Nonprofit Westchester Honors Changemakers at Awards Ceremony

December 8, 2022 Examiner Media White Plains

At the Nonprofit Westchester (NPW) Annual Meeting and Keep Westchester Thriving Awards Ceremony last week more than 250 attendees celebrated the work of NPW, the nonprofit sector and the winners of the 2022 Changemaker Awards.

“Selecting a few of the many exceptional nonprofit professionals for the changemaker awards was a daunting task. This year’s honorees reflect the best attributes of our sector – commitment, innovation, collaboration and work that is changing systems and advancing equity,” stressed Jan Fisher, Executive Director of Nonprofit Westchester. “While volunteers and board members are recognized at so many events for their tremendous contributions to nonprofit agencies, the nonprofit workforce and sector as a whole, seldom receives such deserving accolades. NPW is so proud to provide the platform to do this.”

Those honored were:

Karin Anderson Ponzer, Esq., Ph.D., Director of Neighbors Link Community Law Practice, was recognized for building a nonprofit immigration law practice that is holistic, comprehensive, and collaborative. Focusing on clients who are often retraumatized from telling their stories and staff members who often experience secondary trauma, Dr. Ponzer has integrated critical support into legal services to help lawyers and paralegals succeed in their challenging work and immigrants thrive in their new communities.

Steve Myrthil, Vice President of IT at Westhab, was honored for leading efforts to address the urgent technological needs of over 10,000 shelter and affordable housing residents across Westchester and New York City. He dedicates his time to elevating underserved communities and creates solutions that help thousands of students and teachers across New York and Connecticut learn remotely during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Youth Shelter Program of Westchester has been named a changemaker because of its innovative, collaborative, and life-changing programs that tackle the racial injustices rooted in the criminal legal system and provide pathways for justice-involved young people ages 16 to 25 to succeed in life.

The STEM Alliance was recognized for bridging systemic gaps in education to provide equal access to science, technology, engineering, and math learning experiences, empowering communities, inspiring innovation, and creating opportunities for all.

“Now more than ever, it’s important to recognize the leaders and organizations that make our Westchester nonprofit community so strong,” said Lisa Morris, Assistant Vice President at Hudson Valley Credit Union, a Keep Westchester Thriving Awards sponsor. “The tenacity and grit shown by so many these past few years is on full display with this year’s honorees.”

This is a press release provided by the organization. It has been lightly edited and is being published by Examiner Media as a public service.