Staff Awards

The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland was founded in 1905, with the mission to secure justice and resolve fundamental problems for those who are low income and vulnerable. Legal Aid staff members who go above and beyond in their roles can be nominated for one of three staff awards.

The Legal Aid staff awards program is funded by Legal Aid’s Leadership Fund for Organizational Development. The fund is supported by the Allen and Renee Madorsky Memorial Fund, Alan Gressel Memorial Fund, and numerous other individual gifts. If you would like to make a gift to support Legal Aid’s
Leadership Fund, please call 216-861-5217.

The C. Lyonel Jones Lifetime Achievement Award

The C. Lyonel Jones Lifetime Achievement Award was established in 2009 to acknowledge careers dedicated to The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland and its clients, and is named in honor of C. Lyonel Jones (1932 – 2006), who worked his entire legal career at Legal Aid. Nominees must have at least 10 years of service at Legal Aid and have dedicated their career to Legal Aid and its clients.

Recipients

2020-Present

2023	Penny Gooden
2022	Alexandria Ruden
2021	Andrea Price
2020	Susan Stauffer

2009-2019

2019	Barbara Simmons
2018	Marley Eiger
2016	Ann Porath
2015	Anita Myerson
2013	Thomas Mlakar
2012	Peter Iskin
2011	Stephanie Jackson
2010	Harold Williams
2009	David Dawson

The Leadership Award

The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland Leadership Award was established in 2009 to acknowledge outstanding staff leadership. Any staff member who demonstrates outstanding staff leadership may be nominated and each year potential recipients alternate between attorney and non-attorney staff.

Recipients

2020-Present

2023	David Johnson
2022	Jennifer Kinsley Smith
2021	Paige Nofel Kuri
2020	Deborah Dallman

2009-2019

2019	Rachel Riemenschneider
2018	Dennis Dobos
2016	Hazel Remesch
2012	Susan Morgenstern
2011	Kate Ingersoll
2010	Megan Sprecher
2009	Ivia Hobbs

The Claude E. Clarke Award

The Claude E. Clarke Award was initially established in 1967 to recognize members of The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland staff for outstanding service through professional performance and commitment to Legal Aid and its clients and is named in honor of Claude E. Clarke (1890 – 1975), who pursued Legal Aid’s mission, representing individuals, resolving fundamental problems and working for systemic solutions. Nominees must have a minimum of two years of service at Legal Aid and up to four awards may be given in any year.

Recipients

2020-Present

2023	Tammy Adams David King Emily Murphy Krystle Rivera Michael Russell
2022	Corrylee Drozda Katherine Hollingsworth Haley Martinelli Deborah Petit-Frere
2021	Tracy Ayers Erik Meinhardt Lisa Splawinski Matthew Vincel
2020	Tracy Ferron Hilda Hernandez Heather Lynch Paige Nofel Kuri Laura Post

2010-2019

2019	Jessica Baaklini Rachel Riemenschneider Eric Zell
2018	Phillip Althouse Lynette Feliciano Daniella Lachina
2017	Kathleen Laskey-Donovan Kristen Nawrocki
2016	Michael Attali Danielle Gadomski-Littleton Jasmine McCornell Kristen Simpson
2015	Deborah Dallman Adrienne Fischer Erica Thomas
2014	Julie Cortes Mary Beth McConville
2013	Shelly Anarado Okere
2012	Lauren Gilbride Katie Feldman Joe Lopez Hazel Remesch
2011	Lucy Dukes Camille Gill Tonya Whitsett
2010	Marilyn Fitzpatrick Carol Kile Anne Reese Melanie Shakarian

2000-2009

2009	Kevin Brooks Dennis Dobos Karla Perry Stephen Williams
2003	Davida Dodson Kenneth Rexford Maria Smith Jennifer Stoller Maialisa Vanyo
2001	Carol Eisenstat Elizabeth Perl
2000	Myra Torain Embry

1990-1999

1998	Sandra Harding Lauren Moore Siggers
1997	Marion Facianes Nancy Heichel Jill Lange Thomas Mlakar Margaret Walsh
1994	Jane Skaluba
1993	Victoria Bartles Bettina Kaplan
1992	H. Edward Gregory Stephanie Jackson Alexandria Ruden
1991	Frank Johnson Clare McGuinness Jean Plassard
1990	Susan Morgenstern Andrea Price

1967-1989

1989

Paul Herdeg

Barbara Reitzloff

Gail White

1987

Ann Porath

1967-1985

Kevin Berman

Glenn Billington

Carol Lindsey Bishop

Christopher Bohlen

Bob Bonthius

Evelyn Brooks

Mary Ann Brown

Jean Brown

Carolyn Carter

Pat Cook

Catherine Cremer

Lillian Crockett

Dolores Daniel

David Dawson

Kathleen DeMetz

Anthony DiVenire

Carol Drummer

Melvyn Durchslag

Marley Eiger

Carol Emerling

Rashida Farrell

Bernice Foster

Gordon Friedman

Marie Gasser

Paula Gellman

Brian Glassman

Robert Godlberger

Penelopia Gooden

Margaret Grevatt

Richard Gurbst

Gwen Hall

Patrick Hanrahan

Sylvia Harrison

Frank Hickman

Ivia Hobbs

Roger Hurley

Peter Iskin

Vivian James

Georgiana Johnson

C. Lyonel Jones

Wilber Leatherberry

Robert Lewis

James London

Louise McKinney

Clarence McLeod

Brian McMahon

Christine McMonagle

Jane Mack

Cornelius Manly

Willie Marbury

Edward Marek

Joseph Meissner

Evelyn Morris

Anita Myerson

Evelyn Negron

Jeff Payton

Kenneth Petrey

Phillip Portnick

Otis Ray

Gusti Rini

Douglas Rogers

Ralph Rudd

Robert Sable

Ernest Sarason

Alice Schottenstein

Mary Schroeder

Nancy Schuster

Mattie Sellers

Wilma Sevcik

Barbara Simmons

Doris Simmons

Brenda Smith

Lloyd Snyder

Jan Soeten, Jr.

Theresa Scott

Susan Stauffer

Edward Stege

Shirley Strickland

Alida Struze

Gregory Taylor

Dennis Tenison

Margaret Terry

Sheila Tew

Alice Thompson

Robert Tobik

Barbara VanMeter

Jose Villaneuva

Thomas Weeks

Judy Weit

Harold Williams

James Williams

Mary Williams

Brenda Stinson Willis

William Wuliger

Samuel Young

Harry Youtt

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Staff Awards

The C. Lyonel Jones Lifetime Achievement Award

Recipients

The Leadership Award

Recipients

The Claude E. Clarke Award

Recipients

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The Leadership Award

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The C. Lyonel Jones Lifetime Achievement Award

The Claude E. Clarke Award