Deborah Steeves receives 2020 Maryjane B. Kelley Award
Deborah Steeves, LASP Staff Attorney
(Nov. 12, 2020) WEST CHESTER - Staff Attorney Deborah Steeves received LASP's Maryjane B. Kelley Award at the virtual staff retreat on Nov. 12. Shawn Boehringer, Executive Director, presented the award via Zoom.
Deb joined LASP in Jan. 2001 as Staff Attorney in Bristol, later moving to the Chester County Office in West Chester. She was honored for her compassion and empathy for clients; community outreach efforts; her work in public benefits, social security, SSI, unemployment compensation and more; and for launching a veterans clinic in spring 2003 with the Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center, held monthly in person and, during COVID-19, virtually.
One staff nomination noted, "She helps clients break free of the cycle of poverty."
The award is named for Maryjane Kelley, who was a longtime LASP attorney who passed away in 2018. Maryjane worked in LASP’s Doylestown Office from 2002-2018, serving as Managing Attorney. Respected by the bar, the judiciary, and by the staff she supervised and mentored, Maryjane compiled a distinguished record of community and public interest service during her 16 years at LASP, and long before her LASP tenure, as a Commander in the Navy JAG Corps.
The Maryjane B. Kelley Award is presented to a longtime LASP staff member who:
Demonstrates empathy and compassion for clients;
Embodies the highest standards of ethics and professionalism in his or her work;
Has distinguished him or herself through effective advocacy on behalf of clients;
Has served as a role model and mentor in the professional development of staff; and
Has consistently embraced, supported, and furthered the mission of LASP.