Virginia Watahomigie, executive director of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth, was presented with the Marcia Stanton Award on Dec. 16 by the Arizona ACEs Consortium at the 8th annual statewide ACEs summit.

The Arizona ACEs Consortium is a collaboration of more than one hundred individuals, state, county, private organizations and professionals from all walks of life, united by a desire to help Arizona’s children. It promotes a greater understanding of the impacts of toxic stress and trauma, and supports efforts to address and prevent them.

“The Marcia Stanton Award was established in 2018 and pays homage to the original leader of the ACEs movement, Marcia Stanton. It is awarded to an individual who displays a commitment, perseverance and dedication to spread the awareness of Adverse Childhood Experiences and someone that leads action in their community to decrease the prevalence and effect of ACEs on both children and adults,” said Angie Burleson, executive director of the consortium. “This Award honors excellence in leadership, collaboration and the advancement of the PACEs movement in AZ.

The Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth (CCC&Y) strives to prevent substance abuse and other negative outcomes in adulthood by understanding the effects of childhood traumatic experience and mobilizing community action. Research shows that Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, contribute to the likelihood of addiction. Sadly, however, Arizona ranks higher than the national average for children who have experienced ACEs. These can include childhood traumas such as abuse and neglect. In fact, according to the Arizona ACE Consortium, “It is estimated that nearly 70,000 children in Arizona have more than five ACEs.”

On behalf of the Board of Directors, please welcome Virginia Watahomigie as the new Executive Director of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth.

Virginia earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology (minor in Family Studies) from Northern Arizona University and is completing work on a Master’s degree in Administration from the university.

She was with Arizona’s Children Association for 12 years, most recently she served as a program director in Southern Arizona, responsible for the agency’s Foster Care, Therapeutic Foster Care and ICPC (interstate compact) programs for five counties. The agency is the oldest and largest Child Welfare/Behavior Health organization in the state of Arizona, with services in every county.