JoAnne Pedro-Carroll, associate professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Rochester, was one of five recipients of this year's Nathaniel Award for those who have "gone above and beyond the call of duty in the name of justice."
Selected by representatives of the Rochester legal community, the award acknowledged Pedro-Carroll's work in helping children deal with the strains of their parents' separation and divorce. As director of program development at the Children's Institute, Pedro-Carroll continues to design preventive programs for families.
Other recipients of the award were: Irving Kessler, partner in the law firm of Underberg & Kessler; James P. Mulley, Jr., special counsel to Monroe County Executive Jack Doyle; U.S. District Court Judge Michael Telesca; and Susanne VanStrydonck, administrative caseworker for Monroe County Child Protective Services.
In the 1980s, Pedro-Carroll developed the Children of Divorce Intervention Program to meet the needs of children of different ages and from different cultural backgrounds. It has served thousands of children in the United States and worldwide. In recent years, the psychologist has teamed up with Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Frazee and family therapists, social workers, judges, lawyers, and mediators to create A.C.T. (Assisting Children through Transition), a preventive program to teach separating parents how to reduce the stress of family changes on children and themselves.
Last year, Pedro-Carroll was honored by the American Psychological Association with its Award for Distinguished Contributions to Public Service, and is a past recipient of other local, state, and national awards.
The Nathaniel Award is sponsored by The Daily Record, the area's legal, real estate and financial newspaper, and named for its founder, Nathaniel B. Raymond. Nominations are solicited from the community in search of those who have made significant contributions to their profession and to the broader community. The awards were presented Oct. 24 at the Hyatt Regency Rochester.