A national organization is recognizing the director of the St. Paul-based Jacob Wetterling Resource Center for her work in advocating for missing and murdered people, and for sexual abuse prevention.

Alison Feigh is one of 28 recipients around the country of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s annual Visionary Voice Awards, the center announced Tuesday.

Alison Feigh (Courtesy of the Zero Abuse Project)

She was a classmate of Jacob Wetterling when he was abducted and killed at age 11 in 1989 in St. Joseph, Minn. The experience “lit the flame” that led to her career, Feigh said Tuesday. She’s worked in the field for nearly 20 years.

The Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault nominated Feigh for the award. She “is a bold advocate,” wrote Ashley Sturz-Griffith, the coalition’s advocacy, medical forensic and prevention programs manager.

Through the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center, Feigh educates communities about child abuse prevention, organizes events to honor families of missing people, is active at the Legislature and provides guidance at community notification meetings, Sturz-Griffith wrote. She has authored children’s books on safety.

“It’s hard to prove the impact of investing in teaching parents how to talk about safety, investing in online safety,” Feigh said, adding she’s thankful for people who champion prevention. “We can end child abuse, we can end crimes against children.”

Feigh will be speaking on a panel with other sexual assault advocates during Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s annual fundraiser on April 25.

Information about the virtual event, held during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, can be found at EventBrite.

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