Spotlight on our 2022 Awardees

Each year at our national annual conference we recognize the individuals and organizations that have distinguished themselves as volunteers, donors, or champions in support of NARSOL’s vision or mission. Our recent conference in Raleigh, NC gave us a chance to present the latest awards in pursuit of that goal.

The 2022 Braveheart Award went to Dr. Chrysanthi Leon. The Braveheart Award is awarded to organizations or individuals outside of the NARSOL family who have demonstrated courage and fidelity to NARSOL’s vision and mission. Dr. Leon is Deputy Dean of the Honors College; Associate Professor of Sociology & Criminal Justice, Women & Gender Studies, and Legal Studies; and founding member of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Gender-based Violence at the University of Delaware. She is an interdisciplinary scholar in penology and law and society, whose research and teaching address sex crime and punishment, sex work, and the prison system. Both her her plenary presentation and workshop at the 2022 conference were extremely well-received.

The Excellence in Leadership award was presented to NARSOL board member Philip Kaso. Philip is a director on NARSOL’s board and serves as NARSOL’s Treasurer, Director of Corporate Investment, and as a member of the NARSOL finance committee. Additionally, he is a co-creator/mentor for the NARSOL Fearless project as well as the creator and inaugural chair of the NARSOL nominating committee. Philip also serves NARSOL’s foundation Vivante Espero as vice president and chair of its investment committee.

NARSOL’s Excellence in Service award went to Jon Cordeiro.  Jon, a former member of NARSOL’s board of directors and current Vivante Espero board member, is the national director of New Name Ministries, which provides safe residential reentry and housing for those convicted of sexual offenses. Jon was also featured in one of our Lives on the Registry videos.

The 2022 Hawthorne Award was presented to Massachusetts attorney Eric Tennen. The Hawthorn Award is presented to an individual (or organization) who has contributed $10,000 or more of time or money specifically in support of NARSOL’s operations. He is the chairman of the board of the Criminal Justice Policy Coalition and an active participant in the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He has tried cases before the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States.

The Advocate of the Year award was awarded to North Carolina RSOL board member Mardy Cutchin.  Mardy is very active in NCRSOL’s operations and advocacy and was instrumental as part of the NARSOL 2022 conference operations committee.

The Paul E. Shannon Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Vivante Espero board member (and former NARSOL board member) Tamara Jackson. Tamara has been a behind-the-scenes organizer and a member of the conference operations committee for all of the recent NARSOL conferences and currently serves on multiple committees for both NARSOL and Vivante Espero.

The NARSOL annual awards banquet is something we all look forward to at each conference, so start making plans now to attend the 2023 national conference in Houston, Texas!

Written by Sandy Rozek

Sandy, a NARSOL board member, is communications director for NARSOL, editor-in-chief of the Digest, and a writer for the Digest and the NARSOL website. Additionally, she participates in updating and managing the website and assisting with a variety of organizational tasks.