NACC Board of Directors

With representatives from the fields of law, medicine, and youth engagement, the NACC Board of Directors offers a multidisciplinary perspective on child welfare issues and policies. This integrative group guides NACC’s strategic direction.

To contact a board member:

EMAIL THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS

  • Mickey Aberman, JD, MBA

    James, McElroy, & Diehl, P.A.

    Charlotte, North Carolina

  • Akin Abioye, Ed.D

    Principal

    Consulting for the Culture

    Baltimore, Maryland

  • LaShanda Taylor Adams, JD

    Legal Director

    Children’s Law Center of Washington, DC

    Washington, District of Columbia

  • Kathryn Banks, JD

    Asst. Professor, Director

    Children’s Permanency Clinic Saint Louis University School of Law

    St. Louis, Missouri

  • Janet Bledsoe, JD, LLM, CWLS

    Director, Attorney ad Litem Program

    Administrative Office of the Courts

    Fort Smith, Arkansas

  • Hon. Karen Braxton, CWLS

    Judge, 3rd Circuit Court of Michigan

    Family Division-Juvenile Section

    Detroit, Michigan

  • Currey Cook, JD

    Director of the Youth in Out-of-Home Care Project

    Lambda Legal

    New York, New York

  • LilCrystal Dernier, MS, MNM

    Community Engagement and Children’s Needs Coordinator

    Voices for Children

    Miami, Florida

  • Sheri Freemont, JD

    Managing Director

    Casey Family Programs Judicial and National Engagement

    Denver, Colorado

  • Gerard Glynn, JD, MS, LLM

    Chief Legal Officer

    Embrace Families

    Orlando, Florida

  • Joseph D. Gunn III, MD

    Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine

    Virginia Commonwealth University

    Richmond, Virginia

  • Amy Harfeld, JD

    National Policy Director, Senior Staff Attorney

    Children’s Advocacy Institute, USD School of Law

    Washington, District of Columbia

  • Leslie Starr Heimov, JD, CWLS

    Executive Director

    Children’s Law Center of California

    Monterey Park, California

  • Priya Konings, JD

    Regional Director for Legal Services, South

    Kids in Need of Defense, Inc. (KIND)

    Washington, District of Columbia

  • Yali Lincroft, MBA

    Vice President

    Philanthropic Services, Whittier Trust

    Seattle, Washington

  • Candi M. Mayes, JD, MJM, CWLS

    Supervising Attorney

    Dependency Legal Services

    Fairfield, California

  • Justin “Jay” Miller, PhD, MSW, CSW

    Dean & Dorothy Miller Research Professor, Director, Self-Care Lab, College of Social Work, Acting Director, UKOnline

    University of Kentucky

    Based in Kentucky

  • Dawne Mitchell, JD

    Attorney in Charge

    The Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Practice

    New York, New York

  • David Smith, JD

    Partner

    O’Melveny & Myers, LLP

    Los Angeles, California

  • John H. Stuemky, MD

    Section Chief, Pediatric Emergency Medicine

    Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center

    Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

  • Sonia C. Velazquez

    Former Executive Director

    Literature for All of Us

    Chicago, Illinois

  • Stephanie Villafuerte, JD

    Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman

    Denver, Colorado

  • Dan Wilde, JD

    Attorney

    The Wyoming Legal Group

    Cheyenne, Wyoming

EMERITUS BOARD MEMBERS

Founded in 2017, NACC’s Emeritus Board is an advisory body of prior board members. Emeritus Board members provide advice, technical assistance on specific projects, and assist in fundraising efforts. Members are selected by NACC’s Nominating Committee and voted on by the full Board. They serve a 10-year term and participate in NACC Board meetings as nonvoting members.

  • Candace Barr, JD, CWLS

    Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada

    Henderson, Nevada

  • Donald C. Bross, JD, Ph.D.

    Professor of Pediatrics (Family Law), Associate Director for Pediatric Law, Policy and Ethics

    Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect

    Aurora, Colorado

  • John B. Ciccolella, JD

    Ciccolella Family Law, P.C.

    Colorado Springs, Colorado

  • Robert Fellmeth, JD

    Executive Director/Professor

    University of San Diego Law School, Children’s Advocacy Institute

    San Diego, California

  • David R. Katner, JD

    Professor of Clinic Law & Director

    Tulane Law School Juvenile Law Clinic

    New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Henry J. Plum, JD

    Attorney & Consultant

    New Berlin, Wisconsin

  • Janet G. Sherwood, JD, CWLS

    Deputy Director

    Advokids

    Corte Madera, California

  • Chris Wu, JD

    Principal Court Management Consultant

    National Center for State Courts

    Arlington, Virginia

A tribute to Bob Schwartz

Bob the Builder

Bob Schwartz is a founder of the field of children’s legal representation. At every major
development of the field over the past 50 years, Bob was there providing wisdom and
strategic leadership. The NACC has been a lucky beneficiary of his guidance.

Bob started his career representing children in dependency and delinquency matters. He
had the audacity to champion the rights of children and youth — in trial court, on appeal,
in class action litigation, in Congress, in major law reform efforts, and internationally.

READ THE FULL TRIBUTE