The Awards and Scholarship Committee administers annual awards and scholarships according to established guidelines. The committee evaluates award nominations received during a yearly nomination period. Award recipients are announced during the annual conference and certificates are presented. The committee also assesses scholarship applications following an annual application window. Approved scholarship recipients are notified of their award and the procedures for obtaining their scholarship reimbursements. The Awards and Scholarship Committee typically holds several conference calls during the year to discuss committee matters.

Awards/Scholarship Committee:

Laura Bax - Chair

Jeff Peirce - Co-Chair   

Cindy Coady TN-W

Becky Nahr AL-S 

Jazmin Ayala CT

Megan Moore CA-S

Lauren Wilkerson TN-M

Khadijia White-Thomas AZ

Patrick McWilliams MO-W

Graciela Muniz PR

Sandra Mohammad CA-C

Sharday Rivera PR

LaShonja Gordon GA-M

Jason Ortega AR-E & W

The Benefits Committee is primarily responsible for coordinating the benefits available exclusively to NCBC members. The bulk of these benefits are insurance programs offered through our partnership with FedAdvantage.

The committee’s role includes:

• Ensuring that NCBC members have the most up-to-date information about the FedAdvantage offerings by maintaining the Benefits Committee page on the NCBC website, engaging members at the annual conference

• Writing articles for the NCBC IMPACT newsletter

• Identifying insurance or other programs that FedAdvantage could provide to benefit our members further

• Researching and recommending other value-added benefits that could be offered to NCBC members

Benefits Committee:  

Troy Baas - Chair

Dee Orr

Tommie Wills

Caitlyn Pittman

Jeffrey Peirce

Amanda Dabbs

Parker Rumley

Andrea Redmon

The Education Committee is responsible for identifying speakers, arranging workshops, and developing programs of interest and educational value. Much of our focus, although not entirely, is on the Annual Education Conference.

Education Committee:  

Doug Wedge - Chair

Tonya Castillo – Financial Manager (TX-N) – 5th Cir.

Esperanza Cervantes – CA (MO-W) – 8th Cir.

Rylee Groenink – Procurement and Facilities (MI-W) – 6th Cir.

Hon. Elizabeth Gunn – Bankruptcy Judge (DC)

Melissa Haniff – CA (FL-M) – 11th Cir. 

Holly Jamjoo – CA (TX-W) – 5th Cir.

Caitlin Pittman – HR Manager (AZ) – 9th Cir.

Jenn Richter – FJC

Lauren Quarles – Courtroom Deputy (TN-M) – 6th Cir.

Tesa Ramsaur – CA II (WA-E) (host court) – 9th Cir.

Alaric Serjeant – Financial Administrator (OK-W) – 10th Cir.

The Impact Editorial Committee produces the official publication of the NCBC, the Impact Newsletter, every quarter. The Impact Editor, along with the Editorial Committee is tasked with authoring, soliciting, and editing written content and photographs for the newsletter in its current print and web-based formats. Additionally, the Editor and the Editorial Committee may produce special issues of the newsletter following annual conferences or other special events held throughout the year.

IMPACT Editorial Committee: 

Michael Kloberdanz - Chair

Deanna Anderson (NYSB)

Cindi Austin (OKEB)

Carol Boggess (TXWB)

Amanda Dabbs (MSNB)

Deborah Davis (KSB)

Jennifer Kwiatkowski (MIEB)

Jennifer Mahar (MIEB)

Jeff Peirce (NJB)

Annie Schumacher (WIEB)

Michelle Sheridan (VAEB)

Jessica Trotman (ALMB)

The Policy/Legislative Committee monitors and analyzes legislative and regulatory activities of Congress and the Executive Branch, as well as policies of the Judicial Conference and Administrative Office of the United States Courts, impacting the federal judiciary with emphasis on the Bankruptcy Courts. The Committee works with the Legislative Committee of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges and other government employee associations to help to educate members of Congress on issues important to the bankruptcy court system and the effects of various legislation, or lack of, on the bankruptcy courts. The Committee, with the approval of the President and Board, provides position statements to committees and advisory groups of the Judiciary regarding the effects of proposed policies on the bankruptcy courts. The Committee ensures that the NCBC members are informed of pending legislation, regulations, and policy through articles in the IMPACT newsletter and emails, when appropriate.  

Policy/Legislative Committee:



Thomas Kearns - Chair

JJ Voithofer - WVN

Shannon Morris - GAN

David Levine - MA

David Zimmerman - KS

Kyle Crockett - NE

Lauren Maxwell - SC

(Local Court Reps and Circuit Liaisons Only)

The Membership Committee mission is the retention of current members and the recruitment of new members. Circuit Liaisons (CL) for each circuit, as well as Local Court Representatives (LCR) from each district within those circuits, assist the Membership Committee. The Membership Committee is also responsible for the annual Membership Drive and Member Appreciation Week. If you are interested in becoming an LCR or CL, please contact the Membership Committee.

Membership Committee:

Cindi Austin - Chair



Circuit Liaisons

The Mentorship Committee facilitates the NCBC's Mentorship Program. The committee reviews both mentee and mentor applications to match a pair together based upon professional experience, goals, and expectations. The committee performs follow-up with each participant to ensure the program is meeting expectations. We discuss any issues that may arise and are always brainstorming on how the program could potentially be improved upon. The committee frequently advertises for volunteers through the NCBC Impact newsletter and is currently working on posting a revised video for the website.

Mentorship Committee:    



Jan Zari - Chair

(Clerks & Chief Deputies Only)

The Outreach Committee is responsible for increasing long term commitment to the NCBC members by working with all committees, members and external entities, as needed.

Outreach Committee:  



Che Clay - Chair

Nicole Burkhartsmeier, Chief Deputy (NDB)

Amber Craig, Clerk (INNB)

Kyle Crockett, Clerk (NEB)

Maria Mathus, Chief Deputy (AZB)

Dana McWay, Clerk (MOEB)

Nancy Patterson, Chief Deputy (MSNB)

David Zimmerman, Clerk (KSB)

The Historian’s Committee is responsible for maintaining the organization's historical record by capturing and preserving significant moments through photos and videos, with a focus on events like the annual conference. The committee assists the Historian with compiling and maintaining an array of items, including copies of the IMPACT newsletter, flyers, programs, letters of acknowledgment, and other memorabilia, creating a comprehensive archive that documents the rich history of the NCBC's activities to provide a narrative of the organization's journey for present and future generations.

Historian Committee:

Jeffrey Peirce - Chair

Cathy Waltz                        CA-E                  

Holly Jamjoo                       TX-W                  

Carri Marshall                     MI-E                   

Lauren Wilkerson              TN-M                 

Patrick McWilliams           MO-W                 

Esperanza Cervantes       MO-W             

Jeffery Dingman                 NY-N 

The Website Committee is responsible for maintaining the website used by the NCBC members.

Website committee members assist with adding content to the website, making sure the content is timely and accurate and recommends ways to make the site easy to navigate to ensure visitors have a positive experience. The website committee team is highly involved in other tasks, such as:

• Coordinating web page development with the host court for the annual conference
• Maintaining the conference mobile application
• Sending email blasts
• Developing forms
• Creating reports from forms for committee leads
• Maintaining the integrity of the membership database

Website Committee:

Lori Waite - Chair

Dee Orr

Alli Kelly