Meredith Blake

1998

Meredith Blake

Break The Cycle

http://www.breakthecycle.org

Santa Monica, California, United States

Health, Legal Advocacy

The Bold Idea:

Break the Cycle is an innovative nonprofit organization whose mission is to end domestic violence by working proactively with youth. Break the Cycle furthers this mission by providing young people, ages 12 to 22, with preventive education, free legal services, advocacy and support. The organization’s law-based prevention and education program provides vital domestic violence information and healthy relationship skills, and teaches youth about their legal rights and responsibilities. Break the Cycle’s early intervention legal services assist young victims of domestic violence in their transition from victim to survivor, offering confidential and free legal advice, counsel and representation to youth experiencing abuse. In addition to its Los Angeles office, Break the Cycle will launch offices in New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C in September, 2003, providing youth across the nation with access to it’s life-saving services.

Biography:

Meredith Blake is a social change strategist and is a nationally recognized public interest attorney, advocate, and social entrepreneur, with over a decade of experience in creating positive social change. She previously served as Executive Vice President, Corporate & Community Affairs of Participant Productions and as President of the Participant Foundation. As a 1998 Echoing Green Fellow, Meredith founded the nonprofit legal services agency calledBreak the Cycle, which empowers youth to end domestic violence.  As Founder and CEO, Meredith took the organization national in 2003 in order to serve youth in communities around the country.  She received undergraduate degrees in political science and mass communications from the University of California at Berkeley and a JD from UCLA.

Pathfinder Award: Women Lawyers Association of LA
2002

Social Entrepreneurs of the Year Award: Who Cares Magazine
1998

Women at Their Best Award: Glamour Magazine

Jack Berman award of Achievement: State Bar of California

Fay Stender Award for Public Service: California Women Lawyers

Women Who Make A Difference Award: Los Angeles Business Journal

Leadership California - Community Leader Award
Awarded in 2003

Glamour Magazine & Sally Hansen - Best of You Award
2002

Century City Chamber of Commerce - Women of Achievement Award
2002

Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles - Pathfinder Award
2002

Los Angeles Business Journal - Women Who Make a Difference Award
2001

Los Angeles County Commission on Women - Woman of the Year
1999

California Women Lawyers - Fay Stender Award
1999

Family Circle - Halo Award
1999

Cover Girl & Glamour Magazine - Women At Their Best Award
1999

Who Cares Magazine - Social Entrepreneur of the Year
1998

State Bar of California - Jack Berman Award
1997

UCLA Law School - Nancy J. Mintie Public Interest Award
1995