In honor of the District Attorney's profound impact on the SAFE Family Justice Centers in Riverside County, the Michael A. Hestrin Award is presented to those who have made a substantial mark on our history and development of the organization, championed our work with influence, and committed to the values of the Family Justice Center framework. This award recognizes an individual or partner organization who has committed both professionally and personally to serving victims of violence in Riverside County and contributed to advancing the mission of the SAFE Family Justice Centers.

Melissa Donaldson has been working in the field of social services for over 35 years. In 2001, Melissa was hired as the first employee and Executive Director for Safe Alternatives for Everyone (now SAFE Family Justice Centers) and served in this role until 2015. She was tasked with moving the all-volunteer agency into a thriving quality service provider. Melissa was instrumental in the 2004 merge of Safe Alternatives for Everyone and the Riverside County Family Justice Centers, forming the SAFE Family Justice Centers. In her time with SAFE FJC, Melissa grew the agency from a Temecula-based domestic violence agency into a Riverside County-wide service provider with three brick-and-mortar centers serving victims of multiple crime types.

In 2015, Melissa was appointed to the position of the Division of Victim Services Director for the Riverside County District Attorney’s office. Under her leadership, the division has succeeded in developing the county’s first Critical Response Team designed to respond to mass victimization events. The division is now largely grant-funded as it has expanded programs and services, incorporating new strategies and partnerships across the county, to provide direct services to victims as they navigate the criminal justice system.

Melissa has received many awards for her work throughout her career including a commendation from Governor Davis for her work on changing legislation for runaway youth, acknowledgment from the National Task on Runaway Youth, Women of Merit nominee and Temecula Chamber Citizen of the Year 2005. She was awarded the Soroptimist International Making a Difference for Women Award as well as the California Governor’s Crime Victim Advocate Award in 2008 by Governor Schwarzenegger. In 2009 she was chosen as the 3rd District County of Riverside Woman of the Year.

The SAFE Family Justice Centers and our community would not be the same without the hard-work and dedication of Melissa. SAFE Family Justice Centers is honored to present the 2024 Michael A. Hestrin Award to Melissa Donaldson.