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.

Apply to Join NACC’s Board of Directors

To contact a board member:

EMAIL THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS

  • LaShanda Taylor Adams, JD

    NACC Board President

    Legal Director

    Children’s Law Center of Washington, DC

    Washington, District of Columbia

  • Dawne Mitchell, JD

    NACC Board Vice President

    Attorney in Charge

    The Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Practice

    New York, New York

  • Akin Abioye, Ed.D

    NACC Board Treasurer

    Principal

    Consulting for the Culture

    Baltimore, Maryland

  • Stephanie Villafuerte, JD

    NACC Board Secretary

    Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman

    Denver, Colorado

  • Mickey Aberman, JD, MBA

    NACC Board Member

    James, McElroy, & Diehl, P.A.

    Charlotte, North Carolina

  • Kathryn Banks, JD

    NACC Board Member

    Asst. Professor, Director

    Children’s Permanency ClinicSaint Louis University School of Law

    St. Louis, Missouri

  • Janet Bledsoe, JD, LLM, CWLS

    NACC Board Member

    Director, Attorney ad Litem Program

    Administrative Office of the Courts

    Fort Smith, Arkansas

  • Hon. Karen Braxton, CWLS

    NACC Board Member

    Judge, 3rd Circuit Court of Michigan

    Family Division-Juvenile Section

    Detroit, Michigan

  • Currey Cook, JD

    NACC Board Member

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

    Lambda Legal

    New York, New York

  • LilCrystal Dernier, MS, MNM

    NACC Board Member

    Community Engagement and Children’s Needs Coordinator

    Voices for Children

    Miami, Florida

  • Sheri Freemont, JD

    NACC Board Member

    Managing Director

    Casey Family ProgramsJudicial and National Engagement

    Denver, Colorado

  • Gerard Glynn, JD, MS, LLM

    NACC Board Member

    Chief Legal Officer

    Embrace Families

    Orlando, Florida

  • Joseph D. Gunn III, MD

    NACC Board Member

    Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine

    Virginia Commonwealth University

    Richmond, Virginia

  • Amy Harfeld, JD

    NACC Board Member

    National Policy Director, Senior Staff Attorney

    Children’s Advocacy Institute, USD School of Law

    Washington, District of Columbia

  • Leslie Starr Heimov, JD, CWLS

    NACC Board Past President

    Executive Director

    Children’s Law Center of California

    Monterey Park, California

  • Priya Konings, JD

    NACC Board Member

    Regional Director for Legal Services, South

    Kids in Need of Defense, Inc. (KIND)

    Washington, District of Columbia

  • Yali Lincroft, MBA

    NACC Board Member

    Vice President

    Philanthropic Services, Whittier Trust

    Seattle, Washington

  • Candi M. Mayes, JD, MJM, CWLS

    NACC Board Member

    Supervising Attorney

    Dependency Legal Services

    Fairfield, California

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

    NACC Board Member

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

    University of Kentucky

    Based in Kentucky

  • David Smith, JD

    NACC Board Member

    Partner

    O’Melveny & Myers, LLP

    Los Angeles, California

  • John H. Stuemky, MD

    NACC Board Member

    Section Chief, Pediatric Emergency Medicine

    Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center

    Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

  • Sonia C. Velazquez

    NACC Board Member

    Former Executive Director

    Literature for All of Us

    Chicago, Illinois

  • Dan Wilde, JD

    NACC Board Member

    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

  • John Myers, JD

    Visiting Professor of Law

    UC College of Law

    San Francisco, California

  • Henry J. Plum, JD

    Attorney & Consultant

    New Berlin, Wisconsin

  • Miriam A. Rollin, JD

    Attorney & Children’s Policy Advocate (Retired)

    Duck, North Carolina

  • 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