We are proud to present the 2022 award recipients.

Kim Hawekotte - 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award

Kim Hawekotte's professional background includes working in the field of child welfare and juvenile services for over 30 years. As a private practice trial attorney for over 14 years, she was extensively involved in juvenile court as a parent's attorney, a defense attorney, and as a guardian ad litem. As the deputy chief of the Juvenile Division of the Douglas County Attorney's Office, she prosecuted abuse and neglect; status offenses; and delinquency cases. As the governor-appointed administrator for the Office of Juvenile Ser­vices, she was responsible for all aspects of the Nebraska Juvenile Justice System including the youth rehabilitation and treatment centers in Kearney and Geneva. She also has served as the president and general counsel for KVC Behavioral Healthcare Nebraska, a foster care and in-home service provider.

For over seven years, she was executive director for the Nebraska Foster Care Review Office, an independent state agency responsible for the oversight of all children placed in out-of-home care. Currently, Kawekotte is the Douglas County deputy county administrator responsible for all juvenile justice reform initiatives occurring within Douglas County.

Hawekotte obtained her B.A. in Sociology and her Juris Doctorate from Creighton University. Kim has been extensively involved in various state commissions and committees impacting Nebraska children and families. This includes the Governor's Commission for the Protection of Children, the Supreme Court Commission for Children, the Nebras­ka Children's Commission, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, and the Juvenile Justice Subcommittee for the Nebraska Children's Commis­sion.

Mary Visek - 2022 Distinguished Service Award

Mary Visek is the chief probation officer of the Juve­nile Probation Office in Douglas County, Nebraska. Visek began her career working in mental health at Nebraska Psychiatric Institute and Community Alli­ance. Visek started in the Adult Probation Office in 1987, where she did pre-sentence investigations and supervision, and served as the chief deputy. Visek was involved in the formation of specialized supervision units for mental health, gang, and domestic violence.

Visek has been involved in multiple state and community committees to support best practices to ensure communi­ty safety and rehabilitation for all involved in the adult and juvenile system including Crossover Youth; Juvenile Detention Alternatives; Violence Coordinating Council; Criminal Justice Manage­ment Council; Supreme Court Programs and Services Committee; Probation Executive Policy Committee; and the Statewide Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Steering Committee.

Vanessa Urbach - 2022 Outstanding Community Service Award

Vanessa Urbach has been with the Omaha Police De­partment for 6 years. She serves as a crime prevention specialist — a community liaison between civilians and sworn law enforcement. In this role, Urbach works with neighborhood watch groups and associations; church­es; daycare centers; youth centers; and other community groups. She organizes events to bridge the gap be­tween OPD and our community such as: Bomb Pop with a Cop; Coffee with a Cop; Pop with a Cop; Community Education and Training Program (also known as Citizen's Academy); collaborations with the Autism Action Partnership; precinct tours; presentations; and many others.

In 2015, Urbach was selected to be a MS Run the U.S. relay runner in which she raised over $10,000 for multiple sclerosis research and ran 190 miles, from Lincoln, Nebraska, to Des Moines, Iowa, in seven days. She at­tributes this experience as to how and why she made her way to the Omaha Police Department. During this relay, Urbach dedicated her run through Omaha to fallen Officer Kerrie Orozco. Several Omaha police officers joined her for this part of the run, and with their help, she was able to meet Kerrie's mother, Ellen Holtz. Through continued conversation with Holtz, Urbach felt a calling to the police depart­ment. In July of that same year she learned of the job posting for her current position.

She received the 2018 Omaha Coalition of Citizens Patrol Officer of the Year Award as well as the 2019 Omaha Police Officer's Ball­ Spirit of Blue Award.

Urbach graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Education with a focus on Com­munity Health.

Dana Radatz - 2022 Alumni Achievement Award

Dana Radatz, Ph.D., is currently an associate professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Niagara University in New York. Radatz received her doctorate in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and her undergradu­ate and graduate degrees from Eastern Michigan Univer­sity. Radatz's research interests include intimate part­ner violence treatment programs; evidence-based practic­es within corrections; gender and crime; violence prevention program­ming; and victimization and trauma. Her most recent work examines risk factors and criminogenic needs among individuals with histories of intimate partner violence, as well as exploring the ways evidence-based practices can be infused into intimate partner violence treatment pro­gramming.

Radatz aims to have her work contribute to efforts that bring the practical and academic realms together to find plausible, effective solu­tions to violence. She is actively engaged within her local community, as she volunteers and partners with several agencies within her local re­gion to address family violence. Furthermore, as leading scholar on inti­mate partner violence treatment programming and evidence-based practices, Radatz has worked collaboratively with several key stake­holders across several states and at the national level to assist practi­tioners working to embrace the current paradigm shift occurring in the field of intimate partner violence treatment programming.

Erin Sliva - 2022 Rising Star Award

Erin Sliva graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in sociology. She began working as a juvenile probation officer for Vermilion County Proba­tion Office in Danville, Illinois. Sliva moved to Omaha to begin her master's degree in criminal justice at the University of Nebraska at Omaha where she graduated in May of 2006.

In December 2004, Sliva was hired as a probation officer for Nebraska State Probation. She was promoted to juvenile drug court proba­tion officer in April 2007 to provide supervision to youth partici­pating in the Sarpy County Juvenile Drug Court. In August 2013, she was promoted to juvenile justice resource supervisor for District 2 Pro­bation. During her time of employment with Nebraska State Probation, she has participated in numerous local, district, and state committees. In her current position, Sliva collaborates with community providers to review the needs of youth and families in the community to enhance services and interventions.

Sliva collaborated with Heartland Family Ser­vvices to develop crisis mediation for Sarpy County youth in behavioral crisis. This program has expanded to other areas of the state. She has pre­sented at state and national conferences about crisis mediation.

Sliva appreciates the support of her husband and three sons throughout her career, along with all of her coworkers who keep her passion pre­sent.