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CCS Board Member Jewel Kelley Receives Statewide Recognition for Outstanding Board Commitment and Community Service

Board member Jewel Kelley was honored by the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) during its fourth annual Member Recognition Awards held in Sacramento, on May 23rd at the coalition’s annual Leadership Conference.

Kelley received the Outstanding Board Member award for her continuing commitment and valuable contributions to Center for Community Solutions as a dedicated board member. For more than a decade, she has played an instrumental role in guiding the agency’s dynamic growth, including the recruitment of its current executive director as well as supporting its ever-expanding array of essential prevention and intervention programs and services. Her leadership and community involvement have proved instrumental in generating widespread awareness about CCS while increasing much-needed funding to ensure the continuation of critical services.

Since the 1990s, Kelley’s gentle but persuasive manner has resulted in more than $350,000 in contributions to CCS from both the corporate relationships she has fostered as well as individual donors. She has served previously as CCS board president and secretary as well as chair of the development committee. Additionally, Kelley has chaired six of the center’s annual “Tea by the Sea” fundraisers in the past eight years.

“Jewel is the ultimate ambassador for CCS,” said Verna Griffin-Tabor, executive director and CEO at CCS. “She has helped shape the agency by recruiting many of our board members, including our current president and immediate past president. She has single-handedly built the honorary board through her seemingly limitless community involvement and connections while making many high-profile civic leaders in San Diego more aware of our agency as well as the importance of sexual assault and domestic violence prevention and intervention services.”

Each year CALCASA presents a series of awards honoring exceptional performances by the staff, volunteers and board members at rape crisis centers and prevention programs across California . In winning her award, Kelley was recognized as the board member whose vision, commitment and decision-making has ensured organizational success while leading by example and proudly representing CCS to colleagues and the community at large.

“CCS is incredibly fortunate to have Jewel on our board,” said Amy Rypins, board president of Center for Community Solutions. “She continually donates her time and personal resources to help the agency and take an active role in creating positive social change. Jewel’s wisdom and leadership are applauded by everyone on the CCS board, and we are thrilled that CALCASA now has added this statewide honor to her long list of impressive accomplishments.”

CALCASA also recognized individuals in three other categories, Outstanding Prevention Staff or Volunteer, Outstanding Intervention Staff or Volunteer and Outstanding Executive Director/Sexual Assault Program Director.

About CALCASA

The California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) is a statewide coalition of rape crisis centers and prevention programs founded in 1980. CALCASA’s mission is to provide leadership, vision and resources to rape crisis centers, individuals and other entities committed to ending sexual violence. CALCASA is the only statewide organization in California whose sole purpose is to promote public policy, advocacy, training and technical assistance on the issue of sexual assault. Learn more at www.calcasa.org.

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