Advisory Committee

The Guardian ad Litem Project operates according to its By-laws under an Administrator and an Advisory Committee. Elsie Day was the Guardian ad Litem Project's Administrator from 1981 to 1984. Marcia Dettelbach assumed that position in 1984. Magistrate Patricia Yeomans was the GAL Project's Administrator from 1987 to 1990, when Marita Kavalec came aboard and provided eight years of service to the Project. Marita Kavalec left the GAL Project to work for the Juvenile Court and was succeeded by Lisa O'Rear-Lassen for two years. In April 2001, the current Administrator, Judith L. Layne took the helm. Throughout the years, the Advisory Committee has been comprised of attorneys, psychologists, college faculty, social workers, foster parents, and members of valued community organizations. The Executive Director of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and the Juvenile Court Administrative Judge serve as ex-officio members of the Advisory Committee.

The Advisory Committee of 2011:

2011 OFFICERS
STEVEN E. WOLKIN, CHAIR
Attorney at Law

MARY E. BUSH, VICE-CHAIR
Attorney at Law

DENISE N. RINI, SECRETARY
Attorney at Law

AMY K. HABINSKI, TREASURER
Attorney at Law

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

DANIEL J. BARTOS
Attorney at Law

PAUL B. BERMAN
Attorney at Law

DANA C. CHAVERS, ex-officio
Director of Court Services
Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court

LYNNE L. CHAVERS, Staff Attorney
Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court

DONALD P. CHRISTMAN
Attorney at Law

PINKIE L. CLARK
Attorney at Law

KIMREY D. ELZEER
Attorney at Law

RUSSELL A. EZOLT
Attorney at Law

NANCY J. GLICK
Attorney at Law
Positive Education Program

DAVID J. GOODWIN
Attorney at Law

AMY K. HABINSKI
Attorney at Law

DONALD E. HOWARD
Attorney at Law

TONYA R. JONES
Attorney at Law

DEIRDRE F. KONOPKA
S.T.A.R.T. Unit Supervisor
Cuyahoga County Department of Children & Family Services

THOMAS KOZEL
Attorney at Law

ERIC R. LAUBACHER
Attorney at Law

ANNE S. McFARLAND
Attorney at Law

NANCY G. McMILLEN, Magistrate
Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court

SANDRA B. McPHERSON, Ph.D.

JENNIFER L. MITCHELL
Assistant Public Defender
Office of Cuyahoga County Public Defender

CYNTHIA M. MORGAN
Attorney at Law

AMY L. NASH
Attorney at Law

HON. THOMAS F. O’MALLEY, ex-officio
Administrative Judge
Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court

SUSAN M. ORGANISCAK, ex-officio
Director of Mediation
Cuyahoga County Office of Justice Affairs

DONALD W. RISTITY
Attorney at Law

NANCY SIN
Attorney at Law

DAVID R. WATSON, ex-officio
Executive Director, CMBA

MARK WITT
Attorney at Law

JOSEPH C. YOUNG, Supervisor
Asst. Prosecuting Attorney, CSEA Unit
Office of Cuyahoga County Prosecutor

JUDITH L LAYNE
ADMINISTRATOR