Women’s Advocate of the Year

The Ocean County Advisory Commission on the Status of Women brought the month of March – Women’s History Month – to a close by honoring the achievements of women, in particular, Deanna Sperling, President and Chief Executive Officer of Barnabas Health Behavioral Health Center and Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health Services for the RWJBH Behavioral Health service line, who was named the 2025 Women’s Advocate of the Year. Surrounded by family, friends and colleagues, Sperling was presented honoring proclamations from Ocean County Commissioner Virginia E. Haines, liaison to the Advisory Commission on the Status of Women, on behalf of the Board of Commissioners and Toms River Township Council President Justin D. Lamb and received personal tributes from her son and daughter. Susan Sedevic, Chairwoman of the Women’s Commission was joined by Glynis Wray, Commission Vice Chair in presenting the Women’s Advocate of the Year award to Sperling. The Women’s Commission developed the Women’s Advocate of the Year Award to recognize an agency, organization, program or individual that has demonstrated a personal commitment to women’s issues and has advocated for improved services for women in Ocean County.

Also recognized during the event were the Women’s History Month Art Contest winners. The contest theme was Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations. The winning entries and their categories were: Best Fine Art – Grade 6 – Alexandra Wisniewski -Toms River Intermediate East; Best Digital Art – Grade 6 – Daniel Andreev – Lavallette Elementary School; Best Overall – Grade 6 – Melania Pernigotti – Veterans Memorial Middle School; Best Fine Art – Grade 7 – Heyli Lujan – Lakewood Middle School; Best Overall – Grade 7 – June Kunze – Manchester Township Middle School; Best Fine Art – Grade 8 – Nina Bohichik – Carl W. Goetz Middle School, and Best Overall  – Grade 8 – Lilianna Ferlise – Lavallette Elementary School.