2026 Advocacy Organization & Activists Winners

Affordable Housing Advocate/Activist

1.  Michelle Hinchey

2.  Sarahana Shrestha

3. Michele Hirsch

Affordable Housing Organization

1.  Gateway Hudson Valley

2.  RUPCO Inc.

3.  Ulster Immigrant Defense Network

Animal Welfare Advocate/Activist

1.  Valerie Ellsworth, Nothing But Love Canine Foundation

2.  Merle Borenstein, Have a Heart Animal Welfare

3.  Gina Carbonari, Ulster County SPCA

Animal Welfare Organization

1.  Nothing But Love Canine Foundation

2.  Ulster County SPCA

3.  Woodstock Farm Sanctuary

Environmental Advocate/Activist

1.  Andy Mossey, Executive Director of Woodstock Land Conservancy

2.  Jen Benson, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater

3.  Jeff Senterman, Catskill Center for Conservation and Development

Environmental Organization

1.  Woodstock Land Conservancy

2.  Scenic Hudson

3.  Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County

3.  Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc.

Food Justice Advocate/Activist

1.  Christine Hein, People’s Place

2.  Diane Reeder, Kingston Candy Bar

3.  K Greene, Hudson Valley Seed Company

Food Justice Organization

1.  People’s Place Food Pantry 

2.  Gateway Hudson Valley

3.  Kingston YMCA Farm Project

LGBTQ+ Advocate/Activist

1.  Richard Heyl de Ortiz, Hudson Valley LGBTQ+ Community Center

2.  Alexandria Wojcik, New Paltz Mayor

3.  Donnie Roberts, Out For Dutchess

LGBTQ+ Organization

1.  Key of Q: the LGBTQ+ & Allied A Cappella Singers of the Hudson Valley

2.  Hudson Valley LGBTQ+ Community Center

3.  Dutchess County Pride Center

Public Health Advocate/Activist

1.  Dr. Neal Smoller, Village Apothecary

2.  Stephanie Turco, Gateway Hudson Valley

3.  Heather Ann Pitcher, The Brain and Body Coalition

Public Health Organization

1.  Gateway Hudson Valley

2.  Planned Parenthood – Kingston Health Center

3.  Hudson Valley Hospice

Racial Justice Advocate/Activist

1.  Amy Brown-White

2.  Esi Lewis, Dr. Margaret Wade-Lewis Center for History and Culture

3.  Athena Fliakos, YWCA

Racial Justice Organization

1.  Ulster Immigrant Defense Network

2.  YWCA

3.  Margaret Wade-Lewis Center

Social Justice Advocate/Activist

1.  Athena Fliakos, YWCA

2.  Rev. Liz Estes, Old Dutch Church

3.  Micah, Good Work Institute

Social Justice Organization

1.  YWCA Ulster County

2.  Reunite Migrant Families / Grannies Respond Abuelas Responden

3.  Mid-Hudson Valley Democratic Socialists of America

Youth Advocacy Organization

1.  AWARENESS Inc Peer to Peer

2.  Family of Woodstock, Inc.

3.  YWCA Ulster County

Youth Advocate

1.  Bryant Drew Andrews, Center For Creative Education

2.  Gregory Charter, City of Poughkeepsie Youth Football League

3.  Athena Fliakos, YWCA

This article appears in July 2026.