Awards
Each year the Academy presents a number of Awards in appreciation of its Fellows and/or to honor those outside the Academy who have had a significant impact in the area of adoption and/or assisted reproduction. This page describes those awards and recognizes their past recipients.
President's Award
The President’s Award is presented annually at the sole discretion of the President to a Fellow whose contributions throughout the years demonstrate an unwavering dedication and commitment to the betterment of the Academy. It recognizes and honors that individual’s active engagement and support of the Academy’s purposes, expresses the gratitude of the membership for such efforts, and serves as an inspiration to other Fellows to employ their skills and passion to advance adoption and reproductive technology law through active participation in the Academy. Unlike other awards, the President's award is focused internally on the Academy rather than on contributions made by a Fellow to adoption or assisted reproduction law independent of the organization.
| 2002 - Mark McDermott | 2010 - Group "Thank you" | |
| 2003- Herb Brail | 2011 - | |
| 2004 - Irene Steffas | 2012 - Herb Brail | |
| 2005 - | 2013 - Laurie Goldheim | |
| 2006 - John Greene | 2014- John Greene | |
| 2007 - Mike Voorhees/Kaye McLeod | 2015 - Theresa Roetter | |
| 2008 - Mike Voorhees/Kaye McLeod | 2016 - Jennifer Fairfax | |
| 2009 - Bill Rosen | 2017 - Margaret Swain |
Amy Silberberg Award
The Amy Silberberg Award was established in 2004 in honor of deceased Fellow Amy Silberberg to recognize the unique contributions of Academy members to the adoption of special needs and foster children. Amy was an enthusiastic, tireless crusader for adoptive children and their families. An adoptee and adoptive parent herself, she worked as an adoption professional and had a special concern for waiting ans special needs children. She organized workshops to encourage other to assis special needs families and she wrote and lectured on a variety of adoption issues. Amy's enthusiasm was contagious. She created synergy and light. Amy by her presence, her energy and her ideas made this a better world.
This award is not presented annually, but only when a member's extraordinary efforts in this field compel the Academy to recognize the individual.
| 2007 - Susan Garner Eiseman | 2014 - Jeanne Tate | |
| 2008 - Seth Grob | 2015 - Susan Stockham | |
| 2013 - Mark Demaray | 2017 - Sherry Neal |
Mary Landrieu SAKA ("Supporter of Adoption Through Knowledge and Action") Award
The Mary Landrieu Supporter of Adoption Through Knowledge and Action Award was named for the Senator and first award recipient in 2014. This award is conferred at the direction of the Academy President to carefully selected recipients who have championed adoption at a national and/or international level. The engraving on the award reads: "For your Leadership, Dedication and Vision To Improve the Lives of Children and Families Throughout the World."
| 2014 - Senator Mary Landrieu | ||
| 2015 - Karen Law | ||
| 2017 - Denise Bierly |
Fellow of Distinction Award
The Fellow of Distinction Award was established in 2015 and is presented to any Fellow who has distinguished himself or herself in the areas of adoption and/or assisted reproductive technology law. Unlike the President, Amy Silberberg, and SAKA awards, recipients of this award are typically nominated by their colleagues. Award recipients are chosen by the Awards Committee after all nominations are reviewed.
| 2015 - Philip "Jay" McCarthy | ||
| 2016 - Irene Steffas | ||
| 2017 - Herb Brail |
Mentor Who Made A Difference Award
The Mentor Who Made a Difference Award was also established in 2015 and is awarded to any Fellow who has been a mentor to others in the areas of adoption and/or assisted reproductive technology law and has made a significant impact on his or her mentee. Similar to the Fellow of Distinction Award, recipients of this award are typically nominated by their colleagues or their mentees. Award recipients are chosen by the Awards Committee after all nominations are reviewed.
| 2015 - Susan Garner Eiseman | 2017 - Larry Jenkins | |
| 2015 - Mary Beck | ||
| 2016 - Susan Paquet |
Unsung Hero Award
The Unsung Hero Award began in 2016 and was created to recognize Fellows who have been consistently, but perhaps quietly, doing something for the adoption or assisted reproductive technology world, or for clients, from a pro bono, public service or educational institution perspective. Recipients of the Unsung Hero Award are nominated by their colleagues and are chosen by the Awards Committee after all nominations are reviewed.
| 2016 - Dale Dove | ||
| 2017 - Ted Youmans | ||
Other Past Award Recipients
From time to time, the Academy President, Board of Trustees, or Academy as a whole chooses to recognize one of its own for a unique service that he or she provides or has provided for the betterment of adoption and/or assisted reproductive technology law, or the Academy as an organization. Those individuals are listed below along with the honor they received.