Federal Bureau of Investigation
Kansas City Division
11180 NW Prairie View Rd.
Kansas City, MO 64153
Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus
Public Affairs Officer Bridget Patton, 816-512-8833
For Immediate Release:
April 19, 2024
FBI Honors Gavriela Geller, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau/American Jewish Federation Kansas City with National Award
On Friday, April 19, 2024, FBI Director Christopher Wray presented Gavriela Geller, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau/American Jewish Committee with the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) for her service to the community and law enforcement. Ms. Geller serves as a beacon for Jewish educational programs to the community and youth groups; and, has demonstrated outstanding contributions toward hate crime and violence prevention.
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. Each year, one person or organization from each of the FBI’s 56 field offices are chosen to receive this prestigious award.
“Our success as both a law enforcement and an intelligence agency hinges on our ability to foster and maintain genuine partnerships with people in all communities,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “People like this year’s Leadership Award recipients not only identify what others need, but they are willing to roll up their sleeves and provide services. They are building bridges and relationships while putting in the work to have hard conversations and find common purpose. They do it out of kindness and compassion with a sincere belief that justice – in its many forms – requires all of us to do the right thing in the right way.”
Ms. Geller is at the forefront of civil rights discussions between the community, law enforcement, and ethnic and minority groups, advocating for coalition building. She is a resource to law enforcement and is trusted in the community. As a member of the FBI Kansas City Division’s Community Engagement Council provides guidance, resources, and connections throughout the community, assisting the FBI with broad outreach.
With 60 percent of religiously motivated hate crimes against our two percent Jewish population and nearly two-thirds of American Jews reporting feeling less secure than one year ago, these relationships have never been more important,” Geller said. I’m honored to be able to work with our law enforcement partners to build safer, more connected communities across Kansas City.”
“Ms. Geller is a trusted partner of the FBI Kansas City. Through her leadership with the JCRB/AJC, the FBI enjoys a strong partnership. Her work serving the community, as well as her work connecting the community and law enforcement, is deserving of this recognition”, said Stephen Cyrus, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Kansas City.
Director Wray hosted the 2023 DCLA winners in a special ceremony at FBI Headquarters today (or on April 19th), emphasizing the importance of community partnerships in keeping our shared 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 in our communities, educate families and businesses about cyber threats, and work to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods. Learn more online about the Director’s Community Leadership Award program , the FBI’s general outreach efforts, and theKansas CityField Office.
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