Thank you and congratulations, Michelle Zabel—recipient of the 2022 Paula Hamburger Child Advocacy Award!

Congratulations to you!!!

Hola MZ,

So happy to hear of this recognition for all that you do to create the opportunities to do good things for children and families with smart passionate professionals! I am so pleased to add my congratulations to those of my colleagues and wish you the best in your future endeavors!

Christopher

Congrats, Michelle! Very well-deserved.

Michelle- I was so delighted and just flooded with positive emotion when I saw that you have received this much deserved recognition! I flashed back to all the incredible work we have done together in the past and I just want to say that I am deeply grateful that we are working together once again these days to improve the lives of youth and families in Maryland. Keep up the great work... You really are a champion!

Congratulations Michelle!

Congratulations Michelle! So well deserved. Grateful for your vision and leadership.

Congratulations Michelle!

A well deserved honor - I am so grateful for the work you do for children and families.

Huge congratulations, Michelle! It has always been such an honor to work with you and the UMD SSW team! You all have done so much for children and the field of children's mental health. This is so well-deserved!! Cheering for you from afar!!! -- Brittany V

Congratulations Michele, keep up the good work. Thank you for teaching us how to advocate for our children with mental health disorder across the State. Stay encouraged and have a good day.

FREDLA, along with family organizations across the nation, join in celebrating your achievements! We are proud to be your partners in this work and deeply appreciate the passion and commitment you have dedicated to making change happen by advancing possibilities.

Congratulations, Michelle on a very much deserved award!!

Your work represents tireless dedication to service.

It's a pleasure to know you.

Yours sincerely,

Denise Wheatley-Rowe

Congratulations Michelle. This is an extremely well-deserved honor. Keep up your great work.

Congratulations Michelle! This is well-deserved - thank you for all that you do!!!

Congratulations Michelle! Your work is impactful and inspiring!

Congratulations for all you do and have done to advance the work for children, youth and families with behavioral health conditions in Maryland and throughout the country. Your advocacy has made a huge difference!

Congratulations! A most well deserved honor!

Mazel tov Michelle!

Congrats and well deserved - no better advocate for families! I can always count on your leadership and support to include, first and foremost, the impact on children, young adults, and their parents. Your wisdom and common sense approach not only speaks to those impacted but also to state/system partners.

“Because that’s what heroes do!” – Thor

Thanks for all you do and being a super hero for us all!

Kim

Congrats, Michelle! Totally well-deserved!

Congratulations!

Well done, Michelle. Thanks for all you do for children and families.

Congratulations! Very well deserved.

Congratulations on this recognition! Thank you for your unrelenting determination - both what has been and will be accomplished.

Maria Rodowski-Stanco MD

Much congrats, Michelle!!!

--LisaBerlin

Congrats! This is awesome, thank you for your hard work on behalf of Maryland's children, youth and families!

Congratulations Michelle for your well-deserved award and tireless work in uplifting the importance of behavioral health for children and families!

Congrats, Michelle. So proud of the work that you are doing and honored to be your colleague! Kudos, Jodi Frey

Congratulations Michelle!!! What a wonderful way to recognize the incredible contributions you've made for children, youth and their families. I've enjoyed partnering with you and learning from you. Here's to your continued success because there's more to do!! Cheers, Maria Rodriguez

Congratulations Michelle on this extraordinary recognition! Thank you for all you do to support children, youth, and their families on this important and significant work! I wish you much continued success. Sincerely, Shannon Walsh

Congratulations Michelle! This is so deserved, you've done so much for the children and young adults here in Maryland and across the country!

Proud to work for you, Michelle!

Congratulations! This award is so deserved. You are a tireless advocate for children, youth, young adults, and families. Thank you for your leadership in Baltimore, in Maryland, and across the country. It's an honor to be part of your team.

Kudos, Michelle, well deserved!

This is a well deserved honor. I am so proud to work for The Institute under your leadership where the mission and vision of our work for children, youth, and families is unwavering.

Best,

MWG

Michelle

Rosalynn Carter said, "A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be."

Congratulations on receiving this much-deserved award. It's been a true gift to watch you work to take our field closer to "where it ought to be" in so many ways.

-Eric

Congratulations, Michelle! This award is so well deserved - thank you for all you do to improve the lives of children, youth, and families!

Way to go, Michelle! Great recognition for a huge, innovative effort you have made for many years! More accomplishments and awards, ahead, no doubt--can't wait to see!

You have changed many lives for the better--including mine!

Best always, Rick

Congratulations! Well deserved!

Congratulations Michelle, Always great to work with you.

This award is so well deserved and is a perfect way to honor a person who has dedicated her career to partnering with families and transforming systems. You are an incredible boss, mentor, and leader who has shown me the importance of pushing back against the status quo and always remembering that this work is about young people and their families. We are coming up to 21 years of working together and there is no one I would rather have at my side and at the helm. I look forward to more to come!

Congratulations! Maryland is fortunate to have your expertise right at our fingertips. Your special commitment to family and youth voice and choice has made you one of the greatest allies of the family and youth movements. Many thanks.

Michelle,

Congratulations!! You are a very special person. Thank you for all that you do :-)

Jean

Congratulations! It is not often that I have difficulty finding words to express my thoughts - but this is one of them (and why it has taken me a bit to join this celebration board). I see first hand how tirelessly you work on behalf of children and families in Baltimore City, in Maryland, and across the nation. I knew Maryland was fortunate to find you to launch, nurture, and grow The Institute when I first met you 17 years ago (and you were - or at least I am sure you felt like you were - 10 months pregnant with Xandr, who now towers over you). Thank you for always partnering with youth, young adults, and families to improve child- and family- serving systems, service delivery, outcomes, and overall well-being, making their vision your own, and taking us all with you as you lead that charge. While we have more to accomplish, I truly appreciate the opportunity to look back on the past 17 years, celebrate how far we have come, and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Congrats Michelle! Great honor to a dynamic leader and advocate for children & families!

Jen Lowther

Congratulations to a wonderful mentor & boss!

Michelle- Congratulations! This award has truly been earned through your tireless efforts. You are equal parts champion, advocate, fighter, visionary, and idealist. You inspire me and I am grateful to count you as a friend and mentor.