Stand Up for STANDING FIRM Awards Luncheon 2022

Past Winners

Awards Luncheon 2021

This year, the luncheon was held both in-person and virtually.

Employer of the Year

Jim Segerdahl, Global Managing Partner at K & L Gates, accepted the 2021 Employer of the Year award. K & L Gates has been recognized for the significant action steps made by the company this year to address partner violence in the workplace.

Champion of the Year

Our 2021 Champion of the Year Award was presented to Diane P. Holder, Executive Vice President, UPMC, President, UPMC Insurance Services Division, President and CEO, UPMC Health Plan for her dedication and commitment to bringing awareness to partner violence in the workplace.

Keynote Speaker

Keynote Speaker, Michele Weldon, Author of six award winning nonfiction books, including I Closed My Eyes — Revelations of a Battered Woman, shared her powerful and captivating message (She is One of Us) highlighting the critical importance of the business community and all communities coming together to address partner violence.

Thank you to our sponsors

We wish to offer a special thank you to our naming sponsors, UPMC Health Plan & Magee Women’s Hospital, without whom this event would not be possible.

To all our sponsors, donors and friends – we deeply appreciate and value your continued support, and we look forward to continuing our work with you over the coming months and years.

2020 Champion and Employer Awards

The 2020 Awards Luncheon took place virtually for the first time.

The 2020 Employer Award was presented to Giant Eagle and Heidi Ondek, EdD, received the 2020 Champion Award.

Keynote Speaker, Rachel Louise Snyder, Author of No Visible Bruises shared her powerful and captivating message highlighting the critical importance of the business community and all communities coming together to address partner violence.

2019 Champion and Employer Awards

The 2019 Awards Luncheon, celebrating STANDING FIRM’s 10th Anniversary took place on October 16th in the Grand Ballroom of the Omni William Penn Hotel. About 350 attendees from local nonprofits, corporations, and government organizations filled the room. The keynote speaker, Shannon T.L. Isom provided a riveting speech which left the audience speechless.

The 2019 Employer Award was presented to Dollar Bank and Dr. Patricia Cluss received the 2019 Champion Award.

2018 Champion and Employer Awards

The 2018 Awards Luncheon took place on October 30th in the Grand Ballroom of the Omni William Penn Hotel. About 400 attendees from local nonprofits, corporations, and government organizations filled the room. The keynote speaker, Janine Latus provided a captivating speech filled with emotion.

The 2018 Employer Award was presented to Koppers, Inc. and Susan Nitzberg & Barbara Penner (in memoriam) received the 2018 Champion Awards.

2017 Champion and Employer Awards

The 2017 Awards Luncheon took place on November 1st in the Grand Ballroom of the Omni William Penn Hotel. Over 300 attendees from local nonprofits, corporations, and government organizations filled the room. The keynote speaker, Susan Still, was riveting and energized the audience.

The 2017 Employer Award was presented to FedEx Ground, and President of Pittsburgh City Council Bruce Kraus received the 2017 Champion Award.

2016 Champion and Employer Awards

Richard Citrin, President, Citrin Consulting, received the STANDING FIRM Champion Award, presented by Kristy Trautmann, 2015 Awardee. Richard has been a strong advocate of STANDING FIRM since its inception, and has served as the Chair of its Advisory Board. He has guided the initiative through many strategic decisions and advocated for it with his many contacts in the business community.

The Pittsburgh Pirates set an example as a professional sports team to bring attention to partner violence as a workplace issue. With a firm policy adopted by the team, the Pirates brought STANDING FIRM in to provide both management and staff trainings on dealing with partner violence. All players had been trained as well during spring training camp. President Frank Coonelly has spoken publicly numerous time about the impacts of partner violence on the workplace. The were the first professional sports team in Southwestern PA to stand firm against partner violence.

2015 Champion Award

Kristy Trautmann, Executive Director of the FISA Foundation, received the STANDING FIRM Champion Award from Lynette Lederman, Executive Assistant to Councilman Corey O’Connor. The Champion Award recognized Kristy’s tireless advocacy for STANDING FIRM and its goal to help employers address partner violence and promote safety and well being in the workplace. The creation and enduring work of STANDING FIRM would not be possible without Kristy, who continues to support our organization by applying her nonprofit leadership expertise to our management, strategic planning, and goal setting initiatives. Kristy enthusiastically brings STANDING FIRM to the table when discussing partner violence with other organizations, and has positively impacted our work and our mission.

2014 Champion & Employer Awards

Lynette Lederman received the STANDING FIRM Champion award from Bruce Kraus, Pittsburgh City Council President. The Champion award recognizes an individual who has gone above and beyond in advocating for STANDING FIRM in its mission to engage employers in integrating business practices which address partner violence. Lynette has worked tirelessly advocating for STANDING FIRM and engaging employers in Pittsburgh and the broader community.

Fred Massey, CEO of Familylinks, accepted the STANDING FIRM Employer Award from Dan Adley of KTA-Tator, 2013 Awardee. Familylinks received the award which recognizes superior integration of business practices addressing partner violence that promote the safety of the workplace and the well-being of the workforce.