Boyce R. Williams Award
The Boyce R. Williams Award is named for Dr. Boyce Williams, who dedicated his career in government to advance specialized programs and services for deaf and hard of hearing people. It is the highest award presented by ADARA and is given to an individual in recognition of a lifetime of exemplary contributions that lead to the improvement in the lives of deaf people in the rehabilitation and behavioral health arenas.
Past Recipients:
2021 – Steve Hamerdinger
2019 – Neil Glickman
2017 – Steve Sligar
2015 – Robert Q. Pollard
2013 – Irene W. Leigh
2011 – Doug Dittfurth
2009 – David Myers
2007 – Patty Conway
2005 – Bob Davilla & Ramon Rodriguez
2003 – McCay Vernon
2001 – Alice Nemon
1999 – Alan Sussman
1997 – William McCrone
1995 – Glenn B. Anderson
1993 – Larry Stewart
1991 – Calvin Melton
1989 – Edna Levine
1987 – William Woodrick
1985 – Douglas Watson
1981 – Norm Tully
1979 – Richard M. Phillips
1977 – Jerome Schein
1975 – Craig Mills
Past Recipients:
2021 – Steve Hamerdinger
2019 – Neil Glickman
2017 – Steve Sligar
2015 – Robert Q. Pollard
2013 – Irene W. Leigh
2011 – Doug Dittfurth
2009 – David Myers
2007 – Patty Conway
2005 – Bob Davilla & Ramon Rodriguez
2003 – McCay Vernon
2001 – Alice Nemon
1999 – Alan Sussman
1997 – William McCrone
1995 – Glenn B. Anderson
1993 – Larry Stewart
1991 – Calvin Melton
1989 – Edna Levine
1987 – William Woodrick
1985 – Douglas Watson
1981 – Norm Tully
1979 – Richard M. Phillips
1977 – Jerome Schein
1975 – Craig Mills
Frederick C. Schreiber Award
The Frederick C. Schreiber Award recognizes Dr. Fred Schreiber, who was the first Executive Director of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). In recognition of his enduring commitment to ADARA, this award is given to an individual for outstanding contributions to ADARA.
Past Recipients:
2021 – Gerard "Gerry" Buckley
2019 – John Gournaris
2017 – Theresa Johnson
2015 – Steve Hamerdinger
2013 – Howard Rosenblum
2011 – Paul Deeming
2009 – Marcia Kolvitz & Steve Larew
2007 – Barry Blood
2005 – Ron Jacobs
2003 – Debra S. Guthmann
2001 – Marie Huie
1999 – Michael Serve
1997 – Gerard G. Walter
1995 – Kathleen Martin & W. Michael Quinn
1993 – Marita Danek
1991 – John Wright
1989 – Jim Hansen
1981 – William P. McCrone
Past Recipients:
2021 – Gerard "Gerry" Buckley
2019 – John Gournaris
2017 – Theresa Johnson
2015 – Steve Hamerdinger
2013 – Howard Rosenblum
2011 – Paul Deeming
2009 – Marcia Kolvitz & Steve Larew
2007 – Barry Blood
2005 – Ron Jacobs
2003 – Debra S. Guthmann
2001 – Marie Huie
1999 – Michael Serve
1997 – Gerard G. Walter
1995 – Kathleen Martin & W. Michael Quinn
1993 – Marita Danek
1991 – John Wright
1989 – Jim Hansen
1981 – William P. McCrone
Eugene W. Petersen Award
The Eugene W. Petersen Award recognizes Gene Petersen, who set the standards in serving deaf adults across the spectrum. It is an award given to an individual who has demonstrated exemplary direct service provision to deaf adults with additional disabilities and/or language and learning challenges.
Past Recipients:
2021 – Jeff Lindstrom
2019 – Consuelo "Connie" Potersnak
2017 – Melissa Baquis
2015 – Janis Friend
2013 – None
2011 – Rann Gordon
2009 – Melissa Watson
2007 – Neil Glickman
2005 – Theresa Johnson & Annette Reichmann
2003 – Wanda Poppell
2001 – Virginia McKinney
1999 – Marguerite Harmon
1997 – Nancy M. Long
1995 – Nancy Carr
1993 – Ken Musteen
1991 – Steve Sligar
Past Recipients:
2021 – Jeff Lindstrom
2019 – Consuelo "Connie" Potersnak
2017 – Melissa Baquis
2015 – Janis Friend
2013 – None
2011 – Rann Gordon
2009 – Melissa Watson
2007 – Neil Glickman
2005 – Theresa Johnson & Annette Reichmann
2003 – Wanda Poppell
2001 – Virginia McKinney
1999 – Marguerite Harmon
1997 – Nancy M. Long
1995 – Nancy Carr
1993 – Ken Musteen
1991 – Steve Sligar
McCay Vernon Outstanding JADARA Article Award
The McCay Vernon Outstanding JADARA Article Award recognizes Dr. Mac Vernon who was a leading author in various specialized fields and for his role as editor of the Journal. It is an award given to a published JADARA author(s) upon the recommendation of the Journal Editorial Board.
Past Recipients:
2021 – Stefanie Day, Kelsey Cappetta, and Melissa Anderson
2019 – Noëlle Opsahl and Lawrence H. Pick
2017 – Shawn Saladin, Yasar Tasnif, Bianca Cruz, and Robert B. Perez
2015 – Debroah Zahn
2013 – Tomina Schwenke
2011 – Shawn Saladin, Sandran Hansmann, Diana Frazer Menendez
2009 – Teresa Crowe Mason & James Schiller
2007 – David Feldman
2005 – Valerie Borum
2003 – Andrea B. Wohl & Michelle Niehaus
1999 – Margery A. Rothschild & Charlene Kampfe
1997 – Greg Long & Robin Alvarez
1995 – William P. McCrone
1993 – Ken Nash
Past Recipients:
2021 – Stefanie Day, Kelsey Cappetta, and Melissa Anderson
2019 – Noëlle Opsahl and Lawrence H. Pick
2017 – Shawn Saladin, Yasar Tasnif, Bianca Cruz, and Robert B. Perez
2015 – Debroah Zahn
2013 – Tomina Schwenke
2011 – Shawn Saladin, Sandran Hansmann, Diana Frazer Menendez
2009 – Teresa Crowe Mason & James Schiller
2007 – David Feldman
2005 – Valerie Borum
2003 – Andrea B. Wohl & Michelle Niehaus
1999 – Margery A. Rothschild & Charlene Kampfe
1997 – Greg Long & Robin Alvarez
1995 – William P. McCrone
1993 – Ken Nash
Boyce Williams Student Writing Award
The Boyce Williams Student Writing Award recognizes exemplary student writing in the deaf rehabilitation and behavioral health fields.
Past Recipients:
2021 – Tara Holcomb
2015 – Dana Stewart Kline
Past Recipients:
2021 – Tara Holcomb
2015 – Dana Stewart Kline
Martin Seligman Student Psychology Research Award
The Martin Seligman Student Psychology Research Award recognizes Dr. Marty Seligman for his outstanding contributions to the field of psychology. This award is to encourage student researchers pursuing careers in working with deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the field of psychology to conduct, present and publish research in this field.
Past Recipients:
2021 – Denise Fedlan
2013 – Tomina Schwenke
2011 – Shauna Bucholtz
2007 – Jessica Rogers
2003 – Lauren J. Esposito
2001 – Amy Szarkowski
Past Recipients:
2021 – Denise Fedlan
2013 – Tomina Schwenke
2011 – Shauna Bucholtz
2007 – Jessica Rogers
2003 – Lauren J. Esposito
2001 – Amy Szarkowski
Legislative Award
The Legislative Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated tremendous contributions related to legislative activities and public advocacy that have a profound impact on individuals who are deaf, later-deafened, hard of hearing and deafblind.
Past Recipients:
2021 – Kerry Ingram
2019 – Allysa Dittmar
2017 – Gabriel A. “Tony” Martin
2015 – Mary Hartnett
2013 – Barbara Raimondo
2011 – Sheri Farina
2009 – Billy Collins, Jr.
2007 – Jerald Jordan
2005 – None
2003 – Alfred "Sonny" Sonnenstrahl
2001 – Howard Rosenblum & King Jordan
1999 – Senator Tom Harkin
1997 – Congressman Steve Gunderson
Past Recipients:
2021 – Kerry Ingram
2019 – Allysa Dittmar
2017 – Gabriel A. “Tony” Martin
2015 – Mary Hartnett
2013 – Barbara Raimondo
2011 – Sheri Farina
2009 – Billy Collins, Jr.
2007 – Jerald Jordan
2005 – None
2003 – Alfred "Sonny" Sonnenstrahl
2001 – Howard Rosenblum & King Jordan
1999 – Senator Tom Harkin
1997 – Congressman Steve Gunderson
Bellflasher Award
The Bellflasher Award honors the most outstanding and thought-provoking biennial conference presentation, as determined by the scores and comments on evaluations and “buzz” generated by breakout conference sessions.
Past Recipients:
2022 – Malibu Barron
2019 – Susan Chapel
2017 – Melissa L. Anderson
2015 – Robert Q. Pollard
2013 – Linda Oberg, Bambi Reihl
2011 – Staci Gainok
2009 – Faye Kuo & Brian East
2007 – Tammy Cantrell & Timothy Owens
2005 – Cheryl Wu, Nancy Grant & Carla Shird
2003 – Neil Glickman
2001 – George Friebolin
1999 – Kathy Sandberg & Ron Lybarger
1997 – Irene W. Leigh & Alan L. Marcus
1995 – Gail Isenberg
1993 – Sonya Stagnola & Jennifer Grinder
1991 – Steve Boone & Virginia A. Johnson
1989 – Florrie Burke
1987 – Gail Isenberg
1985 – Daniel Langholtz & Bruce W. Heller
1981 – Charlene Dwyer
1979 – Holly Elliott, Steven Chough, Jerome Schein, & Hilde Schlesinger
Past Recipients:
2022 – Malibu Barron
2019 – Susan Chapel
2017 – Melissa L. Anderson
2015 – Robert Q. Pollard
2013 – Linda Oberg, Bambi Reihl
2011 – Staci Gainok
2009 – Faye Kuo & Brian East
2007 – Tammy Cantrell & Timothy Owens
2005 – Cheryl Wu, Nancy Grant & Carla Shird
2003 – Neil Glickman
2001 – George Friebolin
1999 – Kathy Sandberg & Ron Lybarger
1997 – Irene W. Leigh & Alan L. Marcus
1995 – Gail Isenberg
1993 – Sonya Stagnola & Jennifer Grinder
1991 – Steve Boone & Virginia A. Johnson
1989 – Florrie Burke
1987 – Gail Isenberg
1985 – Daniel Langholtz & Bruce W. Heller
1981 – Charlene Dwyer
1979 – Holly Elliott, Steven Chough, Jerome Schein, & Hilde Schlesinger
ADARA Award for Outstanding Mental Health Services to Deaf People
This award recognizes the recipient’s outstanding work in mental health since the previous Breakout Conference. The recipient can be a non-administrative person providing direct care daily to deaf people who have mental health challenges (i.e., residential care provider, peer support specialist, psychotherapist, counselor, art therapist, recreation therapist, addiction counselor, or any other in the helping professions).
Past Recipients:
2023 – Cookie J. Brand
2020 – Danielle Previ
2018 – Kimberly Thornsberry
2016 – Fern W. Nesvig
2014 – Jennifer Reesman
Past Recipients:
2023 – Cookie J. Brand
2020 – Danielle Previ
2018 – Kimberly Thornsberry
2016 – Fern W. Nesvig
2014 – Jennifer Reesman