On Friday, May 5, 2023, FBI Director Christopher Wray presented Robin Mancoll, chief program officer and Jewish Community Relations Council director for United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, with the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) for her service to the people of Hampton Roads.
Mancoll, through her role at UJFT, is a leader and facilitator of collective action, developing human and financial resources to meet the evolving and vital issues of the worldwide community, partnering with local, national, and global organizations. She also works to bridge the gap between law enforcement and community members, ultimately helping to keep Tidewater’s neighborhoods safer.
The FBI established the DCLA in 1990 to publicly acknowledge the achievements of those working to make a difference in their communities through the promotion of education and the prevention of crime and violence. The FBI’s 56 field offices select the recipients annually for this honor.
“Like the 38,000 employees of the FBI, you don’t do what you do for fame – and certainly not for fortune. You do it out of kindness, out of compassion for others, out of a hope and dream for safer communities … to leave your towns and cities better places than when you got there,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “And that’s how I’ve defined success here within our organization, too. Success to me is if everyone leaves the FBI a better place than they found it.”
As a graduate of FBI Norfolk’s Citizens Academy, Mancoll has a unique understanding of law enforcement and its policies. She has used much of that knowledge to help relay critical information to communities in times of need, and shares threat-related information to law enforcement those communities might not otherwise share.
“FBI Norfolk is better able to protect the community and the American people when its members have a clear understanding of what we do and the types of resources we offer. Ms. Mancoll acts as that critical liaison,” said Brian Dugan, special agent in charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office. “She has taken the time to learn about law enforcement and host multi-community outreach events, which has enhanced FBI Norfolk’s efforts to bridge transparency and trust to all communities. We are honored to present this award to her today.”
“Building relationships for the betterment of our community is part of my job description, but it has never been ‘just’ a job for me,” says Mancoll. “Genuine relationships take time, years of honest conversations, real listening, and showing up for each other in various ways. When done well, the benefits are transformative, mutually empowering, and are meant to be shared with others. The FBI knows this, and through their exceptional professionals, they inspire community leaders to continue showing up, building those authentic relationships, and strengthening the community.”
Director Wray hosted the 2022 DCLA winners in a special ceremony at FBI Headquarters, emphasizing the importance of partnerships in keeping communities safe. These partnerships – as exemplified by the breadth of the work by the DCLA recipients – have led to a host of crime prevention programs that protect the most vulnerable, educate families and businesses about cyber threats, and work to reduce violent crime in neighborhoods.