Dear NACM Members,
It was great to see those who attended the Annual Conference in person in San Diego. This fantastic conference provided a relevant educational curriculum and resources, which were even made accessible to those who could only attend virtually. While we couldn’t have known during the 2020 Midyear Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina that we wouldn’t gather together again for 16 months, NACM stayed the course during that time. We pushed out educational materials through livestream conferences, webinars, and a media guide. I am proud of great leaders like you who have helped our courts come through this pandemic stronger. In the words of Michigan Chief Justice Bridget McCormack, “COVID wasn’t the disruption we wanted, but it was the disruption we needed.” I wholeheartedly agree. Our members have spearheaded adjustments in the way courts do business and have embraced technology advances, which are hopefully here to stay.
Over the past year, our eyes were opened to the impact of racial disparities and explicit biases. We are at a critical point in history and at the crux of systemic change. Judicial systems face a lack of public trust and confidence in courts. We, as court managers and leaders, are called upon to take on challenges and to restore trust. My motto for the upcoming year is: Together we can achieve hard things.
I look forward to realizing the tangible efforts of the NACM Board, and I particularly anticipate great work out of our new Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee. With NACM, we are better prepared to tackle challenges and to achieve hard things. The board is here for you our members as you join us in this effort.
Kathy Griffin
NACM President
