Recipients From New York, California, Illinois And Kentucky
Eligible For Prestigious ‘Notary Of The Year’ Designation
LOS ANGELES, April 21, 2015 – The National Notary Association (NNA) is proud to announce its five Notary of the Year Honorees – American Notaries who demonstrate exemplary public service and dedication to their communities. Each recipient will be recognized for their achievements during the Gala Banquet at the NNA’s 37th annual conference in Orlando, Florida on Tuesday, June 2. One of the Honorees will be named the 2015 Notary of the Year.
The Notary of the Year award is the highest honor an American Notary Public can earn. Now in its 25th year, the program recognizes Notaries whose accomplishments go above and beyond their responsibilities as a state commissioned public official. The honor is based on superior notarial performance, community service, efforts to lobby for Notary legislative reform and actions that cultivate higher levels of trust and integrity in the American Notary Public office.
2015 Notary Of The Year Honorees:
Joan Ann Baffa (Lindenhurst, New York) is the in-house Notary “mom” and hotline consultant for all 165 Notaries at international law firm Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP. With 46 years of experience as a commissioned Notary, and an undeniable passion for law and Notary best practices, Baffa’s mentor role is second nature. Her colleagues trust her implicitly with tricky out-of-state documents, dealing with apostilles or calming down irate signers with urgent acknowledgment or jurat requests. Baffa believes the key is to “live with a good sincere heart, and watch as that sincerity flows over to everything else in your life.”
LaQuita Gaskins (Radcliff, Kentucky) got her commission while serving in the U.S. Army. She became the go-to Notary during her 21 years of service and learned the Notary laws in more than 40 states. In 2006, she co-founded the Shiloh City of Peace Foundation — a non-profit dedicated to improving family and community aid – and donated several of her own homes to use as shelters. “I help the homeless, less fortunate and forgotten to get back on their feet,” said Gaskins. An ardent believer in education, she has master’s degrees in mental health counseling and education and is currently working on her doctorate degree.
Bridget Outlaw (Chicago, Illinois) is an Apostle Bishop, Notary Public and certified Homeland Security Chaplain. She’s the founder of several charitable organizations including Daughters of Destiny Hunger Relief, which feeds approximately 3,000 people every month. She earned a President’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 for hunger relief advocacy and has an honorary street named after her in Chicago (116th - 117th & Princeton Avenue). She inspires others to become Notaries and holds her mentees to the highest standards. “It’s our fiduciary duty not to compromise our integrity for money or other things. The community relies on us to remain impartial,” said Outlaw.
Mike Phillips (San Diego, California) is an attorney with the Jewish Family Services Patient Advocacy Program and works as an advocate for mental health consumers to ensure they are treated ethically and humanely. He volunteers to mentor former prison inmates to help them successfully reintegrate into society. He is a professional Notary educator and mentor, who ensures his students follow the highest ethical and professional standards. “Even though I’m an attorney, I may not always have the right expertise for a signer’s particular field,” said Phillips. “When I notarize, I’m not an attorney, I am 100 percent Notary.”
Marcy Tiberio (Rochester, New York) became a full-time Notary signing agent after spending years in the title industry working her way up to assistant vice president of a national company. She’s a successful entrepreneur, a tireless volunteer who works with veterans, foster children and the poor, and still finds times to educate local officials about proper notarial procedures. Tiberio donates a portion of her notarization fees to local charities every month and performs free notarizations for military personnel, first responders and hospitalized patients. “There’s no greater feeling than helping a family tie up loose ends with my seal,” Tiberio said.
Additional information about the conference can be found at NationalNotary.org/Conference.
About the National Notary Association
Established in 1957, the National Notary Association (NNA) is the leading professional authority on the American Notary office and is dedicated to educating, serving and advocating for the nation’s 4.4 million Notaries. It published the Model Notary Act to help lawmakers enact effective legislation and created The Notary Public Code of Professional Responsibility — a standard for best practices and professional conduct. To learn more, visit NationalNotary.org.
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