Blaise Gomez is an Emmy-nominated gene ral assignment reporter for News 12 Hudson Valley. She began her career wi th News 12 as a freelance reporter in 2007\, covering Westchester\, Hudson Valley and Connecticut. Gomez has reported on and covered nationally reco gnized breaking news stories including the Angelika Graswald case\, Traged y on the Taconic\, Horror on the Hudson and the Newtown School Massacre. P rior to joining News 12\, Gomez got her start in Broadcast Journalism repo rting news on-air for WRCR AM 1300 Radio Rockland in Nanuet\, NY and then on-camera for Time Warner Cable's Cable 6 News in Middletown\, NY. She int erned at CBS in Manhattan and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors D egree in Communications from Pace University in Pleasantville\, NY in 2006 . Gomez was born and raised in Orange County\, where she still lives.
\n\nFamily Justice Center Award\nKristen M. Gibbons Feden\nAssociat e\, Stradley Ronon\, Philadelphia\, PA\nKris ten M. Gibbons Feden is a nationally acclaimed litigator and concentrates her practice on institutional responses to sexual and gender-based harassm ent and abuse\, ethical concerns\, discrimination\, and other misconduct. Kristen represents clients in general and complex litigation matters\, inc luding sexual harassment\, employment discrimination\, and Title IX and co rporate regulatory compliance\, as well as clients in the financial servic es industry. Ms. Gibbons Feden served as the Special Prosecutor in Commonw ealth v. Cosby in 2017 and again in his 2018 retrial\, securing a convicti on of three counts of sexual assault against the comedian formerly known a s “America’s Dad”. Previously\, Mrs. Feden was Assistant District Attorney in the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office\, leading the Domesti c Violence Unit and Elder Abuse Unit as Captain\, as well as the assigned prosecutor within the Sex Crimes Unit.
\n \nMildred Warren Good-Nei ghbor Award\n Ashley Lenahan\, Caitlin Tabala\, and Nicole Pena\nStyli sts\, Activists\, and Owners of Indigo Beauty Lounge in Chester\, NY\nIndigo Beauty Lounge was founded upon the life l ong dream of three like-minded women. Established in September 2018\, Ashl ey\, Caitlin\, and Nicole have made it a top priority to ensure their busi ness acts as a platform for the greater good of the community. They are ex tremely proud of their sustainable salon\, but even more so of the relatio nship they have built with Safe Homes. They have worked hard to increase p ublic awareness about the issues Safe Homes provides resources for\, as we ll as to fundraise for the organization. This year\, their goal is to enga ge other local salons in fundraising opportunities for Safe Homes. Their d esire to empower women and give back to their community has allowed them t o thrive in the business they love each day!
\n\nJane Chertock Legac y Award\nAda Lara\nYouth Activist and Survivor\nSince 2004\, more than 25 women have been murdered by their intim ate partner in Orange County. At our annual Celebration of Hope\, we remem ber their names. Ada's mother\, also named Ada Lara\, is one of the women whose memory we honor each year.\n'My mom was a very fun and caring person . At age 12\, I was just starting to get to know who she was\, to become c lose with her -- but in a split second that was taken away from me. Afterw ard\, I was heavily supported by so many people\, but did not realize that one group was Safe Homes. Years later\, when I found out\, I decided to s upport Safe Homes. Giving back to an organization that helped me during a hard time\, in order to help others just like me\, makes me feel great. It feels like a great way to honor my mom.'
\n\nBlaise Gomez is an Emmy-nominated gener al assignment reporter for News 12 Hudson Valley. She began her career wit h News 12 as a freelance reporter in 2007\, covering Westchester\, Hudson Valley and Connecticut. Gomez has reported on and covered nationally recog nized breaking news stories including the Angelika Graswald case\, Tragedy on the Taconic\, Horror on the Hudson and the Newtown School Massacre. Pr ior to joining News 12\, Gomez got her start in Broadcast Journalism repor ting news on-air for WRCR AM 1300 Radio Rockland in Nanuet\, NY and then o n-camera for Time Warner Cable's Cable 6 News in Middletown\, NY. She inte rned at CBS in Manhattan and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors De gree in Communications from Pace University in Pleasantville\, NY in 2006. Gomez was born and raised in Orange County\, where she still lives.
\n \nFamily Justice Center Award\nKristen M. Gibbons Feden\nAssociate\ , Stradley Ronon\, Philadelphia\, PA\nKriste n M. Gibbons Feden is a nationally acclaimed litigator and concentrates he r practice on institutional responses to sexual and gender-based harassmen t and abuse\, ethical concerns\, discrimination\, and other misconduct. Kr isten represents clients in general and complex litigation matters\, inclu ding sexual harassment\, employment discrimination\, and Title IX and corp orate regulatory compliance\, as well as clients in the financial services industry. Ms. Gibbons Feden served as the Special Prosecutor in Commonwea lth v. Cosby in 2017 and again in his 2018 retrial\, securing a conviction of three counts of sexual assault against the comedian formerly known as “America’s Dad”. Previously\, Mrs. Feden was Assistant District Attorney i n the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office\, leading the Domestic Violence Unit and Elder Abuse Unit as Captain\, as well as the assigned pr osecutor within the Sex Crimes Unit.
\n \nMildred Warren Good-Neigh bor Award\n Ashley Lenahan\, Caitlin Tabala\, and Nicole Pena\nStylist s\, Activists\, and Owners of Indigo Beauty Lounge in Chester\, NY\nIndigo Beauty Lounge was founded upon the life lon g dream of three like-minded women. Established in September 2018\, Ashley \, Caitlin\, and Nicole have made it a top priority to ensure their busine ss acts as a platform for the greater good of the community. They are extr emely proud of their sustainable salon\, but even more so of the relations hip they have built with Safe Homes. They have worked hard to increase pub lic awareness about the issues Safe Homes provides resources for\, as well as to fundraise for the organization. This year\, their goal is to engage other local salons in fundraising opportunities for Safe Homes. Their des ire to empower women and give back to their community has allowed them to thrive in the business they love each day!
\n\nJane Chertock Legacy Award\nAda Lara\nYouth Activist and Survivor\nSince 2004\, more than 25 women have been murdered by their intimat e partner in Orange County. At our annual Celebration of Hope\, we remembe r their names. Ada's mother\, also named Ada Lara\, is one of the women wh ose memory we honor each year.\n'My mom was a very fun and caring person. At age 12\, I was just starting to get to know who she was\, to become clo se with her -- but in a split second that was taken away from me. Afterwar d\, I was heavily supported by so many people\, but did not realize that o ne group was Safe Homes. Years later\, when I found out\, I decided to sup port Safe Homes. Giving back to an organization that helped me during a ha rd time\, in order to help others just like me\, makes me feel great. It f eels like a great way to honor my mom.'
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