By Jordan J. Phelan
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CONCORD — Deborah Mozden lives to help others.
As the executive director of Turning Points Network, a private, nonprofit agency offering crisis and support services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking in Sullivan County, she is one of many organizational leaders and volunteers working tirelessly to bring significant social change through advocacy, education, and outreach.
Mozden’s daily responsibilities also extend to ensuring that the agency is able to continue its work by securing grant funding, managing the budget, and developing resources.
And her work does not go unnoticed.
On Wednesday, New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella presented Deborah Mozden with the seventh annual Sandra Matheson Award, an honor established in 2013 to recognize individuals that “embody commitment, collaboration, and leadership to improve the rights and services for victims of crime in New Hampshire.”
“Mozden has grown Turning Points Network from 1.5 staff in the 1980s to eight full-time staff today, serving 1,000 families and individuals annually,” Formella said. “She is a skilled ambassador, advocate, and administrator of all the complex layers in human services, and she has cultivated strong, effective collaborations with police departments, medical providers, and other social service agencies to build a network of services for victims of crime.”
Mozden was chosen for her unyielding drive to assist others in times of need, which speaks to the work of the award’s namesake. Sandra Matheson created the Office of Victim/Witness Assistance at the Attorney General’s Office and was its director for 26 years until her retirement. Her pioneering work in the development of laws, policies, and collaborations led to improvements in the systems that respond to victims of crime.
“[Ms. Mozden is] a great example of what you can achieve and the impact you can have when you dedicate yourself to something that is important to you. She has put her energy into this over her career, and there is going to be an organization and help that continues because of her.”
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