2023 Impact Awards

• Master’s in criminal social justice, Lewis
• University
• Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor State of IL
• Private Practice serving individuals with substance use disorders Chicago’s Southwest Side
• ICASA Governing Body and Program Committee voting member
• Member Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• Cook County SA Advisory Sexual Assault Advisory Group member.
• Chicago Coalition for the Homeless Committee member
• Proviso Children’s Advocacy Center’s Multidisciplinary Team member.

Patty was a dedicated leader in the effort to bring awareness to domestic and sexual violence. During her 27 years in the movement to educate and eradicate sexual and domestic violence, Patty has helped thousands of women, men, children, and families. She began her career at Pillars Community Health and its predecessor organizations in 1995 and was the guiding force behind building its 24-hour/7 day a week rape crisis center which started with only two staff but now consists of large team of specially
trained therapists, legal/medical advocates, and volunteers servicing five hospitals, six universities, and 30 police departments within the 4th and 5th municipal district courts of Cook County. She operated under the feminist model and was fierce advocate for social justice, equity in everything she did. Patty was a beloved supervisor that mentored and encouraged her staff, the majority of which were young women. Many of these women have gone on to take leadership roles in criminal justice, children’s welfare and advocacy and other professions in harm reduction. She treated everyone with respect and compassion.

Patty’s passion for survivor’s rights drove her to build and reinforce collaboration between law enforcement, criminal courts, hospitals, and schools across Chicagoland to improve their response to survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence through cooperative agreements. After working tirelessly in the movement, Patty became Director of Advocacy and Prevention Education.

In 2020 she assumed additional leadership responsibilities as Senior Vice President of Domestic and Sexual Violence and brought together domestic and sexual violence services as a single Line of Service. Patty was cognizant of the vicarious trauma staff would be exposed to and took the initiative to designate a space for self-care and healing and called it the “serenity room.” This room was meticulously decorated by Patty with everything to make all those who came into it feel a sense of calm and peace.

Survivors coming in for counseling or events were also invited to enjoy the space. In addition to her work as a leader in domestic and sexual violence, she was also a credentialed counselor and had a private practice educating individuals on substance misuse, stress reduction and healthy relationships.

Her pride and Joy were her two wonderful children Maggie and Jimmy. She can be quoted by everyone that knows her to say “… my beautiful babies are so precious to me.” She would swell with pride as she mentioned them. During presentations to volunteers or on university campuses she would say “the best decision I ever made was Maggie and Jimmy and the second-best decision was choosing advocacy and the anti-rape movement as my career.”

She is sorely missed by co-workers and colleagues. She joined her mother, in heaven and is deeply missed by her father, five sisters, two brothers and 19 nieces and nephews—her tribe as she called them. She was a cherished friend, and role model to many. She embraced and welcomed the many races, religions, beliefs, sexual identities, and sexual orientations of
people from Chicagoland and its suburbs—and they felt her welcome. She was a model humanitarian and practiced cultural competence and cultural humility. She understood that every voice needed to be heard and understood.