Education
- Undergraduate degree from Kent State University with double major in Finance and Real Estate.
- Completed law school at Akron University while working full time in the banking industry.
- Completed a Masters degree in accounting from Kent State while working as a solo legal practitioner.
Business Experience
Household Finance: I performed lending and collection tasks, and ultimately managed a retail credit lending department (extending credit to consumers for large purchases).
Ameritrust Company NA (now known as Key Bank): I worked on projects such as determining branch facility compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and preparing annual budgets for various departments. I was eventually promoted to a position managing the branch real estate as well as certain non-banking property.
Legal Experience
Following several years as a solo practitioner, I joined the General Division of Common Pleas Court as a Judicial Attorney, where I did research, and wrote decisions and jury instructions on a variety of civil and some criminal issues for the general division magistrate and visiting judges. I also did administrative work for the court executive, including establishing procedures for obtaining full reimbursement from the Ohio Public Defender’s Office for indigent defense expenses and implementing a jury management system for all of the trial courts in Summit County.
In 2000, I moved to Domestic Relations Court as a Magistrate, where I hear and decide cases involving custody, support, and domestic violence.
Community Involvement
I believe it is important for judges to be involved in the community so that they understand the issues that face its members. I participate in the following community and professional activities:
- Akron Bar Association—treasurer Board of Trustees.
- Community AIDS Network—treasurer of the Board of Trustees
- Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Summit and Medina County—board member.
- Summit County Families and Children First Council (responsible for implementation and monitoring of the county’s Help Me Grow Program, among other child development related programs)—general member and Finance Committee member.
- Child and Family Leadership Exchange Class VII—graduate and class president.
- No Bullies No Victims Program—I work with a team to instruct teachers on identifying and dealing with bullies and victims and their parents.
- Buckeye Girls State—Judicial Team member.
In addition to these activities, I speak to various groups, including parents and students, on the topics of domestic violence in the family and in dating contexts. I have spoken to Street Law classes at Barberton and Revere High Schools and have also participated in the Intro to Criminal Justice Project at the elementary school level..
Personal Information
I am married to my husband of 21 years, Harry, and we have two children ages 14 and 11.
