pioneer of freedom

Ms. Kimberly Rafalski - 2006 Recipient, Pioneer of Freedom 

Kimberly is an original employee of HRI.  She has devotedly implemented and maintained the HRI Volunteer Attorney Program that is recognized as a leader in excellence in the legal industry.    She has demonstrated personal commitment to the mission of HRI and to ensuring that every HRI client reaps the benefits of the superior and professional services of our agency.  Her pioneering spirit also demonstrates itself in her strong sense of ownership and finding better ways to do almost every task within HRI.  Kim certainly falls into the definition of pioneer and has found countless innovative ways to help people who have been victims of human rights abuses.

With Mr. Valcik's joined HRI as a volunteer in 2005 and later became an employee.  During his volunteer tenure, his first task was to evaluate and train the revenue development department on new fundraising/donor software.  Later, he went on to research and negotiate the purchase of, and implementation of new legal case management software.  This case management software was critical to the agency due to the ever-increasing client base, which required a more streamline process to handle this increased caseload.  This single effort brought HRI to the leading edge of case software management that would rival any law firm in the United States.  Jayson was also involved in the recruitment processes for the legal and interns for HRI, where he managed the bilingual volunteer translation department.  This is a very important part of case preparation and evidence gathering for submission to the U.S. Government.  He also designed and implemented the HRI Summer Intern Program into the case management software, and oversaw this transition while managing the program first hand.  In addition, beyond all his personal and professional contribution, Jayson has worked tirelessly to provide HRI with so many improvement aspects of its infrastructure.  All of these contributions are services HRI simply would not have been able to afford. We are very thankful for how Jayson has positively changed HRI forever. 

n 1: someone who helps to open up a new line of research or technology or art [syn: innovator, trailblazer, groundbreaker] 2: one the first colonists or settler in a new territory; "they went west as pioneers with only the possessions they could carry with them" v 1: open up an area or prepare a way; "She pioneered a graduate program for women students" [syn: open up] 2: take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of; "This South African surgeon pioneered heart transplants" [syn: initiate] 3: open up and explore a new area; "pioneer space"