Awards

To celebrate the achievement and success of vocational rehabilitation professionals, annually the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Association solicits both Student and Professional Award nominees.  In addition, annually both the Mid-Atlantic Rehabilitation Association and National Rehabilitation Association solicit award nominees.

PRA Awards History

KENNETH W. HYLBERT AWARD

1977  Kenneth W. Hylbert (State College)
1978  William Dunbar, M.D. (Philadelphia)
1979  Dr.Earl B.Young (Pittsburgh)
1983  Donald Krentzman (Philadelphia)
1986  Audrey J. Smith
1987  Lee H. Lacey (Pittsburgh)
1988  Jean Bloom, Ph.D. (Edinboro)
1990  Dr. Ralph Pacinelli (Philadelphia)
2011  Dr. Rebecca Spirito Dalgin (Scranton)

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD (DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION)

1977  James H. Chiles (Philadelphia)
1979  Joni Hollis (Pittsburgh)
1980  Harold Lynch (Mechanicsburg)
1981  Duke Ramsey (Pittsburgh)
1984  New Cumberland Army Depot (New Cumberland)
1987  John Elliott (Pittsburgh)
1988  Joseph Giglio (Pittsburgh)
1989  Peter A. Largey (St. Marys)
1990  Marlin G. Kester (Harrisburg)
1996  Patterson Dental Company, Eastern Dist. Center (Lancaster)
2014 Janell Shaffer-Yoder (Myerstown)

2019 Randy Reed & Jennifer Shroads of South Side Area School District

2021 Eric Kalet, Lowe’s, Langhorne, PA

2023 York City School District

CHARLES L. EBY AWARD – ADMINISTRATION

1977  Charles L. Eby (Harrisburg)
1978  H. Frazer Parry, M.D. (Philadelphia)
1979  Albert Bussone (Philadelphia)
1981  Donald Storch (Bellefonte)
1986  Joyce Burkholder
1987  Richard Petroski, Ph.D. (Altoona)
1988  Fred Enck (Pittsburgh)
1989  David Strauss, Ph.D. (Altoona)
1990  Susan Maczka (Pittsburgh)
1991  Kenneth Lewis (Philadelphia)
1993  Randall Brown (New Castle)
1994  Carl Marshall (Harrisburg)
1995  Marlin G. Kester (Lititz)
1996  Barbara Shadell (Philadelphia)
2006 A. Michele Bornman (Harrisburg)
2007 Roger Barton (Harrisburg)
2009 Rose Higby (Philadelphia)
2010 Catherine Farr (DuBois)
2012 Ryan Hyde (Harrisburg)

 

CHARLES L. EBY AWARD – COUNSELOR (B) - GAIN INDEPENDENCE

1995  Rita Powell (Irwin)
1996  Curtis R. Bucher (Pittsburgh)
1998  Rosemarie Freeman (Philadelphia)
2000  Bruce A. Balliet (Reading)
2001  Vicki Oman (Berwick)
2002  Dana Hodges (Wrightsville)
2002  Patricia McGeehan (Wilkes-Barre)
2002  Sara Reitenauer (Laurel dale)
2003  Sandra Long-Johnson (Lock Haven)
2004  Gail Warner-Lidondic (Norristown)
2006  Anne Gehling (Philadelphia)
2007 Sandra Magill (Allentown)
2008  Joan Shindel (York)
2010 Sharon Trabold (Johnstown)
2012 Ling-Mei "Chris" Tsai (Williamsport)
2013 Crystal L. Mangir (Philadelphia)
2014 Gary Hoffman (York)
2015 Shalonda Griffin (Philadelphia)

2016 Amber Phillips (Allentown)

2018 Shasta Dreese (Altoona)

2019 Steve Kechisen (Altoona)

2022 Autumn Temple (Altoona)

2023 Natassja Stoschick (Wilkes-Barre)

CHARLES L. EBY AWARD – COUNSELOR - PLACEMENT

1995  Joy Best (Felton)
1996  Eugene Kannanocky (Pittsburgh)
1998  Wayne Trout (Philadelphia)
1998  David Mitten (Reading)
1999  Lisa Purnell-Noll (Williamsport)
2000  Leonard Yerger (Reading)
2001  Robert Kennedy (Shavertown)
2001  Lynn Zale (Reading)
2001  Terry Dailey (York)
2003  Christine M. Smith (Oakmont)
2003  Yvelisse Gonzalez (Sinking Spring)
2004  Brian Hoerz (Downingtown)
2006  Tony Ippolito (Philadelphia)
2008  Jameson Collins (York)
2009  LaKeysha McLaurin
2012  Jennifer Radick (Harrisburg)
2013  Kelsi Phares (Reading/Norristown)
2014 James Lilley (New Castle)
2015 Marie Martini (York)

2017  Jeff Seabury (Washington)

2018  Edward DeAgostino (Altoona)

2019 Michaele Pavelek (New Castle)

2022 Mark Kirby (Pittsburgh)

2023 Carole Walker Kalinowski (Reading)

ORGANIZATION AWARD

1977  Open Doors of PA (Pittsburgh)
1978  Disabled in Action (Philadelphia)
1979  Vocational Rehabilitation Center (Pittsburgh)
1980  UCP (Pittsburgh)
1981  United Mental Health (Pittsburgh)
1984  City of Pittsburgh, JTP A (Pittsburgh)
1986  Lake Erie Rehabilitation Institute (Erie)
1987  Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
1989  Pittsburgh Employment Alliance
1990  Goodwill Industries of Mid-Eastern PA
2000  Center of Excellence for Remote and Medically Underserved Areas
(CERMUSA) Dr. James Bates

2023 Riverview Intermediate Unit

LLOYD O. GROVE MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD

1977  Lloyd O. Grove (Harrisburg)
1978  Charles T. Theal (Harrisburg)
1979  William E. Graffius (Harrisburg)
1986  John Horst
1987  Cecelia E. Jacobs (Camp Hill)
1988  John Bernard (Pittsburgh)
1990  Karen Lucas (Philadelphia)
1994  Lucian (Duke) Ramsey (Pittsburgh)
2001  Cecelia E. Jacobs (Camp Hill)
2014 Will Stennett (Donora)

PHILADELPHIA FOUNDERS AWARD

1977  Mayer Frank L. Rizzo (Philadelphia)
1979  John A. Hagan (Philadelphia)
1980  Judith F. Hirschwald (Philadelphia)
1981  Marvin Rosen, M.D. (Philadelphia)
1983  David K. Bausch (Allentown)
1987  Mayor Richard Caliguiri (Pittsburgh)
1988  Steve Nasuti (Philadelphia)
1989  Robert Lynch (Coraopolis)
1995  Ivan Hileman, Executive Director (Thomasville), Bell Socialization Services, York
1997  Joyce A. Bender, President (Pittsburgh), Bender Consulting Services, Inc., Pittsburgh
2006  Theresa Stickle (Harrisburg)
2015 Marci Katona (Pittsburgh)

2016 Vondol Hammond (Harrisburg)

2017 Erin Hannaford (Harrisburg)

2018 Erin Hannaford (Harrisburg)

2018 Russ Goddard (New Castle)

2019 Louise Kirby (Harrisburg)

2020 Cathy Shaffer (New Castle)

2021 Joe Michener (Allentown)

PRA DISTINGUISHED SERVICE (Discontinued 2006)

1977  Carl Odner (Allentown)
1978  Elizabeth J. Hamilton (Philadelphia)
1987  Dina Creighton (Pittsburgh)
1988  Kathy Rachuba (Pittsburgh)
1989  Connie Tarr (Greensburg)

CECELIA E. JACOBS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

2006  Thomasina “Tina” Prosseda (Pennsdale)

RALPH N. PACINELLI  LEADERSHIP AWARD

2005  Ralph N. Pacinelli (Springfield)
2008  Ray F. Feroz (Seneca)
2009  Janet Fiore (King of Prussia)
2010  Carl Marshall (Harrisburg)
2012  Joan E. Kester (Mt. Joy)
2013  Lori A. Bruch (Scranton)

2017 Richard “Rick” Walters (Allentown)

2023 Rebecca Spirito Dalgin

MARY E. SWITZER AWARD

1977  Mary K. Bauman (Philadelphia)
1978  Dr. Gertrude A. Barber (Erie)
1979  Dorothy B. Columbus (Philadelphia)
1980  Karen Lucas (Philadelphia)
1981  Peggy Underwood (Uniontown)
1986  Cecelia E. Jacobs (Harrisburg)
1987  Eva Gobble, Ph.D. (Pittsburgh)
1988  Virginia DelSordo (Philadelphia)
1989  Sharon Heinlein (Pittsburgh)
1998  Rose Higby (Philadelphia)
1993  Carolyn Hoffman (Pittsburgh)
2000  Janell Shaffer-Yoder (Reading)
2004  Janet Fiore (King of Prussia)
2007 Stacy Kyle (Camp Hill)
2008 Judy L. Pena (York)
2012 Patricia Lapotsky (Reading)

MARK M. WALTER HUMANITARIAN AWARD

1977  Paul J. Smith (Harrisburg)
1978  John A. Hagan (Philadelphia)
1979  John E. Lapidakis (Bethlehem)
1980  William E. Graffius (Harrisburg)
1983  Ruth Saunders (Pittsburgh)
1986  John Nolan (Philadelphia)
1987  Thomas Gilhool (Harrisburg)
1988  Robert Nelkin (Pittsburgh)
1989  David Swihart (Harrisburg)
1990  Eileen Cubarney (Pittsburgh)
1992  John Quinn (Philadelphia)
1999  Connie Tarr (Greensburg)

2016  Rob Hodapp (Pittsburgh)

2018  Louis Perretta (New Castle)

PRA STUDENT AWARDS

1998 Stacey Deckard -- IUP (Blairsville) - Undergraduate
2008 Kati Baughman -- Clarion University (Export) - Undergaduate
2008 Kristy Frick -- University of Scranton (Dunmore) - Graduate
2009 Katie L. Kulka -- Clarion University (West Middlesex) - Undergraduate
2009 Katelynn Hunt -- East Stroudsburg University (Glenmoore) - Undergraduate
2010 Alexa Hodge -- Penn State University (University Park) - Undergraduate
2010 Lyle Clark -- Clarion University (Vandergrift) - Undergraduate
2010 Jason Gines -- Penn State University (State College) - Graduate
2011 Sara Gales -- University of Pittsburgh (York) - Graduate
2011 Douglas Rand -- University of Scranton (Waymart) - Graduate
2011 Isaac Leonard -- Clarion University (Bensalem) - Undergraduate
2011 Rachel Wiley & Kate Nuschke -- Penn State University (State College) - Undergraduate
2012 Kristin Graham -- University of Pittsburgh - Graduate
2012 Rachael Black -- Penn State University - Undergraduate
2013 Ashlee Filippone -- University of Pittsburgh - Graduate
2013 Kimberly Marlatt -- Clarion University – Undergraduate
2014 Kelley McKee -- George Washington University -- Graduate
2014 Emma Fickel -- Clarion University -- Undergraduate
2016 Susan Langley - University of Pittsburgh - Graduate

2017 Caitlin Burkett – University of Pittsburgh – Graduate

2017 Micki Buchan – Clarion University – Undergraduate

2018 Tess Campbell – George Washington University – Graduate

2018 Tory Jackson – Clarion University - Undergraduate

2019 Weronika Noyszewski - Clarion University - Undergraduate

2019 Arielle Webb - Penn State University - Graduate 

2020 Rebecca Josephson – Clarion University – Undergraduate

2020 Amy Tavares – University of Pittsburgh – Graduate

2021 Lydia Brugere – Clarion University – Undergraduate

2021 Lauren Parker – Penn State University – Graduate

2022 Sylvia Bright – Clarion University – Undergraduate

2022 Shaina Shelton – University of Scranton - Graduate

2023 Courtney Stone – Penn State Hazleton University – Undergraduate

2023 Victoria Huston – University of Pittsburgh – Graduate

2024 Ashleigh Johnson – Penn State University – Graduate

PRA Business Award - Ongoing Initiatives

2019 CVS Health - Leslie Ries

2022 Wilkinsburg Public Works – Kathleen Rawlins & Roy Clark

PRA  Business Award - New Initiative

2019 - syncreon - Kelly Reed