Boulder victim advocate who retired in her mid-80s, awarded for work

A former victim advocate with the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office was awarded Colorado’s Outstanding Victim Advocate after more than 23 years of work with the office.

Carolyn French, 85, retired in June after a career in social work and victim advocacy at Boulder District Attorney’s Office. French was recently awarded Colorado’s Outstanding Victim Advocate in the Public Sector by the Colorado Organization of Victim Assistance.

”I’ve had a very rewarding career,” French said. “Over a number of years, in a number of fields, I always tell people I have gotten more blessed from my experiences than anything I could have given back.”

French began her career with the DA’s Office in 1985 after receiving an undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Colorado Boulder and master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver.

In 1990, French left the office to start CU Boulder’s first victim assistance program. She went on to hold a number of key positions with victim providers, including executive director at Moving to End Sexual Assault and executive director at Blue Sky Bridge’s Child Advocacy Center.

French then returned to the DA’s office and served as a victim advocate for the remainder of her career. French said receiving the Colorado Outstanding Victim Advocate award was very flattering, and it rewarding to be recognized by her peers.

“This award is a wonderful and well-deserved honor for Carolyn,” Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said in a release. “It is a testament, and the perfect ending, to her many years of outstanding public service and advocacy for victims. Carolyn supported, guided, and inspired so many prosecutors, including me, in our work.”

French said one part of her career she has enjoyed the most is the interactions she’s had with various professionals and people she’s worked with.

“The people I got to work with were bright, dedicated and hard working,” French said.

French credited her growth throughout her career to the amazing strength of the victims she’s worked with and said she’s tried hard to give back to everyone she’s worked with.

Boulder County Chief Deputy Trial Attorney Adrian Van Nice said early in her career she didn’t understand or know how to cope with the behaviors and trauma of victims.

“It was Carolyn who carefully guided me in my journey to learn how to respond to individuals in trauma, assisting me to understand what before had been incomprehensible and helping me learn to better care for myself while providing care and support for others who found themselves unwillingly ensnared in a criminal justice system they themselves found complex and frustrating,” Van Nice said in a statement.