5^th - 7^th
August

Christina Martin currently serves in a leadership role within the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, where she is committed to advancing the fair and effective administration of justice. In this capacity, she manages critical operational and administrative functions that support the mission of the federal judiciary. Her work ensures that court systems across the nation are equipped with the resources and guidance needed to operate efficiently and uphold the rule of law. Throughout her distinguished career, Christina has served as a key liaison between the Administrative Office and various U.S. Bankruptcy and District Courts, playing a strategic role in implementing national initiatives that directly impact court operations. Her extensive experience spans several federal courts, including the U.S. District Courts in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Florida’s Northern District. Across these jurisdictions, Christina has held roles in jury administration, courtroom services, case management, interpreting services, Central Violations Bureau (CVB)/petty offenses, and statistical reporting. Christina earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Florida A&M University and holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Rutgers University. She furthered her academic journey with both a master’s and a doctoral degree in Public Policy from Walden University. Her academic background, combined with real-world judicial experience, offers students a unique blend of theory and practice. Dedicated to professional growth and leadership, Christina is a graduate of her agency's Leadership Academy and is a proud member of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) as well as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She is a passionate advocate for continuous learning and believes strongly in empowering others through education and mentorship. In her personal time, Christina enjoys exploring new cultures through travel, expressing her thoughts through journaling, indulging in shopping, and attending live World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) events.

Jason Spencer joined the Administrative Office in August 2022. His responsibilities include primary support for the District and Bankruptcy Clerks in the Third and Fifth Circuits as well as the Bankruptcy Administrator Program. Jason is also a part of the Court Services Office Staffing Allocations Team. Jason has previously worked in both Bankruptcy and District courts and has been with the Federal Judiciary since October 2016.

I am the one of the co leader of the Operational Practices Forum. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Laura Buchanan Chief, Operations Branch Court Services Office, Administrative Office Laura Buchanan currently serves as Chief of the Operations Branch within the Court Services Office at the Administrative Office. Her office provides direct support to all appellate, district, and bankruptcy court units across the country. Laura previously served as a regional administrator supporting the Courts of Appeals, Bankruptcy Appellate Panels and the District and Bankruptcy Courts in the Tenth Circuit for over 17 years. During her time as a regional administrator, Laura also served as the project manager charged with developing and deploying the Jury Management System (JMS) to District Courts nationwide. At the request of the then Director, James Duff, she also served on a work detail to the United States Supreme Court in 2018 while simultaneously maintaining her position at the Administrative Office. Laura began her career with the judiciary in 1983 at the District Court in Colorado, where she served in a variety of positions, including jury administrator, courtroom deputy, and prisoner litigation deputy. Laura has spent her entire adult career working for the federal judiciary and holds a master’s degree in Court Administration from the University of Denver College of Law.

Lucien Adam, who has dedicated over two decades to the Judiciary. He joined the AO in March 2024 as Chief of the Programs Division in CSO, injecting a modern and dynamic perspective into government service. Formerly Chief Deputy Clerk at the US District Court – Southern District of Ohio, Lucien has contributed to various capacities, including Financial Manager at the US District Court – Massachusetts and roles in IT and procurement at the US Bankruptcy Court – Delaware. As a dedicated professional, Lucien led a Six Sigma Green Belt project, reflecting his commitment to continuous improvement, and is actively involved in a Black Belt project. Grounded in his education—an MBA in Finance from Wilmington College and a bachelor's degree in business management from Bucknell University—Lucien advocates for operational excellence. Beyond professional pursuits, Lucien values diversity and enjoys exploring the world with his husband and son, enriching his leadership approach with a global perspective.

Mary Corbin was born in Washington, DC and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Howard University, Master of Arts in Government with a concentration in Law and Justice from Johns Hopkins University, and a Paralegal Certificate from Catholic University. Mary serves as the regional administrator liaison for the DC and 7th Circuits. She also provides support to the Circuit Executives Advisory Group and the Clerks Advisory Groups.

Estella Chavarin has been a Senior Court Analyst for the U.S Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California since 2019.  In this role, Estella leads learning and development programs for the Clerk’s Office, including creating and facilitating leadership development and professional development training.  She is closely involved in organizational development initiatives, serving as a member of the Strategic Plan Drafting Committee, Strategic Planning Council, Communications Center of Excellence, and serving as Chair for the Operations Improvement Center of Excellence and Co-Chair for the Workforce Development & Employment Engagement Center of Excellence.

Estella has over 20 years of experience in the judicial system, including multiple municipal and state trial courts, of which most years have been in various management positions.  She is a Certified Court Manager through the National Center for State Courts, Institute for Court Management.  Estella holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from California State University, Long Beach, a Master of Public Administration from American Public University, and a Doctor of Education in Organizational Change & Leadership from the University of Southern California.  Her leadership philosophy is to practice servant leadership through several core values: transparency, integrity, collaboration and empowerment, authenticity, adaptability, and community and loyalty.

Chief Bankruptcy Judge Caryl E. Delano received her bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of South Florida and her juris doctorate from the Indiana University McKinney School of Law. She completed her final year of law school at Emory University School of Law. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Los Angeles, California, where she was admitted to practice law in 1980.

Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Delano practiced bankruptcy and commercial law in Los Angeles and in Tampa, Florida. In 2008, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals appointed Judge Delano as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Middle District of Florida. In 2022, the Eleventh Circuit apponted Judge Delano to second 14-year term. She sits in the Tampa and Fort Myers Divisions. 

Judge Delano has served as the Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the Middle District of Florida since October 1, 2019.

Elizabeth A. “Libby” Smith is the Associate Director for the Department of Program Services (DPS) of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO). She acts as a principal advisor to the Director, Deputy Director, other judiciary officials, and committees and subcommittees of the Judicial Conference of the United States on functions related to the work of judges, clerks’ offices, and probation offices. Libby also serves in a lead executive role on matters relating to programmatic support and services to the AO and the judiciary. The opinions, conclusions, and advice provided by DPS are instrumental in policy and program development and implementation. Before her appointment as AO DPS Associate Director in the September 2021, Libby served as the Circuit Executive for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for more than four years. Prior to her appointment as Circuit Executive of the Ninth Circuit, Libby served as the Clerk of Court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho, where she managed a consolidated clerk’s office that provided administrative services to both the district and bankruptcy courts for the District of Idaho. Libby assumed the post in 2009, bringing about innovative changes that improved court efficiency and cut costs. Her contributions were recognized in 2016, when she was awarded the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts’ Director’s Award for Outstanding Leadership, the highest honor awarded to judicial branch employees. Before her service in the District of Idaho, Libby held senior positions in judicial administration in both the federal and state courts in Michigan. Libby served as the Chief Deputy Clerk for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan from 2006 to 2009 and as Deputy Court Administrator for the Michigan Sixth Judicial Circuit Court from 1999 to 2006. Over the course of her career, Libby has also served as a judicial assistant, jury administrator, and program analyst. Libby has also served on several state and national task forces, advisory groups and councils, working groups, and committees. Libby holds an M.S. in business information technology and a B.S. in business administration.

Jason Edwards was appointed Chief of the Court Services Office (CSO) in September 2020. Prior to this appointment, he was CSO's Deputy Chief for two years. Jason’s AO experience also includes serving as a regional administrator in CSO and as a management analyst in the Court Human Resources Office, with a focus on the work measurement studies and other analytical initiatives. Prior to his service at the AO, Jason held various positions with the Northern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court. Jason earned his bachelor’s degree in government and politics from the University of Texas at Dallas and a master’s degree in human resources from Amberton University.

Nora Tyer-Witek has been the Clerk of Court, United States District Court, District of Rhode Island, since May 30, 2017.  Nora is the current Chair of the District Clerk’s Advisory Group, is a member of the First Circuit Workplace Conduct Mediator Panel, is a past member of the First Circuit Information Technology Committee and trains court employees and judicial officers in wellness, resiliency, work/life balance and modern leadership.  Nora is a member of the Federal Court Clerk’s Association, the Federal Bar Association, the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association and is the 2024 recipient of the AO Director’s Award for Community Outreach.  Nora is a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and served 20 years in the United States Marine Corps. Nora was born in Fairfax, Virginia, received her B.S. Magna Cum Laude from Loyola University Chicago in 1996, her JD from University of Illinois College of Law in 2004 and her LLM in Criminal Law from the Army Judge Advocate General’s School, Charlottesville, VA in 2011. She is married to her partner and high school sweetheart Bryan and they have five children.

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Danita Chiles is a Program Manager in the AO's Judiciary Data and Analysis Office. Danita manages the collection and reporting of District Court caseload data.

Bhavna Samant has worked as a Bankruptcy and Adversary Program Manager in the Production and Analysis Division (Judicial Data and Analysis Office) since November 2021.

Bhavna oversees and manages various aspects of the data processes. She processes data from receipt to publication, ensuring data quality. Bhavna also performs fundamental data/trend analysis to understand and monitor data from both data collection and reporting perspectives. This allows her to research and identify common errors and monitor error frequency, trends, and types of errors within and across programs and source systems.

I was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, and joined the United States Air Force immediately after graduating high school in 1985. During my 10 years of service, I was stationed in California, South Korea, Germany, and Texas. In 1995, I began my career with the Central Violations Bureau (CVB), where I’ve spent the past 30 years in a variety of roles. These experiences have given me a comprehensive understanding of CVB operations, the courts, and the many agencies we support. Outside of work, I have a passion for learning about wine. I volunteer with the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Wine Committee, which hosts several annual events to raise scholarship funds for the youth of Texas.

Jason Spencer joined the Administrative Office in August 2022. His responsibilities include primary support for the District and Bankruptcy Clerks in the Third and Fifth Circuits as well as the Bankruptcy Administrator Program. Jason is also a part of the Court Services Office Staffing Allocations Team. Jason has previously worked in both Bankruptcy and District courts and has been with the Federal Judiciary since October 2016.

John Minter is a mediator with the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where he received a certification in Alternative Dispute Resolution. He later worked at Moritz as the Langdon Fellow in Dispute Resolution, providing instruction on mediation and other issues in dispute resolution. Prior to working at the Sixth Circuit, John mediated within the Ohio court system for several years working as a foreclosure and general civil mediator for the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas and as the mediator for the Ohio Ninth District Court of Appeals. Prior to working as a court mediator, he was an assistant prosecutor for Marion County, Ohio, and had a private legal practice. John has presented before numerous organizations and at multiple conferences including the Ohio Association of Magistrates, the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section Spring Conference, the Federal Judicial Center Workshop for Federal Court Mediators, and was a trainer for the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Catherine C. Geyer is a graduate of the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and a member of the Ohio Bar. Prior to becoming Chief Circuit Mediator, she was the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Dispute Resolution Section manager, mediating mandamus, workers’ compensation, board of tax appeals, public records and other cases pending before the Court. Prior to that, Cathy practiced law for 20 years, with an emphasis in the areas of insurance coverage and bad faith, construction law, commercial disputes, corporate litigation, and mediation. She has over 200 hours of mediation training, an advanced negotiation certificate from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, and is a frequent lecturer, trainer, and author on dispute resolution topics across the country. Cathy serves as an adjunct professor at Moritz's top-rated Dispute Resolution Program. To contact Cathy Geyer, send an email to Catherine_Geyer@ca6.uscourts.gov.

Scott is a Circuit Mediator with the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Prior to joining the Sixth Circuit in 2020, Scott served as an appellate mediator/preconference attorney for the Kentucky Court of Appeals. He has been primarily engaged in civil mediation since 2005 and previously litigated in Kentucky state and federal courts.

Laura Buchanan Chief, Operations Branch Court Services Office, Administrative Office Laura Buchanan currently serves as Chief of the Operations Branch within the Court Services Office at the Administrative Office. Her office provides direct support to all appellate, district, and bankruptcy court units across the country. Laura previously served as a regional administrator supporting the Courts of Appeals, Bankruptcy Appellate Panels and the District and Bankruptcy Courts in the Tenth Circuit for over 17 years. During her time as a regional administrator, Laura also served as the project manager charged with developing and deploying the Jury Management System (JMS) to District Courts nationwide. At the request of the then Director, James Duff, she also served on a work detail to the United States Supreme Court in 2018 while simultaneously maintaining her position at the Administrative Office. Laura began her career with the judiciary in 1983 at the District Court in Colorado, where she served in a variety of positions, including jury administrator, courtroom deputy, and prisoner litigation deputy. Laura has spent her entire adult career working for the federal judiciary and holds a master’s degree in Court Administration from the University of Denver College of Law.

Mary Corbin was born in Washington, DC and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Howard University, Master of Arts in Government with a concentration in Law and Justice from Johns Hopkins University, and a Paralegal Certificate from Catholic University. Mary serves as the regional administrator liaison for the DC and 7th Circuits. She also provides support to the Circuit Executives Advisory Group and the Clerks Advisory Groups.

Rich Franzen serves as a Regional Administrator in the Operations Branch of the AO Court Services Office, since 2023. In this capacity, he provides comprehensive operational support to district and bankruptcy courts throughout the Eighth and Eleventh circuits while also coordinating the Senior Staff Attorneys Advisory group. Rich is also a member of the branch's national Staffing Allocations team, which oversees and manages 16 different allocations. His career in public service began in the United States Army, where he served in the field artillery. Following his military service, Rich earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas before starting his Judiciary career in 2005 at the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. During his tenure with the Bankruptcy Court, he held several operational and technical positions. His roles encompassed case management, data quality assurance, and eventually advancement to CM/ECF Analyst and Administrator. In these capacities, he managed the CM/ECF Help Desk, oversaw the attorney training program, and managed the court's digital presence through its internal and external websites.

LaToya is a Supervising U.S. Probation Officer in the Northern District of Texas. She has over fifteen years in the agency with experience serving the Administrative Office (PPSO), on two TDYs, participation on a couple national committees: The FJC Education Advisory Committee on Probation and Pretrial Services and the Probation and Pretrial Services Wellness Working Group. In addition, LaToya has served as faculty on a couple FJC programs and occasionally provides wellness consultations and training to districts. She earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Kentucky State University and a master's degree in public administration from Governors State University.

Gary McCaffrey was appointed Chief of the AO Court Services Office Operations Division in 2014 which provides direct support to court unit executives and case management system stakeholder representation for the appellate, district, and bankruptcy court units. He previously served as a Regional Administrator in the AO’s former Bankruptcy Court Administration Division and was program manager for the Bankruptcy Noticing Center. Gary came to the AO in 1995 as a Management Analyst for the former District Court Administration Division. He began his career with the federal courts in 1992 at the Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire where he served as an Administrative Officer in the clerk’s office.

Staff for the Judicial Conference Committee on Court Administration and Case Management

A Program Analyst in the Judiciary Data and Analysis Office (JDAO) of the AO, Julie Auletta is a member of the SharePoint Online (SPO) Management Team with a mission to empower and engage business users in the Judiciary to leverage SharePoint and related technologies to improve communication and collaboration, increase efficiency, and minimize costs. Julie and the team maintain the SharePoint Online Center of Excellence, a site designed to be your primary source of information for everything about SharePoint Online in the Judiciary; offer SharePoint Sherpa and SharePoint Skill Builder services that provide guidance and advice as you plan, implement, and expand your use of SPO; and present the weekly Office Hours series of regular SPO ‘learning through sharing’ sessions for those with questions about SPO and related tools. Prior to joining the AO, Julie spent 20 years in the private sector working for a global company that built add-ons for SharePoint. 

Shallanda “Che” Clay earned a B.B.A. from the University of Mississippi where her primary focus of study was Human Resource Management. In 2010, she earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law. Che has held two federal judicial clerkships, is a member of the Mississippi Bar, and has over thirty years of administrative experience spanning across the areas of bankruptcy, human resources, corporate governance, and compliance. She has served as Clerk of Court for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Mississippi since 2016.

Wayne Wylie is a father, husband, and team member. He’s drawn to helping people. He serves as the Emergency Management Branch Chief for the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. He began this role in April 2022. His more detailed bio is available for those interested though in short… He began his career as a professional firefighter EMT/HazMat Technician in Augusta, Georgia. He deliberately experienced many roles in the preparedness, response, and national security policy realms to help him become the most well-rounded emergency manager he could. He plans to serve in this role he loves until he retires around 2042. He wants to do everything possible to improve the preparedness, and resilience of the Federal Judiciary. Lastly, as a lifelong University of Georgia football fan, he is always happy to discuss college football with interested parties.

Ada I. García-Rivera is the Clerk of Court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. She began her career at the Court in 2003 as a Staff Attorney. In 2010, she was appointed as the Court’s Financial Manager in charge of the finance, procurement, budget, space and facilities, and CJA areas, and served in such position until her appointment as Clerk of Court in April 2023. Ms. García Rivera earned a B.A. in accounting, magna cum laude, from the University of Puerto Rico in 1996 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto School of Law in 1999. She is admitted to the practice of law in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit; she is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Colonel (Ret) Tom Plunkett has been the Chief Deputy for the Fifth Circuit since September 27, 2010.  He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Louisiana State University and later was awarded a Master of Science in Health Care Administration and a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies.  Prior to joining the judiciary, Tom served for thirty years in the United States Army, including combat tours in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.   Along with several of the Clerk staff, Tom was recently recognized by the Director of the U.S. Courts Administrative Office with the 2024 “Excellence in Judiciary Services” award for his work in creating the “Attorney’s Toolbox,” an online resource that helps lawyers more easily file rule compliant appellate documents.

Adriana Mark, J.D., M.L.I.S., is an attorney, law librarian, and educator currently working at the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit as the Deputy Circuit Librarian. Since joining the federal judiciary in 2009, she has supervised research across the Second Circuit, implemented education programs for judges, law clerks, and court staff, and spearheaded programs for the Second Circuit’s civic education project, The Honorable Robert A. Katzmann Justice For All Courts and the Community Initiative. Adriana also teaches Advanced Legal Research as an Adjunct Professor at Cardozo Law School in New York City. She has previously worked for Westlaw and the Associated Press and is licensed to practice law in New York.

Johanne Rémy has over fifteen years of service with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. Starting as an Operations Support Clerk, she advanced to divisional Team Leader overseeing division workflows, evaluating staff performance, and ensuring consistency with court standards. She also supervised daily fiscal balancing and reconciliation. She now serves as Executive Assistant to the Chief Deputy of Operations. In this role, Johanne is a subject matter expert in operations, helps guide operations procedural development, strategic operations, and cross-district initiatives.  She serves as a member of Strategic Planning Council, Operations Improvement Center of Excellence, Communications Center of Excellence, and Community Outreach Committee.

Johanne has deep experience with courtroom deputy functions, CM/ECF testing and version upgrades, and has led district-wide training programs. She has directed and managed multiple high-impact projects. Johanne has cultivated strong working relationships with bankruptcy courts nationwide, supporting collaborative projects and implementation efforts.

A graduate of the MSU Judicial Administration Program and the Foundations of Management Program, Johanne is also a former NCBC Board member and past Chair of the Awards and Scholarship Committee. She brings early-career experience as a senior paralegal in an international law firm and continues to be a trusted leader on committees, task forces, and courtwide projects.

Nicole Eallonardo is a courtroom deputy clerk in the Northern District of New York for Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. She earned a B.A. in History from Le Moyne College in 2013 and a M.S. in Judicial Administration from Michigan State University in 2016. Nicole graduated from the Federal Court Leadership Development Program in 2021. Throughout her 13 years of service, Nicole has served as a docket clerk, ADR and Pro Bono Administrator, and a courtroom deputy clerk for both magistrate judges and district judges.

Elizabeth (Liz) Render is a Court Administration Specialist in the Northern District of New York. She earned a B.A. in Political Science from Southern NH University in 2025. In her 4 years of service, Liz has served as an intake docket clerk, relief courtroom deputy clerk for both magistrate judges and district judges, and now serves as a court administration specialist and jury administrator for the Albany division of the NDNY.

Samantha “Sam” Miller started with the Federal Judiciary in July 2019 as a Generalist in the District Court of Delaware Clerk’s Office where she assisted in multiple projects, including creating the “Vacant Judgeship” coding in the Delaware CM/ECF Dictionary and acting as courtroom deputy to several visiting judges during their time in the district. 

In June 2022, Sam was promoted to Generalist Team Lead, where she assisted the Intake Supervisor, Chief Deputy Clerk, and Clerk of Court in day-to-day operations and with specialized tasks, such as rewriting the internal procedures of the Clerk’s Office utilized by chambers staff and generalists as well as leading several coding projects within the Delaware CM/ECF Dictionary. In April 2024, Sam became the courtroom deputy to Magistrate Judge Christopher J. Burke, where she has started to create internal procedures for initial criminal matters and continues to assist the IT team with CM/ECF coding projects.

Johanne Rémy has over fifteen years of service with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. Starting as an Operations Support Clerk, she advanced to divisional Team Leader overseeing division workflows, evaluating staff performance, and ensuring consistency with court standards. She also supervised daily fiscal balancing and reconciliation. She now serves as Executive Assistant to the Chief Deputy of Operations. In this role, Johanne is a subject matter expert in operations, helps guide operations procedural development, strategic operations, and cross-district initiatives.  She serves as a member of Strategic Planning Council, Operations Improvement Center of Excellence, Communications Center of Excellence, and Community Outreach Committee.

Johanne has deep experience with courtroom deputy functions, CM/ECF testing and version upgrades, and has led district-wide training programs. She has directed and managed multiple high-impact projects. Johanne has cultivated strong working relationships with bankruptcy courts nationwide, supporting collaborative projects and implementation efforts.

A graduate of the MSU Judicial Administration Program and the Foundations of Management Program, Johanne is also a former NCBC Board member and past Chair of the Awards and Scholarship Committee. She brings early-career experience as a senior paralegal in an international law firm and continues to be a trusted leader on committees, task forces, and courtwide projects.

Jason Spencer joined the Administrative Office in August 2022. His responsibilities include primary support for the District and Bankruptcy Clerks in the Third and Fifth Circuits as well as the Bankruptcy Administrator Program. Jason is also a part of the Court Services Office Staffing Allocations Team. Jason has previously worked in both Bankruptcy and District courts and has been with the Federal Judiciary since October 2016.

Rich Franzen serves as a Regional Administrator in the Operations Branch of the AO Court Services Office, since 2023. In this capacity, he provides comprehensive operational support to district and bankruptcy courts throughout the Eighth and Eleventh circuits while also coordinating the Senior Staff Attorneys Advisory group. Rich is also a member of the branch's national Staffing Allocations team, which oversees and manages 16 different allocations. His career in public service began in the United States Army, where he served in the field artillery. Following his military service, Rich earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas before starting his Judiciary career in 2005 at the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. During his tenure with the Bankruptcy Court, he held several operational and technical positions. His roles encompassed case management, data quality assurance, and eventually advancement to CM/ECF Analyst and Administrator. In these capacities, he managed the CM/ECF Help Desk, oversaw the attorney training program, and managed the court's digital presence through its internal and external websites.

Theodore Hancock is a Management Analyst with the Judiciary Records Management Program (JRMP). He joined the Administrative Office (AO) in 2024. Prior to that, Theo worked at the Government Accountability Office, focusing on personnel records, and before that, he served as a Records Management Specialist with the Department of Homeland Security. He has held various records-related roles throughout his federal government career.

Patrick Chesnut has served in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. since 2018. As Chief of Staff, he manages the daily operations of the Office of the Circuit Executive, coordinates court-wide policy development, leads the Federal Circuit's strategic and annual planning program, manages the court's performance improvement program, and serves as the court's Public Information Officer and Risk Management Officer. As a certified Master Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma, Patrick co-leads the national Court Process Improvement (CPI) Program. He is a member leader in the American Society for Quality's Center for Quality Standards in Government and has authored a case study on implementing quality best practices in government. He earned his B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Estella Chavarin has been a Senior Court Analyst for the U.S Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California since 2019.  In this role, Estella leads learning and development programs for the Clerk’s Office, including creating and facilitating leadership development and professional development training.  She is closely involved in organizational development initiatives, serving as a member of the Strategic Plan Drafting Committee, Strategic Planning Council, Communications Center of Excellence, and serving as Chair for the Operations Improvement Center of Excellence and Co-Chair for the Workforce Development & Employment Engagement Center of Excellence.

Estella has over 20 years of experience in the judicial system, including multiple municipal and state trial courts, of which most years have been in various management positions.  She is a Certified Court Manager through the National Center for State Courts, Institute for Court Management.  Estella holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from California State University, Long Beach, a Master of Public Administration from American Public University, and a Doctor of Education in Organizational Change & Leadership from the University of Southern California.  Her leadership philosophy is to practice servant leadership through several core values: transparency, integrity, collaboration and empowerment, authenticity, adaptability, and community and loyalty.

A Program Analyst in the Judiciary Data and Analysis Office (JDAO) of the AO, Julie Auletta is a member of the SharePoint Online (SPO) Management Team with a mission to empower and engage business users in the Judiciary to leverage SharePoint and related technologies to improve communication and collaboration, increase efficiency, and minimize costs. Julie and the team maintain the SharePoint Online Center of Excellence, a site designed to be your primary source of information for everything about SharePoint Online in the Judiciary; offer SharePoint Sherpa and SharePoint Skill Builder services that provide guidance and advice as you plan, implement, and expand your use of SPO; and present the weekly Office Hours series of regular SPO ‘learning through sharing’ sessions for those with questions about SPO and related tools. Prior to joining the AO, Julie spent 20 years in the private sector working for a global company that built add-ons for SharePoint. 

Diana Welham joined the District Court in 2018 after being asked by Judge Noreika to join her at Court to serve as Her Honor’s Judicial Administrator and Civil Case Manager.  Ms. Welham began her career in litigation in 1993 working in private practice as an administrative assistant and a paralegal supporting both partners and associates.  Since joining the Court, Ms. Welham has been instrumental in establishing and updating procedures not only in Chambers but also in the Clerk’s Office to streamline efficiency and refine work product.  Additionally, Ms. Welham assists the Clerk’s Office with special projects, creating and implementing pro se/habeas procedures and sits on the Process Improvement and Special Events Committees.

Rob Rebeck, originally a resident of SC, moved to Delaware during his six years of service in the United States Air Force.  Following this time, Rob worked briefly for two years in County Government when in October of 2009 he joined the Judiciary family, beginning his career as an Automation Specialist with the United Stated Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.  Since this time, Rob has served in a variety of progressively technical roles at both the Bankruptcy and District Courts for the District of Delaware.  Working his way to the role of Systems Manager at Delaware Bankruptcy Court, Rob next moved the District Court where he served as the Director of Information Technology.  Then, in May of 2023, Rob was ultimately elevated to the role of Chief Deputy Clerk for Delaware District Court where he continues to serve today.  Rob looks forward to being a part of this Operations Forum and is honored to have the opportunity to share both his experience and passion for federal service with his colleagues.

John Minter is a mediator with the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where he received a certification in Alternative Dispute Resolution. He later worked at Moritz as the Langdon Fellow in Dispute Resolution, providing instruction on mediation and other issues in dispute resolution. Prior to working at the Sixth Circuit, John mediated within the Ohio court system for several years working as a foreclosure and general civil mediator for the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas and as the mediator for the Ohio Ninth District Court of Appeals. Prior to working as a court mediator, he was an assistant prosecutor for Marion County, Ohio, and had a private legal practice. John has presented before numerous organizations and at multiple conferences including the Ohio Association of Magistrates, the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section Spring Conference, the Federal Judicial Center Workshop for Federal Court Mediators, and was a trainer for the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Catherine C. Geyer is a graduate of the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and a member of the Ohio Bar. Prior to becoming Chief Circuit Mediator, she was the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Dispute Resolution Section manager, mediating mandamus, workers’ compensation, board of tax appeals, public records and other cases pending before the Court. Prior to that, Cathy practiced law for 20 years, with an emphasis in the areas of insurance coverage and bad faith, construction law, commercial disputes, corporate litigation, and mediation. She has over 200 hours of mediation training, an advanced negotiation certificate from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, and is a frequent lecturer, trainer, and author on dispute resolution topics across the country. Cathy serves as an adjunct professor at Moritz's top-rated Dispute Resolution Program. To contact Cathy Geyer, send an email to Catherine_Geyer@ca6.uscourts.gov.

Scott is a Circuit Mediator with the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Prior to joining the Sixth Circuit in 2020, Scott served as an appellate mediator/preconference attorney for the Kentucky Court of Appeals. He has been primarily engaged in civil mediation since 2005 and previously litigated in Kentucky state and federal courts.

Mrs. Abrams holds Bachelor’s degree from the Florida State University in education and a Master’s in Public Administration with an e-Government emphasis from Walden University. Ms. Abrams began working for the Florida Northern District Court in the Tallahassee division as the Assistant to the Jury/Attorney Admissions Administrator in 1996. In 1997, Mrs. Abrams was promoted to Court Operations Specialist in the Pensacola division where she managed cases, assisted IT staff, served as a relief courtroom deputy, developed a training program for the first Evidence Presentation System, and carried out routine attorney training. After participating in several CM/ECF implementation committees and agreeing to manage the CM/ECF Data Dictionary, Mrs. Abrams was promoted to Resident Deputy-In-Charge of the Gainesville division in 2004. She served in this capacity until 2011, when she was selected as Florida Northern Bankruptcy’s Chief Deputy Clerk. The Chief Deputy role included direct supervision of the IT Department and the Director of Court Operations; emergency management; space and facilities; special projects; systems/financial audits; and financial approvals. Mrs. Abrams served the Bankruptcy Court as Acting Clerk beginning on May 4, 2013, and was sworn in as the Clerk of Court on June 26, 2013, by Chief Bankruptcy Judge Karen K. Specie.

Wayne Wylie is a father, husband, and team member. He’s drawn to helping people. He serves as the Emergency Management Branch Chief for the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. He began this role in April 2022. His more detailed bio is available for those interested though in short… He began his career as a professional firefighter EMT/HazMat Technician in Augusta, Georgia. He deliberately experienced many roles in the preparedness, response, and national security policy realms to help him become the most well-rounded emergency manager he could. He plans to serve in this role he loves until he retires around 2042. He wants to do everything possible to improve the preparedness, and resilience of the Federal Judiciary. Lastly, as a lifelong University of Georgia football fan, he is always happy to discuss college football with interested parties.

Clerk of Court, District Court of Delaware June 2023-Present; Chief Deputy Clerk November 2022- June 2023; Administrative Officer DEA; Administrative Officer USAO; Veteran

Laura Buchanan Chief, Operations Branch Court Services Office, Administrative Office Laura Buchanan currently serves as Chief of the Operations Branch within the Court Services Office at the Administrative Office. Her office provides direct support to all appellate, district, and bankruptcy court units across the country. Laura previously served as a regional administrator supporting the Courts of Appeals, Bankruptcy Appellate Panels and the District and Bankruptcy Courts in the Tenth Circuit for over 17 years. During her time as a regional administrator, Laura also served as the project manager charged with developing and deploying the Jury Management System (JMS) to District Courts nationwide. At the request of the then Director, James Duff, she also served on a work detail to the United States Supreme Court in 2018 while simultaneously maintaining her position at the Administrative Office. Laura began her career with the judiciary in 1983 at the District Court in Colorado, where she served in a variety of positions, including jury administrator, courtroom deputy, and prisoner litigation deputy. Laura has spent her entire adult career working for the federal judiciary and holds a master’s degree in Court Administration from the University of Denver College of Law.

Michelle Spidell serves as the Internal Controls Policy Analyst in the Deputy Director’s Office at the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, a role she assumed in November 2021. In this capacity, she is responsible for developing and maintaining internal control policy for the courts, federal public defender organizations, and the Administrative Office. Michelle has been with the Administrative Office since 2006, following 11 years of dedicated service with the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office in the Southern District of Iowa. Before joining the Deputy Director’s Office, she served as a Probation Administrator, where she oversaw policy requirements for the Guide to Judiciary Policy within the Probation and Pretrial Services Office. With over three decades of experience in the federal judiciary, Michelle brings deep institutional knowledge and a commitment to policy excellence in support of the judiciary’s mission.

Chris Junjulas joined the Deputy Director's Office as the Internal Controls Systems Manager in June 2022. He is responsible for internal control tools and training that support the internal control requirements of courts, federal public defender organizations, and the Administrative Office (AO). Chris has worked at the AO since 2009, following nearly 20 years of service to the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York. Since joining the AO, Chris has served as the program manager for CJA, JETS, IC-SAT and served as the policy liaison for several systems and implementations.

Adriana Mark, J.D., M.L.I.S., is an attorney, law librarian, and educator currently working at the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit as the Deputy Circuit Librarian. Since joining the federal judiciary in 2009, she has supervised research across the Second Circuit, implemented education programs for judges, law clerks, and court staff, and spearheaded programs for the Second Circuit’s civic education project, The Honorable Robert A. Katzmann Justice For All Courts and the Community Initiative. Adriana also teaches Advanced Legal Research as an Adjunct Professor at Cardozo Law School in New York City. She has previously worked for Westlaw and the Associated Press and is licensed to practice law in New York.

I have been a librarian with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit for over two years. Previously, I was a librarian with the Cook County Law Library. As an attorney, I worked for the Hiring & Employment Monitoring Division of the Office of Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor where I ensured that state hiring was implemented fairly. I worked as a Staff Attorney in the Research Division of the Illinois Appellate Court First District for approximately 10 years, and was an adjunct in the Paralegal Studies Department at Oakton College in Des Plaines, Illinois. I have both a Master's degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a JD from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

Nancy Lealaisalanoa has over 18 years of experience in the judicial system, specializing in data quality analysis and business process management. As a Data Quality Analyst and Data Conversion Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the U.S. District Court, she has been instrumental in the Case Management Modernization Program as team lead for the Data Migration Tiger Team. With a proven knowledge of the NextGen and CM/ECF database, Nancy brings a wealth of experience in detailed data analysis, documenting dependencies, and developing forward-oriented data migration scenarios. Her expertise includes ensuring data integrity, auditing docket activity, and preparing comprehensive reports on data quality and timeliness. She has led detailed analyses of data states, dependencies, and customizations within the CM/ECF system to support accurate and efficient migration to modernized platforms. Nancy collaborates closely with the Administrative Office’s Judiciary Data and Analysis Office to assess reporting impacts and ensure seamless transitions in data publications and statistical tracking. Her background includes courtroom operations, docket auditing, database integrity management, and cross-functional collaboration with IT and operational teams. Nancy brings a deep understanding of judicial data systems, retention policies, and end-user needs.

Arevik Chukhuryan joined the Judiciary Data and Analysis Office (JDAO) in 2022. She transitioned into her role as a Social Science Analyst from her split assignment from the Office of Circuit Executives for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Department of Planning and Research from California Central Bankruptcy Court (CACB). She has been in the judiciary for the last six years and has been focusing on data analysis for bankruptcy matters. Arevik has a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from University of California, Los Angeles and a Master of Science in Applied Statistics from California State University of Long Beach.

Danita Chiles is a Program Manager in the AO's Judiciary Data and Analysis Office. Danita manages the collection and reporting of District Court caseload data.

Been with the district courts for 27 years. Started at criminal intake and worked my way to Operations Supervisor. My areas of strength are in CM/ECF and Quality Control work.

Rich Franzen serves as a Regional Administrator in the Operations Branch of the AO Court Services Office, since 2023. In this capacity, he provides comprehensive operational support to district and bankruptcy courts throughout the Eighth and Eleventh circuits while also coordinating the Senior Staff Attorneys Advisory group. Rich is also a member of the branch's national Staffing Allocations team, which oversees and manages 16 different allocations. His career in public service began in the United States Army, where he served in the field artillery. Following his military service, Rich earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas before starting his Judiciary career in 2005 at the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. During his tenure with the Bankruptcy Court, he held several operational and technical positions. His roles encompassed case management, data quality assurance, and eventually advancement to CM/ECF Analyst and Administrator. In these capacities, he managed the CM/ECF Help Desk, oversaw the attorney training program, and managed the court's digital presence through its internal and external websites.

Stephen L. Grant Sr. is an accomplished senior judiciary executive with over 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in federal court administration. As of July 1, 2025, he serves as Clerk of Court for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, one of the nation's busiest complex Chapter 11 bankruptcy courts. 

Grant's distinguished career includes serving as the Court Services Office Programs Division Chief at the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts from 2022 to 2023, where he directed nationwide administration of nine critical judiciary programs . Previously, he served as Chief Deputy Clerk for the Delaware Bankruptcy Court from 2018 to 2022 and again from 2023 to 2025.

The Delaware native holds a Master of Science in Information Systems from Drexel University, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Delaware, and is currently pursuing a J.D. at Wilmington University School of Law. 

Jason Spencer joined the Administrative Office in August 2022. His responsibilities include primary support for the District and Bankruptcy Clerks in the Third and Fifth Circuits as well as the Bankruptcy Administrator Program. Jason is also a part of the Court Services Office Staffing Allocations Team. Jason has previously worked in both Bankruptcy and District courts and has been with the Federal Judiciary since October 2016.

Wayne Wylie is a father, husband, and team member. He’s drawn to helping people. He serves as the Emergency Management Branch Chief for the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. He began this role in April 2022. His more detailed bio is available for those interested though in short… He began his career as a professional firefighter EMT/HazMat Technician in Augusta, Georgia. He deliberately experienced many roles in the preparedness, response, and national security policy realms to help him become the most well-rounded emergency manager he could. He plans to serve in this role he loves until he retires around 2042. He wants to do everything possible to improve the preparedness, and resilience of the Federal Judiciary. Lastly, as a lifelong University of Georgia football fan, he is always happy to discuss college football with interested parties.

A customer-focused, tech-savvy administrative professional, Shannon brings over 25 years of exemplary service within the Federal Judiciary. As the Work Team Lead for the National Service Desk CM/ECF Team, Shannon oversees front-line support for critical court applications, blending technical expertise with a deep understanding of legal procedures, case management, and court operations. Known for a collaborative approach, adaptability, and a commitment to service, Shannon consistently supports operational excellence across the Judiciary. Her experience and positive, solutions-oriented mindset make her a valued contributor to discussions around technology, user support, and process improvement in court environments.

Name: Davin Dukes Title: Chief, Support Service Division Department/Office: Department of Technology Services/Enterprise Operations Center How Long with the AO: 6+ years Current Duties and Responsibilities: Tiered Level Support for the Judiciary Proactive System Monitoring for our core Judicial System Applications; Providing Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability of Court records & client information. Incident Response & Situational Awareness Current Key Office Initiatives and Programs: Enable enterprise-wide situational awareness of IT Operations spanning all national systems Focal point to Courts for IT issue resolution Provide support for public user access to court electronic records via PACER Single source for PACER billing & fee collection Office Roadmap For the Future: Monitor operational health of critical Judiciary applications and support infrastructure Facilitate the AO’s response to major incidents Develop Performance Measurement Framework

Nora Tyer-Witek has been the Clerk of Court, United States District Court, District of Rhode Island, since May 30, 2017.  Nora is the current Chair of the District Clerk’s Advisory Group, is a member of the First Circuit Workplace Conduct Mediator Panel, is a past member of the First Circuit Information Technology Committee and trains court employees and judicial officers in wellness, resiliency, work/life balance and modern leadership.  Nora is a member of the Federal Court Clerk’s Association, the Federal Bar Association, the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association and is the 2024 recipient of the AO Director’s Award for Community Outreach.  Nora is a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and served 20 years in the United States Marine Corps. Nora was born in Fairfax, Virginia, received her B.S. Magna Cum Laude from Loyola University Chicago in 1996, her JD from University of Illinois College of Law in 2004 and her LLM in Criminal Law from the Army Judge Advocate General’s School, Charlottesville, VA in 2011. She is married to her partner and high school sweetheart Bryan and they have five children.

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Colonel (Ret) Tom Plunkett has been the Chief Deputy for the Fifth Circuit since September 27, 2010.  He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Louisiana State University and later was awarded a Master of Science in Health Care Administration and a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies.  Prior to joining the judiciary, Tom served for thirty years in the United States Army, including combat tours in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.   Along with several of the Clerk staff, Tom was recently recognized by the Director of the U.S. Courts Administrative Office with the 2024 “Excellence in Judiciary Services” award for his work in creating the “Attorney’s Toolbox,” an online resource that helps lawyers more easily file rule compliant appellate documents.

LaToya is a Supervising U.S. Probation Officer in the Northern District of Texas. She has over fifteen years in the agency with experience serving the Administrative Office (PPSO), on two TDYs, participation on a couple national committees: The FJC Education Advisory Committee on Probation and Pretrial Services and the Probation and Pretrial Services Wellness Working Group. In addition, LaToya has served as faculty on a couple FJC programs and occasionally provides wellness consultations and training to districts. She earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Kentucky State University and a master's degree in public administration from Governors State University.

Estella Chavarin has been a Senior Court Analyst for the U.S Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California since 2019.  In this role, Estella leads learning and development programs for the Clerk’s Office, including creating and facilitating leadership development and professional development training.  She is closely involved in organizational development initiatives, serving as a member of the Strategic Plan Drafting Committee, Strategic Planning Council, Communications Center of Excellence, and serving as Chair for the Operations Improvement Center of Excellence and Co-Chair for the Workforce Development & Employment Engagement Center of Excellence.

Estella has over 20 years of experience in the judicial system, including multiple municipal and state trial courts, of which most years have been in various management positions.  She is a Certified Court Manager through the National Center for State Courts, Institute for Court Management.  Estella holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from California State University, Long Beach, a Master of Public Administration from American Public University, and a Doctor of Education in Organizational Change & Leadership from the University of Southern California.  Her leadership philosophy is to practice servant leadership through several core values: transparency, integrity, collaboration and empowerment, authenticity, adaptability, and community and loyalty.

Laura Buchanan Chief, Operations Branch Court Services Office, Administrative Office Laura Buchanan currently serves as Chief of the Operations Branch within the Court Services Office at the Administrative Office. Her office provides direct support to all appellate, district, and bankruptcy court units across the country. Laura previously served as a regional administrator supporting the Courts of Appeals, Bankruptcy Appellate Panels and the District and Bankruptcy Courts in the Tenth Circuit for over 17 years. During her time as a regional administrator, Laura also served as the project manager charged with developing and deploying the Jury Management System (JMS) to District Courts nationwide. At the request of the then Director, James Duff, she also served on a work detail to the United States Supreme Court in 2018 while simultaneously maintaining her position at the Administrative Office. Laura began her career with the judiciary in 1983 at the District Court in Colorado, where she served in a variety of positions, including jury administrator, courtroom deputy, and prisoner litigation deputy. Laura has spent her entire adult career working for the federal judiciary and holds a master’s degree in Court Administration from the University of Denver College of Law.

Diana Welham joined the District Court in 2018 after being asked by Judge Noreika to join her at Court to serve as Her Honor’s Judicial Administrator and Civil Case Manager.  Ms. Welham began her career in litigation in 1993 working in private practice as an administrative assistant and a paralegal supporting both partners and associates.  Since joining the Court, Ms. Welham has been instrumental in establishing and updating procedures not only in Chambers but also in the Clerk’s Office to streamline efficiency and refine work product.  Additionally, Ms. Welham assists the Clerk’s Office with special projects, creating and implementing pro se/habeas procedures and sits on the Process Improvement and Special Events Committees.

Mary Corbin was born in Washington, DC and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Howard University, Master of Arts in Government with a concentration in Law and Justice from Johns Hopkins University, and a Paralegal Certificate from Catholic University. Mary serves as the regional administrator liaison for the DC and 7th Circuits. She also provides support to the Circuit Executives Advisory Group and the Clerks Advisory Groups.

Clerk of Court, District Court of Delaware June 2023-Present; Chief Deputy Clerk November 2022- June 2023; Administrative Officer DEA; Administrative Officer USAO; Veteran

Erin Short has served as Chief of JDAO’s Data Governance Division since February 2020. In this role, his portfolio includes directing data strategy and governance activities, staffing AO and judiciary-wide data stewardship groups that inform data policies and procedures, developing institutional documentation such as an enterprise business glossary and data catalog, and business analysis support for JDAO and AO initiatives. Erin has over 27 years of experience as a multi-discipline data professional including data governance, data quality and production, research and analytics, and data processes and business requirements. Prior to his current role, Erin was serving as Acting Chief of our Data Programs and Policy Branch, and prior to that spent several years as the Data Quality and Production Branch Chief, which grounded him with a thorough knowledge of JDAO caseload data. Before joining the AO in 2016, Erin served as Director of Statistical Research for the Investment Company Institute, a financial services industry trade association. He holds a B.S. from the University of Maryland and an M.B.A. from the George Washington University.

Mr. Gardner received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Western Illinois University in 1984 and a Master of Science Degree in Judicial Administration from the University of Denver, College of Law, in 1986. He served in various capacities in the Maricopa County Superior Court (Phoenix, AZ), and San Diego County Superior Court (San Diego, CA) before starting his federal career in February,1992, as a Chief Deputy Clerk for the Southern District of California Bankruptcy Court in San Diego. In August, 2001, Mr. Gardner accepted the position of Bankruptcy Clerk of Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago). He served in that capacity until March, 2014, when he accepted his current position as the Bankruptcy Clerk of Court for the District of Colorado. Mr. Gardner currently is working with the AO in a 50% TDY capacity leading the Data Standards and Governance effort for the CMM project.

Danita Chiles is a Program Manager in the AO's Judiciary Data and Analysis Office. Danita manages the collection and reporting of District Court caseload data.

Been with the district courts for 27 years. Started at criminal intake and worked my way to Operations Supervisor. My areas of strength are in CM/ECF and Quality Control work.

Joe began his career with the judiciary in 1991 with NCMB as the Systems Manager. Joe has served on several AO Committees, has been a trainer for the FJC and has presented at previous Operational Practices Forums, Financial Forums, National Conference of Bankruptcy (NCBC) Conferences and other AO Conferences. For the past 20 years, Joe has teamed with the JDAO to assist Bankruptcy Courts with the annual case filing and case pending reconciliations. One of Joe’s specialty areas is developing Automated Docketing scripts (ADI), which saves courts considerable human resource time.

Bhavna Samant has worked as a Bankruptcy and Adversary Program Manager in the Production and Analysis Division (Judicial Data and Analysis Office) since November 2021.

Bhavna oversees and manages various aspects of the data processes. She processes data from receipt to publication, ensuring data quality. Bhavna also performs fundamental data/trend analysis to understand and monitor data from both data collection and reporting perspectives. This allows her to research and identify common errors and monitor error frequency, trends, and types of errors within and across programs and source systems.

I have been a librarian with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit for over two years. Previously, I was a librarian with the Cook County Law Library. As an attorney, I worked for the Hiring & Employment Monitoring Division of the Office of Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor where I ensured that state hiring was implemented fairly. I worked as a Staff Attorney in the Research Division of the Illinois Appellate Court First District for approximately 10 years, and was an adjunct in the Paralegal Studies Department at Oakton College in Des Plaines, Illinois. I have both a Master's degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a JD from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

Adriana Mark, J.D., M.L.I.S., is an attorney, law librarian, and educator currently working at the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit as the Deputy Circuit Librarian. Since joining the federal judiciary in 2009, she has supervised research across the Second Circuit, implemented education programs for judges, law clerks, and court staff, and spearheaded programs for the Second Circuit’s civic education project, The Honorable Robert A. Katzmann Justice For All Courts and the Community Initiative. Adriana also teaches Advanced Legal Research as an Adjunct Professor at Cardozo Law School in New York City. She has previously worked for Westlaw and the Associated Press and is licensed to practice law in New York.

Mrs. Abrams holds Bachelor’s degree from the Florida State University in education and a Master’s in Public Administration with an e-Government emphasis from Walden University. Ms. Abrams began working for the Florida Northern District Court in the Tallahassee division as the Assistant to the Jury/Attorney Admissions Administrator in 1996. In 1997, Mrs. Abrams was promoted to Court Operations Specialist in the Pensacola division where she managed cases, assisted IT staff, served as a relief courtroom deputy, developed a training program for the first Evidence Presentation System, and carried out routine attorney training. After participating in several CM/ECF implementation committees and agreeing to manage the CM/ECF Data Dictionary, Mrs. Abrams was promoted to Resident Deputy-In-Charge of the Gainesville division in 2004. She served in this capacity until 2011, when she was selected as Florida Northern Bankruptcy’s Chief Deputy Clerk. The Chief Deputy role included direct supervision of the IT Department and the Director of Court Operations; emergency management; space and facilities; special projects; systems/financial audits; and financial approvals. Mrs. Abrams served the Bankruptcy Court as Acting Clerk beginning on May 4, 2013, and was sworn in as the Clerk of Court on June 26, 2013, by Chief Bankruptcy Judge Karen K. Specie.

Michelle Spidell serves as the Internal Controls Policy Analyst in the Deputy Director’s Office at the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, a role she assumed in November 2021. In this capacity, she is responsible for developing and maintaining internal control policy for the courts, federal public defender organizations, and the Administrative Office. Michelle has been with the Administrative Office since 2006, following 11 years of dedicated service with the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office in the Southern District of Iowa. Before joining the Deputy Director’s Office, she served as a Probation Administrator, where she oversaw policy requirements for the Guide to Judiciary Policy within the Probation and Pretrial Services Office. With over three decades of experience in the federal judiciary, Michelle brings deep institutional knowledge and a commitment to policy excellence in support of the judiciary’s mission.

Chris Junjulas joined the Deputy Director's Office as the Internal Controls Systems Manager in June 2022. He is responsible for internal control tools and training that support the internal control requirements of courts, federal public defender organizations, and the Administrative Office (AO). Chris has worked at the AO since 2009, following nearly 20 years of service to the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York. Since joining the AO, Chris has served as the program manager for CJA, JETS, IC-SAT and served as the policy liaison for several systems and implementations.

John Minter is a mediator with the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where he received a certification in Alternative Dispute Resolution. He later worked at Moritz as the Langdon Fellow in Dispute Resolution, providing instruction on mediation and other issues in dispute resolution. Prior to working at the Sixth Circuit, John mediated within the Ohio court system for several years working as a foreclosure and general civil mediator for the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas and as the mediator for the Ohio Ninth District Court of Appeals. Prior to working as a court mediator, he was an assistant prosecutor for Marion County, Ohio, and had a private legal practice. John has presented before numerous organizations and at multiple conferences including the Ohio Association of Magistrates, the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section Spring Conference, the Federal Judicial Center Workshop for Federal Court Mediators, and was a trainer for the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Catherine C. Geyer is a graduate of the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and a member of the Ohio Bar. Prior to becoming Chief Circuit Mediator, she was the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Dispute Resolution Section manager, mediating mandamus, workers’ compensation, board of tax appeals, public records and other cases pending before the Court. Prior to that, Cathy practiced law for 20 years, with an emphasis in the areas of insurance coverage and bad faith, construction law, commercial disputes, corporate litigation, and mediation. She has over 200 hours of mediation training, an advanced negotiation certificate from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, and is a frequent lecturer, trainer, and author on dispute resolution topics across the country. Cathy serves as an adjunct professor at Moritz's top-rated Dispute Resolution Program. To contact Cathy Geyer, send an email to Catherine_Geyer@ca6.uscourts.gov.

Scott is a Circuit Mediator with the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Prior to joining the Sixth Circuit in 2020, Scott served as an appellate mediator/preconference attorney for the Kentucky Court of Appeals. He has been primarily engaged in civil mediation since 2005 and previously litigated in Kentucky state and federal courts.

Clerk of Court, District Court of Delaware June 2023-Present; Chief Deputy Clerk November 2022- June 2023; Administrative Officer DEA; Administrative Officer USAO; Veteran

A Program Analyst in the Judiciary Data and Analysis Office (JDAO) of the AO, Julie Auletta is a member of the SharePoint Online (SPO) Management Team with a mission to empower and engage business users in the Judiciary to leverage SharePoint and related technologies to improve communication and collaboration, increase efficiency, and minimize costs. Julie and the team maintain the SharePoint Online Center of Excellence, a site designed to be your primary source of information for everything about SharePoint Online in the Judiciary; offer SharePoint Sherpa and SharePoint Skill Builder services that provide guidance and advice as you plan, implement, and expand your use of SPO; and present the weekly Office Hours series of regular SPO ‘learning through sharing’ sessions for those with questions about SPO and related tools. Prior to joining the AO, Julie spent 20 years in the private sector working for a global company that built add-ons for SharePoint. 

Jennifer Spampanato is the CM/ECF  (Case Management/Electronic Case Filing)  Manager and has been assigned to the CM/ECF Team since 2005.  Prior to working on the CM/ECF Team, she was the Assistant Appeals Processing Manager and the Court=s Quality Control Analyst.  Jennifer   has been with the Seventh Circuit for thirty-one years.

Laura Buchanan Chief, Operations Branch Court Services Office, Administrative Office Laura Buchanan currently serves as Chief of the Operations Branch within the Court Services Office at the Administrative Office. Her office provides direct support to all appellate, district, and bankruptcy court units across the country. Laura previously served as a regional administrator supporting the Courts of Appeals, Bankruptcy Appellate Panels and the District and Bankruptcy Courts in the Tenth Circuit for over 17 years. During her time as a regional administrator, Laura also served as the project manager charged with developing and deploying the Jury Management System (JMS) to District Courts nationwide. At the request of the then Director, James Duff, she also served on a work detail to the United States Supreme Court in 2018 while simultaneously maintaining her position at the Administrative Office. Laura began her career with the judiciary in 1983 at the District Court in Colorado, where she served in a variety of positions, including jury administrator, courtroom deputy, and prisoner litigation deputy. Laura has spent her entire adult career working for the federal judiciary and holds a master’s degree in Court Administration from the University of Denver College of Law.

Patrick started his career with the Judiciary in 2016. In 2021 he took over the role of Systems Administrator, and has since built numerous applications leveraging case data to replace manual processes and improve reporting for the Clerk’s Office and Chambers at his home court in Rhode Island. These days, he’s always on the lookout for new opportunities and technologies to better serve his court and the Judiciary at large.

Mary Corbin was born in Washington, DC and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Howard University, Master of Arts in Government with a concentration in Law and Justice from Johns Hopkins University, and a Paralegal Certificate from Catholic University. Mary serves as the regional administrator liaison for the DC and 7th Circuits. She also provides support to the Circuit Executives Advisory Group and the Clerks Advisory Groups.

Amy Borman is the Chief Legal Officer and Chief Operating Officer for Courts and Official Records at the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s Office, Palm Beach County. Amy oversees both the in-house legal department as well as the court operations for the Clerk’s Office. Amy joined the Clerk’s Office in August 2019 as the Director of Branch Court Services and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in January 2021 and to Chief Legal Officer in January 2022. Prior to joining the Clerk’s Office, she was the General Counsel to the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida where she served as the attorney to the judiciary. Amy is also an adjunct professor and serves on various committees for The Florida Bar, local bar associations, and the Florida Court Technology Commission. Amy received her undergraduate degree in Criminology & Law from the University of Florida and her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Jane MacCracken is the Deputy Chief of the Court Services Office in the AO’s Department of Program Services. She has served the judiciary for nearly 25 years in various leadership, operational, and policy-making roles at the AO. Jane hails from Philadelphia (and the Jersey shore), and earned her bachelor’s from Swarthmore College (Psycholingistics) and her law degree from Temple University (go Owls). She clerked for the Chief Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and practiced law in Philly before moving to Washington, DC. She lives in McLean, Virginia with her husband Chris, an energy consultant, and their two daughters (one a junior at Savannah College of Art & Design and the other at UConn (go Huskies!)).

Gary McCaffrey was appointed Chief of the AO Court Services Office Operations Division in 2014 which provides direct support to court unit executives and case management system stakeholder representation for the appellate, district, and bankruptcy court units. He previously served as a Regional Administrator in the AO’s former Bankruptcy Court Administration Division and was program manager for the Bankruptcy Noticing Center. Gary came to the AO in 1995 as a Management Analyst for the former District Court Administration Division. He began his career with the federal courts in 1992 at the Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire where he served as an Administrative Officer in the clerk’s office.

Laura Buchanan Chief, Operations Branch Court Services Office, Administrative Office Laura Buchanan currently serves as Chief of the Operations Branch within the Court Services Office at the Administrative Office. Her office provides direct support to all appellate, district, and bankruptcy court units across the country. Laura previously served as a regional administrator supporting the Courts of Appeals, Bankruptcy Appellate Panels and the District and Bankruptcy Courts in the Tenth Circuit for over 17 years. During her time as a regional administrator, Laura also served as the project manager charged with developing and deploying the Jury Management System (JMS) to District Courts nationwide. At the request of the then Director, James Duff, she also served on a work detail to the United States Supreme Court in 2018 while simultaneously maintaining her position at the Administrative Office. Laura began her career with the judiciary in 1983 at the District Court in Colorado, where she served in a variety of positions, including jury administrator, courtroom deputy, and prisoner litigation deputy. Laura has spent her entire adult career working for the federal judiciary and holds a master’s degree in Court Administration from the University of Denver College of Law.

Rich Franzen serves as a Regional Administrator in the Operations Branch of the AO Court Services Office, since 2023. In this capacity, he provides comprehensive operational support to district and bankruptcy courts throughout the Eighth and Eleventh circuits while also coordinating the Senior Staff Attorneys Advisory group. Rich is also a member of the branch's national Staffing Allocations team, which oversees and manages 16 different allocations. His career in public service began in the United States Army, where he served in the field artillery. Following his military service, Rich earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas before starting his Judiciary career in 2005 at the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. During his tenure with the Bankruptcy Court, he held several operational and technical positions. His roles encompassed case management, data quality assurance, and eventually advancement to CM/ECF Analyst and Administrator. In these capacities, he managed the CM/ECF Help Desk, oversaw the attorney training program, and managed the court's digital presence through its internal and external websites.

Mary Corbin was born in Washington, DC and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Howard University, Master of Arts in Government with a concentration in Law and Justice from Johns Hopkins University, and a Paralegal Certificate from Catholic University. Mary serves as the regional administrator liaison for the DC and 7th Circuits. She also provides support to the Circuit Executives Advisory Group and the Clerks Advisory Groups.

Ian Peng serves as the Attorney Advisor for the Court Services Office’s Jury Program at the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC).  Prior to joining AOUSC in March 2025, Ian was an Attorney Advisor at DOJ’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training, which deploys experienced U.S. prosecutors overseas to provide capacity building programs and enhance cooperation with foreign criminal justice partners.  From 2019 to 2023, Ian served as a Trial Attorney at DOJ’s Office of International Affairs, where he managed extradition and mutual legal assistance requests to and from other countries.  In addition, Ian was as an Attorney Advisor at the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys from 2016 to 2019.  In this role, he advised the Financial Litigation Units of the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices on issues pertaining to financial litigation, criminal restitution, and civil collections.  Ian also previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx District Attorney's Office from 2011 to 2016.  Ian received his J.D. from Cornell Law School in 2011 and his Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto in 2006.

Andrea Baldwin is an Attorney Advisor (TDY) for the Court Services Office. Her work supports the Case Management Modernization (CMM) Legal Team, which was created in 2024 to minimize the risk of CMM system requirements conflicting with statutes, rules, and judiciary policies. Before arriving at the AO, Andrea served the Middle District of Florida for over fourteen years as a law clerk and later as chief deputy. During her seven years as chief deputy, Andrea focused on process improvement and earned a Lean Six Sigma green belt. From 2011-2013, Andrea was an associate at Butler Pappas, LLP, where she focused on construction defect litigation. Andrea received her B.S., from the University of Illinois in 2001 and her J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2004, where she served on Law Review.

I am the one of the co leader of the Operational Practices Forum. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Lucien Adam, who has dedicated over two decades to the Judiciary. He joined the AO in March 2024 as Chief of the Programs Division in CSO, injecting a modern and dynamic perspective into government service. Formerly Chief Deputy Clerk at the US District Court – Southern District of Ohio, Lucien has contributed to various capacities, including Financial Manager at the US District Court – Massachusetts and roles in IT and procurement at the US Bankruptcy Court – Delaware. As a dedicated professional, Lucien led a Six Sigma Green Belt project, reflecting his commitment to continuous improvement, and is actively involved in a Black Belt project. Grounded in his education—an MBA in Finance from Wilmington College and a bachelor's degree in business management from Bucknell University—Lucien advocates for operational excellence. Beyond professional pursuits, Lucien values diversity and enjoys exploring the world with his husband and son, enriching his leadership approach with a global perspective.

Aimee Stafford is the Special Programs Analyst for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and has been with the Courts since January 2020. Prior to joining the Federal judiciary, she filled various roles at multiple non-profit organizations and corporations. She obtained an MBA from Oklahoma City University and completed her undergrad at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Aimee is the first point of contact to Bankruptcy and District Courts who use CMA. She is also responsible for onboarding new courts, writing and maintaining CMA’s technical documentation and website, and providing training. Additionally, she collaborates with Scott to develop and improve CMA visual design and the user experience.

Scott Bellingham is the IT Manager for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and has been with the Courts for 23 years. Prior to joining the Federal judiciary, he was previously an IT Manager and database programmer for a Fortune 100 company for 11 years. He earned multiple Microsoft MCP certifications and was a Microsoft MCSE. In addition to being the project head and lead developer for CMAssist (CMA), Scott also manages the CMA servers and provides technical support for the Bankruptcy and District Courts using CMA. He is also a network administrator, and manager of 3 IT and CMA personnel for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.

Jared Vanderhoff has been a Training Specialist for the US Bankruptcy Court, District of Utah since 2008 specializing in training CHAP (Chambers Automation Program) and related applications. He has also served as an FJC Trainer and on the ATCOP (Automation Training Community of Practice) Conference Planning Team. Jared and the other CHAP team members were awarded the 2023 Director’s Award for Excellence in Judiciary Services.

Jared holds a master’s degree in education (MEd) from the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!). He plays racquetball and other sports and enjoys spending time with his family.

Chris Junjulas joined the Deputy Director's Office as the Internal Controls Systems Manager in June 2022. He is responsible for internal control tools and training that support the internal control requirements of courts, federal public defender organizations, and the Administrative Office (AO). Chris has worked at the AO since 2009, following nearly 20 years of service to the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York. Since joining the AO, Chris has served as the program manager for CJA, JETS, IC-SAT and served as the policy liaison for several systems and implementations.

Michelle Spidell serves as the Internal Controls Policy Analyst in the Deputy Director’s Office at the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, a role she assumed in November 2021. In this capacity, she is responsible for developing and maintaining internal control policy for the courts, federal public defender organizations, and the Administrative Office. Michelle has been with the Administrative Office since 2006, following 11 years of dedicated service with the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office in the Southern District of Iowa. Before joining the Deputy Director’s Office, she served as a Probation Administrator, where she oversaw policy requirements for the Guide to Judiciary Policy within the Probation and Pretrial Services Office. With over three decades of experience in the federal judiciary, Michelle brings deep institutional knowledge and a commitment to policy excellence in support of the judiciary’s mission.

Leonor Figueroa-Feher joined the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts in 2016 as Court Interpreting Program Specialist. Following the mission of the Court Services Office, the Court Interpreting Program assists federal courts ensure fair and prompt access to justice, by helping them navigate the statutory and policy guidance that governs the provision of quality court interpreting services. She served for over sixteen years as court interpreter training manager with the Massachusetts Office of Court Interpreter Services and has been speaker and trainer at various professional organizations and academic institutions. Leonor obtained her BA in Arts and Sciences with concentration in Comparative Literature from the University of Puerto Rico and her doctoral degree from Harvard University, with concentration in Latin American Literature. She was federally certified by the AO in 2008.

MELINDA FELIX is a lifelong Illinois resident with a master’s degree from DePaul University. She has been with the Northern District of Illinois’ Probation Office since 2003. Melinda started in the agency as a Probation Officer Assistant, briefly left to work at the City of Chicago’s Inspector General’s Office, and returned to the agency as a Probation Officer. Shortly thereafter, she was promoted to a Special Offender Specialist and served as a Supervisory United States Probation Officer of a branch office. Melinda has been involved in wellness initiatives in our system since 2009. She is a certified Fitness coordinator, certified in Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) a suicide prevention program, a SAFLEO trainer, and a Critical Incident Stress Management Team (CISM) member. Currently, Melinda is serving as the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Wellness Coordinator. She is honored to assist staff with work-life harmony. When not advocating for wellness in our system, she is working on her own. She is a proud parent of two kids, and role modeling wellness is important to her. She loves traveling with her family, spending time with friends, and enjoying some self-care.

LaToya is a Supervising U.S. Probation Officer in the Northern District of Texas. She has over fifteen years in the agency with experience serving the Administrative Office (PPSO), on two TDYs, participation on a couple national committees: The FJC Education Advisory Committee on Probation and Pretrial Services and the Probation and Pretrial Services Wellness Working Group. In addition, LaToya has served as faculty on a couple FJC programs and occasionally provides wellness consultations and training to districts. She earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Kentucky State University and a master's degree in public administration from Governors State University.

Theodore Hancock is a Management Analyst with the Judiciary Records Management Program (JRMP). He joined the Administrative Office (AO) in 2024. Prior to that, Theo worked at the Government Accountability Office, focusing on personnel records, and before that, he served as a Records Management Specialist with the Department of Homeland Security. He has held various records-related roles throughout his federal government career.

Adriana Mark, J.D., M.L.I.S., is an attorney, law librarian, and educator currently working at the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit as the Deputy Circuit Librarian. Since joining the federal judiciary in 2009, she has supervised research across the Second Circuit, implemented education programs for judges, law clerks, and court staff, and spearheaded programs for the Second Circuit’s civic education project, The Honorable Robert A. Katzmann Justice For All Courts and the Community Initiative. Adriana also teaches Advanced Legal Research as an Adjunct Professor at Cardozo Law School in New York City. She has previously worked for Westlaw and the Associated Press and is licensed to practice law in New York.

Ian Peng serves as the Attorney Advisor for the Court Services Office’s Jury Program at the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC).  Prior to joining AOUSC in March 2025, Ian was an Attorney Advisor at DOJ’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training, which deploys experienced U.S. prosecutors overseas to provide capacity building programs and enhance cooperation with foreign criminal justice partners.  From 2019 to 2023, Ian served as a Trial Attorney at DOJ’s Office of International Affairs, where he managed extradition and mutual legal assistance requests to and from other countries.  In addition, Ian was as an Attorney Advisor at the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys from 2016 to 2019.  In this role, he advised the Financial Litigation Units of the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices on issues pertaining to financial litigation, criminal restitution, and civil collections.  Ian also previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx District Attorney's Office from 2011 to 2016.  Ian received his J.D. from Cornell Law School in 2011 and his Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto in 2006.

James Alvino is currently the Data Quality Manager at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He has been with the court for ten years, originally starting as a Case Manager. In 2017, he was a founding member of the court’s Quality Management Program.

Prior to his time at the court, he was at the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission for six years. 

Gary McCaffrey was appointed Chief of the AO Court Services Office Operations Division in 2014 which provides direct support to court unit executives and case management system stakeholder representation for the appellate, district, and bankruptcy court units. He previously served as a Regional Administrator in the AO’s former Bankruptcy Court Administration Division and was program manager for the Bankruptcy Noticing Center. Gary came to the AO in 1995 as a Management Analyst for the former District Court Administration Division. He began his career with the federal courts in 1992 at the Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire where he served as an Administrative Officer in the clerk’s office.

Wayne Wylie is a father, husband, and team member. He’s drawn to helping people. He serves as the Emergency Management Branch Chief for the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. He began this role in April 2022. His more detailed bio is available for those interested though in short… He began his career as a professional firefighter EMT/HazMat Technician in Augusta, Georgia. He deliberately experienced many roles in the preparedness, response, and national security policy realms to help him become the most well-rounded emergency manager he could. He plans to serve in this role he loves until he retires around 2042. He wants to do everything possible to improve the preparedness, and resilience of the Federal Judiciary. Lastly, as a lifelong University of Georgia football fan, he is always happy to discuss college football with interested parties.

Jason Spencer joined the Administrative Office in August 2022. His responsibilities include primary support for the District and Bankruptcy Clerks in the Third and Fifth Circuits as well as the Bankruptcy Administrator Program. Jason is also a part of the Court Services Office Staffing Allocations Team. Jason has previously worked in both Bankruptcy and District courts and has been with the Federal Judiciary since October 2016.

Originally from the Triple Cities area in upstate NY and a graduate of the University of Buffalo, Daniel started working for UTB in 2018, with 10 prior years of Federal experience. Daniel has been the Project Specialist on the JVR project since July 2024. Prior to the Government, Daniel worked 20 years in the private sector from working on college campuses (Penn State, State College) to being the VP of IT and Security in Benefits Administration. Daniel made his way from New York to Utah by way of Pennsylvania, Florida, Iowa, and New Mexico. He enjoys learning about courtroom operations and the variety of business practices employed by courts currently piloting JVR. Outside of work, Daniel enjoys hanging out with his adult children and playing with his grandson.

Erin Short has served as Chief of JDAO’s Data Governance Division since February 2020. In this role, his portfolio includes directing data strategy and governance activities, staffing AO and judiciary-wide data stewardship groups that inform data policies and procedures, developing institutional documentation such as an enterprise business glossary and data catalog, and business analysis support for JDAO and AO initiatives. Erin has over 27 years of experience as a multi-discipline data professional including data governance, data quality and production, research and analytics, and data processes and business requirements. Prior to his current role, Erin was serving as Acting Chief of our Data Programs and Policy Branch, and prior to that spent several years as the Data Quality and Production Branch Chief, which grounded him with a thorough knowledge of JDAO caseload data. Before joining the AO in 2016, Erin served as Director of Statistical Research for the Investment Company Institute, a financial services industry trade association. He holds a B.S. from the University of Maryland and an M.B.A. from the George Washington University.

Mr. Gardner received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Western Illinois University in 1984 and a Master of Science Degree in Judicial Administration from the University of Denver, College of Law, in 1986. He served in various capacities in the Maricopa County Superior Court (Phoenix, AZ), and San Diego County Superior Court (San Diego, CA) before starting his federal career in February,1992, as a Chief Deputy Clerk for the Southern District of California Bankruptcy Court in San Diego. In August, 2001, Mr. Gardner accepted the position of Bankruptcy Clerk of Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago). He served in that capacity until March, 2014, when he accepted his current position as the Bankruptcy Clerk of Court for the District of Colorado. Mr. Gardner currently is working with the AO in a 50% TDY capacity leading the Data Standards and Governance effort for the CMM project.

Anaida Vizza serves as the Training Coordinator for the Middle District of Florida, where she leads districtwide training initiatives, develops instructional programs, and supports process improvement efforts. With over 20 years of experience in the federal judiciary, Anaida has held roles including Case Management Specialist, Courtroom Deputy Clerk Supervisor, Courtroom Deputy Clerk, and Case Administrator. She has been instrumental in implementing key procedural enhancements, such as revamping the MJSTAR reporting process, duty matter submission portal, and Case Management Assist (CMA) application. Anaida recently completed a Temporary Duty Assignment with the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, contributing to the development of a national training program on space and facilities. She also designed a SharePoint-based training site to support self-directed learning and training management.

I joined the Judicial Services Office in October 2023 as a management analyst. In my role I serve as a subject matter expert within JSO on the MJSTAR system and the data used in Magistrate Judge Utilization Surveys, provide programmatic staff support to the Magistrate Judges Committee, and provide support for Biennial Judgeship Survey. Prior to joining the AO, I spent ten years at a state level court in Maryland where I served as the subject matter expert on judicial statistics.

Patrick started his career with the Judiciary in 2016. In 2021 he took over the role of Systems Administrator, and has since built numerous applications leveraging case data to replace manual processes and improve reporting for the Clerk’s Office and Chambers at his home court in Rhode Island. These days, he’s always on the lookout for new opportunities and technologies to better serve his court and the Judiciary at large.

A Program Analyst in the Judiciary Data and Analysis Office (JDAO) of the AO, Julie Auletta is a member of the SharePoint Online (SPO) Management Team with a mission to empower and engage business users in the Judiciary to leverage SharePoint and related technologies to improve communication and collaboration, increase efficiency, and minimize costs. Julie and the team maintain the SharePoint Online Center of Excellence, a site designed to be your primary source of information for everything about SharePoint Online in the Judiciary; offer SharePoint Sherpa and SharePoint Skill Builder services that provide guidance and advice as you plan, implement, and expand your use of SPO; and present the weekly Office Hours series of regular SPO ‘learning through sharing’ sessions for those with questions about SPO and related tools. Prior to joining the AO, Julie spent 20 years in the private sector working for a global company that built add-ons for SharePoint. 

Scott Bellingham is the IT Manager for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and has been with the Courts for 23 years. Prior to joining the Federal judiciary, he was previously an IT Manager and database programmer for a Fortune 100 company for 11 years. He earned multiple Microsoft MCP certifications and was a Microsoft MCSE. In addition to being the project head and lead developer for CMAssist (CMA), Scott also manages the CMA servers and provides technical support for the Bankruptcy and District Courts using CMA. He is also a network administrator, and manager of 3 IT and CMA personnel for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.

Aimee Stafford is the Special Programs Analyst for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and has been with the Courts since January 2020. Prior to joining the Federal judiciary, she filled various roles at multiple non-profit organizations and corporations. She obtained an MBA from Oklahoma City University and completed her undergrad at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Aimee is the first point of contact to Bankruptcy and District Courts who use CMA. She is also responsible for onboarding new courts, writing and maintaining CMA’s technical documentation and website, and providing training. Additionally, she collaborates with Scott to develop and improve CMA visual design and the user experience.

Diana Welham joined the District Court in 2018 after being asked by Judge Noreika to join her at Court to serve as Her Honor’s Judicial Administrator and Civil Case Manager.  Ms. Welham began her career in litigation in 1993 working in private practice as an administrative assistant and a paralegal supporting both partners and associates.  Since joining the Court, Ms. Welham has been instrumental in establishing and updating procedures not only in Chambers but also in the Clerk’s Office to streamline efficiency and refine work product.  Additionally, Ms. Welham assists the Clerk’s Office with special projects, creating and implementing pro se/habeas procedures and sits on the Process Improvement and Special Events Committees.

Samantha “Sam” Miller started with the Federal Judiciary in July 2019 as a Generalist in the District Court of Delaware Clerk’s Office where she assisted in multiple projects, including creating the “Vacant Judgeship” coding in the Delaware CM/ECF Dictionary and acting as courtroom deputy to several visiting judges during their time in the district. 

In June 2022, Sam was promoted to Generalist Team Lead, where she assisted the Intake Supervisor, Chief Deputy Clerk, and Clerk of Court in day-to-day operations and with specialized tasks, such as rewriting the internal procedures of the Clerk’s Office utilized by chambers staff and generalists as well as leading several coding projects within the Delaware CM/ECF Dictionary. In April 2024, Sam became the courtroom deputy to Magistrate Judge Christopher J. Burke, where she has started to create internal procedures for initial criminal matters and continues to assist the IT team with CM/ECF coding projects.

Ada I. García-Rivera is the Clerk of Court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. She began her career at the Court in 2003 as a Staff Attorney. In 2010, she was appointed as the Court’s Financial Manager in charge of the finance, procurement, budget, space and facilities, and CJA areas, and served in such position until her appointment as Clerk of Court in April 2023. Ms. García Rivera earned a B.A. in accounting, magna cum laude, from the University of Puerto Rico in 1996 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto School of Law in 1999. She is admitted to the practice of law in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit; she is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Johanne Rémy has over fifteen years of service with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. Starting as an Operations Support Clerk, she advanced to divisional Team Leader overseeing division workflows, evaluating staff performance, and ensuring consistency with court standards. She also supervised daily fiscal balancing and reconciliation. She now serves as Executive Assistant to the Chief Deputy of Operations. In this role, Johanne is a subject matter expert in operations, helps guide operations procedural development, strategic operations, and cross-district initiatives.  She serves as a member of Strategic Planning Council, Operations Improvement Center of Excellence, Communications Center of Excellence, and Community Outreach Committee.

Johanne has deep experience with courtroom deputy functions, CM/ECF testing and version upgrades, and has led district-wide training programs. She has directed and managed multiple high-impact projects. Johanne has cultivated strong working relationships with bankruptcy courts nationwide, supporting collaborative projects and implementation efforts.

A graduate of the MSU Judicial Administration Program and the Foundations of Management Program, Johanne is also a former NCBC Board member and past Chair of the Awards and Scholarship Committee. She brings early-career experience as a senior paralegal in an international law firm and continues to be a trusted leader on committees, task forces, and courtwide projects.

A Program Analyst in the Judiciary Data and Analysis Office (JDAO) of the AO, Julie Auletta is a member of the SharePoint Online (SPO) Management Team with a mission to empower and engage business users in the Judiciary to leverage SharePoint and related technologies to improve communication and collaboration, increase efficiency, and minimize costs. Julie and the team maintain the SharePoint Online Center of Excellence, a site designed to be your primary source of information for everything about SharePoint Online in the Judiciary; offer SharePoint Sherpa and SharePoint Skill Builder services that provide guidance and advice as you plan, implement, and expand your use of SPO; and present the weekly Office Hours series of regular SPO ‘learning through sharing’ sessions for those with questions about SPO and related tools. Prior to joining the AO, Julie spent 20 years in the private sector working for a global company that built add-ons for SharePoint. 

Shallanda “Che” Clay earned a B.B.A. from the University of Mississippi where her primary focus of study was Human Resource Management. In 2010, she earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law. Che has held two federal judicial clerkships, is a member of the Mississippi Bar, and has over thirty years of administrative experience spanning across the areas of bankruptcy, human resources, corporate governance, and compliance. She has served as Clerk of Court for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Mississippi since 2016.

Nora Tyer-Witek has been the Clerk of Court, United States District Court, District of Rhode Island, since May 30, 2017.  Nora is the current Chair of the District Clerk’s Advisory Group, is a member of the First Circuit Workplace Conduct Mediator Panel, is a past member of the First Circuit Information Technology Committee and trains court employees and judicial officers in wellness, resiliency, work/life balance and modern leadership.  Nora is a member of the Federal Court Clerk’s Association, the Federal Bar Association, the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association and is the 2024 recipient of the AO Director’s Award for Community Outreach.  Nora is a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and served 20 years in the United States Marine Corps. Nora was born in Fairfax, Virginia, received her B.S. Magna Cum Laude from Loyola University Chicago in 1996, her JD from University of Illinois College of Law in 2004 and her LLM in Criminal Law from the Army Judge Advocate General’s School, Charlottesville, VA in 2011. She is married to her partner and high school sweetheart Bryan and they have five children.

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Michelle Spidell serves as the Internal Controls Policy Analyst in the Deputy Director’s Office at the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, a role she assumed in November 2021. In this capacity, she is responsible for developing and maintaining internal control policy for the courts, federal public defender organizations, and the Administrative Office. Michelle has been with the Administrative Office since 2006, following 11 years of dedicated service with the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office in the Southern District of Iowa. Before joining the Deputy Director’s Office, she served as a Probation Administrator, where she oversaw policy requirements for the Guide to Judiciary Policy within the Probation and Pretrial Services Office. With over three decades of experience in the federal judiciary, Michelle brings deep institutional knowledge and a commitment to policy excellence in support of the judiciary’s mission.

Chris Junjulas joined the Deputy Director's Office as the Internal Controls Systems Manager in June 2022. He is responsible for internal control tools and training that support the internal control requirements of courts, federal public defender organizations, and the Administrative Office (AO). Chris has worked at the AO since 2009, following nearly 20 years of service to the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York. Since joining the AO, Chris has served as the program manager for CJA, JETS, IC-SAT and served as the policy liaison for several systems and implementations.

Jared Vanderhoff has been a Training Specialist for the US Bankruptcy Court, District of Utah since 2008 specializing in training CHAP (Chambers Automation Program) and related applications. He has also served as an FJC Trainer and on the ATCOP (Automation Training Community of Practice) Conference Planning Team. Jared and the other CHAP team members were awarded the 2023 Director’s Award for Excellence in Judiciary Services.

Jared holds a master’s degree in education (MEd) from the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!). He plays racquetball and other sports and enjoys spending time with his family.

Joseph W Patterson is a member of the Utah Bankruptcy Court - CHAP Support Team, which he joined in Fall 2024 as a Training Specialist.  Prior to that his background and work experience was quite varied!  In 2005 he graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon.  After a one-year term as a Law Clerk for a family law judge in Portland, he practiced law in the Portland Metro area where he focused on family law and consumer bankruptcy for about eleven years.  In 2018 he closed his practice and moved to Utah, taking a step back from professional work to be a stay-at-home dad for his two kids while also building a successful YouTube channel making beginner's guides for several well-known computer games.

In his spare time he enjoys camping, computer games, board games, and gardening, both traditional outdoor gardening as well as indoor hydroponic gardening.