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2012 ACCESS Springfield Promise Program First One Award Winners
Read about last years Sprinfield First One Award Winners here.
Steven Bradley
Vice President, Government, Community Relations and Public Affairs, Baystate Health
Nominator: Annamarie Golden
In his role as Vice President of Government, Community Relations and Public Affairs, Steven is responsible for developing and implementing Baystate's legislative and political strategy at the federal, state and city levels. He serves as Baystate's day-to-day contact with local, state and federal elected officials, government agents and other interested parties. He also represents Baystate Health in the areas of Community Relations and Public Affairs by providing oversight to relationship building with community and neighborhood representatives and the local, regional and national media.
Steven has been with Baystate health over eight years. Prior to this, he was the State Chief of Staff for the Massachusetts State Senate Committee on Ways and Means. Steven also served as Regional Director of the Western Massachusetts State Department of Mental Retardation until 1996. In this capacity he established the departments first Regional Cultural Competency Initiative. He served as a Selectman for 9 years in the Town of Pelham.
Masters of Science Degree, University of Massachusetts, Amherst – 1977
Bachelor of Science Degree, University of Massachusetts, Amherst – Cum Laude – 1975
Bristol Community College, Fall River, Massachusetts – 1971
Sen. Gale Candaras
State Senator
Nominator: Judge William Abrashkin
For twenty years, Gale D. Candaras has been a stalwart and tireless champion of a myriad of programs and activities that are integral to the fabric of civic life in the greater Springfield area, and throughout the Commonwealth. As a local official, as a state representative, and as a state senator, Senator Candaras has fought for support for parks and libraries, for courthouses and for hospitals. She has worked to rein in drunk driving and curtail drag racing, and to obtain funding for programs serving the elderly and disabled. Education and schools have been a particular focus of Senator Candaras's work, with emphasis on equalizing educational opportunities as the way to break the cycle of disadvantage holding many of our children back. From the first creation of the Springfield Promise program, Senator Candaras has advocated strongly for stable funding to help our youth access higher education and open a path to a positive future. She is always there for her constituents and for people who need a helping hand. No one has worked harder or more reliably to enrich the life of our community than Gale D. Candaras, which is why it is my pleasure and honor to nominate her to receive the Access First One award.
Fairleigh Dickinson University, B.S.
Western New England College School of Law
Heriberto Flores
Executive Director, New England Farmworkers Council
Nominator: Ana West
An effective leader possesses qualities that make those around him have respect, loyalty, and dedication. He inspires others to listen because he is persuasive and knowledgeable and they realize that he has their best interest at heart. Heriberto Flores, Chairman/President/Executive Director of the New England Farm Workers' Council, is an example of a strong leader in the community and someone that I greatly admire.
Mr. Flores, or Herbie as he prefers to be called, is a very influential person in the community because he wants to afford everyone the opportunity to be educated, grow economically, and contribute to the growth of their communities. He does this not only through the programs his organization, the New England Farm Workers' Council provides, but through tirelessly advocating for the rights of citizens in his community.
After completing a tour of duty in Vietnam, Herbie completed his Bachelor's degree at the University of Massachusetts -Amherst. He then became part of a team that was instrumental in putting together the idea of a community organization that would provide quality services to seasonal and migrant farm workers. Herbie advocated for education and health services for these workers and soon was able to start the New England Farm Workers' Council. He went on to earn a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and has been awarded Doctor of Public Service degrees by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Westfield State University.
Herbie quickly realized that there were others in the community that needed a helping hand to achieve a better quality of life and had firsthand knowledge that education was the key. It wasn't long thereafter that the New England Farm Workers' Council started to grow and today, together with Corporation for Justice Management, Corporation for Public Management, and Partners for Community (which he also serves as Chairman/President/CEO), is an operation managing over $60 million with more than 250 staff providing needed services in communities throughout New England and Puerto Rico.
Herbie has high expectations of his staff and will not tolerate employees that are insensitive and arrogant. He meets regularly with his staff and has motivational conversations that make staff want to work even harder. This means he knows his staff by name and looks for leaders within the organization and encourages them to move forward in positions of leadership and provides the necessary support and training for these positions.
Mr. Flores is an effective leader who has earned the respect of many in the community. He does not look for glory but instead is determined to provide the assistance his community needs. He is tenacious, has chosen a strong team to lead his employees, respects his staff and community, and most importantly, is responsible. Herbie is an effective and strong community leader who leads by example and has the ability, education, and skills to inspire others to make the necessary changes to improve future outcomes.
Kathy LeMay
Chief Executive Officer, Raising Change
Nominee: Anne Weiss
Kathy is the author of the acclaimed The Generosity Plan, which helps individuals work within their means to make a difference in the world. She is the founder, president & CEO of Raising Change, a Northampton- based company that works with social change organizations and donors from all walks of life to empower women and girls and improve conditions around the globe. She has raised more than $100 million for women's human rights, hunger, and poverty relief and has directed an additional $150 million in philanthropic dollars to social change organization. As a national and international social justice fundraiser and philanthropic expert, Kathy is using her global influence to bring to bring in 2012-2012 some of the leading philanthropic change agents to western MA, in support of the Women's Fund of Western MA and women's giving and philanthropy.
Kathy has spoken to a wide variety of civic organizations throughout Western MA and CT including the Aurora Foundation for Women & Girls, the YWCA of Hartford, Women in Philanthropy of Western MA, the Girl Scouts of Western and Central MA, and the Women's Fund of western MA.
She also serves on the Advisory Board for Bay Path College's Masters in Philanthropy Program.
In 2009, Kathy received the highest number of votes and was the winningest recipient of Business West's 40 Under 40 Award.
University of Massachusetts, B.A. in History and Women's Studies, Class of 1992
University of Seattle, 5th Year Women's Studies, Class of 1993
Christy Torres
Youth Engagement Coordinator, Springfield Community Center
Nominator: Jennifer Copsey
Christy has seen many obstacles in her life and overcome them all to set a shining example for her children and for the young people she works with every day. Despite instability that she felt at home, she states that she always saw college as her ultimate goal. She wanted to break the chain of poverty in which her family was held and provide a better life for her children. Unfortunately, finances kept her from pursuing her degree right after high school and she began working right away. She made her first attempt at college at Holyoke Community College, but, due to a lack of support at home, finances and a busy work schedule, she was forced to drop out. After having her children she tried again, but with children added to her already difficult situation, she was unable to keep up with the work and once again dropped out.
That would be it for most people, but Christy was determined. She was going to provide a better life for her children, she was going to set an example, she was going to graduate. A few years later she set herself to the task of applying to schools. She was all on her own and didn't have anyone in her life who had been through the process before to ask for help. She says that that was perhaps the hardest part of re-enrolling in college: being an older student who didn't know the first thing about applying to schools and especially how to find financial aid. She recalls that her uncle, who was more like a father to her, said that he wanted to see her graduate from college, chiding her, "I don't ever want to see you drop out again. You've done that enough!" Unfortunately, he passed away prior to Christy receiving her Bachelor's this past December. After a childhood of growing up in the projects, she remembers looking out on the audience during her graduation day, seeing the smiles on the faces of her mom and children and feeling like, that day, she was worth a million bucks.
Christy loves children and teens especially, stating, "They are our leaders of tomorrow! If we don't help them to develop into leaders we won't have a world!" She lives this commitment in her work as a Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coordinator at Springfield Community Center where she works with at-risk youth every day. There she serves as a role model, working with teens who are in the same position she once was, telling them, "If I can do it, you can too." She enjoys working with them to plan for college and make career plans and sees ACCESS as an amazing organization and a wonderful – and much needed – resource for the young people of Springfield.
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ACCESS Springfield First One Award 2012 Selection Committee
Rep. Brian Ashe
State Representative, 2nd Hampden District
Ellen Freyman
Attorney, Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C.
Janine Idelson
Fixed Income Counsel, MFS Investment Management
Dr. Alan Ingram
Superintendent, Springfield Public Schools
Pam Mathison
Life Company Marketing, Community Responsibility, MassMutual Financial Group
James Morton
Chief Executive Officer and President, YMCA of Greater Hartford
Thank you to our sponsors!
Supporter:
Mass Mutual
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