I am a Team Leader for the California Central Bankruptcy Court, (Northern Division/Santa Barbara). I began my career with the federal judiciary over 23 years ago. The 2015 NCBC Conference in Atlanta, GA, was the fourth NCBC conference I have attended, and my second conference as an MSU student.
My attendance at the 2015 NCBC Conference has provided me with many benefits, but the most significant was the wealth of information that I received from the MSU experience at the Atlanta conference. The MSU educational program is so well organized and very relevant to my current work assignments.
As always, Barry Lander’s MSU courses were packed with valuable information and he delivered it in his usual enthusiastic and engaging manner. The Caseflow Management course was especially informative and educational. I appreciated that this course started from a clear beginning and provided a big picture scenario on the topics. After 23 years with the courts, I found that it succeeded in plugging in a few puzzle pieces missing from early in my experience and training. The most important takeaways from the Caseflow Management course for me were, 1.) the reminder that it is vital to know and understand the “WHY” of what we do, not just the “HOW”, and 2.) The importance of focusing work efforts on meaningful case events in order to advance case statuses.
By far, the most significant impact NCBC 2015 had on me and my career was the MSU course offerings focused on community outreach and public information. Recently, I was tasked with several assignments that relate to raising court visibility in our communities through a court educational program, and developing programs to assist the unrepresented public. The MSU courses titled “Public Information, Media Relations, and the Management of Court Community Communication”, “The CARE Program: An Example of Bankruptcy Court Outreach”, and “Presenting Like a Pro – How to Turn Presentations into Something Incredible and Get Your Message Heard!” were in direct alignment with my assignments and career goals. I will be able to immediately apply much of this new knowledge to my current work assignments to enhance my work product.
Another profound impact the 2015 Conference had on me was the vast networking opportunities afforded through conference social events and the MSU educational program. Over the past year, I have been fortunate to work on two separate collaborative projects between my court, the AO, and a few courts around the country. NCBC provided me with a wonderful opportunity to meet some of my colleagues on these projects face to face. Also, as this is my first year as a member of the Impact Editorial Committee, I was able to meet my Impact Editorial Committee members too, and assist with the Impact info-sharing booth.
As you can see, the 2015 NCBC Conference was an overwhelmingly valuable experience for me and will undoubtedly assist me in furthering my career goals - while simultaneously helping my court fulfill its mission to provide stellar service to the community. Again, please extend my gratitude to the scholarship committee for granting me a scholarship so that I could participate in this worthwhile opportunity.
My attendance at the 2015 NCBC Conference has provided me with many benefits, but the most significant was the wealth of information that I received from the MSU experience at the Atlanta conference. The MSU educational program is so well organized and very relevant to my current work assignments.
As always, Barry Lander’s MSU courses were packed with valuable information and he delivered it in his usual enthusiastic and engaging manner. The Caseflow Management course was especially informative and educational. I appreciated that this course started from a clear beginning and provided a big picture scenario on the topics. After 23 years with the courts, I found that it succeeded in plugging in a few puzzle pieces missing from early in my experience and training. The most important takeaways from the Caseflow Management course for me were, 1.) the reminder that it is vital to know and understand the “WHY” of what we do, not just the “HOW”, and 2.) The importance of focusing work efforts on meaningful case events in order to advance case statuses.
By far, the most significant impact NCBC 2015 had on me and my career was the MSU course offerings focused on community outreach and public information. Recently, I was tasked with several assignments that relate to raising court visibility in our communities through a court educational program, and developing programs to assist the unrepresented public. The MSU courses titled “Public Information, Media Relations, and the Management of Court Community Communication”, “The CARE Program: An Example of Bankruptcy Court Outreach”, and “Presenting Like a Pro – How to Turn Presentations into Something Incredible and Get Your Message Heard!” were in direct alignment with my assignments and career goals. I will be able to immediately apply much of this new knowledge to my current work assignments to enhance my work product.
Another profound impact the 2015 Conference had on me was the vast networking opportunities afforded through conference social events and the MSU educational program. Over the past year, I have been fortunate to work on two separate collaborative projects between my court, the AO, and a few courts around the country. NCBC provided me with a wonderful opportunity to meet some of my colleagues on these projects face to face. Also, as this is my first year as a member of the Impact Editorial Committee, I was able to meet my Impact Editorial Committee members too, and assist with the Impact info-sharing booth.
As you can see, the 2015 NCBC Conference was an overwhelmingly valuable experience for me and will undoubtedly assist me in furthering my career goals - while simultaneously helping my court fulfill its mission to provide stellar service to the community. Again, please extend my gratitude to the scholarship committee for granting me a scholarship so that I could participate in this worthwhile opportunity.