Q & A with NCSC President Beth Clement

Going into 2026, NCSC is entering an important new chapter to better serve the court community — and to ensure we are positioned for long-term strength and impact. The goal is clear: sharpen our focus, deepen our collaboration, and amplify the value we deliver to state courts across the country.

Recently, NCSC President Beth Clement sat down with the communications team to reflect on her first ten months of leadership and to discuss what this reorganization means for NCSC and the courts we serve.

A transcript follows.

Q: You became president of NCSC in May of 2025. Looking back on these first ten months, what stands out the most?

Clement: What stands out — without question — is the extraordinary caliber of our people. I knew NCSC well from my time as chief justice of Michigan, but being inside the organization has given me an even deeper appreciation for the depth of expertise here.

Whether it's artificial intelligence, court operations, access to justice, data and research, or strengthening public trust and confidence, our staff are doing nationally significant work every single day. The scale and impact of that work is remarkable. It is both humbling and energizing to lead an organization with this level of talent and commitment. We are not just supporting courts — we are helping shape the future of state justice systems. 

Q: NCSC has also experienced some leadership changes. What has evolved?

Clement: Early in my tenure, I took a close look at how we were structured at the executive level. Strong mission-driven work requires strong alignment and clear accountability. In October, I was thrilled to bring Danielle Hirsch on board as chief of staff. Danielle has already made a meaningful impact in strengthening coordination across the organization.

We also marked the retirements of two extraordinary leaders: Pam Casey, our vice president of research & design, and John Meeks, our vice president of education & professional development. Their contributions to NCSC — and to the national court community — are lasting and profound. They helped build much of the foundation we are standing on today.

With those transitions, we made the strategic decision to streamline our executive team. The result is a leaner, more integrated leadership structure that supports faster decision-making, clearer priorities, and stronger collaboration. In addition to me and Danielle, Laurie Givens will lead programs given her breadth of experience as a leader within COSCA and most recently as our vice president of court consulting services, Jesse Rutledge will continue leading communications, and we will soon welcome a new executive leader for finance and administration. It is a team intentionally designed to support the next phase of NCSC's growth.

Q: Reorganizations can sometimes raise concerns. What is the core purpose of this one?

Clement: This reorganization is not about contraction — it is about focus, alignment, and long-term sustainability.

Our mission is to advance innovation, leadership, and excellence in state courts. To do that effectively, our internal structure must match the ambition of our mission. The new structure brings together our work into clearly defined areas, making it easier for courts to engage with us, and easier for our teams to collaborate across disciplines.

We also took this opportunity to reduce layers of management, clarify decision-making authority, and strengthen financial sustainability. That allows us to invest in the technology, systems, and infrastructure that modern service delivery requires. If we expect courts to innovate, we must model that innovation ourselves.

In short, this is about ensuring NCSC remains the premier national resource for state courts — not just today, but for decades to come. 

Q: How has NCSC's board been involved in all these changes?

Clement: Our board has been deeply engaged and fully supportive. I am especially grateful to Chief Justice Seitz of Delaware and State Court Administrator Corey Steel of Nebraska for their leadership. They, along with the full board, have provided both encouragement and strategic guidance throughout this process.

Very early in my presidency, a board member asked what surprised me most after stepping into the role. My answer was simple: If our mission is innovation and advancement, we have to embody that internally. We must equip our own people with the tools, structure, and clarity they need to excel. The board embraced that vision wholeheartedly.

Q: The reorganization included a limited reduction in force. Can you speak to that?

Clement: Yes. We did implement a limited reduction in force affecting approximately a dozen positions. These were difficult decisions, and they were made with great care and respect for the talented colleagues whose roles were impacted.

Importantly, these decisions were structural — not performance-based and not driven by financial crisis. They were part of aligning our staffing model with our new organizational design. We remain financially sound and mission-focused. We are deeply grateful for the contributions of those colleagues and have worked to support them through the transition.

Q:  Looking ahead to 2026, what excites you most?

Clement: I am incredibly optimistic. As we complete this internal transformation, we are simultaneously advancing an ambitious strategic agenda that places public trust and confidence at the center of our work.

We will be bringing in new leadership talent. We will be deepening partnerships with courts. And we will continue delivering practical tools, research, education, and innovation that help courts meet the evolving needs of their communities.

This reorganization positions us to do that work with greater clarity, strength, and impact. The future of state courts is dynamic and demanding. NCSC is ready for it.

Q: Thanks for this great conversation, Beth.

Clement: Thank you!