Paralegal Wins Award for Child Advocacy

Paralegal and client advocate Jennifer Tlumak, employed by the Tennessee Justice Center, has been given the 2009 Young Leader Award by the Tennessee Alliance for Progress, in recognition for her advocacy for children’s health services.

Tlumak has been associated with the Tennessee Justice Center since 2006. Her work is focused on working with individual clients, particularly the families of young children, and on proof development and investigation in complex class-action cases. In addition, she has worked collaboratively with disability and advocacy groups across the state to organize more than 100 screenings of the film Collateral Damage, about the health-care crisis in the U.S. Under her management, the Tennessee Justice Center Web site has become a valuable public education resource. In addition, Tlumak works on grant applications and spearheads the annual Mothers of the Year statewide recognition program of Tennessee Justice Center.

"Jennifer's work is truly extraordinary," said Michele Johnson, managing attorney of the Tennessee Justice Center. "Her unique mix of intelligence, passion, vision and compassion mean great results for the families of this state. Jennifer is the embodiment of advocacy that is affirmative, energetic and effective."

The Tennessean

Ms. Tlumak, a Nashville native, has a bachelor's degree in history from Darmouth College, and "enjoys singing with Nashville in Harmony, contra dancing, playing ultimate Frisbee, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends."