Contact: media.gny@redcross.org or 646-627-9328
NEW YORK CITY (November 12, 2024) — Extraordinary women who served our country and our local communities were honored at an annual tribute ceremony at the NYC Women’s Veterans Grove in Central Park on Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
Video of the ceremony is available here.
Photos of the ceremony are available here.
The American Red Cross in Greater New York joined partners, including The Howard Teich Network, Office of Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright, NYC Department of Veterans’ Services, the Columbus Citizens Foundation, and the Eastside WWI Centennial Commemoration for this special event.
This year’s honorees included:
- Judy Audevard — Founder, Hudson Valley Paws for a Cause
- Major Ophélie Bernecker — Deputy Military Advisor, Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York
- Deanne Criswell — Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Ingrid Lewis-Martin — Chief Advisor, Mayor of New York City
- Meridith Maskara — Chief Development Officer, Girl Scouts of America
- Sergeant Major MaryKay Messenger — Vocalist, West Point Band
- Captain Tina Peña — Military Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
The ceremony was hosted by Rear Admiral Zeita Merchant, Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Personnel Service Center. We were joined by an all-female color guard from the U.S. Coast Guard. A benediction was offered by Major Jonathan Bailey, Chaplain for U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton. Deputy Consul General of France in New York, Ms. Myriam Gil, was present during the ceremony.
ABOUT THE OVERSEAS SERVICE LEAGUE FLAGSTAFF AND WOMEN VETERANS MEMORIAL GROVE IN CENTRAL PARK
In 1925, a memorial grove of 24 trees and a flagstaff was conceptualized in Central Park. This grove was a tribute to American women, including nurses with the American Red Cross, who died overseas during World War I. Today, the living memorial of thriving trees recognizes women who served our nation in countless ways, spanning the wall along Fifth Avenue from East 69th Street to East 71st Street.
ABOUT THE HONOREES
- Judy Audevard — Ms. Audevard founded Hudson Valley Paws for a Cause in 2011 after a career as a corporate marketing executive. The organization is supported by 100 volunteers and their pet partners, and the Pet Therapy Teams work with hospital and nursing home senior programs, children reading programs, children and adults with special needs, colleges and universities, mental health facilities, and active-duty soldiers, veterans and their families. All volunteers are members of the American Red Cross and participate in de-stress programs for the United States Military Academy at West Point.
- Major Ophélie Bernecker — Major Bernecker has served as the Deputy Military Advisor to the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York since 2022. She first joined the Army in 2009 as a Human Resources officer and began her career in operational units. She has chaired the Women’s Military Network, which aims at promoting an increase in the number of women in peacekeeping missions within member states and in the United Nations. She has also helped develop specific training courses on gender issues.
- Deanne Criswell — Ms. Criswell has served as the 12th Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is the first woman to be confirmed to serve as the Administrator. She has had an extensive career in public service, spanning 30 years at all levels of government, including as the Commissioner of the New York City Emergency Management Department during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Criswell also served 21 years in the Colorado Air National Guard and is a veteran of two overseas tours in Kuwait in 2001 and Qatar in 2010.
- Chaplain Ingrid Lewis-Martin — Chaplain Lewis-Martin was appointed as chief advisor to Mayor Eric Adams in 2022, a role which works in partnership with the first deputy mayor, chief of staff, and all direct reports to the mayor to support operations at City Hall and advance the administration’s strategic policies and priorities. As a proud daughter of Barbadian and Panamanian heritage, she was born and raised in Brooklyn and has dedicated parts of five decades to public service including time as a public school educator at I.S. 320 Jackie Robinson, an instructor at Medgar Evers College, a staffer in the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate, and Deputy Brooklyn Borough President.
- Meridith Maskara — Ms. Maskara joined the national organization of Girl Scouts of America in 2024 as Chief Development Officer after serving as Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Greater New York. While in New York, she helped launch Troop 6000, a Girl Scout troop that has served more than 5,000 women and girls in 30 shelters across New York City. She is a third generation Girl Scout, has been a troop leader for over 10 years, a Gold Award Girl Scout, and a mother of five Girl Scouts.
- Sergeant Major MaryKay Messenger — Sergeant Major Messenger is the premier vocalist for the West Point Band and first sang with them at the season finale 1812 concert in 1980 at the age of 12. She joined the Army in 1996 and performed at venues throughout the world and was the first American military vocalist to perform with the military band of the People’s Liberation Army in Beijing, China. She also currently serves as a board member for the American Red Cross, Eastern New York region.
- Captain Tina Peña — Captain Peña is currently a military fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, following a career serving in the U.S. Coast Guard. Most recently, she served as the Chief of Staff for the Seventh Coast Guard District, which encompasses an area of 1.8 million square miles and shares operational borders with 34 foreign nations and territories in the southeastern United States and Caribbean basin. She has flown over 3,600 flight hours in the H65 and H60 helicopters, and has received the Meritorious Service Medal, Coast Guard Commendation Medal, Coast Guard Achievement Medal, and the CAPT Dorothy Stratton Leadership award.
