The DR. RICHARD THOMPSON LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Dr. Richard Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award goes to an individual who demonstrated consistent commitment over long period of time to the Deaf Community that has substantial impact to the lives of Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in Massachusetts.

1995 – Dr. Richard Thompson
1997 – Nancy V. Becker
1999 – John Philip, Marie Philip & Elaine Glennon
2001 – Ruth Moore
2003 – No award recipient
2005 – Ruth Collari
2007 – Barbara Jean “BJ” Wood
2009 – Sue Philip
2011 – Louis Rivas & John Pirone
2013 – No award recipient
2015 – Karran Larson
2017 – Suzann L. Bedrosian
2019 – Mark Hughey
2021 – Eveleen Cunningham
2023 – Marlene Hostovsky

The GEORGE VEDITZ AWARD

The George Veditz Award goes to individual, organization and /or agency that shown long history of preserving ASL by educating and increasing awareness.

2015 – Patrick McCarthy
2017 – John Pirone
2019 – Ashley O’Niell
2021 – No award recipient
2023 – Stephanie Clark

The YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARD

The Youth Leadership Award is given to a Deaf student, who demonstrated leadership among schoolmate to promote positive change.

2015 – Maximo Moya
2017 – Dylan Christoffels
2019 – Newton North High School EDCO Students
2021 – No award recipient
2023 –

The CAROLYN BALL AWARD  (President’s Award)

The President’s Award recognizes a Deaf or Hearing person who has been involved either in a paid or voluntary position in MSAD affairs and has contributed countless hours to the benefit of MSAD.

1985 – Dr. Richard Thompson
1987 – Cynthia Bedient & Marie Tavormina
1989 – Steve Nover & Esty Schachter
1991 – Pauline Raiche & Kathleen Vesey
1993 – Thomas Boudrow
1995 – Thomas Boudrow & Lisa Wyly
1997 – Carol Zurek & LeWana Clark
1999 – Thomas Boudrow & Danielle D’Amour
2001 – Kendra Timko & Mary Henehan
2003 – No award recipient
2005 – Louis Rivas
2007 – John Wilcox
2009 – Michelle Donatello
2011 – Suzann Bedrosian & Mark Hughey
2013 – No award recipient
2015 – Lorna Laferriere
2017 – Cheryl McGilvery Quintal
2019 – Patrick Petronelli
2021 – Ivelisse Velez
2023 – Ivelisse Vélez

THE LAURENT CLERC SERVICE AWARD

The Laurent Clerc Service Award recognizes a Deaf or Hearing volunteer who has provide services to the community at the state, local and national level.

1985 – Steve Nover & Marie Philip
1987 – Kimball Nash & Sue Philip
1989 – Theresa Buttiglieri & Lillian Weldon
1991 – No award recipient
1993 – Ruth Moore & Dr. Richard Thompson
1995 – Barbara Jean “BJ” Wood, MCDHH Commissioner
1997 – Lillian Garcia & Ivelisse Velez
1999 – Brenda Schertz & Carol Zurek
2001 – Heidi Reed
2003 – No award recipient
2005 – Cathy Mylotte
2007 – Joan Philip
2009 – Paul Batch
2011 – Lee and Diane Nettles, Mary Christopher & Lori Novak
2013 – No award recipient
2015 – Eveleen Cunningham & Andrew Veith
2017 – Stephanie Hakulin
2019 – Ashley Thompson & Cathy Cogen
2021 – Elbert Joseph
2023 – Joseph Karnolisz

THE THOMAS H. GALLAUDET SERVICE AWARD

The Thomas H. Gallaudet Service Award recognizes a Hearing individual who contributes in some way to the benefit of Deaf and Hard of Hearing People at the local, state or national level.

1985 – Harlan Lane & Nan Robbins
1987 – Alice Gold & Robert Hoffmeister
1989 – Cynthia Bedient & Eric Shettle
1991 – No award recipient
1993 – Elmer Bartels
1995 – Jody Steiner
1997 – Hannah Yaffe
1999 – LeWana Clark & Susan Stange
2001 – Val Ching
2003 – No award recipient
2005 – Bill Huston
2007 – Cat Dvar & Gail Sallop
2009 – Lu Traina
2011 – Judy Freedman-Fask & Marianne Molinari
2013 – No award recipient
2015 – Jackie Emmart
2017 – Cat Dvar
2019 – Jeanne Reis
2021 – Lena Dumont
2023 – Harry Weissman

The GOLDEN HAND AWARD  (NAD’s Award)

The National Association of the Deaf created the Golden Hand Award to recognize local and statewide outstanding and innovative service efforts. The program seeks to identify individuals, organizations or agencies, actively involved in service towards the betterment of Deaf people in their communities.

1979 – Joan Philip
1980 – Ann MacIntyre
1981 – Nancy V. Becker
1982 – Harold Whitehouse
1983 – Barbara Jean “BJ” Wood
1984 – Ruth Moore
1985 – Eddy Laird
1986 – John Horrigan
1987 – Eva Rosenstein
1988 – No award recipient
1989 – Patti Wilson & Warren Schwab
1990 – No award recipient
1991 – No award recipient
1992 – No award recipient
1993 – Joseph Riccuiti
1995 – Yvonne Dunkle
1997 – Thomas Boudrow
1999 – D.E.A.F., Inc.
2001 – Deaf-Blind Interpreter Alliance
2003 – No award recipient
2005 – Carol Zurek
2007 – Stephanie Clark
2009 – Disability Policy Consortium, Inc.
2011 – John “Jax” Levesque
2013 – No award recipient
2015 – Sue Philip
2017 – Ashley Thompson
2019 – Stephanie Hakulin
2021 – Lori Siedman
2023 – Maritza Ciliberto & Emilys Pena

The WILLIAM B. SWETT AWARD

The William B. Swett Award recognizes a statewide or local organization that is actively involved in service toward the betterment of Deaf and Hard of Hearing People in their communities.

1985 – Speech & Hearing Foundation, Inc. & Western Massachusetts Association of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Inc.
1987 – The Caption Center
1989 – The Learning Center for Deaf Children
1991 – No award recipient
1993 – Dunkin’ Donuts
1995 – Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
1997 – Bay State Deaf Seniors
1999 – Bell Atlantic, Fleet Bank, Liberty Mutual & Dunkin’ Donuts
2001 – Vista IT (Mass Relay)
2003 – No award recipient
2005 – Massachusetts Deaf Awareness Committee
2007 – College of the Holy Cross – Deaf Studies Program & DBCAN (Deaf-Blind Community Access Network)
2009 – Appalachian Mountain Club
2011 – Disability Policy Consortium, Inc.
2013 – No award recipient
2015 – Jena Kohashi (Advocates)
2017 – Road to Deaf Interpreters (RDI)
2019 – DeafYES!
2021 – Mass General Hospital/Interpreting Services
2023 – Disability Policy Consortium

Miss Deaf Massachusetts

Miss Deaf Massachusetts recognizes exemplary scholarship, leadership, and civic citizenship qualities in young Deaf girls (and boys). The winner competes in the national pageant during the National Association of the Deaf biennial conference.

1978 – Patricia Kenney
1979 – Joan Philip & John Meehan
1983 – Susan Burns
1985 – Kristin Johnson
1987 – Kelly Sicard
1989 – Deanna Lambert
1993 – Lauren Good
1996 – Marian Fanshteyn
1998 – Rosa Guzman (Relinquished crown)
1998 – Tamara Copeland
2000 – Julia Silvestri