Ellen Cowell Leadership Award
The Missouri Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (MO-AFCC)
Each year at the MO-AFCC Spring conference the Ellen Cowell Leadership Award is bestowed upon a Missouri judicial officer, attorney, or mental health professional working with families experiencing child custody disputes.
Award recipients are outstanding professionals who demonstrate the following characteristics:
Award recipients are outstanding professionals who demonstrate the following characteristics:
- Leadership - Motivates and inspires others to accomplish a specific goal or objective. This involves an element of risk in order to benefit others.
- Initiative - Demonstrates the ability to take charge by creating or developing a program, project, or activity that impacts the community. Has a personal commitment to see the project through to its resolution with determined effort.
- Creativity - Develops or proposes creative ways to accomplish the goals and objectives of the project.
- Dedication - Is recognized by others for being dedicated to achieving the desired results. Accomplishes much within the community by his or her pursuit, courage, enthusiasm, and zeal.
Nomination Process
Any Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) member may nominate someone for the Ellen Cowell Leadership Award by submitting a letter via email to the MO-AFCC. Current MO-AFCC board members are not eligible to receive this award.
Nomination letters must be received via email by the MO-AFCC by February 28th and should include the following:
Nomination letters must be received by February 28th to be considered for that year's award. The recipient of the award will receive a complementary registration to the MO-AFCC Spring conference and a one year AFCC membership. The award recipient must be present at the Spring conference in order to receive this award.
Nomination letters must be received via email by the MO-AFCC by February 28th and should include the following:
- The name of the nominated individual.
- A description of how the nominated individual meets the stated criteria for the Ellen Cowell Leadership Award.
- The names and contact information of two additional references who can attest to the nominee's credentials.
Nomination letters must be received by February 28th to be considered for that year's award. The recipient of the award will receive a complementary registration to the MO-AFCC Spring conference and a one year AFCC membership. The award recipient must be present at the Spring conference in order to receive this award.
About Ellen Kay Cowell
Ellen Kaye Cowell, a highly skilled mediator with the Family Court of St. Louis County for fifteen years, was a driving force to establish a Missouri chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (MO-AFCC).
She envisioned that MO-AFCC would bring cutting-edge interdisciplinary educational programs to our state and generate ideas among professionals working with family court issues that would benefit high-conflict families in the Missouri Courts' system. In 2000, as a member of the Chapter Organizing Committee, she had the idea to start a series of quarterly brown-bag seminars called "Lunch and Learns" that have become an ongoing continuing-education program in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas. Ellen also helped persuade AFCC to hold its Fall Regional Conference in St. Louis in 2003. Later, as the first president of the newly chartered chapter, she oversaw the establishment of an annual spring conference that was a collaboration between MO-AFCC and MARCH Mediation.
Ellen's work with MO-AFCC was cut short in 2007 when she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, and her untimely death came three years later, at the age of 42. In recognition of her dedication, initiative, and vision, MO-AFCC established the Ellen Cowell Leadership Award, to be given each year during the annual spring conference.
She envisioned that MO-AFCC would bring cutting-edge interdisciplinary educational programs to our state and generate ideas among professionals working with family court issues that would benefit high-conflict families in the Missouri Courts' system. In 2000, as a member of the Chapter Organizing Committee, she had the idea to start a series of quarterly brown-bag seminars called "Lunch and Learns" that have become an ongoing continuing-education program in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas. Ellen also helped persuade AFCC to hold its Fall Regional Conference in St. Louis in 2003. Later, as the first president of the newly chartered chapter, she oversaw the establishment of an annual spring conference that was a collaboration between MO-AFCC and MARCH Mediation.
Ellen's work with MO-AFCC was cut short in 2007 when she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, and her untimely death came three years later, at the age of 42. In recognition of her dedication, initiative, and vision, MO-AFCC established the Ellen Cowell Leadership Award, to be given each year during the annual spring conference.
Past Award Recipients
Recipients of the Ellen Cowell Leadership Award include the following:
- 2025 - Lynne Harris
- 2024 - Simone Haberstock
- 2023 - Commissioner Susan S. Jensen
- 2022 - Ronnie Beach
- 2021- Jill Katz
- 2020 - Tom Weber
- 2019 - Commissioner Sherrill P. Roberts
- 2018 - Honorable Douglas Beach
- 2017 - Larry V. Swall
- 2016 - J. J. Greenwood
- 2015- Andrea Clark
- 2014 - Kathleen Bird
- 2012 - Robert J. Hellrung
- 2011 - Honorable Michael Burton
Ellen Cowell Awardees (Left to Right): Jill Katz (2021), Lynne Harris (2025), Simone Haberstock (2024)