Winners:

Individual Award:

Dr. Joann Grayson, Ph.D., is a professor emeritus at James Madison University and practicing clinical psychologist. During her career, she had demonstrated an unwavering commitment to child advocacy and has initiated more than 11 prevention programs in the Harrisonburg-Rockingham community, including a tutoring program that partners JMU students with at-risk children. Grayson also publishes the “Virginia Child Protection Newsletter” distributed to 13,000 agencies and individuals nationwide. Watch a great interview with Dr. Grayson on WHSV on receiving this honor here.

Organizational Award:

The Eastern Regional Child Fatality Review Team provides services to families and children who may be involved in the investigation of child deaths. The team includes a director from Champions for Children, an assistant chief medical examiner, a pediatrician and social worker from The Children’s Hospital of The Kind’s Daughters, a retired CASA director, CPS supervisors, a health department nurse, Fetal-Infant Mortality Review nurses, a police captain, a Commonwealth’s Attorney, and a representative from Navy Family Advocacy.