NJCASA to Honor Leaders in Anti-Sexual Violence Movement at Second Annual Event

NJCASA to Honor Leaders in Anti-Sexual Violence Movement at Second Annual Event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 11, 2019.

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – The New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NJCASA) will honor New Jersey leaders who have made significant contributions to the anti-sexual violence movement during their second annual September Celebration of Champions.

This year’s September Celebration will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on September 19 at the Hamilton Manor. The event will feature hors d’oeuvres, an open bar with signature cocktails, and live music provided by Asbury Park-based singer-songwriter Pamela Flores.

“NJCASA’s September Celebration serves as an opportunity to honor our champions of change and recognize the work we’ve accomplished together to create a safer Garden State,” said Patricia Teffenhart, executive director of NJCASA. “We’re thrilled to celebrate these dedicated allies who work tirelessly to advance our mission and end sexual violence, in New Jersey and beyond.”

The 2019 honorees are:

• U.S. Senator Cory Booker (accepting award via video), in recognition of his thoughtful and impactful testimony in support of survivors during the 2018 Supreme Court confirmation hearings;
• New Jersey Sen. Joseph Vitale, who sponsored and championed successful legislation to extend New Jersey’s civil statute of limitations for sexual assault;
• Stephanie Albanese, Sen. Vitale’s Legislative Director who supported civil statute expansion;
• Mark Crawford, the N.J. state volunteer leader of the Survivors’ Network of Those Abused by Priests, who organized dozens of witnesses and testified himself on behalf of civil statute expansion;
• Fred Marigliano, board member of Road to Recovery, who advocated with lawmakers and testified personally on behalf of civil statute reform;
• Jyoti Venketraman, formerly of NJCASA and now a Program Manager at New Jersey Future, who contributed statewide and nationally with her expertise on sexual violence prevention and the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA).

The September Celebration of Champions is made possible by event sponsors: Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), Szaferman Lakind, Senator Joseph Vitale, the Advocacy and Management Group (AMG), Uber, the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Crisis Center of Warren County (DASACC), Your Part Time Controller (YPTC), the Zero Abuse Project, Sexual Assault and Violence Education (SAVE) of Essex County, Jones Land Lasalle (JLL), Lawrence Law, Julia L. McClure – NJCASA Board of Trustees, 180 Turning Lives Around, Gregory G. Gianforcaro – Attorney at Law, Digital Dog Direct.