Nominees Sought for 2026 “Seeds of Change’’ Award

Published on January 05, 2026

Jan. 15 Deadline to Nominate Women Who Inspired Other Women

The Morris County Advisory Committee on Women is now accepting nominations for its seventh annual "Seeds of Change” Volunteer Award, which will be presented in March 2026 to a woman who has demonstrated a commitment to community service and served as a leader and inspiration to other women in Morris County.

Nominations must be submitted online by Jan. 15, 2026, using the nomination form.

The “Seeds of Change” Volunteer Award was inspired by the late State Sen. Leanna Brown, who died in 2016. The honor recognizes and celebrates women who uplift and empower other women, including those who volunteer at the grassroot level within their communities.

Ms. Brown served on the Chatham Borough Council from 1969 to 1972 and was the first woman elected to the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders, now known as the Board of County Commissioners. She became board director in 1976 and was named president of the New Jersey Association of Counties in 1978.

In 1983, Ms. Brown became the first Republican woman elected to the New Jersey Senate. A strong advocate for women’s causes, she mentored many women seeking to enter public service and played a key role in the establishment of the Morris County Advisory Committee on Women.

The award was first presented in April 2018 and has been bestowed every year except 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previous recipients of the “Seeds of Change” Volunteer Award are:

2018 - Lila Bernstein of Mendham Township
2019 - Phyllis Chanda of Flanders
2022 - Mary Ledyard of Rockaway Borough
2023 - Alice Cutler of Morristown
2024 – Debby Seme of Martinsville
2025 – Ginger Vukas of Randolph Township

While not required, preference may be given to nominees whose volunteer efforts align with current areas of focus for the Advisory Committee on Women. These include housing and homelessness, human trafficking, incarcerated women, women in the military, female veterans, and other issues impacting women.

For additional information, contact Anna Marie Hess at ahess@co.morris.nj.us by Jan. 12, 2026. The award recipient will be notified after the nomination deadline and invited to attend the Seeds of Change Award ceremony during a March 2026 public meeting of the Morris County Board of County Commissioners.

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