2022 Shining Star Gala

Michele Goodwin

2022 Leadership Awardee

Michele Bratcher Goodwin is an acclaimed bioethicist, constitutional law scholar, and prolific author. Author/editor of six books, her award-winning work, Policing The Womb: Invisible Women and the Criminalization of Motherhood, explores how states abuse laws and infringe on rights to police women and their pregnancies. Dr. Goodwin is a Chancellor’s Professor at the University of California, Irvine and founding director of the Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy.

Dr. Goodwin directed the first ABA-accredited health law program in the nation and established the first law center focused on race and bioethics. She is a 2022 Margaret Brent Award Honoree of the American Bar Association, an award named for the first woman lawyer in the United States. Her constitutional law scholarship appears in the Harvard Law Review, Yale Law Journal, Chicago Law Review, Cornell Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, California Law Review, Michigan Law Review, New York Law Review, and Northwestern Law Review among others. She is an Executive Committee member of the ACLU and American Constitution Society.

A sought-after public commentator, Dr. Goodwin is the Executive Producer of Ms. Studios, and host of the popular podcast: On The Issues With Michele Goodwin. You may find Dr. Goodwin’s work in print, radio, and television news, including at Politico, Salon.com, Forbes, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, Chicago Sun-Times, Vox, Mother Jones; ABC News; NBC News; NPR, HBO’s Vice News, and Ms. Magazine among others. 

The Gymnast Sexual Assault Survivors, Accepted by Rachenda Rockwell

2022 Visionary Awardee

Rachenda Rockwell was a USA Gymnastics TOPS national team member who, as a child, competed as an elite gymnast dreaming of becoming an Olympian. Rachenda’s dreams were cut short by Larry Nassar who sexually abused her under the guise of medical treatment, which resulted in Rachenda quitting gymnastics at age 13. Rachenda is among the hundreds of gymnast survivors who filed claims against Michigan State, USA Gymnastics, and the US Olympic Committee for their malfeasance regarding Nassar and his serial abuse of children.

Katharine Foote

2022 Shining Star Awardee

Katharine Foote, an associate at Mintz, began volunteering as a pro bono attorney with VRLC in 2019. She is a zealous advocate for survivors who are minors and for the protection of survivors’ housing rights.

Sullivan & Worcester

2022 Champion Awardee

Sullivan & Worcester has been an active pro bono partner of VRLC’s for the past six years. Their attorneys have partnered with VRLC to represent dozens of sexual assault survivors including minors and complex cases. Throughout the pandemic when many survivors were in need of emergency assistance, pro bono attorneys at Sullivan & Worcester consistently stepped up to champion survivors.