Patricia C.

Remmer Advocacy Award

It is a great honor to nominate Tracy McDade for the Patricia C. Remmer Program Advocate Award. Throughout her 24-year-career in child welfare, she has made great strides for girls throughout the East Coast. Tracys distinguished work began in school-based prevention programs in Virginia. She provided trauma-focused intervention for sexual and physical abuse victims, therapy for chronic self-harm victims and programs focused on body image and eating disorders. She paved the way to a brighter future for hundreds of girls struggling with psychological and physical hardships. She routinely goes above and beyond dedicating her time and talents to social services, specifically for teen girls. She has been the director of program operations at Childrens Home Society, Buckner Division for more than five years, where she is responsible for administrative oversight to more than 25 programs. Many of which focus on young girls and women. She works with teen mothers to help form a bond with their child by healing the pain from prior abuse to break the cycle and form loving relationships. She assists pregnant teens and young women with making an adoption plan and understanding the process, instead of having the state make the decisions for them. Tracy also oversees the Buckner Teen Parent Residential Program that helps pregnant and parenting teens in foster care make the transition from the dependency system to self-sufficient, successful lives. The young mothers learn personal hygiene, workforce and budgeting skills, along with high school or GED assistance. Tracy does whatever it takes to make sure First Coast girls succeed. Her ultimate goal is to help girls become healthy, independent women who contribute and give back to the

community. Tracy has helped hundreds of girls achieve healthy, productive and successful lives because of her unwavering commitment.