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On Thursday, June 24, 2021 Pearl S. Buck International will holds its annual Woman of Influence dinner and award ceremony on the grounds of the Pearl S. Buck House, a National Historic Landmark, in Hilltown, Pennsylvania. The 2021 Woman of Influence honoree is the Honorable Cynthia M. Rufe, a Judge of the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. A VIP reception will take place from 5–6 pm. The dinner and award presentation, which will include remarks from Judge Rufe, will take place from 6–8 pm. Originally established in 1978 as the Woman of the Year Award, the Woman of Influence Award honors women, who like Nobel and Pulitzer prize-winning author, activist, and humanitarian Pearl S. Buck, have distinguished themselves in their career, devotion to family, and pursuit of humanitarian and advocacy goals. This year’s Woman of Influence honoree, Bucks County native Judge Cynthia Rufe, is no exception. For many years, Judge Rufe served in the Bucks County Public Defender Office where she represented delinquent, dependent, abused, and neglected children. She was a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Bucks County before her nomination and appointment in 2002 as a federal Judge of the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Judge Rufe has devoted her career to representing and serving those most in need including domestic abuse victims, disadvantaged children, and those in need of mental health services; to fairly upholding the law for all; and to being a positive role model and example for not only young women and girls seeking to achieve leadership roles, but for young people everywhere looking to engage in civic roles in their communities. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s outreach efforts under Judge Rufe’s direction have earned national recognition as models of court and law-related educational programs. In her leadership role, she also speaks on diversity and inclusion, particularly in the legal profession. Presently, Judge Rufe is at the helm of the Federal Judges Association, completing her term of two years as President. For many years, Judge Rufe was an active board member of several community agencies related to the improvement of youth, families, protection from abuse, chemical addiction, and mental health. She was a founding member of the Organization to Prevent Teenage Suicide, and a former member and past President of Soroptimist International of Indian Rock, Inc., a service organization well known locally and internationally. She has been recognized and honored by several organizations for her work to end domestic violence, especially as it affects children, for her outstanding contributions to the ideals of law and justice for all citizens, and as a woman in law who serves as a role model and mentor in the legal profession. She is married to the Honorable John J. Rufe, (Retired) Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Bucks County, with whom she enjoys their five shared daughters and six grandchildren. Event registration is now available at https://pearlsbuck.org/womanofinfluence/. Seating for the Woman of Influence award dinner is limited so please register early. The VIP reception requires a separate ticket. Proceeds from this always inspirational event will support the important intercultural, humanitarian, and preservation work of Pearl S. Buck International, which carries out Pearl S. Buck’s legacy of bridging cultures and changing lives. Guests of Woman of Influence, which will include local community and business leaders, will be asked to follow the most up-to-date COVID-19 health and safety protocols, including social distancing and mask-wearing.
On Thursday, June 24, 2021 Pearl S. Buck International will holds its annual Woman of Influence dinner and award ceremony on the grounds of the Pearl S. Buck House, a National Historic Landmark, in Hilltown, Pennsylvania. The 2021 Woman of Influence honoree is the Honorable Cynthia M. Rufe, a Judge of the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. A VIP reception will take place from 5–6 pm. The dinner and award presentation, which will include remarks from Judge Rufe, will take place from 6–8 pm.
Originally established in 1978 as the Woman of the Year Award, the Woman of Influence Award honors women, who like Nobel and Pulitzer prize-winning author, activist, and humanitarian Pearl S. Buck, have distinguished themselves in their career, devotion to family, and pursuit of humanitarian and advocacy goals.
This year’s Woman of Influence honoree, Bucks County native Judge Cynthia Rufe, is no exception. For many years, Judge Rufe served in the Bucks County Public Defender Office where she represented delinquent, dependent, abused, and neglected children. She was a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Bucks County before her nomination and appointment in 2002 as a federal Judge of the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Judge Rufe has devoted her career to representing and serving those most in need including domestic abuse victims, disadvantaged children, and those in need of mental health services; to fairly upholding the law for all; and to being a positive role model and example for not only young women and girls seeking to achieve leadership roles, but for young people everywhere looking to engage in civic roles in their communities. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s outreach efforts under Judge Rufe’s direction have earned national recognition as models of court and law-related educational programs. In her leadership role, she also speaks on diversity and inclusion, particularly in the legal profession. Presently, Judge Rufe is at the helm of the Federal Judges Association, completing her term of two years as President.
For many years, Judge Rufe was an active board member of several community agencies related to the improvement of youth, families, protection from abuse, chemical addiction, and mental health. She was a founding member of the Organization to Prevent Teenage Suicide, and a former member and past President of Soroptimist International of Indian Rock, Inc., a service organization well known locally and internationally. She has been recognized and honored by several organizations for her work to end domestic violence, especially as it affects children, for her outstanding contributions to the ideals of law and justice for all citizens, and as a woman in law who serves as a role model and mentor in the legal profession. She is married to the Honorable John J. Rufe, (Retired) Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Bucks County, with whom she enjoys their five shared daughters and six grandchildren.
Event registration is now available at https://pearlsbuck.org/womanofinfluence/. Seating for the Woman of Influence award dinner is limited so please register early. The VIP reception requires a separate ticket.
Proceeds from this always inspirational event will support the important intercultural, humanitarian, and preservation work of Pearl S. Buck International, which carries out Pearl S. Buck’s legacy of bridging cultures and changing lives. Guests of Woman of Influence, which will include local community and business leaders, will be asked to follow the most up-to-date COVID-19 health and safety protocols, including social distancing and mask-wearing.