CfJJ Annual Leadership Celebrations

Every year, CfJJ brings together Massachusetts advocates, youth, system leaders and service providers to celebrate their commitment to young people and communities, and to highlight CfJJ’s message and mission.  

Leadership Celebration 2019

Sponsorship information

CfJJ's Leadership Celebration would not be possible without the support of businesses and non-profit sponsors! By supporting CFJJ as a Leadership Celebration sponsor, organizaions help children and young people become responsible and engaged citizens, promote public safety, and strengthen communities across the Commonwealth. 

Previous Leadership Celebration HONOREES AND SPEAKERS:

Every year the Leadership Celebration recognizes individuals and organizations that are making extraordinary contributions to juvenile justice in Massachusetts, as well as nationally-recognized speakers to share their wisdom.  Below is a list of speakers and honorees over the years:

2021: Thomas E. Coury Youth Justice Honoree: Matt Cregor, MHLAC; Youth Development Honoree: Ronald B. Waddell Jr, Legendary Legacies; Keynote Speakers: Marsha Levick and Sixto Cancel

2020: Thomas E. Coury Youth Justice Honoree: GLAD: GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders; Youth Development Honoree: SIM: Student Immigrant Movement

2019: Thomas E. Coury Youth Justice Honorees: Dr. Jennifer Davis Carey & Dr. Heather C. Forkey; Youth Development Honoree: Center for Teen Empowerment; Keynote Speaker: Dr. Maysa Akbar

2018: Youth Advocacy Honoree: Kids In Need of Defense (KIND); Youth Leadership Honoree: I Have A Future; Keynote Speaker: Congressman Joe Kennedy III (MA-4)

2017: Honoree: More than Words; Keynote Speaker: Xavier McElrath-Bey, Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth and the Incarcerated Children’s Advocacy Network

2016:   Honorees: Adam Foss, Prosecutor Integrity (also keynote speaker); Teens Leading the Way

2015:  Honorees: Sen. Karen Spilka (also keynote speaker); Ken Smith, Executive Director of YouthBuild Boston

2014:   Honoree: Hon. Gail Garinger, Massachusetts Child Advocate; Speaker:  James Bell, Burns Institute

2013:   Honoree:  Dr. Thomas Grisso, U Mass Medical School; Speaker:  T.J. Parsell, Writer & Filmmaker

2012:  Honoree:  Maurice "Moe" Boisvert, President of Y.O.U. Inc.; Speaker:  Mark Soler, Center for Children’s Law and Policy

2011:   Honoree: Scott Harshbarger, Senior Counsel, Proskauer LLP; Speaker: Vincent Schiraldi, Commissioner of Probation, New York City

2010:   Honoree: Edward Loughran, Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators and former Commissioner of the Department of Youth Services; Speaker: Dr. Laurence Steinberg, Professor of Psychology at Temple University

2009:   Honoree: Hon. Martha Grace, former Chief Justice, Massachusetts Juvenile Court; Speaker: Bob Schwartz, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Juvenile Law Center

2008:   Honoree: McDermott Will & Emery and The Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts; Speaker: Liz Ryan, President and CEO, the Campaign for Youth Justice

2007:   Honoree: Dr. Yitzhak Bakal, Founder & President of NAFI; Speaker: Northwestern Law School Professor Bernardine Dohrn

2006:   Honoree: Susan Wayne, former President of the Justice Resource Institute; Speaker:  Karen Mathis, President of the American Bar Association

2005:   Honoree: State Senator Jarrett Barrios; Speaker: Harvard Law School Professor Charles Ogletree

2004:   Honoree: Thomas Coury, Executive Director of the Gardiner Howland Shaw Foundation; Speaker: Dr. Jerome Miller, Commissioner of the Department of Youth Services 1969-1973