RISAS Executive Director Honored for Dedication, Community Support
WARWICK, Rhode Island – RI Student Assistance Services (RISAS), a non-profit organization serving 44 schools and 6,000 students annually in Rhode Island, today announced that Sarah Dinklage, Executive Director, has been named a “Woman of Excellence” by the Women’s Center of Rhode Island (WCRI). She will be honored at WCRI’s 10th Annual Women of Excellence Awards Luncheon on April 27, 2012.
Dinklage was nominated by Beatriz Perez, Manager, Violence & Injury Prevention Programs at the Rhode Island Department of Health. The following is an excerpt from the nomination:
“Sarah is among the most dedicated professionals I have known during my 20 year career in public health. During her 25 years at RI Student Assistance Services, her leadership resulted in expanded reach of critical services to students in schools across the state. The lives of women that have been touched by Sarah through her mentoring of Student Assistance Counselors, RISAS employees, school personnel, and clients are enhanced by her wisdom and knowledge.”
Sarah Dinklage is the founding director of the Rhode Island Student Assistance Services established with enabling legislation in 1986. Dinklage was recruited by the Department of MHRH to establish and manage student assistance programs throughout Rhode Island, a leadership position that gained her state-wide recognition for her expertise in school-based prevention services for youth and their families.
Under the leadership of Dinklage, the Student Assistance Program now entering its twenty-fifth year, grew from a pilot to over 44 middle and high schools in Rhode Island. Dinklage provides training and consultation on student assistance programming and best practices in the student assistance field throughout New England. She has extensive experience working with schools, communities and evaluators in replicating evidenced-based alcohol, tobacco and other drug preventions programs.
Dinklage’s fellow awardees include Marcia Coné of the Women’s Fund of RI, Charlene Kneath of Women in Charge, Yvonne Heredia of Neighborhood Health Plan, and Nondas Hurst Voll. Melissa Moore, author of “Shattered Silence” will serve as keynote speaker for the luncheon.
About WCRI
The Women’s Center of Rhode Island (WCRI) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Founded in 1974, WCRI is nationally recognized for promoting a violence-free America. It is the only center in the Providence/East Providence area serving individual women, and mothers and their children who are victims of domestic violence. Since 1995, WCRI has received over 28 prestigious awards and citations for service to the community.
About RISAS
RI Student Assistance Services (RISAS) has been providing school and community-based substance abuse prevention and early intervention services to Rhode Island schools and communities since 1987.
For more information, visit http://www.risas.org/, or on Facebook at RI Employee Assistance Services.
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