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.

  • Alabama

    Fernando Morgan, JD, CWLS

    Term 2020-2024

    Join the Alabama Listserv

  • Alaska

    Rachel Elizabeth Levitt

    Term 2021-2023

  • Arizona

    Jillian Aja, JD

    Assistant Chief Counsel

    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

  • Delware

    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 at Law

    Ellen Ramsey-Kacena, Attorney at Law

    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

  • Tennesse

    Thomas Coupe, JD, CWLS

    Supervising Attorney and Legislative Liaison

    Juvenile Court of Memphis & Shelby County

    Term 2020-2024

    Join the Tennesse 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.