2021 Nominations opening soon. Check back for updates.
More Information about the Excellence Awards
Since 2012, the Children’s Court Improvement Commission (CCIC) of the New Mexico Supreme Court has awarded Child Welfare & Juvenile Justice Excellence Awards to members of the Children’s Court community who have contributed significantly to their field and demonstrated outstanding dedication, leadership, knowledge, and integrity.
The awards are handed out at the annual New Mexico Children’s Law Institute Conference every January. The nomination form is circulated in the fall throughout the child welfare and juvenile justice communities of New Mexico. Anyone can submit a nomination . All nominees are sent a special invite to the CLI and winners are honored during the conference.
Some of the proposed categories are below
- Protective Service Worker
- Tribal Social Service Worker
- Juvenile Justice Worker
- Behavioral Health Staff
- Contract Attorney [GAL, Youth Attorney, Respondent Attorney]
- Children’s Court Attorney in Child Welfare (CCA)
- Children’s Court Attorney in Delinquency
- Public Defender in Delinquency Matters
- State or Tribal Judge
- CASA Volunteer
- SCAC Volunteer (Formerly known as CRB Member)
- Foster Parent
- Parent/Family Member
- Foster Youth Alumni
- Juvenile Justice Alumni
- Service Provider Agency/Organization
- Other (suggest your own
Past Award Winners:
2020 Award Recipients
Alisha Hawthorne, Behavioral Health
Rita Blazaitis, CASA Volunteer
Tyler Benting, Contract Attorney
Peggy Adegoke, CRB Member
Gayle Lane, CYFD Foster Parent
Janna Lopez, CYFD Junenile Justice
Jasmyn Marquez, CYFD Protective Services
Beth Gilla, General
Yasmin Haque, Other
Monica Ly, Parent
Alma Roberson, Public Defender in Delinquency
Jennifer DeLaney, State Judge
Alyssa Davis, YOUTH: Foster Youth Alumnus
Rosa Barraza, Service Provider
Daniel Dougherty, Children’s Court Attorney
2019 Award Recipients
Elizabeth Hamilton, Behavioral Health Staff
Barbara Tegtmeier, CASA Volunteer
John Duran, Contract Attorney
Maria Ortiz, CRB Member
Emet and Melonie Chavez, CYFD Foster Parent
Don Shapiro, CYFD Juvenile Justice
Patti Vowell, CYFD Juvenile Justice
Megan Gonzales, CYFD Protective Services
Susannah Burke, OTHER
Ezra Spitzer, OTHER
Shantell Gallegos, Parent
Anna Gabrielidis, Public Defender in Delinquency
Sarah Backus, State Judge
Rena Chavarria, Tribal Foster Parent
Cheryl Fairbanks, Tribal Judge
Jacqueline Yalch, Tribal Social Services
Micaela Baca, Foster Youth Alumnus
Aaron Boswell, Foster Youth Alumnus
Christianna Wilson, Foster Youth Alumnus
DAngelo Montoya, Juvenile Justice Alumnus
2018 Award Recipients
Mary Ann Shaening, Lifetime Achievement
Debra Balthasar, CASA Volunteer
Deborah Gray, Children’s Court Attorney in Child Welfare
Robert Retherford, Children’s Court Attorney in Child Welfare
Liz McGrath, Contract Attorney
Yvonne Lucero, CYFD Protective Services Staff
Arthur Malone, CYFD Protective Services Staff
Amy Ward, Foster Parent
Cristen Conley, Advocate
Grace Spulak, Advocate
David Richter, Public Defender
Barbara Vigil, State or Tribal Judge
Veronica Alvillar, Tribal or CYFD Juvenile Justice Staff
Julie Raborn, Tribal or CYFD Juvenile Justice Staff
Andrew Salazar, Foster Youth Alumnus
Sarah Schrock, Foster Youth Alumnus
Jesus Schink, Juvenile Justice Alumnus
Allan Trosclair, Substitute Care Review Board Member
2017 Award Recipients
Dr. Charles Searcy, CASA Volunteer
Michelle Pickett, Children’s Court Attorney in Child Welfare
Jennifer Olson, Contract Attorney
Darren Cordova, Contract Attorney
Judge Matthew J Sandoval, Judge
Jack Carpenter, CRB Member
Melissa Mendoza, CYFD Protective Service Staff
Martha Fernandez, CYFD Juvenile Justice Staff
Rochelle Alvarado, Foster Youth Alumnus
Pam Michaels, Foster Parent
Karan Northfield, Foster Parent
Jennifer Parkins, CYFD Juvenile Justice Staff
Ann Edenfield Sweet, Service Organization
Anne Ryan, Service Organization
Stephen Taylor, Public Defender in Delinquency
2016 Award Recipients
Bianca Padilla, CYFD Juvenile Justice Staff
Cathy Bryant, CASA Volunteer
Deborah Yost, CYFD Protective Services Staff
Karen Townsend, Judge
Lindsey Lucero, 2nd Judicial Drug Court
Mary Carr, CRB Member
Sheyenne Myrtle, Foster Youth Alumnus
Michael Sousa, Public Defender in Delinquency
Leslie Jones, Contract Attorney
Donalyn Sarracina, Tribal Social Services Staff
Carol and Nathan Gingerich, Foster Parents
2015 Award Recipients
Mark Dickson, Public Defender (Delinquency)
Freddie Romero, Judge
Marissa Vigil, Foster Youth Alumni
Cristian Valverde, Juvenile Justice Alumni
Valerie Arculeta, Parent
Mickey Curtis, Provider
Rebecca Liggett, Children’s Court Attorney
Catherine Romero, Protective Services Worker
Marcia Haney and Teri Roper, CASA Volunteer
Venita Gallegos, Juvenile Justice Worker
Robert Retherford, Contract Attorney
Jaylynn and Terry Vandruff, Foster Parents
Martha Reiersen, CRB Member
2014 Award Recipients
Connie Smith, CYFD Protective Services Worker
Therese Yanan, Court Appointed Child Welfare Attorney
Lynne Jessen, CYFD Children’s Court Attorney
Christopher Betsch, CYFD Juvenile Justice Worker
Nathan Driver, CYFD Juvenile Justice Worker
Judge John F Davis, Children’s Court Judge
Carolyn Martin, CASA Volunteer
Mary Ann Copas, CRB Member
Joel and Kim Weber, Foster Parents
Skylar Ford, Foster Youth Alumni
Greg Crutcher, Foster Youth Mentor
James Sumrow, Leader and Mentor for Parents in Child Welfare
2013 Award Recipients
Branden Murray, CYFD Protective Services Worker
Johnna Studebaker, Court Appointed Child Welfare Attorney
Jon Hendra, CYFD Children’s Court Attorney
Richard Lindahl, CYFD Juvenile Justice Worker
Jason Rael, CYFD Children’s Court Attorney in Delinquency Matters
Louis P McDonald, Children’s Court Judge
Amy O’Neill, CASA Volunteer
Anne Nokes, CRB Member
Annette Chavez and Teodoso Lucero, Foster Parents
Krystal Goolsby, Foster Youth Alumni
Founders Award given in 2013 on the 20th anniversary to the founders of the Children’s Law Institute
Honorable Michael Martinez
Honorable Alvin Jones
Paul Biderman, JD
Angela Adams, JD
2012 Award Recipients
Carrie-Leigh Cloutier, CASA Volunteer
Jennifer Munson, Contract Attorney
Bonnie Geer, CRB Member
David Brainerd, CYFD Children’s Court Attorney
Jill May, CYFD Worker
John J Romero, Children’s Court Judge