A key National Court Reporters Foundation and NCRA influencer was recognized for exemplary service at the Colorado Court Reporters Association (CCRA) Annual Business Meeting in Loveland, Colo., on March 19, 2022. Patricia Graves, FAPR, RDR, CRR, CRC, of Monument, Colo., was honored with the 2022 CCRA Distinguished Service Award.
Nominated by Joyce Martin, RPR, CRR, CCRA’s past president, the DSA is the highest possible honor at CCRA. It is bestowed upon someone who has been involved in the reporting profession extensively, during which time he or she has “rendered distinguished service which has contributed to the promotion and dedication of verbatim reporting,” according to CCRA leaders.
“It was an honor for me to present the award to Pat,” said Lisa Wagner, RPR, of Castle Rock, Colo., CCRA Distinguished Service Award Committee Chair, who presented the award. The winner of the award was kept confidential until it was announced during the meeting. “She was surprised and touched, especially that her family and coworkers were there. Everyone I contacted thought it was well deserved and long overdue, myself included.”
Said Graves after the event: “I am so proud to be a member of CCRA. They are such a fine group of professionals. Beyond the professionalism, though, is compassion. The CCRA members go the extra mile for one another. When I was in the throes of experiencing a loss of eyesight many years ago, the kindness extended to me was unforgettable. I am forever dedicated to my fellow CCRA members.”
Wagner cited the praise Graves received from Martin, who wrote on the nomination form that “[Graves] has given selflessly of herself for the good of CCRA, and she did not quietly go away after her presidency. She has always made herself and even her employees available to give seminars and/or speak at numerous CCRA seminars and functions.”
Said Kathy Davis, RDR, CRR, CMRS, CCRA past president, “She is an impressive woman: intelligent, kind, driven, such a pleasure to be around. I saw firsthand her organizational skills, her attention to detail, and her concern about the integrity and quality of our profession.”
Graves’ history of service includes a three-year term, including two years as chair of the NCRA CART Task Force; founding member of the NCRA Realtime Certification Committee; as a member on the NCRA CART Community of Interest; and involvement with the Colorado association’s Captioning and CART, Nominating, Legislative, and Seminar Planning committees.
She has also served as a member of the Advisory Committee for Ad Hoc Rules and Regulations for the Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Graves has also sponsored several scholarships at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. In 2000 she was listed in Today’s Chicago Woman magazine as one of the 100 Women Making a Difference.
According to Wagner’s presentation speech, Graves began her court reporting career in 1977 in Chicago, where she was an Illinois Court Reporting Association member. She became active in CCRA in 2003 when she became a Colorado resident. Starting in 2004, Graves served as a Director, Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President, President, and Past President of CCRA. She went on to serve as NCRA Director from 2010 to 2013. In 1989, Graves started Caption First, which provides CART and captioning services globally.
Said NCRF Chair Early Langley, RMR, when learning of this honor, “Thank you, Pat, for all of your hard work! You are so deserving! We are lucky to have you!”
Presently, Graves serves as an NCRF Trustee, an NCRF Angel Gatherers Committee member, and a member of the NCRF Writer Adoption Task Force.
