During National Volunteer Month in April, we asked members of the ACHA community to submit nominations to recognize and celebrate those who have demonstrated exceptional enthusiasm and commitment to our mission. Once all nominees were submitted, the ACHA Emeritus Board reviewed the nominations and selected the winners.
We are thrilled to share our 2024 ACHA Volunteer Award winners today! This year’s recipients are Ashlyn Arthur and Drezden Plotkin, both of whom have made a strong impact on the ACHA and CHD communities over the last year. In fact, they both had multiple nominations. You can learn more about Ashlyn and Drezden below.
Thank you to our awardees for your dedication to furthering our mission!
Ashlyn Arthur
Ashlyn demonstrates strong leadership through her roles as Co-Chair of the Patient and Family Advisory Board (PFAB) Awareness Committee and Co-Chair of the Delaware Valley Walk for 1 in 100 in 2023 and 2024.
She is known for bringing people together, whether it's through virtual holiday gatherings for the PFAB and Peer Mentors, or various community awareness events like CHD Meet-Ups at Double Nickel Brewing and Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company. Beyond these events, Ashlyn also hosted creative ACHA Your Way fundraisers such as the Spinning for Hearts event.
Ashlyn is a volunteer who is willing to help in person, virtually or through bringing awareness through social media. She exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated volunteer leader, and does all of this with cheerful demeanor, sense of humor and actions that inspire and bring our community together.
Drezden Plotkin
Drezden is a dedicated volunteer who leads by example. He attended the Meil Family Foundation Neurocognitive Research Conference to share his insights as a patient, has participated in bringing awareness through our social media awareness posts, and actively serves a member of the PFAB Legislative & Policy committee, in which he has participated in many of their advocacy opportunities including securing proclamations in Nashville and Tennessee during Heart Month. Additionally, Drezden played a key role in planning the first Walk for 1 in 100 this year, which took place in Nashville, leading the group as both co-chair and the top fundraiser.
He exemplifies what is like to be a volunteer leader by actively participating in various opportunities and inspiring and recruiting others to make a positive impact on the lives of those within the CHD community.