Join us to honor impactful advocacy!

Jean Schrag is a lifelong New Yorker who has always demonstrated a commitment to improving the lives of children. She taught in New York City public schools for eight years and later served as president of the Parent’s Association and a Board of Trustees member at Trinity School. Today, Jean continues her work with CCC as an active Board Member and champion for issues impacting youth.

Jean’s dedication to CCC began in 1997 when she completed the Community Leadership Course. As a CCC Board member, she founded CCC’s YouthAction NYC program to inspire young people to become civically active and advocate for change. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the program, which continues to shape the civic leaders of tomorrow.

In recognition of her decades-long commitment to empowering young people and strengthening civic engagement, CCC is proud to present Jean Schrag with the 2025 Eleanor Roosevelt Award.

Elizabeth T. Peabody is a clinical therapist at Droste Mental Health Services, a practice dedicated to providing accessible and affordable psychotherapy to New Yorkers. She previously spent over 25 years at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the Department of Psychiatry, where she worked to address the psychosocial needs of patients with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She specialized in supporting patients and families with end-of-life care, grief, and cultural sensitivity.

Elizabeth serves on several boards and has been recognized for her contributions to literacy and mental health, including honors from Literacy Partners in 2024 and Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education in 2017.

In recognition of her impactful leadership, CCC is presenting Elizabeth with the 2025 Samuel P. Peabody Award, named for her father, who was a distinguished child advocate and beloved CCC champion.

As Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, Anne Williams-Isom ensured that the City’s healthcare and social services systems operated effectively and with compassion for all New Yorkers. Over three decades of leadership, she also served as an educator at Fordham Graduate School of Social Service, the Chief Executive Officer for the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ), in various leadership roles at the NYC Administration for Children’s Services, and as a practicing attorney. She holds a bachelor’s degree, a law degree, and a doctorate in ministry.

Her accomplishments as Deputy Mayor include increasing support for people experiencing untreated severe mental illness, driving initiatives to reduce Black maternal mortality and morbidity, expanding programming for people experiencing homelessness, and helping lead the largest municipal effort to relieve medical debt in the country. She also played a key role on the senior leadership team at City Hall responding to the myriad of needs of over 215,000 migrants.

In recognition of her tireless commitment to advancing equity and dismantling harmful systemic barriers endured by children and families, CCC is honoring Anne with the 2025 Vanguard Award.

Benedict Amoo is currently an Investment Lead at Baylis Emerging Markets, a private equity firm focused on digital infrastructure. Previously, he spent over five years at Dorilton Capital and seven years at Morgan Stanley, rising to the position of Vice President. Benedict holds a degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the Collegiate School for Boys.

Benedict first connected with CCC as a YouthAction NYC participant in 2006 and now serves as an active member of CCC’s Advocacy Council, continuing to be a champion for child well-being. CCC is proud to recognize Benedict for his enduring dedication to advocacy and his inspiring commitment to CCC’s mission.

Jazmyn Michelle Blackburn is the Senior Manager of the NYC Climate Justice Hub, where she strategically convenes cross sector stakeholders and spearheads research initiatives on topics such as health equity, capital infrastructure, and climate change resiliency. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Princeton University and a master’s degree in Urban Governance from Sciences Po Paris. A former classroom teacher, she remains deeply committed to education and is currently working on her first novel exploring themes of identity and belonging in urban spaces.

A graduate of YouthAction NYC’s 2014 class, Jazmyn continues to exemplify a deep commitment to public service and CCC is recognizing her for her dedication to education, the environment, and community-centered research.

Edward Sanchez is a devoted advocate and civic leader, committed to education equity and youth empowerment. A 2021 graduate of CCC’s YouthAction program, Edward has continued to remain engaged as a peer trainer, mentor, and active member of CCC’s Advocacy Council. He was a founding member of the NYC Youth Agenda steering committee and serves on the Coalition for Equitable Education Funding. Edward is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in political science at Baruch College while continuing to champion meaningful change for young people across New York City.

CCC is proud to recognize Edward for his steadfast commitment to advocacy and his inspiring leadership in amplifying youth perspectives in public policy.