Recognizing those who do so much for the our Community
Larry Kolasa Founding President Award
Honoring the leadership of Founding President Larry Kolasa, this award is given to persons who have helped shape the future of the organization.
2023 – Charlie Reavis
2019 – Dot Sowerby
2015 – Stephie Mendel
Dot Sowerby Pioneer Award
Honoring founding Board Member Dot Sowerby to recognize her many accomplishments in raising awareness about spasmodic dysphonia, these recipients follow in her footsteps to impact our community.
2024 – Bruce Menk
2023 – John Comer
2022 – Larry Kolasa
2021 – Marcia Sterling
2020 – Carol Doles
2019 – Mary Bifaro
2018 – Charlie Womble
2017 – David Barton
2016 – Karen Adler Feeley
2015 – Patricia Hill
Midge Kovac Annual Awareness Award Winners
Since 1999, our organization has presented the Midge Kovacs Awareness Award in order to recognize the outstanding efforts of one of its support groups for their work the previous year to honor the pioneering advocacy work of the late Midge Kovacs. Midge was a founding Board member of the NSDA. She started an SD Support Group in New York in 1987 and published a newsletter, entitled “Our Voice,” for patients and doctors in order to raise awareness about spasmodic dysphonia. In a note to the community in 2000, Midge encouraged all who are struggling with spasmodic dysphonia to think beyond our own individual voice problems.
2024 – Risa Clay, New Jersey Dysphonia Support Group
2023 – Toni Gold, Greater Los Angeles Dysphonia Support Group
2022 – Esther Zack and Vicki Orazem, Valley of the Sun Dysphonia Support Group
2021 – Debbie States, Ilene Cooper, Cindi McCollough with Laura Rahuba and Sue Payne,
Atlanta Spasmodic Dysphonia Support Group
2020 – Dennis Kaszeta, Greater Detroit NSDA Support Group
2019 – Adrienne Simons and the New York City Spasmodic Dysphonia Support Group
2018 – Mare Hull, Marcia Eyre, Cathy Butt, and Angie Craft and the Columbus, OH Support Group
2017 – Bev Matthews and the Circle City (IN) Spasmodic Dysphonia Support Group
2016 – Carol Doles and the Central Virginia Spasmodic Dysphonia Support Group
2015 – Stephie Mendel and the San Francisco/ North Bay Spasmodic Dysphonia Support Group
Marcia Sterling and the Peninsula-South Bay Spasmodic Dysphonia Support Group
Jan Lant and the Greater Sacramento Area Spasmodic Dysphonia Support Group
2014 – Dot Sowerby and Greensboro, NC Support Group
2013 – Mary Ann Keller and the Greater Dayton, OH, SD Support Group
2012 – Ron Langdon and James Anderson and the Tampa Bay, FL, SD Support Group
2011 – Tom Hofmann and the Naples-Fort Myers Area SD Support Group
2010 – Martha Murphy and Paul Fowler and the Dystonia Support Group of San Diego County
2009 – Lois Jackson and the DC Metro SD Support Group
2008 – Cathy Jacobs and the Chicagoland SD Support Group
2007 – Linda Cannon-Mott and the Dystonia Support Group of Birmingham, AL
2006 – Sandy Viot and the Connecticut SD Support Group
2005 – Renee Urban and the SD Support Group of Austin, TX
2004 – Minerva Gordon and the Altoona, PA, SD Support Group
2003 – Minerva Gordon and the Altoona, PA, SD Support Group
2002 – Mary Bifaro and the SD Support Group of Charlotte, NC
2001 – Sue Brammerlo and the Northern IL SD Support Group
2000 – Bill Vanderlinde and the Baltimore, MD, SD Support Group
1999 – John Hunsinger and the Atlanta, GA, SD Support Group
Recognition Awards
The following people have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to our organization and the community it serves.
2024 – Kimberly Kuman
2020 – Emma Mattes
2019 – John Edwardson
2019 – Richard Stuart (posthumously)
2019 – Andrew Blitzer, MD
2018 – David Barton
2017 – Kevin Hancock
2016 – Charlie Reavis
2016 – Christy Ludlow, PhD, CCC-SLP
2015 – Herbert Dedo, MD
2015 – David and Holly Mendel
2015 – Roger and Jeane Sameulsen
2015 – Rona Hokanson
2014 – Johnny Bush
2014 – Robert Bastian, MD
2014 – The Hamilton Family
2014 – Cathy Jacobs
2014 – Larry Kolasa
2013 – Diane Rehm
2013 – Lana Shekim, PhD
2006 – Valerie F. Levitan, PhD
First Step Award
Presented in 2024, the following people have been recognized for their outstanding leadership in developing Walk for Talk, which has empowered our community to step forward together to raise awareness and find a cure for spasmodic dysphonia and related voice conditions.
James Anderson
Mary Bifaro
Dennis Kaszeta
Ron Langdon
Vicki Orazem
Sue Payne
Laura Rahuba
Denny Richey
Esther Zack