On Feb. 16, County Executive Robert P. Astorino congratulated the 2011 Trailblazer Award winners. The three honorees have excelled professionally while helping address issues affecting the wider community.
The event, a Westchester County tradition held at Westchester Community College to celebrate Black History Month, also included a video tribute that included brief interviews with each honoree and highlighted some of their major accomplishments.The Trailblazers award program was sponsored by the county executive, the county Board of Legislators, the African American Advisory Board and the Westchester Community College Black Student Union.
{vimeo} 20063658 {/vimeo}
The following awards were presented:
- “The Whitney Young Award.” Pennye W. Nash is the co-owner and executive director of Sancia Health Care Inc., a behavioral health organization in White Plains. Sancia is the only minority woman-owned business in Westchester County that is licensed by the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services and an authorized New York State Department of Motor Vehicle Drinker Driver Program. She travels extensively as a training consultant and mentors other professionals seeking to work within the health and human service field.
- “The Madame C.J. Walker Award.” Wiley C. Harrison is the owner of The Business of Your Business (BYB) in White Plains, a firm that provides accounting and tax return preparation services. He is a board member for the Westchester Industrial Development Agency, the Workforce Investment Board and the Business Council of Westchester. As chairman of the board of the Thomas H. Slater Center and a member of the African American Men of Westchester and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, he strives to have a positive impact through programs, scholarships and mentoring in his community.
- “The Betty Shabazz Award.” Judge Kathie E. Davidson is currently supervising judge for the Family Courts and acting supreme court justice in the Ninth Judicial District. Her legal career spans over two decades with a special focus on children and families. As a deputy county attorney, she was responsible for the implementation of the Westchester County Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Law. She made history by becoming the first African American woman elected to a county-wide judgeship.
View other events celebrating Black History Month at Westchester Community College.
Pictured above are Joseph Hankin, president of Westchester Community College; County Executive Robert P. Astorino; Wiley C. Harrison; Judge Kathie E. Davidson; Barbara Edwards, chair of the African American Advisory Board; Pennye W. Nash.