Dr. Joseph H. Brenner Award

The annual Brenner Award is named in honor of Dr. Joseph H. Brenner, a psychiatrist and social justice advocate who founded De Novo in 1970, and his personal commitment to living a life of service. The award recognizes and celebrates community leaders and professionals who embody his spirit of volunteerism and who, by example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service.

List of Recipients:

2019 — Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights at Boston Medical Center and the Coordinated Care Program for Political Violence Survivors at Cambridge Health Alliance

2018 — City of Cambridge

2017 — Malana Gleason, Staff Attorney, FINEX House

2016 — Congressman Michael Capuano

2015 — Dulce De Pina and Fania Resendes, Mass. Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS)

2014 — Valerie Fisk, Immigration Supervisor, De Novo

2013 — Shawn MacMaster, Director of Community Partnerships, Middlesex District Attorney’s Office

2012 — Michelle Hyppolite, Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee (CEOC)

2011 — Michelle Fine, RESPOND, and Dr. Ilana Amrani-Cohen, Guidance Center (now Riverside Community Care)

2010 — Herbert Epstein, Volunteer Immigration Attorney, De Novo

2009 — The Political Asylum/Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project

2008 — Laura Booth, community advocate

2007 — Leslee Klein, retired Executive Director, De Novo

2006 — Marguerita Reczycki, Greater Boston Legal Services

2005 — Allan G. Rodgers, retired Executive Director, Mass. Law Reform Institute

2004 — Paul Goldmuntz, Clinical Director, De Novo

2003 — Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)

2002 — Transition House

2001 — Macy DeLong, Founder, Solutions at Work

2000 — Jeffrey Wolf, retired Legal Director, De Novo

1999 — John H. Curtin, attorney who lobbied for creation of the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation

1998 — Reps. Paul C. Demakis and Anne M. Paulsen, Massachusetts State House of Representatives

1997 — David Hall, former Dean, Northeastern University School of Law

1996 — Nancy Ryan, Executive Director, Cambridge Women’s Commission

1995 — Judith Herman, nationally-known author and psychiatrist