The Ohio Victim Witness Association (“OVWA”) is pleased to announce the 2023 and 2024 recipients of the William F. Schenck Victim Justice Visionary Award of Distinction.

This award is presented by the Ohio Victim Witness Association and the Past Presidents’ Committee to an Ohio prosecutor in honor and memory of William F. Schenck, Jr. As a young prosecutor, and throughout his long tenure as Greene County Prosecuting Attorney, Bill’s dedication to victims of crime was unmatched. Bill had a steadfast vision of his work. He believed that the criminal justice system could and should change in order to better serve victims of crime. Bill brought hope to those he served – he was truly a visionary prosecutor for the people. Our awardees this year have demonstrated the same outstanding qualities.

The 2023 recipient of the William F. Schenck Victim Justice Visionary Award of Distinction is Angela, or Angie, Canepa. When Angela graduated from The Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law, she knew she wanted to become a prosecuting attorney to seek justice for crime victims. From the outset of her professional career, Angie has been a champion of victims and a fighter for justice in the courtroom. Early on, Ms. Canepa recognized the importance of engaging with crime victims and empowering them to play an important role throughout the prosecution process.

Angie began as an Assistant Prosecutor in the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office in 1991. She was named the first Director of the Special Victims Unit in 1997. In this role, she oversaw the prosecution of cases which were victim-intensive and required dedication, compassion, and a commitment to working collaboratively with victim advocacy staff. Never one to shy away from these difficult cases, Angie worked doggedly to secure justice for the victims and prosecuted numerous defendants charged with child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, and homicide. 

After supervising the SVU for 7 years, Ms. Canepa was next colocated at Nationwide Children’s Hospital Child Advocacy Center (now, The Center for Family Safety and Healing) for five years, serving on a multi-disciplinary team and helped write the protocols for the Nationwide CAC. As with the SVU, prosecuting child abuse posed many challenges and required a specific skill set and specialized ability to successfully engage with child victims and their caregivers. Angela displayed great commitment to seek justice and offender accountability for this vulnerable population. Eventually, she returned to the courtroom in both juvenile court and common pleas court.

After a distinguished 22-year career as an Assistant Prosecutor with Franklin County, Angie joined the staff of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, with assignment to the Special Prosecutions Section, where she continued to take on the most challenging cases for over 10 years. During her tenure, she was assigned to prosecute the largest family mass murder case in Ohio, where she has been steadfast in her dedication to surviving family members of the deceased victims. Though she left employment with the Attorney General’s Office before the prosecutions of all alleged offenders could be resolved, Ms. Canepa was named a special prosecutor for the case, and continues her work to bring justice for the victims and their family.

After dedicating over 33 years of public service to prosecuting the most difficult cases, embracing a commitment to serving crime victims, supporting the exercise of their rights, and retaining a focus on justice, Angie now serves as Deputy Director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services. In addition to her work in the courtroom, she has participated in a multitude of training initiatives to educate professional colleagues across the criminal justice spectrum, most consistently, Finding Words, a national week-long program that seeks to equip colleagues with the skill set specific to the area of child abuse. Angie has served as an instructor of that program since its inception and it will mark its 25th anniversary next year!

The 2024 recipient of the William F. Schenck Victim Justice Visionary Award of Distinction is Connie Lewandowski. Connie has faithfully served the people of Ohio for 34 years. For the first 17 of those years, she worked as an Assistant Prosecutor in the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office. She joined the Portage County Prosecutor’s Office, where she worked her way up to the position of Chief Criminal Prosecutor. In November, she was elected to her first term as the Portage County Prosecutor.

Throughout her time at both the Summit and Portage County Prosecutor’s Offices, Connie has shown immeasurable commitment to victims of crime. One of her nominators noted, “Many prosecuting attorneys can prosecute their cases and convict, but only few of them understand that there is a component to justice that deserves their attention the most–our victims of crime.” Connie works hard to get the best possible outcomes in the toughest of cases, while balancing the wishes of the victim and what is in the best interest of the general public.

She works tirelessly on cases, not just during the day, but on nights, weekends, and even holidays. Connie goes above and beyond to ensure that cases are prepared properly, with every “i” dotted and every “t” crossed. In her work, Connie regularly puts victims and their families first, even when she thinks no one is watching. Connie works to ensure that victims feel validated, supported, and safe–both physically and psychologically. She has regularly provided support to victims and families after a case is concluded, relentlessly fostering a sense of hope, empowerment, and trust between the Prosecutor’s Office and the community.

This is not the first time that Connie’s dedication has been celebrated. In 2003, Mrs. Lewandowski was awarded Assistant Prosecutor of the Year by the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association. In 2005, she was featured as an “Honored Attorney” by the University of Akron School of Law. In 2007, Connie was awarded Litigator of Excellence in Child Abuse Cases by the Akron Police Department. In 2007 and 2008, she was twice awarded Outstanding Efforts in OVI Prosecutions & Enforcement. And, earlier this year, Connie was featured in Crain’s Cleveland Business magazine as a Notable Woman in Law.

Connie has prosecuted thousands of offenders and served countless victims throughout her tenure. She is a seasoned prosecutor who is steadfast in her commitment to law enforcement and to victims of crime. Prosecutor Lewandowski’s unwavering dedication and compassionate approach make her the ideal candidate for this award, as she has made a profound difference in the lives of victims of crime while serving as a beacon of hope and resiliency within Portage County. One of her nominators said, “I am proud to wholeheartedly nominate Prosecutor Connie Lewandowski for this award, as I believe that she truly embodies what it means to fight for victims of crime with integrity and grace.”