Colleen Phillips Receives Honor Named For Past Board Member

Colleen Phillips -- volunteer, friend, supporter and former employee of Challenger Center for Space Science Education -- was the first recipient of the Russ Griffith award, created to honor the memory of Challenger Center Board member H. Russell "Russ" Griffith, President and CEO of Datatel Inc.

Russ Griffith joined the board of Challenger Center in 2003, according to the group, and board members quickly learned how much he valued his employees and the achievements they made. When Griffith suddenly passed away in 2006, Challenger Center’s Board of Directors wanted to honor Russ’s memory by creating an award in his name that captured one of Russ’s greatest qualities -- his affection for, and dedication to his employees.

Dr. June Scobee Rodgers told ANN Colleen Phillips embodies the very qualities that resemble why this award was created. "We are happy that Colleen is the first to receive this award because she was not only a dedicated employee, but also because it says something when an employee leaves an organization and carries the mission with them, only to return and volunteer their time," she said.

Attending the ceremony was Jane Roth, Executive Director of the Datatel Scholars Foundation, Nancy Griffith and Casey Griffith, wife and son of Russ Griffith and lifelong friend and Datatel Board member Vernon Hollidge.

Challenger Center for Space Science Education was founded in 1986 by the families of the astronauts of the space shuttle Challenger 51-L mission. It is dedicated to the educational spirit of that mission and inspires over 300,000 students and 25,000 teachers each year.

FMI: www.challenger.org