Clear your calendar - It's going down! 11th Annual Peace It Together Awards kicks off on March 10th, and you're invited to take part in the festivities. LeMont Restaurant (1114 Grandview Avenue) is our meeting spot for a night of fun and excitement. Come one, come all, bring a guest, and hang loose. This is going to be epic!
The Peace It Together Awards offers community members a way to join with Center for Victims to be part of the solution by honoring those persons and organizations who, through their work or services, help individuals, families, and communities heal from violence and crime. Our award winners embody the spirit of Peace It Together by resolving conflict, restoring relationships, and building peaceful communities.
A veteran film star, best-selling author, renowned advocate for violence prevention, and the first Cuban-born football player to land a tryout with the Miami Dolphins, Victor Rivas Rivers has come a long way since being an abused, angry gang member. In fact, given his violent upbringing, few of those achievements were ever likely. If not for individuals in his community who were willing to take a stand on his behalf, Rivers doubts he would be alive today. In his beautifully crafted memoir, A Private Family Matter: A Memoir, and the upcoming sequel, A Public Family Matter: Journey of An Accidental Activist, Rivers shares his remarkable life story with the world. Now one of the most well-known domestic violence activists, Rivers uses his voice to advocate for the safety all women and children.
A masterful storyteller whose topics are as diverse as his background, Victor Rivas Rivers is deeply passionate about combating stereotypes and cultural prejudice. He shares his strategies for challenging these stereotypes with a wide range of audiences. As one of the few male voices speaking out against domestic violence, Rivers also seeks to raise awareness and activism of related forms of abuse, along with ways that individuals and communities can do more to end violence. A compelling, inspiring speaker whose hope, humor, and honesty shine through every presentation, Victor Rivas Rivers is "a big man with an even bigger heart and soul."
Beth graduated from CAL U with a degree in Speech Communications (radio & TV) and went on to a 26-year career in radio. From 1990 to March of 2008, Beth served as co-host and producer of “Gary & Beth in the Morning” on Lite Rock 92.9 FM. She was the 2005 winner of Best Pittsburgh On-Air Personality awarded by the Pittsburgh Radio and Television Club.
From radio, she transitioned into professional services marketing/practice development as Marketing Director of a boutique law firm. Currently, she serves as Regional Marketing Director for the CPA firm of Herbein + Company, Inc., a 175+ person firm with 7 offices across Pennsylvania. Beth oversees the marketing and practice development efforts for the firm’s Pittsburgh, Greensburg and Allison Park offices.
She enjoys living and working in downtown Pittsburgh where she serves as the Chair of the Pittsburgh ATHENA Award Committee and the Chair of the PR Committee for the Pittsburgh chapter of the Professional Services Marketing Association. She is also a member of the Association of Accounting Marketing and The Pittsburgh Symphony Soiree Committee.
Michelle, known across social media as @burghbaby, is a New-York born Pittsburgher who grew up in North Dakota. Along the way, she meandered through Spain, enjoyed a stint working for Mickey Mouse, graduated from Kent State University, and married a Hoosier. Then, in 2000, she found her way to the city that holds her heart.
These days, Michelle is a blogger, photographer, and a product manager for a Pittsburgh-based manufacturing company. Most importantly, she’s a mom to 10 year-old Alexis and 1 year-old Mila. All of those things come together at burghbaby.com where Michelle writes about life and the little details that bring her joy.
Burghbaby.com exists as a way for Michelle to tell her daughters how very much they are loved, but the site’s readers are a powerful force who push that love a little further. Since 2010, they have been the driving force behind initiatives that have supported Center for Victims. When Michelle shares a need, those readers respond with internet magic.
While the site has been recognized by Huffington Post, BlogHer, SheKnows, WTAE, KDKA, and other media outlets for its excellence in the arena of mommy blogging, burghbaby.com’s real success is measured by the impact its readers have made.
Ellen is a middle school and high school teacher for South Allegheny School District. She teaches 8th grade art, high school computer graphics, AP Art History and is also the district's graphic designer. Ellen is a co-sponsor of Expect Respect, a student-led high school group that focuses on healthy relationships and creates awareness and prevention of teen dating violence and domestic abuse.
Ellen graduated from McKeesport High School in 1995 and went on to graduate from Duquesne University in 1999 with A Bachelor's in Arts. She finished her teaching certification (Art K-12) at California University of Pennsylvania in 2009. She lives in Rostraver with her husband, Erick and their three sons: Ryland, 14, Liam, 11, and Ivan, 1.
Bob had a normal, all-American childhood. He graduated as valedictorian of Burrell High School's class of 1975. In 1979, he graduated with high honors from Carnegie-Mellon University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. Receiving a full scholarship from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, he graduated with high honors as an F.C. Austin Scholar in 1982. In his professional career, Bob has worked for IBM, Procter and Gamble, Merrill Lynch, and Federated Investors. Bob has owned and operated The Regis Group Inc. as a CPA for 18 years, offering tax preparation, accounting, and investment services.
Bob has battled bipolar affective disorder for almost thirty years. A strong advocate for those with mental illness, Bob won the 2013 Mental Health America Allegheny County's Esprit Award and is a member of the marketing and development committee of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of SW PA; formerly, Bob was a member of the Board of Directors of Mental Health America Allegheny County. An enthusiastic fan of Pittsburgh’s live music scene, Bob is the co-founder of The 10:08 Club, LLC with Shari Richards. The 10:08 club has produced several successful benefit concerts including one for Center for Victims. Bob is truly a person who has battled his illness by taking it head on and also trying his best to help others.
In addition to being an award-winning author of Stabbed in the Heart; Three Murdered Children Two Resilient Mothers, Lynn Shiner recently retired with 37 years as an employee of this Commonwealth. She has spent the last 19 years working at a policy level for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. As the Director of the Office of Victims' Services, she oversaw the distribution of more than $100 million dollars in state and federal funding to meet the needs of crime victims throughout Pennsylvania.
She came to the Commission with a passion to ease crime victims’ pain after she experienced a tragedy of her own. Her young children, Jen and Dave, were murdered on Christmas Day 1994. The murder of her children has been a significant driving force in her commitment to improve victim services and the criminal justice system. She has interacted with hundreds of crime victims over the years and has often had the privilege of being the voice for crime victims in efforts to create or enhance legislation, improve availability of resources, provide quality services at the state and local level, improve processes through the use of technology and ensure that the voice of the victim is weaved into all aspects of service delivery.
In 2004, she was presented with the National Crime Victim Service Award by Attorney General John Ashcroft. In 2014, she was presented with the Visionary Voice Award by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
Lynn has worked hard to make a life without her children. She’s fallen and gotten back up many, many times and is proud that she now can embrace each day by asking how she make a difference in someone else’s life. While she’s on this earth, it’s her small gift to her children.
Christopher Lund has been the Executive Director of Empire Beauty School in West Mifflin, Pa for almost 5 years. He has been running post secondary private schools for over 18 years in total. Christopher and his entire team (Tera Fenton, Kaddie Barnard, Kelly Koziel, Amanda Clapper and Twanna Nelms) at West Mifflin are passionate about their commitment to helping the Pittsburgh Center for Victims with donations of non-perishable food items, personal hygiene products and toys. They also raise money throughout the year that they present to the Center at their National Day of Beauty in October each year.
Calvin "Coach Cal" Murphy is currently a Juvenile Case Manager with the Vision Quest Day Evening Program, and works part-time with Auberle's residential dependent and delinquency program. He previously worked for Imani Christian Academy as Dean of Students, History Teacher, and basketball coach.
After successfully assisting Imani Christian in its student expansion and move to a larger building, he accepted a position with Student First Academy in Charlotte, NC as the Dean of Students and Athletic Director. He was instrumental in the school obtaining it's Charter, and the acquisition of a new building from the local school district. In 2013, he returned to Pittsburgh and accepted a position with Rankin Christian Center as a Youth Program Director.
He currently serves on the board of Pittsburgh Hilltop's "Voices Against Violence" program, and Educational Liason for the "Youth Project", Pittsburgh.
Darelle is the Executive Director of Ozanam. Ozanam is a nonprofit organization in western Pennsylvania that helps underprivileged children. Ozanam provides the following: After school program, dinner program, SAT Prep classes, Strength and Conditioning program, High School program and Development Basketball.
Darelle graduated from Perry Traditional Academy in 1987 where he was named football and basketball Player of the Year by the Post-gazette . The Pittsburgh Press named him Athlete of the year in 1987. After receiving a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, he graduated in 1991 as Pitt's all-time leader in assist and a member of the 1000 point club. He served as Men's Head Coach at Duquesne University.
Darelle lives in Pittsburgh on the Northside and has 2 children. Darelle Jr(20)., a sophomore at Polk State in Florida and Michaela (16), a junior at Obama Academy.
Singing the Chicago style blues since 1996, Freddye has become known as “Pittsburgh’s Lady of the Blues!” Her influences are Delta and Chicago style blues, from artists of
yester-year like Koko Taylor, Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, Bessie Smith, Sarah Vaughn, Denise Lasalle, and Memphis Minnie.
Freddye started singing with BMW (Blues music works) headed by Al “Big Al” Leavitt. In 2002, she formed her own band, “Blue Faze.” The next several years the name changed to “Miss Freddye’s Blues Band.”
In addition to her 5-piece electric band, she started Miss Freddye’s Homecookin Trio in 2010--an acoustic side of blues! She performs with both bands around western and central PA, West Virginia &eastern Ohio.
In 2008, Freddye's band competed in the West Virginia blues competition, won for the state, and went to the 2009 International blues competition representing the WVBS!
In 2012, she competed in the Blues society of western PA as a duo act with her band mate and guitarist Greg “G-man” Casile, and won! In 2013, she went to Memphis for the IBCs representing BSWPA.
Aaron B. Steed is president, co-founder and CEO of Meathead Movers. He founded Meathead Movers at 17-years-old in 1997 with his brother, Evan. As CEO, Steed oversees all areas of the company – providing clarity, strategy and accountability for everyone on the Meathead team. He has established an open-door style of management, similar to that of a coach, and is well-known for being happily available to assist employees at their jobs or in their personal lives.
Evan Steed is the co-founder and vice-president of Meathead Movers, Inc. Steed was a high school freshman when he and his brother, Aaron, began Meathead Movers as a labor service in 1997. The boys would enlist their football and wrestling teammates and help out friends’ parents move on the weekend, often for $20 and a pizza.
When it became apparent that there was truly a continuing demand for polite, clean-cut student-athlete movers, the brothers decided to parlay a part-time high school job into a career. Evan studied the complex industry regulations, and in 2001, became the youngest licensed mover in California history. This allowed Meathead to purchase its first moving truck, and it’s fitting that Evan is now the overseer of Meathead’s fleet of 80+ trucks.
Meathead Movers has grown since 1997 to include four locations all over California and a 100,000+ sq./ft. mini storage facility, which also houses the company headquarters.
While running full-scale ahead to success, Meathead Movers hasn't forgetten its roots. They have maintained the same mission of assisting student-athletes to achieve their goals by providing them with a flexible and educational workplace. They have also maintained the practice of assisting victims of domestic violence by providing moving services at no cost. Meathead Movers has and will continue to partner with local women’s shelters in all of the communities it serves.
