Employee Recognition
Officer of the Year Award
ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS
Lawrence (Larry) Bonds Officer of the Year Award: Margaret K. Fontana
This award is presented to the sworn officer (probation officer or juvenile counselor) who best exemplifies the highest effort to fulfill the Circuit’s mission. The nominee consistently exhibits a high degree of professional behavior and competence and is recognized for these qualities by colleagues, the Court, the community, and by clientele. This officer contributes to the organization’s culture by measurably going beyond the boundaries of the job in program development, service delivery, and a positive approach to duties. Additionally, the nominee actively participates in professional and community organizations that promote the progress of the profession and the people and institutions of Lake County and Illinois. It is clear to all that the nominee for this award is a role model for others and embodies the values of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit in terms of ethics, willingness to learn, loyalty, dedication, and passion.
Margaret Fontana is a Principal Probation Officer and Unit Coordinator in the Adult Domestic Violence Unit and was hired on June 9, 1986. She has a BS in Social Work from Illinois State University-Normal. Margaret is a member of the Domestic Violence Council and works with the State’s Attorney’s Office to ensure the proper credentials and domestic violence program format are followed with the treatment providers. She provides training throughout the state on fundamentals of supervising domestic violence offenders and victims along with three presentations at the College of Lake County (CLC) as a part of the Safe-Place training program for law enforcement. She recently completed the “Becoming Agents of Change; Batterers Training” to provide aftercare groups to offenders and she has also co-facilitated Motivational Interviewing training to new probation officers. Margaret meets with treatment providers to resolve problems and assist probation officers in gaining greater understanding of the Domestic Violence Inventory along with the LSIR risk tool. She is the Interstate Specialist for domestic violence cases and is regularly called on to assist officers in the division. She tirelessly works on assisting clients and investigates and devises new approaches to casework and promoting safety. Margaret lives in Gurnee.
The Officer of the Year nominees for 2008 are:
- Lorenzo Bess, Probation Officer, Juvenile Probation
- Colleen Gavin-Obenauf, Principal Probation Officer, Adult Special Caseload (Women’s Specific)
- Dan Horan, Principal Probation Officer/Unit Coordinator, Adult D.U.I. Unit
- Veronica K. Kennedy, Principal Probation Officer, Adult Standard Caseload Unit (Group Reporting)
- Julie Patterson, Senior Probation Officer, Adult Pre-Trial Unit
The Officer of the Year Award is named in honor of Lawrence (Larry) Bonds, a principal adult probation officer who was employed with the Circuit from May 15, 1984 to his death on April 6, 1997.
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