Leadership & Administration
NAWJ's leadership is a reflection of its diverse membership, composed of women judges from all levels of the judiciary from across the nation.
President
Hon. Tanya Kennedy
New York State Supreme Court, New York County
New York, New York
President-Elect
Hon. Tamila Ipema
Superior Court of California, San Diego County
Carlsbad, California
Vice President, Districts
Hon. Orlinda Naranjo
419th District Court of Texas
Texas
Vice President, Publications
Hon. Anita Santos
Superior Court of California, Contra Costa County
Martinez, California
Treasurer
Hon. Kathy King
New York State Supreme Court
Kings County, New York
Secretary
Hon. Bernadette D'Souza
Parish of Orleans Civil District Court
New Orleans, Louisiana
Immediate Past President
Hon. Diana Becton
Superior Court of California, Contra Costa County (Retired)
Martinez, California
Finance Committee Chair
Hon. Heidi Pasichow
Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Washington, District of Columbia
Projects Committee Chair
Hon. Marcella Holland
Baltimore City Circuit Court (Retired)
Baltimore, Maryland
District Director, 1 (ME, MA, NH, PR, RI)
Hon. MaryLou Muirhead
Boston Housing Court
Boston, Massachusetts
District Director, 2 (CT, NY, VT)
Hon. Cenceria Edwards
New York State Civil Court
Brooklyn, NY
District Director, 3 (DE, NJ, PA, Virgin Islands)
Hon. Barbara McDermott
First Judicial District, Court of Common Pleas
Philadelphia, PA
District Director, 4 (DC, MD, VA)
Hon. Judith Kline
Newport News Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
Newport News, VA
District Director, 5 (FL, GA, NC, SC)
Hon. Sara Doyle
Court of Appeals of Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
District Director, 6 (AL, LA, MS, TN)
Hon. Sheva Sims
Shreveport City Court
Shreveport, LA
District Director, 7 (MI, OH, WV)
Hon. Michelle Rick
29th Circuit Court
St. Johns, Michigan
District Director, 8 (IL, IN, KY)
Hon. Casandra Lewis
Cook County Circuit Court
Chicago, IL
District Director, 9 (IA, MO, WI)
Hon. Ellen Siwak
21st Judicial Circuit, Division 11
St. Louis, Missouri
District Director, 10 (KS, MN, NE, ND, SD)
Hon. Renee Worke
Minnesota Court of Appeals
St. Paul, MN
District Director, 11 (AR, OK, TX)
Hon. Karen Sage
299th District Court
Travis County, Texas
District Director, 12 (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY)
Hon. Emily Anderson
Adams County District Court
Brighton, Colorado
District Director, 13 (AK, HI, ID, MT, WA, OR)
Hon. Karen Donohue
Seattle Municipal Court
Seattle, Washington
District Director, 14 (CA, NV)
Hon. Elizabeth White
Los Angeles Superior Court
Los Angeles, CA
International Director
Hon. Lisette Shirdan-Harris
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
Pennsylvania
ABA Delegate
Hon. Toni Clarke
Circuit Court for Prince George's County
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Co-Chair
Cathy Winter, Esq.
CourtCall, LLC
Los Angeles, CA
Elizabeth Cabraser, Esq.
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein
San Francisco, California
Robert Kaufman, Esq.
New York, New York
Teresa Cavenagh, Esq.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Andrea King, Esq.
LexisNexis
Washington, DC
Charles Cheever
New Canaan, CT
Linda Leali, Esq.
Linda Leali, P.A.
Miami, Florida
Kelly Dermody, Esq.
Lieff, Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein
San Francisco, California
Thomas Leighton
West, a Thomson Reuters Business
Eagan, Minnesota
Nicole Erb, Esq.
Washington, District of Columbia
Heather McDevitt, Esq.
New York, New York
Andrea Bear Field, Esq.
Washington, District of Columbia
Diane McGimsey, Esq.
Los Angeles, California
Elizabeth Hernandez, Esq.
Miami, Florida
Christopher Poole
JAMS
Irvine, CA
Patricia Hollenbeck, Esq.
San Diego, California
William Robinson
GEICO
Washington, DC
Jamie Isani, Esq.
Miami, Florida
Executive Director
Marie Komisar
Marie Komisar began her tenure with NAWJ in 2009. Marie has over 36 years of experience working with not for profit organizations including the executive directorships of the Fairfax County Bar Association (VA), where she worked closely with Legal Services of Northern Virginia, the Dutchess County Bar Association (NY) and the National Arts in Education Organization of Young Audiences, Arts for Learning, Inc. (NY). Marie has a B.A. in Communications from Marist College, with a focus in organizational communications, a paralegal degree from Marist College, and a Masters Degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the Wagner School at New York University. Marie is an accomplished fundraiser, communicator, manager and organizational administrator. Marie and her husband, Jerry live in Reston, Virginia.
Senior Program And Publications Manager
Lavinia Cousin
Lavinia Cousin has near 20 years of experience working in nonprofit organizations in functions spanning development, programs management, research, accounting, marketing, and membership.
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