Neal Snyder Outstanding Service Award
CAPSAC established the Neal Snyder Outstanding Service Award in 2019 to recognize professionals who demonstrate extraordinary dedication and efforts on behalf of children.
Neal Snyder graduated Phi Beta Kappa from UC Berkeley with a BA and MA in sociology, and obtained his JD from Hastings College. As an attorney, he specialized in protecting children from abuse - an area he helped make a legal specialty - and became a role model for many others in the field. Neal worked for the California State Department of Social Services in day care licensing litigation. He was a co-founder of CAPSAC, drafted its initial bylaws and assisted with its incorporation. He continued to serve as a board member, supporter, and consultant to CAPSAC for the rest of his life. Neal was an intelligent, even- tempered, positive, athletic, and kind man who loved jazz, his wife, Yvonne Garcia, their annual visits to Thailand, his children and grandchildren.
CURRENT RECIPIENTS
Erin Runnion, The Joyful Child Foundation
Cari Teran, Healing to You
PAST RECIPIENTS
2023
Heather Kregoski, El Dorado County Child Protective Services
Marlene Sturm, M.D., Children's Advocacy Center of Santa Clara County
Yaquelin Arista, StrengthUnited - Children's Advocacy Center
Lara Drino, Los Angeles City Attorney's Office
2022 David Love, LMFT, Valley Community Counseling
Mr. Love is the Executive Director and Founder of Valley Community Counseling Services, Inc. in Stockton, CA. Among his many accomplishments, he developed a program that places therapists on 80 school campuses per week providing mental health and child abuse therapy.
2021 Dr. Sean Dugan, Shasta County
Dr. Dugan is a board certified pediatrician who focuses on child abuse and adolescent medicine. He works at both Shasta Community Health Center and Mercy Medical Center and is a founding committee member of the Children's Legacy Center in Shasta County.
2020 Patty Shimek and Kathy Baxter, Partners in Prevention
Partners in Prevention is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since 2010 they have worked to increase awareness of the effects of child abuse and neglect and to promote solutions by supporting prevention services within a wide range of communities.