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:
CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS
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Mickey Aberman, JD, MBA
James, McElroy, & Diehl, P.A.
Charlotte, North Carolina
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Akin Abioye, Ed.D
Principal
Consulting for the Culture
Baltimore, Maryland
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LaShanda Taylor Adams, JD
Legal Director
Children’s Law Center of Washington, DC
Washington, District of Columbia
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Kathryn Banks, JD
Asst. Professor, Director
Children’s Permanency Clinic Saint Louis University School of Law
St. Louis, Missouri
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Janet Bledsoe, JD, LLM, CWLS
Director, Attorney ad Litem Program
Administrative Office of the Courts
Fort Smith, Arkansas
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Hon. Karen Braxton, CWLS
Judge, 3rd Circuit Court of Michigan
Family Division-Juvenile Section
Detroit, Michigan
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Currey Cook, JD
Director of the Youth in Out-of-Home Care Project
Lambda Legal
New York, New York
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LilCrystal Dernier, MS, MNM
Community Engagement and Children’s Needs Coordinator
Voices for Children
Miami, Florida
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Sheri Freemont, JD
Managing Director
Casey Family Programs Judicial and National Engagement
Denver, Colorado
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Gerard Glynn, JD, MS, LLM
Chief Legal Officer
Embrace Families
Orlando, Florida
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Joseph D. Gunn III, MD
Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia
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Amy Harfeld, JD
National Policy Director, Senior Staff Attorney
Children’s Advocacy Institute, USD School of Law
Washington, District of Columbia
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Leslie Starr Heimov, JD, CWLS
Executive Director
Children’s Law Center of California
Monterey Park, California
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Priya Konings, JD
Regional Director for Legal Services, South
Kids in Need of Defense, Inc. (KIND)
Washington, District of Columbia
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Yali Lincroft, MBA
Vice President
Philanthropic Services, Whittier Trust
Seattle, Washington
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Candi M. Mayes, JD, MJM, CWLS
Supervising Attorney
Dependency Legal Services
Fairfield, California
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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
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Dawne Mitchell, JD
Attorney in Charge
The Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Practice
New York, New York
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David Smith, JD
Partner
O’Melveny & Myers, LLP
Los Angeles, California
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John H. Stuemky, MD
Section Chief, Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
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Sonia C. Velazquez
Former Executive Director
Literature for All of Us
Chicago, Illinois
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Stephanie Villafuerte, JD
Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman
Denver, Colorado
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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.
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Candace Barr, JD, CWLS
Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada
Henderson, Nevada
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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
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John B. Ciccolella, JD
Ciccolella Family Law, P.C.
Colorado Springs, Colorado
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Robert Fellmeth, JD
Executive Director/Professor
University of San Diego Law School, Children’s Advocacy Institute
San Diego, California
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David R. Katner, JD
Professor of Clinic Law & Director
Tulane Law School Juvenile Law Clinic
New Orleans, Louisiana
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Henry J. Plum, JD
Attorney & Consultant
New Berlin, Wisconsin
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Janet G. Sherwood, JD, CWLS
Deputy Director
Advokids
Corte Madera, California
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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.