2007 Faces of Courage Award Winners
Justice Barbara Pariente
Justice Barbara Pariente was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court in 1997 and
served as Chief Justice from July 1, 2004 until June 30, 2006. During Justice
Pariente'sterm on the court as she worked to reform the family law system
in Florida and served as liaison and later the chair of the Supreme Court's Steering
Committee on Families and Children in the Courts. Justice Pariente was also a member
of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Character Education (1999) and the Florida
Bar's Commission on the legal needs of Children (2000-2002). Justice Pariente has
actively supported programs that promote successful alternatives to incarceration
such as Florida's drug courts. From 1998 onward, she served as the liaison to the
Supreme Court's Task Force on Treatment-Based Drug Courts and she helped organize
the first statewide conference on drug courts. Justice Pariente speaks throughout
the state on professionalism, judicial independence, the unified family court, juvenile justice and
crime prevention.
Lawanda Ravoira
Dr. Lawanda Ravoira is the past president and CEO of PACE Center for Girls,Inc.,
a state wide not-for-profit organization that provides gender specific, comprehensive
educational, therapeutic and transitional support services to 4,50at-tisk girls annually.
Headquartered in Jacksonville with 19 centers throughout Florida, PACE has proven to
be highly effective with girls in the Justice system. Dr. Ravoira authored Social Bonds
and Teen Pregnancy, Greenwood Publishing, 1992; National Girls Caucus, Journal of
the Office of JJDP, VI, #1, 1999 among other publications and has extensive teaching
and research experience.
Vicki Lopez Lukis
Vicki Lopez Lukis is currently a full-time community volunteer focused on helping
young girls in detention and working with women in prison. She is the Chairperson
of the Governor's Ex-Offenders Task Force. The Task Force is a 17-member panel
whose responsibilities include identifying barriers to successful reentry and providing
recommendations that would eliminate these barriers. She also serves as the Chair
of the Community Partnership Initiative Committee, whose responsibilities include
the development of a model program for ex-offenders who are released in several
counties in Florida.
