
A COMMUNITY IN UNITY WILL PREVENT CHILD ABUSE
26TH ANNUAL
SHINE A LIGHT ON CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION
AWARDS CEREMONY
Past Events
2024 Shine a Light Awards Program – PDF Booklet
2023 Shine a Light Awards Program – PDF Booklet
April is National Child Abuse Prevention month for the purpose of promoting community involvement in preventing child abuse. This month declares that all children have the right to be free from harm, and exist within a nurturing environment and to have their physical, emotional, and educational needs met. The Shine a Light on Child Abuse Prevention Awards Ceremony is an opportunity to come together to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of individuals and organizations who help to prevent child abuse and to keep our children and families safe in our County.
Children’s Network Officer Ashley Brooksher calls the honorees “unsung heroes who go above and beyond their day-to-day responsibilities to ensure that the children in our County are safe. These honorees demonstrate how simple acts of kindness can be life-changing for these children.”

Award Categories

- Lifetime Advocate
- Behavioral Health
- Children and Family Services
- Community Based Provider
- Education
- Foster Parents
- Healthcare
- Law Enforcement
- Legal
- Probation
- Public Health
- Volunteer
- Business
- Public Defender
- Community Based Organization
- Early Childhood Mental Health Systems
- Father Engagement
- Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation
- Mentoring- Individual
- Mentoring- Organization
26th Annual
Shine A Light Honorees
Lifetime Advocate
Marcelino “Mars” Serna
Family/Community Engagement Program Specialist
San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
Business
Victorville Motors
Behavioral Health
Naomi Hill
Intervention Specialist
Desert Mountain Children’s Center
Children and Family Services
Ixtaccihualt “Marisa” Meneses
Office Assistant III
San Bernardino County Children and Family Services
Community-Based Provider
Edwina Thomas
Community Intervention Specialist
Young Visionaries
Education
Stacy Diemert
Program Technician
San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
Foster Parents
Tonya and Brett Todd
Law Enforcement
Gloria Huerta
Crime Prevention Program Coordinator
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
Healthcare
Diana Gonzalez
Community Behavioral Health Clinician
Inland Empire Health Plan
Mentoring – Individual
Emily Shum
Licensed Psychologist
Wholistic Health Collaborative
Legal
Jennifer Diaz
Administrative Supervisor
Children’s Advocacy Group
Public Defender
Dakota Bates
Social Service Practitioner
San Bernardino County Public Defender
Probation
Dominique Bright
Probation Officer II
San Bernardino County Probation
Public Health
Jessica Scray
Public Health Nurse II
San Bernardino County Public Health
Volunteer
Edward Thompson
Volunteer
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire
Community-Based Organization
Morongo Tribal TANF San Bernardino
Early Childhood Mental Health Systems
Theresa Vaughan
Program Manager
Desert Mountain Children’s Center
Father Engagement
Child Care Resource Center’s Family Resource Center
Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation
Laura Cruz
Police Officer
San Bernardino Police Department
Mentoring – Organization
Life Builders Inc.
Past Lifetime
Advocate Honorees
2024– Helena Lopez
2023- Stephani Congdon
2022 – Marlene Hagen
2021 – Dr Kiti Freier Randall
2019 – Andre Bossieux
2018 – Michele Tacchia and Dr. Albert Karnig
2017 – Michael Markel
2016 – Gary C. Ovitt
2015 – Michael Schertell
2014 – Ronald J. Powell
2013 – Norm Dollar
2012 – Kent Paxton
2011 – Allan Rawland
2010 – Margaret Hill
2009 – Robert Friedman
2008 – Dr. Herbert Fischer
2007 – Cathy Cimbalo
2006 – Debi Faris Cifelli
2005 – Jack Brown