National court organization announces new board members

D.C. chief judge and S.C. court administration director will lead board

Williamsburg, Va. (Aug. 1, 2011) — Eight new members have joined the Board of Directors of the National Center for State Courts, a nonprofit that aims to improve the administration of justice through leadership and service to the nation's state courts. In addition, Chief Judge Eric T. Washington of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals has been named chair of the Board of Directors, and Rosalyn W. Frierson, director of South Carolina Court Administration, has been named vice-chair. Both will serve in their leadership positions for one year. 

The new board members who will serve three-year terms are:

• Judge Stephen H. Baker of the Superior Court of Shasta County, Calif.;
• S. Jack Balagia Jr., vice-president and general counsel of Exxon Mobil Corp.;
• Chief Judge David V. Brewer of the Oregon Court of Appeals;
• Chief Judge Pro Tempore Elizabeth P. Hines of the 15th Judicial District Court in Ann Arbor, Mich.;
• W. Wayne Withers, of counsel to Bryan Cave LLP.

The new board members who will serve four-year terms are:

• Pamela Q. Harris, court administrator for the Circuit Court of Montgomery County, Md.;
• Chief Justice Michael G. Heavican of the Nebraska Supreme Court;
• Zygmont A. Pines, court administrator of Pennsylvania.

Also, the following current board members have been re-elected for additional three-year terms: Donna D. Melby, a business trial attorney with Paul Hastings LLP; Suzanne H. Stinson, court administrator for the 26th Judicial District Court of Bossier and Webster parishes in Benton, La.; and Larry D. Thompson, retired senior vice president of government affairs, general counsel, and secretary of PepsiCo and member of the Board of Directors of The Washington Post Co.

The National Center for State Courts, headquartered in Williamsburg, Va., is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice by providing leadership and service to the state courts. Founded in 1971 by the Conference of Chief Justices and Chief Justice of the United States Warren E. Burger, NCSC provides education, training, technology, management, and research services to the nation's state courts.