NCSC welcomes new members to its executive team
You may notice some new faces in the NCSC executive suite, reflecting a transition that began about a year ago when several long-time employees announced their retirements. Last fall, former Texas state court administrator David Slayton took the helm of the Court Consulting Division, and over the last several months, NCSC President Mary McQueen added three new people to the leadership team – all bringing a diverse set of experiences and talents.
“It’s an exciting time here,” McQueen said. “Our work with courts and court leaders over the past two years has really helped us focus on how we will shape the Center’s vision and renewed purpose. Building on 50 years of success, NCSC is well positioned for continued service to courts with these new additions to the executive team.”
Deborah Mason, who joined the organization in 1998 under McQueen’s predecessor, Roger K. Warren, was recently named vice president and chief administrative officer, taking on an expanded role that includes oversight of human resources, facilities and payroll. Mason has also taught human resources classes for the Institute for Court Management (ICM) and is without a doubt our most passionate NCAA basketball fan. (Virginia Commonwealth University is her team, in case you are wondering.)
Speaking of ICM, McQueen looked to our education division to promote Amy McDowell to the position of chief legal officer. Like Mason, McDowell knows NCSC well, having joined the ranks in 2007. Most recently, McDowell served as ICM’s director of executive leadership education and dean of the ICM Fellows program. She also served as the project lead for our Election Law Program, a joint effort with the William & Mary Law School. Prior to joining ICM, she worked in the Knowledge and Information Services (KIS) Department, helping court customers get quick answers to their questions. In her new role, McDowell serves as the corporate secretary and NCSC’s legal counsel.
An entirely new face to NCSC is chief financial officer Elizabeth O’Donnell. O’Donnell spent more than a decade at the University of Virginia’s Center for Transportation Studies as its accounting director, director of finance and business operations, and most recently, deputy director. She now leads a staff of more than a dozen accounting and finance team members in our Williamsburg headquarters and in satellite offices around the world, supporting International Division rule of law projects. And though she is new to NCSC, she is familiar with the Williamsburg area, having earned an MBA from the College of William & Mary.
NCSC social media campaign brings awareness of International Women’s Day
Employees in our Arlington, Va.-based International Division and its field offices around the world have created the division's annual International Women’s Day social media campaign, highlighting this year’s global theme, #BreaktheBias.
“All our field offices, 90% of which are run by women, come together to celebrate women leadership and reflect with our counterparts on the year's theme,” said Violaine Autheman, an NCSC senior advisor and senior program manager. “This enables us to address themes of gender equity with our justice sector counterparts and beneficiaries.”
If you missed seeing the International Women’s Day posts on NCSC social media, be sure to check out the stories and videos using the links below: