The Valeria Bullard Black Administrator of the Year Award
Each year with great pleasure, the BACW announces the opening of nominations for the Valeria Bullard Black Administrator of the Year Award for exceptional achievement in the field of child welfare. The next award will be presented at the BACW National Conference March 8-10, 2009 at the Renaissance Long Beach Hotel, Long Beach, CA.

Valeria Bullard, for whom this award is named, was a founding member of the Black Administrators in Child Welfare, Inc. and became the first President in 1975 when the organization was incorporated. As President, she served as the sustaining force that held the organization in good standing through her leadership skills and commitment to children. She also served as a mentor and a visible role model for other African American child welfare administrators and younger members aspiring to be good administrators.

This award will be presented to an outstanding individual(s) who has made substantial contributions to improving the lives of children in the child welfare system. Recipients may include program administrators from social work agencies, hospitals, schools of social work, or schools in the public or private sector.

The following criteria should be considered when nominating a candidate:

• The individual has had agency, program, or project oversight and administrative responsibility for a significant period of time.
• The individual has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, talent, and knowledge in the child welfare system.
• The individual may have taken an unpopular stand against a policy or practice that adversely affects the lives of African American children and families.
• The individual has developed and implemented a program, policy or best practice model that has improved the quality of services for at-risk families and children.