Korean Identity Development Society, Washington |
| 2004 | Martha Osborne, Louisiana |
| 2003 | Hyun Sook Han, Minnesota |
| 2002 | Dr. Dana Johnson and Staff, International Adoption Clinic, Minnesota |
| 2001 | Brian Boyd, Minnesota |
| 2000 | Susan Cox, Oregon |
| 1999 | Maureen Evans, Maryland |
| 1998 | Anna Marie Merrill, Connecticut |
| 1997 | Sandra Scarth, British Columbia |
| 1996 | Adoptive Parent Association of British Columbia, British Columbia |
| 1995 | Nancy Fox, Michigan |
| 1994 | Jerri Jenista, Michigan |
| 1993 | Merrily Ripley, Washington |
| 1992 | Bonnie and Fred Cappuccino, Ontario |
| 1991 | Byung Kak Cho |
| 1990 | Sunil Prakash |
| 1989 | Adoptive Families of America |
| 1988 | Betty Laning, Massachusetts |
| 1987 | Teri Bacall, Minnesota |
| 1986 | Bertha Holt, Oregon |
| 1985 | Jodie Darragh, Georgia |
| 1984 | Sherry Clark |
| 1982 | Father Alfred Keane, Georgia |
Corporate Award for Special Achievement in Adoption
| Year | Recipient |
| 2014 | KSDK News Channel 5 and “A Place to Call Home,” Missouri |
| 2012 | Annie E. Casey Foundation, Maryland |
| 2011 | Human Rights Campaign, District of Columbia |
| 2010 | Ad Council, New York |
| 2009 | The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption/Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, Ohio |
| 2008 | Jockey International, Wisconsin |
| 2007 | The Freddie Mac Foundation, Virginia |
| 2006 | Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, California |
| 2005 | Times Picayne Newspaper, Louisiana The Toronto Star and Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services |
| 2004 | Mike Givens and Denny Hecker, Minnesota The Pew Charitable Trusts, Pennsylvania Thrifty’s Foods, Inc., British Columbia |
| 2003 | Wendy’s Restaurants of Canada |
Adoption Activists
| Year | Recipient |
| 2017 | Janice Goldwater, Adoptions Together, Maryland Florida Youth Shine, Florida |
| 2015 | Judy Cockerton, Massachusetts Robyn Harrod, LCSW, California Sari Grant & Diane Wagner, California |
| 2013 | Marvin Berstein, Ontario Christopher M. Cherney, Mississippi Bob Herne, California Debbie Jamieson, Ontario Jennie Painter, Ontario |
| 2012 | AdoptOntario Marilyn Brookens, District of Columbia Susan Garner Eisenman, Ohio Cindy Coffman, Bruce Kendrick, and Denise Kendrick, Texas Linda Jones West, Mississippi |
| 2011 | André Fontaine, Ontario Sharen Ford, Colorado Amy Heilman, California Betsy Keefer Smalley and Jayne Schooler, Ohio Senator Moe Keller, Colorado |
| 2010 | WTNH-8/Wednesday’s Child Team (Ted Koppy, Jim Bagley, George DeYounge, Adam Francis, Ken Melech, and Keith Porter), Connecticut Lisa Maynard, New York The Honorable David Gooding, Florida The Honorable Erminie Cohen, New Brunswick Tammy Jacobson, Connecticut |
| 2009 | Susan Crawford, Ontario Jody Hansen-Walker, New York Patricia Hill, Ohio Mike Grimes, Kentucky Elevate—Children & Families of Iowa |
| 2008 | Jeannine Carriere, British Columbia Richard Fischer, Colorado Mary Gambon, Massachusetts Maureen Jones, Ontario John Lim, Ontario Sandra Bell Lundy, Ontario Carolyn Peacock, Alberta |
| 2007 | Philip and Gay Courter/Courter Films & Associates, Florida Cowichan Tribes Child & Family Services, British Columbia Esther High, North Carolina Oneida Little, Colorado |
| 2006 | Adopt Cuyahoga’s Kids, Ohio Tito del Pilar, New York Sharon Kaplan-Roszia, California Trish Ploehn, California Pat Reynolds-Harris, California Lori Ross and Melanie Scheetz, Missouri |
| 2005 | Barry Chaffkin, New York Barbara Ford, Maine Leceta Guibault, Quebec Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye, New York Brenda Lawrence, Pennsylvania Sharon McDaniel, Pennsylvania |
| 2004 | Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz, Minnesota Judi Damiano, Pennsylvania Madelyn Freundlich, New York Mary Miller, Nova Scotia Robert O’Connor, Minnesota Lynhon Stout, Iowa |
| 2003 | William Fuser, California Chester Jackson, New York One Church One Child, Illinois Tanya Williams-Bell, Pennsylvania Yellowhead Tribal Services Agency, Alberta |
| 2002 | Jack Brennan and Helene Gershowitz, New York Andrew Bridge, California Kate Burke Cleary, California Kathleen Dugan, Maryland E. Bernice Jordan Dale Richardson, Ohio Queen Alexandra Centre Adoption Support Program, British Columbia |
| 2001 | Robin Hilborn, Ontario Gail Johnson, California Harriet Jackson-Lyons, Massachusetts Alexis Oberdorfer, Illinois Phyllis Stevens, Pennsylvania |
| 2000 | Sue Badeau, Pennsylvania Joseph Crumbley, Pennsylvania Mary Lou Edgar, Delaware Sandy Gallagher, Pennsylvania Sharon Selby, California Michael Sobol, Ontario |
| 1999 | Rusty Gatenby, KSTP, Minnesota Judy Grove, British Columbia Barbara Holtan, Maryland Larry and Suzanne Stevens, Florida Veda D. Thompkins, Michigan Ron Woods, California |
| 1998 | Sherry Anderson, Pennsylvania Don Duquette, Michigan Giovanna Germain, New York Iowa Professional Photographers Association, Iowa Lillian Brooks Lansberry (deceased), Maryland Foster Parent Association of Los Angeles County, California Marv Rockford, Missouri |
| 1997 | Meri Brennan, Idaho Audrey Foster, California Shelley Linsday, Oregon Elmy Martinez, Virginia Jewell McCliment, Pennsylvania Margaret O’Reilly, Ontario Joseph Sheffey, Jr., Connecticut Terri Spronk, British Columbia Stephen and Teresa Williams, Florida |
| 1996 | Adopting Children Together, Inc., Texas Ruth Amerson, North Carolina Austin American Statesman and KVUE Channel 24, Texas Linda Anne Babb, Texas Jeff Katz, Massachusetts Verna McKay, Winnipeg Northwest Adoptive Families Association, Inc., Oregon Joyce Maguire Pavao, Massachusetts Torin Scott, Arizona In memory of Janet Levin, New York |
| 1995 | Katherine Christianson Howard and Vickie Denson, Missouri Pat Fenton, Ontario Arlene Morris Hurley In memory of Barbara Roberts, Oregon |
| 1994 | Delmar Weathers, District of Columbia. Derek White, Georgia Mary Klopfenstein, Colorado Alice Bussiere, California Raymond Moore, Ohio Tim O’Hanlon, Ohio Governor George Voinovich, Ohio |
| 1993 | Merri Dee, Illinois Drenda Lakin, Michigan Faye Caperna, New York Eric Kokko, British Columbia Rita Laws, Oklahoma |
| 1992 | Dallas Minority Adoption Council, Texas FAIR, California John Pierce, Pennsylvania Barbara Clarke, Oregon Marilyn Shinyea and Anne Lea, Alberta |
| 1991 | Mary Pat Clemmons, Illinois Carolyn Wolff, South Carolina Elspeth Ross, Ontario South Carolina Council on Adoptable Children Henrietta Lovett, Georgia Patrick O’Brien, New York |
| 1990 | Clarence Gillispie, Michigan Gina Osborne, Ontario Tabor Adoptive Parents, Pennsylvania Jack Williams, Massachusetts Elaine Schwartz, District of Columbia |
| 1989 | Pat Johnston, Indiana Gary Morgan, California Nancy Umbach, Ontario Dwe Williams, Oklahoma Council on Adoptable Children of Texas |
| 1988 | Maris Blechner, New York Bill Dwyer Sara and Arthur Glickman, New York David Kirk, British Columbia Laura Valenti, New Jersey |
| 1987 | Barb Brown, Delaware FACE, Maryland Lourdes Santiago, District of Columbia Jennifer Sylvester, Maine Margaret Ward, Ontario Nancy Carey (Special Service to NACAC), Maryland |
| 1986 | Jack Felty, Kentucky Janet Marchese, New York Open Door Society, Massachusetts Sue and John Smith, Idaho Larry Gellerstein, New York Nancy Kleinberg, New Jersey |
| 1985 | Adoptive Parents Together, Indiana Randall Carlisle and Jerri Openshaw, KUTV, Utah Foster Cline, Colorado Family Resources Adoption Program, Bernie & Joan McNamara, North Carolina Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, Georgia Robert Jump, Wisconsin Gerri Simmons, Utah |
Special Awards
President’s Award
| Year | Recipient |
| 2008 | Chief Marcel Balfour and Councillor Mike Muswagon, Norway House Cree Nation, Manitoba |
| 2001 | Emma Culpepper, Florida |
Special Achievement Award
| Year | Recipient |
| 2005 | Victoria Leach, Ontario Helen Allen Stacey, Ontario |