NFPA Board Members
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"Mahatma Ghandi once said the definition of a president is 'chief servant.' . . . The real power of NFPA lies in its members, who have the power to mold their vision into reality."
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The professional paralegals introduced below form the 2000-2001 Board of Directors of NFPA.
Sally Andress, RP,
of Shaftsbury, VT
President
Sally is serving a second term as NFPA's President. Her primary focus for this year is to continue the momentum started last year in educating the legal and nonlegal communitiues about the proper utilization of paralegal services and the role paralegals play in the delivery of legal services. To accomplish this, Sally will concentrate on marketing NFPA's award-winning video, "Paralegals: Enhancing Practice, Professionalism and Profit," to law schools and areas in which NFPA does not have a local association. (See related story on page 60.)
Legal publications will continue to be saturated with articles about the paralegal profession. Additionally, efforts to educate the consumer public will be increased with the help of NFPA's consumer education web page.
Last, in keeping with NFPA's Strategic Long-Range Plan, Sally hopes to develop a "Dream Team" of experts to assist NFPA's member associations upon request.
Sally graduated from Ohio University with a bachelor of science degree in education. She has been a paralegal for more than 20 years, working in both the public and private sectors. In addition to being a PACE Registered Paralegal, she is also Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Family Law. She is the owner of Paralegal Outsourcing in Shaftsbury, VT.
Susan Witherspoon, RP,
of Dayton, OH
Vice President and Director of Profession Development
After 11 years as an educator, Susan entered the paralegal profession in 1982, when she became the lone paralegal for 15 attorneys at the law firm of Bieser, Greer & Landis. Over the next 14 years, the number of paralegals increased from eight to ten (depending on the year), while the number of attorneys only increased by two. Susan focused first on insurance defense and medical malpractice work, then moved into handling complex litigation cases for the firm.
In 1996 she moved from firm life to corporate life when she joined the legal department at The Mead Corporation, headquartered in Dayton. There, Susan works in the litigation and environmental areas.
Susan's involvement with professional paralegal associations began in 1984 as a founding member of the Greater Dayton Paralegal Association (GDPA). After serving in almost every capacity with GDPA, Susan became its primary in 1989 when GDPA joined NFPA. She remained in that position until 1997, when she became Region III Director.
Throughout her paralegal career, Susan has remained involved in education. For the last 15 years, she has team-taught litigation in a local paralegal program. She is a frequent guest speaker at paralegal classes in the area. Education is near and dear to Susan's heart.
Her interest in education and its many facets led Susan to run for the position of Vice President and Director of Profession Development. This position works with the Coordinators dealing with the ABA Approval Commission, Education, Pro Bono, Technology, Roles & Responsibilities, Multidisciplinary Practice and Legal Nurse Consultants. Susan feels these areas will be instrumental in the continuing education of paralegals and their impact on the legal profession. She hopes that in the coming year she will raise the awareness of paralegals, the legal community, and the public as to what paralegals can do and how they enhance legal services everywhere.
"NFPA has been an integral part of my evolution as a paralegal, and the personal and professional friendships I have made over the years have truly enriched my life," says Susan. She hopes others will join her during her continuing growth as a professional.
Mary Kay Rivera, RP,
of West Nyack, NY
Vice President and Director of Positions and Issues
Mary Kay is a general practice paralegal for Richard A. Glickel, Esq., a sole practitioner in West Nyack. Married with two children, she enjoys reading, golf, and working on community projects.
Mary Kay's goals in her second term as VPPI are to work with all member associations on issues affecting NFPA policy and to assist them in working with the courts, legislatures, and bar associations in their states. Through this partnership, she hopes that NFPA members can obtain for the paralegal profession the recognition it deserves.
"Communication is key to the success of this venture," says Mary Kay, "and I hope that members of NFPA will not hesitate to contact me to share any ideas, suggestions, questions or comments they may have."
Patricia Lyons
of Providence, RI
Secretary and Director of Operations
Pat is a paralegal with the law firm of Edwards & Angell, LLP, in Providence. She holds a B.S. in paralegal studies from Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI, and an M.B.A. in international business from Johnson & Wales University.
Pat has been a paralegal in Rhode Island for some 22 years, working in the areas of litigation (medical malpractice, personal injury and construction), corporate and real estate. She has served on the board of the Rhode Island Paralegal Association in many capacities. She is also a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association's paralegal committee and the advisory board of the paralegal studies program at Roger Williams. She is an adjunct faculty member at Roger Williams, teaching legal ethics.
As NFPA Secretary and Director of Operations, her goal is to build a stronger link between NFPA and its management company, Hangley Management Services, so members will receive the highest quality of service from NFPA. Any suggestions or comments are welcome.
Jocelyn L. Aker, RP,
of Fort Wayne, IN
Treasurer and Director of Finance
Jo is in her 11th year as a litigation paralegal for the Fort Wayne office of Baker & Daniels. For the last five years, she has worked primarily with product liability, but she is changing course somewhat to work on other types of litigation.
On a personal note, her grandchildren are growing like weeds (her grandson will soon be as tall or taller than Jo), and her youngest granddaughter starts preschool this year. Jo enjoys walking and bike riding, playing bridge, listening to music, and playing the piano (although the dust layer on her baby grand testifies how rarely she gets to play it).
Jo thanks everyone for the support in re-electing her to a second term as Treasurer and Director of Finance. Now that she has become more familiar with the several hundred line items in the budget and has gone through the process of establishing a budget, she can concentrate on taking steps to enforce her fiduciary duty. She will continue to make sure NFPA is operating in a financially responsible manner by seeking professional accounting advice. She wants to make sure that NFPA's reserves are working in the best way possible to create additional revenue.
Jo's major goal for the 2000-2001 year is establishing the Education Foundation. This foundation will have the potential for providing funds for educating the public, judges, attorneys and paralegals about our profession. Unlike the PACE foundation, NFPA members will have control over the funds from this foundation. Jo looks forward to serving NFPA and its members for the year ahead.
Victorialei "Nohea" Naka'ahiki, RP,
of Honolulu, HI
Director of Membership
Nohea, a 1999 Five Star Paralegal of the Year, is a maritime/admiralty law paralegal in the Honolulu office of the Carlsmith Ball law firm. She has been a paralegal for 12 years. A PACE Registered Paralegal, she obtained her A.S. degree in paralegal studies from the University of Hawaii - Kapiolani Community College in Honolulu. She is a former president and secondary of the Hawaii Paralegal Association.
Nohea is married to Clarence "Bully" Naka'ahiki. They have a daughter and a son. In Nohea's spare time, other than the time she spends with her family, she dances with a hula halau (hula troupe) in Honolulu.
In her second term as Director of Membership, Nohea intends to continue reaching out to current and potential members. She will continue arranging visits to member associations and potential member associations. She wants to be sure every association, whether a member or potential member, is cognizant of the many benefits to be reaped as a member and the importance to NFPA of the association's membership. "NFPA offers its member associations countless benefits," says Nohea, "but they mean nothing if the associations and their individual members don't take advantage of them."
Nohea believes that together, NFPA and its members can create positive, long-lasting, and satisfying membership relations that will further unify the paralegal profession.
Lee Davis
of Phoenix, AZ
Region I Director
Lee has been a paralegal for 21 years and an active member of local associations since 1980. In 1988, she was one of a handful of paralegals who started the Arizona Association of Professional Paralegals, Inc. Since that time, she has served the association as president and primary. On the national level, she has worked on various committees and served as a Coordinator.
Lee's profession is very important to her. She learned early that, in order to make a difference, she needed to be active. This is the core of her active involvement. She is anticipating her third term as Region I Director.
It is important to Lee to act as mentor to students and new paralegals. She teaches in the paralegal program at Phoenix Community College. She takes full advantage of this opportunity to tell future paralegals what it is really like to be a paralegal.
This past year Lee has added working with inmates in the Arizona state prison system to her schedule. Because inmates no longer have law libraries, the state has implemented a system of providing paralegals to the inmates to assist in certain qualified complaints and appeals. The program is designed to cut down on frivolous inmate lawsuits. "It was a little unnerving," Lee recalls, "the first time I had to put on a bullet-proof vest to meet with an inmate in the cellblock."
Lee owns and manages a contract firm, contracting paralegals and lawyers to law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies. She is also a certified Summation® trainer and reseller who enjoys teaching other paralegals and lawyers how to automate their large document cases.
In addition to Lee's professional activities, she has three grown children, two grandsons, and two dogs, Ricky and Lucy. Her passion is dancing, and she enjoys competing in West Coast Swing dance competitions around the nation. She also enjoys golfing ("More lessons are desperately needed," she says) and has recently taken up kick-boxing as a way to get in shape and keep the stress level down.
Fay Wilson-Gorring
of Green Bay, WI
Region II Director
"I am honored to be re-elected to the Board of Directors," says Fay. For the past 16 years, she has been employed as a paralegal with a third party administration company, Claim Management Services, Inc., in Green Bay. Like many paralegals, she wears a variety of hats within the corporation. She is responsible for the subrogation department, company licensing, acting as liaison with state and federal regulatory agencies, training inhouse personnel, and monitoring compliance issues.
Fay has served her local association, the Paralegal Association of Wisconsin, as a chapter director, vice president, secondary, and primary. When not managing all of the above tasks, she shuttles her two stepchildren to their ever-increasing activities. Any time left is devoted to travel, meeting new people, and cheering for the Packers.
Karen Belcher
of Lebanon, TN
Region III Director
A past president of the Georgia Association of Paralegals (GAP), Karen now lives in Tennessee. She was named winner of the 1999 Dyncorp Outstanding Local Leader Award for her work in GAP.
Although this is her first term as Region III Director, Karen is not a newcomer to the national level. She has held two Coordinator positions for NFPA: special research projects and student membership. As Student Membership Coordinator, she assisted NFPA member associations to recruit and retain student members in order to "reach out to and include the future leaders of our profession." As Special Research Projects Coordinator, she took on the specific responsibilities assigned to her by the Board.
Karen is a graduate of the National Center for Paralegal Training in Atlanta, GA.
Kelly A. McKown, RP,
of Dover, DE
Region IV Director
Kelly has been involved in NFPA since 1988 and has represented three different associations, which she thinks may be a first in NFPA. From 1991 to 1993, she was primary representative for the Kansas City association. From 1993 to 1996, she was first secondary and later primary for the Rocky Mountain association. She then became secondary for the Delaware association during 1996-1997. She has also worked in many positions on the national level and is entering her third term as Region IV Director.
Kelly graduated from Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, CO, with an A.A.S. in legal assistant studies and from Metropolitan State College of Denver with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in paralegal studies. Her paralegal experience has been in personal injury, medical malpractice, and products liability. She currently works as a corporate specialist and office coordinator for CorpAmerica, Inc.
Since 1983, Kelly has been involved in the Miss America Organization in Kansas, Colorado, and Delaware. She is proud to help provide scholarship opportunities for these young women.
Kelly A. Reynolds
of Rochester, NY
Region V Director
Kelly, a paralegal for more than ten years, has been with the law firm of Nixon Peabody, LLP, since 1992. She has extensive litigation experience, including developing several litigation databases and assisting at several trials in various courts.
In 1998, Kelly switched specialties when she became a corporate paralegal specializing in the not-for-profit area. She now concentrates on assisting not-for-profit corporations such as hospitals, public charities, trade associations and private foundations, with their corporate needs. She assists clients in their corporate maintenance and specific tax, fundraising and other corporate issues, including securing tax-exempt status on the federal and state levels.
From 1997 to 1999, Kelly was president of the Paralegal Association of Rochester, Inc. (PAR). She has also been PAR's board advisor, co-editor of PAR*Spectives, secondary, and primary. She was the first to receive a PAR service recognition award for her position as president, an award bestowed in 1999.
As Region V Director, Kelly hopes to continue the tradition of open communication and cohesiveness that has symbolized Region V.
Robin I. Solomon
of Mt. Laurel, NJ
Board Advisor
Robin reports that little has changed since she wrote for a similar article last year! Among the non-changes: she was born in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up there until she was 14. She then spent time in Lawrence, NY; went to college at Ohio State University in Columbus, OH; spent a year being a ski bum in Sutton, Quebec, Canada; and wound up in Mt. Laurel, NJ. She's still a member of the Philadelphia Association of Paralegals and working for Fox, Rothschild, O'Brien & Frankel, LLP, in the bankruptcy/creditors' rights/financial services area. She loves to snow ski, figure skate, and work in her garden. She also loves to spend time with her friends and spend a lot of time laughing.
Last year at this time, Robin said, "I hope to make the position of Board Advisor a more integral part of the Board on a daily basis, and I hope that the rest of the Board, as well as the delegates, would be comfortable coming to me with any problems, issues, questions or concerns." She thinks this has worked out "pretty well," adding, "I don't feel isolated, as some past presidents have warned I might. I feel `connected' to NFPA."
Robin notes that last year's Board realized her experience in NFPA made her a good candidate to head some of its projects. She will continue to work on those, including NAFTA. Robin sees great things ahead for NFPA!
Things to Do This Autumn
Get ready for end-of-year performance review. Be sure to order own copy of NFPA's 1999 Paralegal Compensation and Benefits Report from Headquarters, P.O. Box 33108, Kansas City, MO 64114, or from NFPA's web site at www.paralegals.org Publications page. Costs only $20 for me 'cause I'm a member of an NFPA association.
Regularly check www.paralegals.org's Career Center for recent postings.
Investigate pro bono projects in which to get involved through my local association or at www.paralegals.org Pro Bono page.
Check calendar at www.paralegals.org for meetings of local association and committees or sections. Contribute while there!
Consider running for 2001 office in local association. Why not?!?! Get names and phone numbers of current local leaders in Leadership Directory at www.paralegals.org under the Member Associations page.
Write my congressperson that I support House Resolution 430 creating National Paralegal Day!
