CASES is excited to announce winners of the Court Services PURPOSE Awards! PURPOSE stands for People, Unity, Respect, Progress, Optimize, Solutions, and Empathy—qualities that we strongly value in our staff at CASES. The below awardees have demonstrated one or several of these qualities, and we are incredibly proud to highlight their work in Court Services.
Subomi Adeyemi, Night Associate Team Leader
By deepening her team’s record-making skills and efficiently utilizing existing resources, Subomi models the quality Optimize. Further, her quiet competence makes people feel welcome and able to show up to work as their full selves.
Jeancarlo (JC) Amorini, Court Representative
JC demonstrated People and Empathy through his support of a participant with complex needs. He strongly advocated for her to the presiding judge, emphasizing her attendance and his history working with her. His eagerness to continue supporting this participant was highly appreciated and respected by his team.
Tamanna Arora, Night Court Representative
Tamanna models Empathy and Respect, specifically through her work with a nonverbal participant. She came up with alternate forms to communicate with them, trying her hand at ways to confront a new situation. As in this instance, Tamanna takes her time to treat every participant as a whole person.
Anjelica Camacho, Court Support Specialist
Anjelica demonstrates a strong commitment to People, Empathy, and Respect by engaging unhoused individuals with patience, cultural humility, and professionalism. In one instance, she proactively distributed resource pamphlets to individuals residing at an encampment, using these materials as a way to build rapport and establish trust within the community.
Ella Gibson, Court Liaison & Hector Cruzado, Rapid Response Treatment (RRT) Senior Peer Specialist
Ella and Hector modeled the People and Empathy qualities when supporting a program participant. While the participant was experiencing a crisis, Ella calmly listened to his account of a recent trauma and encouraged him to seek medical care before connecting him to Hector. Hector then supported the participant to go to the hospital and stayed with him for several hours to ensure his smooth admission.
Hector Gonzalez, Court Navigator
Hector models Optimize and Progress by effectively managing high-stress interactions, supporting participants during critical moments, and contributing to positive court outcomes through proactive, compassionate engagement. Hector’s calm presence, quick thinking, and willingness to step in when needed make a meaningful difference for both participants and staff.
Melissa Gordon, Senior ATI Clinician
Melissa demonstrates Unity through her commitment to participants and team members alike. Her willingness to shape the workload to fit the goals and plans of the judges and courts, while gracefully educating her colleagues on their operations, demonstrates a shared mission and creates a positive working environment.
Samiamul (Sam) Haque, Senior Court Support Specialist
Sam’s willingness to step up and support others reflects a strong commitment to teamwork and Unity. Additionally, Sam’s proactive and people-centered approach demonstrates Empathy and Respect for others.
Ignacio Karacsonyi, Senior Night Court Representative
Ignacia demonstrates People and Unity with his easygoing demeanor, patience, and thoroughness, making him an excellent resource for new hires. He can talk to anyone about almost anything (current events, food, philosophy—you name it). His positive attitude makes his team stronger.
Erikyah Fogle Murray, Court Compliance Assistant Team Leader
Erikyah promotes Unity by encouraging collaboration and open communication among her teammates. She takes time to understand each of her teammates’ strengths and challenges, fostering a supportive environment where everyone feels seen and valued.
Kevin Paz, Senior Court Liaison
As a leader providing guidance to his colleagues, Kevin expertly models Unity on the Court team. His colleagues look to him not just for direction, but as an example of the values that make the team stronger.
Christina Pugliese, Senior ATI Clinician
Christina demonstrates People every day by meeting participants where they are and providing them with basic necessities, especially when other providers have neglected to do so. Christina is an excellent advocate for those she serves, ensuring their needs are met and their self-determination is upheld.
Marjory Reyes, Court Support Specialist
Marjory’s efforts conducting outreach for a participant with complex needs exemplified Solutions and Progress, as her encouragement directly led to the participant appearing in court, where his warrant was cleared. As a result of her work, both of the participant’s cases were fully resolved, bringing his court involvement to a successful conclusion. Her ability to follow through from initial contact to case resolution highlights her commitment to her participants.
Jose Rodriguez, Court Navigator
Jose exemplifies Optimize and Progress by using his language skills, lived experience, and professionalism to remove barriers that could otherwise result in negative outcomes for participants. His ability to connect authentically with people—supporting both the people he serves and his colleagues—reflects the very best of CASES’ mission.
Congratulations to winners of CASES Court Services PURPOSE Awards! We admire their commitment to CASES mission to help New Yorkers heal, grow, and succeed in their communities through proven alternatives to incarceration and detention.
