Miller Honored With “Woman of the Year” Award

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro congratulates Jody Miller, Executive Director of the Dutchess County Commission on Human Rights, who has been honored as 2022 Woman of the Year by the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Each year, AAUW’s Poughkeepsie Branch selects a local woman to honor as the Woman of the Year.

This award is given to women who exemplify the goals stated in AAUW’s mission statement, which is to advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy.

Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro said, “Congratulations to Jody Miller on this well-deserved award. She has been instrumental in creating positive change in our community. Jody and the entire Commission on Human Rights strive every day to bring equality to all and make a better future for generations to come. Thank you to Jody for all she does to help keep our community strong and united.”

Jody Miller serves as the Executive Director of the Dutchess County Commission on Human Rights, whose mission is defending human rights, bridging differences, and embracing diversity. She was appointed to this position by County Executive Molinaro in 2016 and was instrumental in the reconstruction of the Human Rights Commission. Prior to her current role, she served for sixteen years as the Executive Director of the Mediation Center of Dutchess County, where she helped create many new and diverse mediation programs that are utilized in many courts. She also headed new initiatives including the Coalition on Elder Abuse in Dutchess County and the Anti-Bullying initiative. Jody is a certified mediation trainer through New York State Unified Court System’s Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution Programs (ADR) and has been a presenter at many conferences around the globe.

AAUW chose Ms. Miller to be the 2022 Woman of the Year due to her hard work and compassion. Over the past few years, Miller has steered the community through a series of discussion topics such as police reform as well as coordinated events such as the “United Against Hate March” which called for equality and inclusion for all. Her work leading the Commission’s community dialogue virtual events over the past two years demonstrates the essence of leadership that AAUW strives for.

Ms. Miller said, “I am honored to be recognized by such an impactful organization as the American Association of University Women. I want to thank the Dutchess County Commission on Human Rights for their amazing work where we have created programs and events that have supported and strengthened our community. With the state our country and world are in, it is more important than ever to join together and work to make the world a more inclusive place for all.”

The American Association of University Women, Poughkeepsie Branch was founded in 1925 and has been active in the areas of education, international understanding, community needs, the arts, and the status of women since. The branch promotes education in many ways such as supporting two yearly Dutchess Community College scholarships for female students who plan to continue to a four-year degree.