This year, Volunteer Fairfax launched a new award, the People’s Choice Award, an honor designed to spotlight one outstanding of the volunteer leaders receiving the Impact Leadership Honor. The community was invited to vote online, and Amy Tristan of the English Empowerment Center emerged as the winner this year. Amy was recognized last night during the 2025 Volunteer Service Awards, presented by Volunteer Fairfax.
Amy Tristan serves as the Volunteer & Outreach Manager for the English Empowerment Center (EEC), a nonprofit dedicated to equipping adults with essential reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in English. This mission is critical for enabling adults to access employment, pursue education, and participate more fully and equitably in their communities. With only 17 full-time and two part-time staff members, EEC relies heavily on the dedication and energy of over 500 volunteers, and it is Amy who makes that possible.
Amy manages a devoted volunteer program that contributes over 25,000 hours annually valued at $820,380, equivalent to 23% of the EEC’s operating budget. Many of EEC’s instructors, and all 130+ class aides, tutors, and student advisors are volunteers. Through Amy’s recruitment, training, and retention efforts, EEC served over 2,200 adult learners last year. Her understanding of the unique needs across departments and deep familiarity with each volunteer’s strengths, preferences, and needs are unmatched. Amy is routinely seen meeting with volunteers 1-on-1 to answer their questions and help them feel comfortable. When a volunteer translator is needed or a Class Aide calls out sick, she comes up with a list of people to reach out to from memory, curated to match the volunteers’ interests and availability with the task at hand. When asked for volunteer help, she reaches out and receives enthusiastic support, no matter the project or the timeline, creating positive experiences for the volunteers. This personal investment helps EEC retain nearly 70% of instructional volunteers year over year.
Amy aids in recruiting learners and sharing information about English Empowerment Center academic programs. She mobilizes teams of volunteers to attend community events and back-to-school fairs to share information about EEC’s academic programs and connect with potential learners. Amy’s dedication goes beyond logistics, she inspires trust. Volunteers often offer their expertise through pro bono services simply because she asks, knowing her commitment to our learners is genuine. She is known for her meticulous record-keeping, thoughtful recognition efforts, and unmatched ability to bring people together in service of a larger mission.
Amy is widely respected for her leadership, professionalism, and compassion. She was invited to join Senator Tim Kaine’s Coffee with Women Leaders, where she represented EEC among 15 outstanding community leaders discussing workforce and economic equity. She was also honored as an “Unsung Hero” in a 2023 issue of PROGRESS, the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center’s publication, and was a finalist for the 2024 Fairfax Volunteer Manager Award. Amy has also served twice on the Fairfax County Head Start Parent Policy Council; an honor rarely bestowed more than once.
“As her supervisor, I have witnessed Amy’s intelligence, charisma, and collaborative leadership firsthand. Her work has empowered tens of thousands of adult learners to not only survive but thrive. With English skills, they gain access to better jobs, continue their education, improve their families’ well-being, participate more fully in their children’s education and social development, and become active, engaged citizens,” emphasized Michael Mahrer, Senior Director of Advancement.
Amy Tristan is not only a vital part of the English Empowerment Center, but also a powerful force for empowerment across the broader community. Her work exemplifies the true spirit of service and highlights the profound impact a volunteer manager can have on individuals, organizations, and society.
