2022 Government and Public Service Award Honoree

Congratulations Alison!

Thank You for Living Out YWCA Spokane’s Mission

Alison Gregoire is the first woman to serve as criminal chief for the Eastern District of Washington United States Attorney’s Office. Alison was selected for this role because of her exemplary track record of serving at-risk populations, especially victims of crime in Indian Country. Alison has handled extremely difficult cases and worked closely with victims of crime – including Native American women and women from diverse backgrounds – to empower women to tell their stories and seek justice against the individuals who perpetrated violence against them. 

Alison is also a Major in the United States Army Reserves, where she has served since leaving active duty in 2011. In her role as a leader in the U.S. Army, Alison has served as a senior defense counsel and supervised trial defense for soldiers pending separation from the armed forces. She has also served as a professor of criminal law where she has trained judge advocates in trial advocacy techniques. Alison’s superb trial skills and close connections with victims makes her an incredible advocate within the U.S. Army and within the U.S. Attorney’s Office where she works for justice and equal treatment of all individuals under the law. 

Alison has served as the Indian Country coordinator and Project Safe Childhood coordinator for the Eastern District of Washington. In these roles, she has coordinated Indian Country cases and training for the district and prosecuted a wide variety of offenses focusing primarily on crimes against children and violent crimes. Due to her tireless efforts and skilled advocacy, she received the Department of Justice Director’s Award for Superior Performance in Indian Country in 2018. Alison has developed close relationships with tribal leadership and law enforcement in each of the four federally recognized tribes in eastern Washington, and especially on the large physical boundaries of the Yakima Nation and on the Colville Reservation, who trust her to take on the hard cases combatting violence that are exclusively within federal jurisdiction. 

Within the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Alison is the first person attorneys seek out with questions and to receive her suggestions and advice. She has one of the largest case loads of any assistant United States attorney because of her deep commitment to protecting children who have been victims of crime and to deter those who would harm vulnerable youth. On a personal level, she has been a trailblazer by demonstrating that a woman and mother can successfully serve in a variety of leadership roles in the office while treating everyone with respect and care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff under her leadership received regular check-in calls from her, inquiring not only about their work needs, but also about their personal well-being. 

Alison is a woman of incredible integrity and honor. She serves her country with great humility and pride and every choice she makes is to further the mission of the office and country. Since graduating from Gonzaga University and Notre Dame Law School, Alison has served her country in the military and as a prosecutor for the United States for the last two decades. She focuses her work on cases that others might shy away from – such as with victims with complex histories – and she stands behind her decisions and her teammates even when the going gets tough. She has the best attributes of a leader – she will always have the back of her colleagues and protect her team. She builds trust through her commitment to excellence and the sincere investment that she provides to the attorneys that she trains and develops. 

Her enthusiasm for her work and strong commitment to ensure that justice is being served is inspiring. Alison possesses the rare combination of a skilled litigator who can strategically manage a complex trial with the compassion of a victim’s advocate who inspires trust and can bring her legal abilities to truly empower victims of crimes to seek justice within a system that often feels unfamiliar or uncomfortable. Alison is a true servant leader who has greatly enhanced the eastern Washington community through her leadership and advocacy. At YWCA Spokane, we are truly honored to celebrate the work and accomplishments of Alison Gregoire, 2022 Women of Achievement award honoree for Government and Public Service.

Dawn Wolski | Nancy Mahoney | Hanncel Sanchez | Fawn Schott | Lee Williams | Alison Gregoire | Oladunni Olywoye | Sarah Dixit

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Join Us In Honoring These Outstanding Women At The Awards Celebration And Benefit For YWCA Spokane On March 24, 2022

Over the last 40 years this awards luncheon has evolved into YWCA Spokane’s largest fundraising event. Sponsored by more than 50 companies and organizations each year, it has become one of the area’s most prestigious award recognition events for women. Friends and supporters who believe in YWCA Spokane’s mission come together to invest in the safety, hope, and healing  of those served by YWCA’s critical programs through their support of this spectacular celebration of women.

All proceeds raised support YWCA Spokane’s critical services for domestic violence victims and their children, including emergency shelter, counseling, legal services, job readiness, child care, and Pre-K programs for low income children. Learn more about the impact of YWCA Spokane.

Registration Is Now Closed

Please contact Jennifer Evans at jennifere@ywcaspokane.org with any questions or concerns.

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Admiral Howard Embodies Honor, Courage and Commitment

Born when female participation in the military was legally capped and women were not allowed to become generals or admirals or to attend service academies, Admiral Howard shattered every glass ceiling. She was the first women to command a U.S. Naval Ship, achieve the rank of four-star admiral and the first woman to be appointed to the position of vice chief of naval operations (the second highest rank in the Navy). She was also the first African-American woman to reach the rank of three-star and four-star in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and the first African-American woman to command a ship in the Navy. We are honored to welcome Admiral Michelle Howard (Retired) as our 2022 Keynote Speaker.

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Give in Honor of A Women of Achievement Award Honorees

Consider making a donation in honor of an outstanding woman acknowledged through this inspiring celebration. As our most critical fundraiser of the year, support received through the Women of Achievement awards celebration helps us serve approximately 16,500 clients through programs and services impacting the lives of those affected by domestic violence, homelessness, and unemployment. Your support allows our reach to go further and our mission to be realized. Simply put, we cannot do this work without you!

GIVE TODAY

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Your Health and Safety Remains our Priority

While we look forward to Women of Achievement’s in-person event, the health and safety of our guests and staff remains our top priority. With the evolving nature of the COVID-19 situation, a lot is changing quickly. We are looking at the published guidance from federal, state and local health authorities and government and making decisions to accommodate all of our guests and promote a safe gathering. We continue to assess health and safety policies for the event in light of changing state/local and venue requirements. Beginning March 12th, there will no longer be a statewide mask mandate, nor vaccination requirements for large events. While masks are recommended, they will not be required. Please contact Jennifer Evans at jennifere@ywcaspokane.org for additional information regarding our COVID-19 plan.

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This awards celebration would not be possible without the incredible support of our sponsors.

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities contact Briana Berner, YWCA Spokane Donor Engagement Coordinator, at brianab@ywcaspokane.org or call 509-953-5992.

Signature sponsor

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Keynote Sponsor

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Honoree Sponsor

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Survivor Sponsor

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Video Production Sponsor

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Women’s History Month Sponsor

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PhotoBooth Sponsor

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Staff Sponsor

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Champion Sponsors

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Trailblazer Sponsors

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Pioneer Sponsors

 

 

 

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Corporate Sponsors

Rosauers

Northwest Renewables

US Bank

Spokane Public Schools

Traci Bemis Real Estate – Homes for Change

Volunteers of America

Washington State University

Davenport Hotels

Wendle Ford Nissan

Columbia Bank