The Van Rensselaer Award
Honoring Colonial Dames for distinguished service
Named in honor of one of The Colonial Dames of America’s visionary founders, Maria Denning “May” King Van Rensselaer (Mrs. John King Van Rensselaer), the Van Rensselaer Award for Distinguished Service (VRA) recognizes members who embody the ideals and spirit upon which the Society was founded.
The VRA is bestowed upon Dames who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and leadership in service to their chapter, local community, and/or the Society as a whole. It honors those whose volunteerism, initiative, and commitment have strengthened the organization and advanced its mission.
Each fiscal year, as many as one member per chapter is eligible for this honor. The VRA may be conferred posthumously in recognition of a member’s enduring legacy of service. Nominations are submitted by chapters to the CDA Board of Managers through the VRA Liaison for consideration.
Recipients of the Van Rensselaer Award are formally recognized during the CDA Annual Meeting weekend each spring. Each VRA recipient is presented with a certificate and a special VRA pin which may be worn on CDA insignia.
For details on the nomination process and submission materials, please visit the Guides and Forms section of the Member Library.
Van Rensselaer Award Winners
2025
Parent Chapter: Anna Green Rich
Chapter II – Philadelphia, PA: Colleen Holt McCauley
Chapter III – Washington, D.C: Linda Healy Aguirre
Chapter XXII – Michigan: Jeanette Hill Keatts
Chapter XXXVIII – Santa Barbara: Debbie N. Z. Kendrick
2024
Parent Chapter: Rebecca Howard Madsen
Chapter XXVIII – Melbourne, FL: Laura Tonkin Allen
Chapter XXXI – South Carolina: Laurie Ann Cornwell Aldinger
Chapter XXXVII – New Orleans: Ann Cheney
Chapter XXXVIII – Santa Barbara: Sharon Bird Bacon
2023
Parent Chapter: Sandra Sellers Pearl
Parent Chapter: Melinda H. Waterhouse
Chapter III – Washington, D.C.: Jane Crane McSwain
Chapter VIII – Houston: Joella Mitchell Morris [posthumous]
Chapter IX – Lexington: Sharon Mayne Withers
Chapter XXII – Michigan: Barbara Halsted Balow
Chapter XXIV – Atlanta: Charlotte J. Christian
Chapter XXIX – North Carolina: Dianne Alley Robinson
Chapter XXXVIII – Santa Barbara: Joy Gillum Chamberlain
Chapter XXXIX – Birmingham: Laura Dean Ramsay
2022
Parent Chapter: Lauren Rose
Chapter V – San Francisco: Rebecca Shier Viebrock
Chapter XIV – Chicago: Mary Vandemore Gustafson
Chapter XX –Los Angeles: Sharyn Dianne Kelley Worrell
Chapter XXII – Michigan: Audrey June Lambert
Chapter XXIX – North Carolina: Pamela Jane Henry Pate
Chapter XXXVIII – Santa Barbara: Katherine Cowell Collins
2021
Parent Chapter: Catherine Coleman Brawer
Chapter II – Philadelphia: Jane Mitchell Eppley
Chapter III – Washington, DC: Catherine Nelson Ball
Chapter V – San Francisco: Elaine Dorothea Oldham
Chapter VIII – Houston: Iris Louise Collins Eaton
Chapter XIV – Chicago: Sharon Hare
Chapter XV – Jackson, Mississippi: Ann Atkinson Simmons
Chapter XXII – Michigan: Rosemary Vandeveer Baldwin
Chapter XXIV – Atlanta: Helen Henry Rogge
Chapter XXIX – North Carolina: Marie Young Thiele
Chapter XXXIII – Georgia Piedmont: Dorothy “Dotty” Elizabeth Harris Zazworsky
Chapter XXXVIII – Santa Barbara: Ruth Arlene Yockey Loper
Special Awardees in Honor of CDA 130th Anniversary
Barbara Cecelia Shea Bispham – Past President General, Parent Chapter
Annette Louise Longnon Geddes – Past President General, Parent Chapter
Courtney Garland Iglehart – Past President General, Parent Chapter
Nancy Ruth Shackelford Jones – Past President General, Parent Chapter
Brantley Bolling Knowles – Past President General, Chapter XVII – Palm Beach
2020
Parent Chapter: Kathy Springhorn
Parent Chapter: Audrey Svensson
Chapter III – Washington, DC: Robin Dougherty
Chapter VIII – Houston, TX: Evelyn Aucoin
Chapter XIV – Chicago, IL: Luanne Bruckner
Chapter XIX – Florida Everglades: Maureen McGowan-Singer
Chapter XX – Los Angeles, CA: Dorothy Peterson
Chapter XXII – Michigan: Cathy Pouls
Chapter XXIV – Atlanta, GA: Judith Hughes
Chapter XXV – Phoenix, AZ: Betty Barber-Hughes
Chapter XXIX – North Carolina: Elizabeth Sparrow
Chapter XXXVIII – Santa Barbara, CA: Marie-Louise Nolan Hattier
Chapter XXXIX – Birmingham, AL: Connie Grund
2019
Parent Chapter: Caroline McLain
Chapter II – Philadelphia, PA: Eleanor Penniman (Mrs. Hill Dawson)
Chapter III – Washington, D.C: Laura Belman (Mrs. Murray Joel)
Chapter VIII – Houston, TX: Margaret Bryant Ivancevich
Chapter XXII – Michigan: Carolyn Levin (Mrs. Carolyn E. B.)
Chapter XXV – Phoenix, AZ: Susan Krecker (Mrs. Richard P.)
Chapter XXX – Venice, FL: Carole Cornell (Mrs. Duane F.)
Chapter XXXVIII – Santa Barbara, CA: Kathi Chulick (Mrs. John J.)
Chapter XXXIX – Birmingham, AL: Ann Robinson King
2018
Parent Chapter: Beverley Tucker Wahl Sherrid (Mrs. Mark V.)
Chapter XX – Los Angeles: Elizabeth Budd Breihaupt (Mrs. Richard H.)
Chapter XXIV – Atlanta: Marion Owens Sims Bunker (Mrs. Robert M.) [posthumous]
Chapter XXXVIII – Santa Barbara: Judith Lyman Cardinal
2017
Chapter III – Washington, D.C.: Barbara Hensley Carpenter (Mrs. William A.)
Chapter XXIV – Atlanta, Georgia: Martha Ellen Holman Wright (Mrs. George D.)
2016
Parent Chapter: Helen Carney Evans (Mrs. Robert Clements)
Chapter III – Washington, D.C.: Priscilla Thompson Roberts (Mrs. James Milnor)
Chapter III – Washington, D.C.: Kay Pugh Titus (Mrs. Donald C.)
Chapter VIII – Houston: Judith-Ann Saks Rosenthal (Mrs. Haskell)
Chapter X – Rome: Sharri Whiting De Masi
Chapter XXXI – South Carolina: Dyane Dye Kellogg (Mrs. Frederick F.)
Chapter XXVI – Texas Hill Country: Betty Chisolm Hutzler (Mrs. Robert L.)
2015
Parent Chapter: Sharon W. Vaino (Mrs. Jaan)
Chapter VIII – Houston: Sarah Beth Leney (Mrs. Franklin J.)
Chapter XXIII – Virginia: Charlotte Taylor Miller (Mrs. Andrew J.)
Chapter XXIV – Atlanta, Georgia: Rose Elyea Bell (Mrs. John Inman Jr)
Chapter XXXI – South Carolina: Theresa Hulsey Johnson (Mrs. Richard K.)
Chapter XXXIII – Georgia Piedmont: Robin Redfearn Towns (Mrs. Robert F.)