The 66th annual Fernando Awards were held last Friday night at the Skirball Center, and Sue Du Brin was named the 2023 Fernando Award winner.
The Fernando Award is the highest accolade in the San Fernando Valley, and is given to someone who exemplifies outstanding service to the community. Du Brin was recognized as a community advocate and for her work with ONEgeneration and the West Valley Medical Center.
She has worked with ONEgeneration and the Encino Chamber to create a first-of-its-kind senior services directory and with the Child Development Institute to meet medical needs of children.
She helped bring Providence Tarzana Medical Center (Now Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center) and the Parkinson’s Resource Organization together to create a Parkinson’s caregiver and educational support groups which are still active today. These groups provide patients and their caregivers a place to share their fears, hopes and questions with others facing the same battle.
Of her volunteering she said, “I love identifying opportunity where previously unintroduced people discover each other and take joy in working together on something that serves a group or organization. I try to do two things – help address a need, and in turn, help those volunteering to thrive and succeed.”
Du Brin has also worked with other chambers and organizations on disaster preparedness and has volunteered with the Alzheimer’s Association, Leukemia/Lymphoma Society and The Help Group.
She was nominated for the Fernando Award by ONEgeneration and Lee and Arlene Alpert.
