Building Community

NACC State Coordinators

NACC State Coordinators support and connect a growing network of child welfare attorneys. NACC has 41 State Coordinators and adds more each year, moving to fulfill our 50-state strategy by 2023. This is a critical time to build community and support local practitioners and NACC is grateful for this volunteer network.

Review NACC’s State Coordinator Position Description for more information.

Call for State Coordinators for the 2023-2025 term. Apply by April 30.

  • Alabama

    Fernando Morgan, JD, CWLS

    Term 2020-2024

    Join the Alabama Listserv

  • Alaska

    Rachel Elizabeth Levitt

    Term 2021-2023

  • Arizona

    Jillian Aja, JD

    Bureau Chief

    Pima County Office of Children’s Counsel

    Term 2021-2023

  • Arkansas

    Leisa Pulliam, JD, CWLS

    Attorney ad Litem

    Faulkner, VanBuren, and Searcy Counties

    Term 2021-2023

  • California

    Dean Conklin, JD

    Resource and Training Attorney

    Children’s Law Center of California

    Term 2022-2024

    Join the California Listserv

  • Colorado

    Ashley Chase, JD, CWLS

    Staff Attorney and Legislative Liaison

    Office of the Child’s Representative

    Term 2021-2023

    Join the Colorado Listserv

  • Connecticut

    Salihah Denman, JD

    Attorney

    Private Practice

    Term 2022-2024

    Join the Connecticut Listserv

  • Delaware

    Stephanie Reid, JD, CWLS

    Attorney (Respondent Parent)

    Private Practice

    Term 2022-2024

  • District of Columbia

    Keely Magyar, JD

    Assistant Attorney General, Child Protection Sections

    Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia

    Term 2021-2023

  • Florida

    Tim Stevens, JD

    Children’s Attorney, Foster Children’s Project

    Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach

    Term 2020-2024

    Join the Florida Listserv

  • Georgia

    Jen Carreras, JD, CWLS

    Deputy Director

    Georgia Office of the Child Advocate

    Term 2020-2024

    Join the Georgia Listserv

  • Hawaii

    Valerie Grab, JD

    Executive Director

    Children’s Law Project of Hawaii

    Term 2022-2024

  • Idaho

    Jessalyn Hopkin, JD

    Juvenile Deputy Public Defender

    Bannock County Public Defender’s Office

    Term 2022-2024

  • Indiana

    Nicole Goodson, JD

    Director of Special Initiatives

    Kids’ Voice

    Term 2020-2024

    Join the Indiana Listserv

  • Iowa

    Ellen Ramsey-Kacena, JD, CWLS

    Attorney

    Bray and Klockau

    Term 2021-2023

    Join the Iowa Listserv

  • Kansas

    Kerrie Lonard, JD

    Kansas Child Advocate

    Kansas Office of Public Advocates, Division of the Child Advocate

    Term 2021-2023

    Join the Kansas Listserv

  • Louisiana

    Rebecca May-Ricks, JD, CWLS

    Director

    Mental Health Advocacy Service/ Child Advocacy Program

    Term 2021-2023

    Join the Louisiana Listserv

  • Maine

    Chelsea Peters, JD

    Court Appointed Counsel

    Term 2021-2023

    Join the Maine Listserv

  • Maryland

    Erica LeMon, JD

    Director of Advocacy for Children’s Rights

    Maryland Legal Aid

    Term 2021-2023

  • Michigan

    Lynda McGhee, JD, CWLS

    Co-Executive Director

    Michigan Children’s Law Center

    Term 2021-2023

  • Minnesota

    Debra Kovats, JD

    Staff Attorney

    Children’s Law Center of Minnesota

    Term 2022-2024

  • Mississippi

    Jennifer Morgan, JD, CWLS

    Parent Defense Program Manager

    Office of the State Public Defender

    Term 2022-2024

  • Missouri

    Claire Terrebonne, JD, CWLS

    Director of Legal Services

    Jackson County CASA

    Term 2021-2023

    Join the Missouri Listserv

  • Montana

    Sarah Chase Rosario, JD, CWLS

    Sarah Chase Rosario, Esq.

    Term 2021-2023

    Join the Montana Listserv

  • Nebraska

    LaShawn Sayers Young, JD

    Attorney/Partner

    Young & Young

    Term 2021-2023

    Join the Nebraska Listserv

  • Nevada

    Angela Cook, JD

    Team Chief

    Children’s Attorneys Project , Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada

    Term 2022-2024

    Join the Nevada Listserv

  • New Jersey

    M. Alexis Pollock, JD

    Deputy Public Defender, OLG Appellate Section Managing Attorney

    New Jersey Office of the Public Defender, Office of the Law Guardian

    Term 2021-2023

  • New York

    Melissa Paul-Franklyn, JD

    Deputy Attorney-in-Charge

    The Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Practice

    Term 2021-2023

    Join the New York Listserv

  • North Dakota

    Constance Cleveland, JD

    Assistant State’s Attorney

    Cass County

    Term 2022-2024

  • Ohio

    Kimberly Jordan, JD

    Director, Justice for Children Project and Clinical Professor, Moritz College of Law

    The Ohio State University

    Term 2020-2024

    Join the Ohio Listserv

  • Oklahoma

    Timothy Michaels-Johnson, JD

    Executive Director

    Tulsa Lawyers for Children

    Term 2021-2023

    Join the Oklahoma Listserv

  • South Carolina

    Margaret Bodman, JD

    Senior Resource Attorney

    Children’s Law Center at University of South Carolina

    Term 2022-2024

  • Tennessee

    Thomas Coupe, JD, CWLS

    Supervising Attorney and Legislative Liaison

    Juvenile Court of Memphis & Shelby County

    Term 2020-2024

    Join the Tennessee Listserv

  • Texas

    Judge Aurora Martinez-Jones, JD, CWLS

    Associate Judge

    Travis County Civil District Courts

    Term 2020-2024

    Join the Texas Listserv

  • Utah

    Dianne Balmain, JD, CWLS

    Assistant Attorney General

    Attorney General’s Office

    Term 2022-2024

  • Vermont

    Marshall Pahl, JD

    Deputy Defender General/Chief Juvenile Defender

    Office of the Defender General

    Term 2020-2024

    Join the Vermont Listserv

  • Virginia

    Valerie L’Herrou, JD

    Staff Attorney

    Family Law and Child Welfare Virginia Poverty Law Center

    Term 2022-2024

    Join the Virginia Listserv

  • Washington

    Bailey Zydek, JD

    Term 2022-2024

    Join the Washington Listserv

  • West Virginia

    Cathy Bond Wallace, JD

    Executive Director

    Childlaw Services, Inc.

    Term 2022-2024

  • Wisconsin

    David Patton, JD, CWLS

    Attorney

    Patton Law Office, S.C.

    Term 2021-2023

  • Wyoming

    Cynthia Sweet, JD, CWLS

    Supervising Staff Attorney, Natrona County

    State of Wyoming, Office of the Guardian ad Litem

    Term 2021-2023

    Join the Wyoming Listserv

Become a State Coordinator


State Coordinators help lead outreach efforts and provide localized support to growing networks of practitioners in their respective states. They serve as a liaison between NACC and child welfare practitioners, courts, organizations, and law schools and help grow the NACC community.