This year’s award winners were Agnes Brown of CIRI; Patty Ginsburg of Buster Consulting and Communications; Jana Hayenga of Cabin Fever; Becky Judd of the State Department Division of Behavioral Health; Debe Mahoney of NeighborWorks Alaska; Mary Mystrom, a community volunteer; Stephanie Rhoades, a judge in the state court system; Sherie Richey, a physician at Alaska Perinatal Associates; and Janice Strickland, a teacher at East High School.
Judge Rhoades started one of the country’s first mental health courts, a system that diverts the mentally disabled from the criminal justice system and gives them treatment through judicial supervision.
“I grew up in an impoverished family, which developed compassion and understanding in me for people who work hard and still have little to show for it,” Rhoades said.
She said she owes her success to “having the passion and drive to climb out of poverty, create my own security in an uncertain world and speak out for others who aren’t as articulate about how they may be able to do that for themselves also,” Rhoades said. “Identify strong and successful role models, watch them like a hawk and cultivate the qualities that make them successful.”
Along with education, Rhoades’ tenacity and adamant determination are what led her to be a YWCA award winner.
“Obtain the highest education or training that you can achieve, work hard and find something in both your work and personal lives to be passionate about and then do those things.”
Molly Mew is a senior at Eagle River High School.
Important warning about e-mails purporting to be from the adn.com staff.