Maryam Ahmad is the Chief of the Juvenile Justice Bureau of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago. Ms. Ahmad is the President of the Chicago Bar Association and was the recipient of its 2018 Vanguard Award. She also was the 2016 recipient of the Cook County Bar Association’s Judicial Award. Ms. Ahmad received her B.A. from Chatham College, her M.A. from Bucknell University, and her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law, with a certification in intellectual property law.
Elizabeth P. Butler is a litigation attorney with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services in Chicago. Ms. Butler serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Appellate Lawyers Association, and she is a member of Chicago Bar Association, where she is Legislative Liaison for the Juvenile Law Committee. She received her J.D. from Loyola University of Chicago.
Alison R. Flaum is the Legal Director of the Children and Family Justice Center, which is part of the Bluhm Legal Clinic at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, and she is also a clinical professor of law. She received her A.B. from Brown University, her J.D. from Yale Law School, and her LL.M. in clinical advocacy from the Georgetown University Law Center.
Lisa S. Jacobs is Program Manager for the Center for Criminal Justice Research, Policy and Practice at Loyola University Chicago. Prior to joining Loyola, she served as an Assistant Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts where she oversaw Judicial Education policy and programs. She is a gubernatorial appointee to the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, where she serves as Vice Chair. Ms. Jacobs received her B.A. from the University of South Dakota and her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.
Frank J. Kopecky is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Illinois Springfield. He focuses on family law. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a Past President of the Juvenile Justice Initiative and of Prevent Child Abuse Illinois. Mr. Kopecky received his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.
Kathy Roller is an assistant public defender with the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender, where she is a trial attorney in the Juvenile Justice Division. Ms. Roller has been an assistant public defender for over 25 years and has first chaired over 400 trials. She has lectured nationally on topics including Illinois’ extended juvenile jurisdiction and transfer statutes, trial advocacy, ethics, sentencing advocacy, and contempt proceedings. Ms. Roller received her B.A. from Texas A&M University and her J.D. with honors from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Catherine M. Ryan is the Executive Director of Maryville Academy in Des Plaines. She focuses on child protection and juvenile delinquency and nonprofit human service organizations. Ms. Ryan is a member of the Illinois State and Chicago Bar Associations and the Catholic Lawyers Guild. She received her B.A. from Alverno College, her M.S.W. from DePaul University, and her J.D. from Northwestern University.
Terrence V. Sharkey is an Associate Judge in the Juvenile Justice Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Diane N. Walshis the Chief Legal Officer for the Juvenile Justice Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County in Chicago. She is a member of the Chicago and Illinois State Bar Associations and the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. Ms. Walsh received her B.S. from Loyola University Chicago and her J.D. from the Northern Illinois University College of Law.
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