AUCD | Awards

Nominate an Exceptional Leader

AUCD invites you to nominate someone who inspires you in the spirit of this year’s theme, Stronger Together: Creating a More Inclusive World. Please note that AUCD has made some changes to the awards nomination process this year. Learn more about the changes and requirements for nominations by clicking on the "AUCD Awards Nomination" button below. Awardees will be recognized at the AUCD Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 4 at 6:00 PM during the AUCD 2024 Conference. Nominations are due by Friday, August 2.

AUCD Awards Nominations

AUCD Awards & Descriptions

AUCD is pleased to present the following awards recognizing outstanding contributions:Lifetime Achievement Award George S. Jesien Distinguished Achievement Award Special Recognition Award Young Professional Award Anne Rudigier Award Multicultural Council Award for Leadership in Diversity Gordon Richins Award for Leadership and Advocacy Gold Star Award AUCD International Service Award Council on Research and Evaluation Trainee Research Award

Image of a star shaped award with the AUCD banner behind it.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an individual making a lifetime commitment to serving people with disabilities and their families. This is AUCD's highest award and can be given to an individual inside or outside of the AUCD Network.

AUCD's 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented at the Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 4 during the AUCD 2024 Conference.

Image of Deborah Spitalnik, a white woman with short grey hair wearing a colorful shall.

AUCD 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
Deborah M. Spitalnik
Founding Executive Director of The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities

George S. Jesien Distinguished Achievement Award

This award recognizes a UCEDD, LEND, or IDDRC executive, faculty or staff member who has demonstrated a distinguished career of excellence and leadership in support of AUCD's mission to advance policy and practice for and with people with disabilities, their families, and communities. The nomination letter should include a description of the candidate’s accomplishments in research, education, and service. Information relevant to the community, scientific, educational, organizational, or political environment in which the candidate's accomplishments were made may be included in the narrative to support the nomination. The award was renamed to honor one of AUCD's distinguished past-Executive Directors, Dr. George S. Jesien on his retirement in 2013.

AUCD's 2024 George S. Jesien Distinguished Achievement Award will be presented at the Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 4 during the AUCD 2024 Conference.

Image of Amy Hewitt, a white woman with long brown hair wearing glasse and blouse.

AUCD 2023 George S. Jesien Distinguished Award Recipient
Amy Hewitt
Director of the Institute on Community Integration

Special Recognition Award

The AUCD Special Recognition Award is presented to an individual, group, or organization outside of the AUCD Network to recognize outstanding contributions toward creating more inclusive communities for people with disabilities and their families. The award is given in recognition of professional and personal efforts in a programmatic area that proactively supports people with disabilities and their families at the local, state, or national level. If a group or organization is being nominated for the Special Recognition Award, the name(s) of key people directly involved in the noted accomplishments should be provided.

AUCD's 2024 Special Recognition Award will be presented at the Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 4 during the AUCD 2024 Conference.

AUCD 2023 Special Recognition Award Recipient
Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc.

Young Professional Award

This award is presented to professionals in the disabilities field under the age of 40 years who have demonstrated dedication and commitment to people with disabilities and their families through their work as a bridge between the academic sector and the community. Nominations should include a description of activities exemplifying the nominee's contributions.

AUCD's 2024 Young Professional Award will be presented at the Trainee Networking Session on Sunday, November 3 during the AUCD 2024 Conference.

AUCD 2023 Young Professional Award Recipient
Jacy Farkas
Associate Director of the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities

Anne Rudigier Award

This award is named after Anne Rudigier, a young woman who demonstrated that one individual's commitment, energy, love of life, and respect for all people can be shared and can persevere through others. The award is presented by the Rudigier Family in loving memory of their daughter Anne and of the values she held in her life and in her work. This award recognizes an outstanding trainee/student demonstrating a commitment to supporting people with developmental disabilities and their families. Any UCEDD, LEND, or IDDRC faculty member may nominate a trainee/student. The nomination should include a description of the nominee's activities while enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program that demonstrate how they have made a difference in the life of an individual with a developmental disability. Please include the name of the school(s) in which the trainee/student is enrolled currently, and the school where activities for which the trainee/student is being nominated occurred (if different). Trainees/students currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program and in good academic standing are eligible. The awardee will receive $500 from the Anne Rudigier Scholarship fund.

AUCD's 2024 Anne Rudigier Award will be presented at the Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 4 during the AUCD 2024 Conference.

Image of Shawn Aleong, a young Black man wearing a suit standing in front of the state capitol building.

AUCD 2023 Anne Rudigier Award Recipient
Shawn Aleong
Disability and Civil Rights Activist, Entrepreneur and student at Temple University

Multicultural Council Award for Leadership in Diversity

The Multicultural Council Award for Leadership in Diversity is presented by AUCD’s Multicultural Council (MCC) to an AUCD Network member or group in recognition of:

Their exhibited leadership and commitment to advancing programs and practices aimed toward increasing the diversity, cultural, and/or linguistic competencies (in curriculum, services, supports, research, and recruitment) within a Center and/or Program and the AUCD Network as a whole;
Exemplary programs and practices addressing the areas of diversity, cultural, and/or linguistic competencies (in curriculum, services, supports, research, and recruitment) within a Center and/or Program and the AUCD Network as a whole;
Significant contributions in furthering the understanding of diversity for the needs of families seeking disability services.

AUCD's Multicultural Council Award for Leadership in Diversity will be presented at the Multicultural Council (MCC) Meeting on Monday, November 4 during the AUCD 2024 Conference.

AUCD 2023 Multicultural Council Award for Leadership in Diversity Recipient
Mirian Ofonedu
Director of Training at the Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities at Kennedy Krieger Institute

Gordon Richins Award for Leadership and Advocacy - Multicultural Council Award for Leadership in Diversity

The Gordon Richins Award for Leadership and Advocacy is presented by AUCD’s Council on Leadership and Advocacy (COLA) in recognition of:

Exemplary leadership and advocacy practices of including people with disabilities and family members in projects and initiatives within a Center and/or Program and the AUCD Network as a whole;
Serving as an example to the community and the AUCD Network by consistently nurturing and promoting leadership opportunities within a Center for people with the lived experience of disability; and/or
Significant contributions and efforts to increase leadership opportunities for people with disabilities and their families.

To be eligible for this award you must be one of the following:

An AUCD Network member;
A current or past faculty or staff at a UCEDD, LEND, or IDDRC; and/or
A current or past member of a Consumer Advisory Council (CAC) or the CAC as a group.

Gordon Richins was a leader, mentor, and friend. Gordon served as Co-Chair of the Council on Community Advocacy (COCA) from 2004-2010, which was renamed as the Council on Leadership and Advocacy (COLA) in 2017. Gordon served as a member and a leader on the Center for Persons with Disabilities (CPD) at Utah State University, Utah’s UCEDD, Community Advisory Council.

Gordon's approach to advocacy was reflective of his personal qualities – respectful, supportive, and effective. Gordon was committed to the disability community and offered his voice in support of people with disabilities. Gordon was a leader within the AUCD Network, at CPD, and various other boards and committees at the local, state and national level. This award honors the advocacy that Gordon exemplified and provided to AUCD and the disability community.

AUCD's 2024 Gordon Richins Award for Leadership and Advocacy will be presented at the Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 4 during the AUCD 2024 Conference.

AUCD 2023 Gordon Richins Award for Leadership and Advocacy Recipient
The Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities and Kansas Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities Consumer Advisory Panel (KUCDD-LEND CAP)

Gold Star Award

Established in 2002, the AUCD Gold Star Award is presented to a Capitol Hill staffer who exemplifies a true partnership in crafting strong public policy. This award recognizes the staffer for their professional and personal efforts to craft policy and implement programs with input from AUCD and the greater disability community, thus supporting AUCD in achieving its mission to advance policy and practice for and with people living with disabilities, their families, and communities.

AUCD's 2024 Gold Star Award will be presented at the Closing Plenary (Virtual) on Wednesday, November 6 during the AUCD 2024 Conference.

AUCD 2023 Gold Star Award Recipient
Brad Thomas
Deputy Director of Education Policy for Chairwoman Virginia Foxx with the House Committee on Education and the Workforce

AUCD International Service Award

The AUCD International Service Award is presented to an individual or group inside or outside of the AUCD Network to recognize outstanding contributions that further programs or policies designed to create more inclusive communities for people with disabilities and their families throughout the world. The award is given in recognition of personal and professional efforts that have positively impacted the lives of people with disabilities and their families at local, regional, and/or national levels in the host country.

AUCD's 2024 International Service Award will be presented at the Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 4 during the AUCD 2024 Conference.

AUCD 2023 International Service Award Recipient
Kerim M. Munir
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics for the Institute for Community Inclusion

Council on Research and Evaluation Trainee Research Award

The Council on Research and Evaluation (CORE) Trainee Research Award is presented by AUCD’s Council on Research and Evaluation and is intended to recognize the efforts of emerging researchers. For the purpose of this award, research is defined as Experimental or Quasi-experimental Designs; Single Subject Designs; Single Case Designs; Correlational Designs; or Qualitative Designs. This award is given to anyone who is a current AUCD Network trainee (i.e., UCEDD, LEND, or IDDRC) or who completed training within the last two years of the award year. This award was established in 2015.

AUCD's Council on Research and Evaluation Trainee Research Award will be presented at the Council on Research and Evaluation (CORE) Meeting on Monday, November 4 during the AUCD 2024 Conference.

Image of Larissa Minner, a white woman with multicolored hair wearing glasses and blouse.

AUCD 2023 CORE Trainee Research Award Recipient
Larissa Minner
Research Associate at the Texas Center for Disability Studies (TCDS)

Past Award Recipients

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2000-2022 Award Recipients

Learn more about the AUCD 2024 Conference

2000 Ethel Chou
2001 Kathy Sheppard Jones (KY)
2002 Kelly Peters (NM)
2003 Joseph Caldwell (IL)
2004 Kristy Adakai-Tinney (NM)
2005 Ann Cameron Williams, PhD (IL)
2006 Sara E. Boyd, MA (KY)
2007 John Kramer, MA (IL)
2008 Catherine P. Keiling, BA (IL)
2009 Emily Shea Obremski (KS)
2010 Jasmina Sisirak, MPH (IL)
2011 Meghan R. Burke, MS (TN)
2012 Jody M. Pirtle, PhD (AZ)
2013 Ashley Candelaria, MS (KY)
2014 Emily Johnson, MA (OR)
2015 Katherine Hastings, MS (KY)
2016 Vanessa Diambou (VT)
2017 Joseph P. K. Ahuna, III, JD, MPA
2018 Ellen Casale, EdS, MEd (TN)
2019 E (Alice) Zhang, PhD, BCBA, LBA (KS)
2020 Emily Moseley, Graduate Student (KY)
2021 Yue Xu, Doctoral Student (IL)
2022 Kiley McLean (WI)

2010 Barbara LeRoy, PhD (MI)
2012 Tamar Heller, PhD (IL)
2013 David O'Hara, PhD (NY)
2015 Andy Minnion, MBE (England)
2016 Michael Wehmeyer, PhD (KS)
2017 Karl Ellingsen, PhD (Norway)
2018 Sefakor Komabu-Pomeyie, MA
2019 Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, LLM, MA
2021 Brent Askvig, PhD (ND)

2015 Samatha Goldman, MEd (TN)
2016 Carli Friedman, PhD (IL)
2017 Carly Blustein Gilson, PhD
2018 Elizabeth Biggs
2019 Ariel Schwartz, PhD, OTR/L
2020 Helen Rottier, PhD student (IL)
2021 Michele A. Schutz, student (TN)
2022 Brittney L. Goscicki (MD)

2001 Steve Shroeder
2005 Herb Cohen, MD (NY)
2006 Jack H. Rubinstein, MD, in memoriam
2007 Diane Nelson Bryen, PhD (AZ)
2008 Hill M. Walker, PhD (OR)
2009 Lucille A. Zeph, EdD (ME)
2010 Jan A. Nesbit, PhD (NH)
2011 K. Charlie Lakin, PhD (MN)
2012 David Mank, PhD (IN)
2013 William E. Kiernan, PhD (MA) and Robert Stodden, PhD (HI)
2014 Ansley Bacon, PhD (NY) and Frederick Palmer, MD (TN)
2015 Harold Kleinert, ED (KY)
2016 Robert Bacon, MA (IA)
2016 Deborah Spitalnik, PhD (NJ)
2017 Judith M. Holt, PhD (UT)
2018 David R. Johnson, PhD (MN)
2019 Daniel Crimmins, PhD (GA)
2020 Dan (Dalun) Zhang, PhD (TX)
2021 Elise McMillan, JD (TN)
2022 Elizabeth A. Perkins, PhD, RNLD, FAAIDD, FGSA (FL)

2004 Amy Judge (Representative Langevin's Office)
2005 Ellen Murray (Senate, Labor HHS, Education Appropriations Subcommittee)
2006 Aaron Bishop (Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Professional Staff)
2007 Connie Garner (Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Professional Staff)
2008 Sharon Lewis (Disability Policy Advisor to George Miller (D-CA), Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee)
2009 Kenneth DeGraff (Legislative Director to Congressman Mike Doyle, D-PA)
2010 Adrienne Hallett, MTS (Professional Staff, Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee)
2010 Lisa Bernhardt, MPP (Professional Staff, Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee)
2011 Michael Barnard (Legislative Assistant, Senator Robert Menendez, D-NJ)
2011 Tim Lynagh (Deputy Chief of Staff, Representative Christopher H. Smith, R-NJ)
2012 Andrew J. Imparato (U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions Professional Staff)
2013 Karen Summar, MD, MS (Legislative Counsel to Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, R-WA)
2014 Cate Benedetti (Staffer for Rep. Christopher Smith, R-NJ)
2015 Jennifer Debes (Staffer for Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-FL)
2016 Jake Cornett, MA (Senior Advisor, Office of US Senator Patty Murray)
2017 Michael Gamel-McCormick, PhD (Disability Policy Director, The Office of US Senator Bob Casey)
2018 Kimberly Knackstedt, PhD (Disability and Education Policy Advisor, Representative Bobby Scott and the House Education and Workforce Committee)
2019 Kelsey Griswold (Legislative Director, Office of U.S. Representative Chris Smith)
2020 (Gil) Ruiz (Legislative Assistant, Office of US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand)
2021 Katie Campbell (Legislative Direct, Office of US Senator Mark Kelly)
2022 Sarah Mueller (Disability Policy Advisor (U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP))

2000 University of Maine UAP
2001 Waisman Center, WI
2002 Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute, Kentucky
2003 Center for Development and Disability, New Mexico
2006 Indiana Institute on Disability and Community
2007 Missouri UCEDD
2008 South Carolina UCEDD
2009 Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
2010 Westchester Institute For Human Development, NY
2011 Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, TN
2012 Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington
2013 Community Advisory Committee, Florida Center for Inclusive Communities
2014 Utah Center for Persons with Disabilities
2015 Institute for Disability Studies University of Southern Mississippi UCEDD
2016 Community Advisory Council of the Center for Leadership in Disability, Georgia State University
2018 Deborah Unruh
2019 Rochelle 'Shelly' Baer, MSW, LCSW
2020 Mitchell Levitz
2021 Fran D. Goldfarb, MA, MCHES, CFPS
2022 Elizabeth Benevides, MD

2001 Bob Cooke
2007 Margaret Giannini
2009 Allen C. Crocker, MD
2010 Paul Marchand
2011 Senator Tom Harkin
2014 Robert Bruininks, PhD
2017 William E. Kiernan, PhD
2018 Wanda Willis, MEd
2020 Stephen L. Rock, PhD
2021 Julie A. Fodor, PhD
2022 Bruce K. Shapiro, MD

2003 Tawara Goode, MA (DC)
2004 Glenn Fujiura, PhD (IL)
2005 Georgetown University UCEDD (DC)
2006 Judy Struck, MA (SD)
2007 Center on Disability Studies UCEDD/LEND (HI)
2008 Stephen Gilson, PhD (ME)
2009 Camino Seguro and Camino Seguro West Projects of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and the University of Tennessee Boling Center: Claudia Avila-Lopez, Carolina Meyerson, Luisa Ramirez de Lynch (TN)
2010 Annie Alonso Amador, PsyD, MSW (PR)
2011 University of Arizona Sonoran UCEDD, Disability and Border Communities Workgroup (AZ)
2012 William Gaventa, MDiv, and the NJ Cultural Competence Collaborative
2013 Barbara Wheeler, PhD (CA)
2013 Institute for Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois
2014 Harolyn Belcher, MD, MPH (MD)
2015 Derrick Willis, MA (KS)
2016 Maria Mercedes Avila, PhD (VT)
2016 Jacqueline Stone, PhD (MD)
2017 Aaron Bishop, MSSW
2018 Vermont LEND Program
2019 The Center for Human Development (CHD)
2020 Christine B. Vining, PhD, CCC-SLP (NM)
2021 Oyáte Circle, University of South Dakota (SD)
2022 Sylvia J. Acosta, PhD (NM)

2000 Glennita Haskey
2001 Kathleen Kovack
2001 Rose Ann Percival (Recognition to DDS)
2001 Marty Blair (AUCD)
2002 Ann Drum (MCHB)
2002 Barry Eigen (SSA)
2002 Bettilou Taylor
2003 Constance Garner, RN (Senator Kennedy's Office)
2003 Adele Gorelick (ADD)
2003 George Jesien, PhD (AUCD)
2004 Donna Gleaves (The Arc of Utah)
2005 Bobby Silverstein, JD (CSADP)
2005 Denise Sofka, RD, MPH (MCHB)
2006 Jose F. Cordero, MD, MPH (NCBDDD)
2007 Marty Ford (The Arc)
2007 Margaret Giannini, MD, FAAP (Office on Disability, HHS)
2009 Crystal Pariseau (AUCD)
2010 Peter C. van Dyck, MD, MPH (MCHB)
2011 William C. Gaventa, Jr., MDiv (Boggs Center)
2011 Kim E. Musheno (AUCD)
2012 Steven M. Eidelman, MBA, MSW (U of DE Leadership Institute)
2013 Tawara Goode, MA (DC)
2013 Patricia Shiu (Department of Labor)
2014 Alison Barkoff (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law)
2015 Catherine Lhamon, JD (US Department of Education)
2016 Sharon Lewis (Health Management Associates)
2017 Timothy P. Shriver, PhD
2017 National ADAPT
2018 Madeleine Will, MA
2019 Lisa Beaudoin
2020 Georgina Peacock, MD, MPH, FAAP (CDC)
2021 Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children

2000 Amy Hewitt, PhD (MN)
2001 Jeffrey Brosco, MD, PhD (FL)
2002 Dean Westwood (OR)
2004 Megan Conway (HI)
2005 Angela Weaver-Roebuck, MEd (OR)
2006 Mary Kay Rizzolo (IL)
2007 Laura Walker (MO)
2008 Melissa H. Bellin, PhD (VA)
2009 Kathleen Sheppard-Jones, PhD (KY)
2010 Derek K. Nord, PhD, MSW (MN)
2011 Gail Chodron, MA (WI)
2012 Erik Carter, PhD (TN) and Ilka Riddle, PhD (OH)
2013 Katie Arnold, MS (IL)
2014 Jessica Jagger, PhD (VA) and Zachary Warren, PhD (TN)
2015 Pablo Juarez, MEd (TN)
2016 Kelly Nye-Lengerman, MSW, PhD (MN)
2017 Mallory Finn, JD
2018 Jack Brandt, MA (VA)
2019 Kate Caldwell, PhD (IL)
2020 Sheida K. Raley, PhD (KS)
2021 Kaitlyn Ahlers, PhD (WA)
2022 Kathryn M. Burke, PhD (PA)