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Two NRLC Leaders Declared Winners of
Gerard Health Foundation Life Prizes Awards recognize NRLC's leadership on national and international levels WASHINGTON -- The Gerard Health Foundation today announced that two longtime leaders of National Right to Life -- Vice President for International Affairs and United Nations Representative Jeanne E. Head, R.N., and Federal Legislative Director Douglas Johnson -- are among the six recipients of the Foundation's 2009-2010 Life Prizes, granted to "individuals or organizations that have achieved significant progress in promoting the sanctity of human life and are working to protect and preserve it." "Douglas Johnson and Jeanne Head have been tireless advocates for life for more than three decades," said National Right to Life President Wanda Franz, Ph.D. "We are thrilled that their unsung efforts to protect life across the country and around the world have been recognized by these awards." Douglas Johnson has served National Right to Life as federal legislative director since 1981. Johnson was a key force behind the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, among other landmark achievements. In a 2001 profile, National Review magazine called Johnson "the most effective lobbyist in Washington." In a press release today announcing the awards, the Gerard Health Foundation referred to Mr. Johnson as "the indispensable man" in pro-life efforts at the congressional level, adding, "His keen strategy and consummate research have served the pro-life movement from behind the scenes for three decades." From her Manhattan office in the shadow of the United Nations complex, Jeanne E. Head, R.N., has worked as a volunteer for decades in the so far successful efforts to prevent the establishment of abortion as a fundamental human right worldwide. A constant presence in the halls of the UN, where National Right to Life is an accredited non-governmental organization, armed with just compassion and the truth, Head has educated and influenced ambassadors, ministers, and diplomats to do the right thing: to embrace life. She has travelled the world working to keep abortion-promoting language out of UN documents, declarations and treaties. She played a key role in the passage in 2005 of the historic UN Declaration calling on member states to ban all forms of human cloning. An obstetrics nurse with over forty years of experience, Head has represented the New York State Right to Life Committee on the National Right to Life board for 30 years. She also serves on the organization's executive committee. "Much of our movement's success to protect innocent human life comes from the efforts of Douglas Johnson and Jeanne Head," Dr. Franz said. "They have devoted their lives to faithfully and tirelessly represent our movement, and it is wonderful that their efforts are being recognized." The Life Prizes award, conferred by the Massachusetts-based Gerard Health Foundation, is formally named the "Norinne A. and Raymond E. Ruddy Memorial Pro-Life Prize," to memorialize Mr. and Mrs. Raymond E. Ruddy, strong believers in the pro-life cause and parents of Foundation President Raymond B. Ruddy, a pro-life philanthropist who has long supported and donated to life causes and charities throughout the world. There is a $100,000 cash award associated with each Life Prize. The winners were chosen by a Selection Advisory Committee from among 90 nominations submitted to the Foundation. Besides Ms. Head and Mr. Johnson, additional recipients for 2009-2010 are the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network; Marie Smith, director of the Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues; Kristan Hawkins, executive director of Students for Life of America; and the Reverend Alveda King. |