Agent of Change Award
The branch honors a St. Lawrence County woman for her work as employer, employee or volunteer with our biennial Agent of Change Award. When this award began, the national theme for AAUW was "Thanks to Women's Work."
An Agent of Change is noteworthy in one or all of three areas:
- Her work has advanced the cause of women’s rights.
- Her work exemplifies the importance of equity for women.
- Her work has brought about significant change in the community.
2007 Agent of Change: Allison Koch
Allison Koch is our AAUW 2007 Agent of Change. Allison opened the doors for women in health care by being the first midwife to start a holistic, female-centered, OB/GYN practice in St. Lawrence County. She is the owner of Tree of Life Midwifery and Women's Health in Canton and is one of a limited number of midwives in New York State to be able to practice independently rather than being hired by a physician or a hospital.
Past recipients of this award:
- 1987 - Georgia Coopersmith, branch member, for her work as Director of the Gibson Gallery in making the visual arts more accessible to a wider public.
- 1989 - Sister Kathryn Healey, for her work in starting Hospice in the county.
- 1991 - Betty Bradley (1927-2008), for her pioneering work as the first woman to be elected to the county legislature.
- 1993 - Carol Grzywinski, branch member, for her pioneering work in establishing the Learning Assistance Center at SUNY Canton for re-entry and non-traditional students.
- 1995 - Lois McAllester, branch member, for her work as dietitian and administrator in the Office of the Aging where she organized and developed a network of Nutrition Centers in the county.
- 1997 - Stacy Hammill (1915-1998), for her work as a citizen activist for environmental concerns and for her commitment to the League of Women Voters in the St. Lawrence - Jefferson County area.
- 1999 - Eva Turknett-Ramsay, Director of CAVA (Citizens Against Violent Acts, Inc.)
- 2001 - Karen Butler Easter, Director of Reachout
- 2003 - Hilary Oak, founder and manager of The Creative Spirit Art Center
- 2005 - Bea Woodward, branch member, for Comunity Activism