Cleft Palate Foundation
Leadership Award Recipients
All winners of this award are personally affected by cleft or craniofacial conditions, either as affected individuals themselves or through family members.
| 2008 | Claire Crawford Founder of Claire’s Bears project. By April 2008, Miss. Crawford had raised $13,500 for bears, cleft education and advocacy. She is also a co-founder of her high school’s Operation Smile Student Association. |
| 2007 | Paula Goldenberg Founder of VCFS listserv and Medical Director of the International 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Foundation. |
| 2006 | Cheryl Hendrickson Founder of Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome Support Network and Beckwith-Wiedemann Children’s Foundation. |
| 2005 | Debbie Oliver Founder and developer of cleftAdvocate and the Pathfinder Outreach Network. |
| 2004 | Carrie Gruman-Trinkner Advocate and author of the book, Your Cleft Affected Child: The Complete Book of Information, Resources & Hope. Ms. Gruman Trinkner also serves as director of the Beacon of Hope Fund, which offers information on clefting to the public. |
| 2003 | Ginny Patzer Member of the Maryland Society for Cleft Lip and Palate Children. |
| 2002 | Julie DeLaurier Liaison with Cambodian orphanage who has so far facilitated the adoption of nine children with clefts to US families. |
| 2001 | Karen LeClair Creator of the “Bears for the Kids” program, providing special teddy bears to individuals born with cleft lip and palate. |
| 2000 | Arthur and Shelley Green Regional coordinators for Florida Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association and coordinators of a craniofacial camp. Advocates for Florida legislation mandating insurance coverage for children with clefts. |
| 1999 | William Eiserman Founder of Rocky Mountain AboutFace Chapter. Co-developer of AboutFace school program “Unwrapping the Package.” |
| 1998 | Hope Charkins Founder of the Treacher Collins Foundation and author of “Children with Facial Difference: A Parent’s Guide.” |
| 1997 | Joanne Greene Founder of Wide Smiles and mother of adopted children with cleft lip and palate. |
| 1996 | Rickie Anderson Founding President of the Advisory Board for the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Craniofacial Center. (Now the Executive Director of AboutFace USA.) |
| 1995 | Betsy Wilson US Founder and Director of Let’s Face It. |
| 1994 | Peg Bryner Founder of Cleft Lip and Palate Support Group Inc. and Board Member of the National Cleft Palate Association. |
| 1993 | Pamela Onyx President of the National Cleft Palate Association and Director of AboutFace USA. |
| 1992 | Karen Schudson Coordinator of the Milwaukee Cleft Lip and Palate Helpline and Charter Member of the National Cleft Palate Association. |
| 1991 | Bernice Bergen Founder and Executive Director of FACE of Sarasota, a nonprofit support organization for individuals affected by craniofacial disorders. |
| 1990 | Donnie Schlereth President of the National Cleft Palate Association. |
| 1989 | Elisabeth Bednar Executive Director of AboutFace International. |
| 1988 | Hyman Gardsbane Founder of the National Cleft Palate Association, a parent-patient organization. |
Last Updated: Nov 9, 2009