[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 51 (Friday, March 22, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S2591]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO DR. SHERYL BRISSETT CHAPMAN

 Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor an 
extraordinary woman and leader of our time, Dr. Sheryl Brissett 
Chapman. After more than three decades of service as executive director 
of The National Center for Children and Families--NCCF--she will be 
stepping down at the end of March.
  In the course of her tenure, Dr. Brissett Chapman transformed NCCF 
from a small Baptist orphanage in Bethesda, MD, into a monumental force 
for good, serving over 53,155 vulnerable children, youth, and families 
in the National Capital Region. Her visionary expansion of NCCF saw the 
creation of 24 innovative programs, the addition of vital service 
locations and staff, and a $51 million growth in budget. This 
transformative growth has not only changed the face of NCCF but has 
rewritten futures, healed traumas, and built bridges to opportunities 
for a countless number of children, youth, and families. She and NCCF 
have called Maryland home during this incredible transformation. We are 
both extremely honored and incredibly proud that Dr. Brissett Chapman 
and NCCF have delivered these services from within our local community.
  Yet Dr. Brissett Chapman's influence extends far beyond her executive 
role. She is a champion in the effort to address systemic reform on a 
wide range of topics, including the harsh realities of poverty, 
juvenile justice, homelessness, domestic violence, and illuminating the 
path to healing from childhood trauma with unwavering dedication and 
empathy. Her most recent publication, ``Black Male Youth Raised in 
Public Systems: Engagement, Healing, Hope,'' underscores her dedication 
to understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by Black 
male youth in public systems. This is just one example of her 
relentless pursuit of knowledge for empowerment and change.
  Even as she prepares for retirement, Dr. Brissett Chapman's 
commitment to education remains unwavering. Her new roles as a trustee 
for Montgomery College and as a senior fellow for the Institute for 
Mastery and Integration further attest to her ongoing dedication to 
improving lives through education and advocacy, guiding the next 
generation of leaders and advocates. Maryland will continue to have the 
honor of being called home to both Dr. Brissett Chapman and NCCF as 
each continues to transform the lives of our youth.
  As Dr. Brissett Chapman turns the page to a new chapter, she leaves a 
blueprint for compassionate, effective leadership in social welfare. 
Her impact and service will continue to be felt for decades to come, as 
her legacy continues to inspire and guide our collective efforts to 
serve the most vulnerable and to demonstrate what it means to be a 
force for change. Her legacy is one of hope. Thousands of lives in the 
National Capital Region and the State of Maryland have been transformed 
because of Dr. Brissett Chapman, and I ask my colleagues to join me in 
thanking her and wishing her a well-earned, enjoyable, and fulfilling 
retirement.

                          ____________________