At a ceremony at the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center in Columbus today, Ohio added 31 court managers with a nationally recognized certification to its ranks.

The graduation ceremony closed the 3-year Court Management Program for the class, the second group to complete the program in 2014. The program, available through the Institute for Court Management of the National Center for State Courts and the Ohio Supreme Court Judicial College, includes six modules that address topics pertaining to the management of courts as organizations.  Upon completion, participants receive the designation of certified court manager.

Graduates include court or agency staff members from 20 Ohio counties, the Ohio Court of Claims, and the Supreme Court. More than 350 Ohioans have earned the certified court manager credential since the Judicial College entered its partnership with the national Institute for Court Management in 2002. Ohio is one of several states to offer the training locally for court professionals.

More information about the program is available at www.ncsc.org. Those local court employees interested in participating in the program can contact the Judicial College at cmp@sc.ohio.gov.

Justice Judith French offered remarks to participants and their guests. Also participating in the October 10 graduation ceremony were Judicial College Interim Director Christy Tull and Supreme Court Interim Administrative Director Mindi Wells.

Below is a list of the newest graduates:

Kathryn Baden, Court Administrator, Henry County Family Court

Carmen Y. Baird, Court Administrator, Fayette County Court of Common Pleas

Ryan Berg, Deputy Clerk, Columbiana County Juvenile Court

Kevin J. Bergem, Clerk of Court, Lyndhurst Municipal Court

Berlin R. Carroll, Court Administrator, Allen County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division

Belinda Davis, Chief Deputy Clerk, Montgomery County Clerk of Courts

Irene DeGrandis, Director, Civil Division, Cleveland Municipal Clerk of Court

MiMi DeGrow, Judicial Assistant, Miamisburg Municipal Court

David K. Edelblute, Court Administrator, Licking County Probate/Juvenile Court

James Fox, Court Administrator, Wayne County Court of Common Pleas

Bonnie K. Gold, Court Administrator/ Clerk, Sidney Municipal Court

Donald C. Hepfner, Magistrate/Court Administrator, Mahoning County Domestic Relations Court

Julia Ann Hidy, Court Administrator, Fayette County Probate/Juvenile Court

Aretha M. Johnson, Project Manager, Cleveland Municipal Court

Jeremy Johnson, Network Administrator, Supreme Court of Ohio

Maureen G. Kelly, Clerk of Courts, Lake County Court of Common Pleas

James Landon, Education Program Manager, Judicial College, Supreme Court of Ohio

Keith Montesano, Intake Supervisor, Lake County Juvenile Court

Mindy Nash, Probation Officer, Jefferson County Juvenile Court

Donna Rivera-Wells, Probation Supervisor, Lorain County Domestic Relations/Juvenile Court

David D. Roby, Director, Montgomery County Juvenile Court

Bruno G. Romero, Manager, Language Services Program, Supreme Court of Ohio

Trisha Russell, Clerk, Bryan Municipal Court

Marianne Sezon, Court Administrator, Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas

David C. Spridgeon, Probation Officer, Findlay Municipal Court

Diana M. Stevenson, Clerk of Courts, Barberton Municipal Court

Susan Sweeney, Court Administrator, Barberton Municipal Court

Karen Trail, Chief Probation Officer, Oregon Municipal Court

Kimberly H. Walls, Civil Clerk, Oregon Municipal Court

Karen Widmar, Chief of Operations, Cleveland Municipal Clerk of Courts

Natalie Wilkinson, Director of Case Management, Court of Claims of Ohio