Supreme Court Commission on Children in the Courts

    Supreme Court Commission on Children in the Courts

    Origin/Authorization:  Consultation Minutes of December 22, 2004

    Terms:  Initial appointments to be at the pleasure of the Court. Members appointed after February 21, 2008, shall be appointed to 3-year terms.

    Purpose Statement:  The commission will study and recommend appropriate steps for the judicial system to undertake to insure that the courts are as responsive as possible for children who interact with, or are directly affected by the courts.

     

    Name, City Composition Appointment Date Term Expires

    Hon. Francie Riedmann, Gretna

    Reappointed 10-7-20

    		 Co-Chairperson, Appellate Judge 10-18-17 12-31-23
    Hon. Roger Heideman, Lincoln Co-Chairperson, Separate Juvenile Judge, Lancaster County 11-19-19 12-31-25
    Hon. Michael G. Heavican, Lincoln (ex-officio) Chief Justice, Nebraska Supreme Court 11-15-06 Permanent

    Hon. Stefanie Martinez

    Reappointed 11-18-17, 10-7-20

    		 District Judge, 2nd Judicial District 11-12-15 12-31-23
    Hon. James Masteller, Omaha District Judge, 4th Judicial District 11-12-20 12-23-23

    Hon. Rachel Daugherty, Aurora

    Reappointed 10-18-17, 10-7-20

    		 District Judge, 5th Judicial District 10-29-14 12-31-23

    Hon. Michael Piccolo, North Platte

    Reappointed 11-12-15, 10-24-18, 10-20-21

    		 District Judge, 11th Judicial District 10-16-13 12-31-24
    Hon. Linda Bauer, Fairbury County Judge, 1st Judicial District 10-20-21 12-31-24

    Hon. Thomas Harmon, Omaha

    Reappointed 9-29-10, 10-16-13, 10-19-16, 11-19-19

    		 County Judge, 4th Judicial District 2-21-08 12-31-25
    Hon. Ross Stoffer, Madison County Judge, 7th Judicial District 11-19-19 12-31-25

    Hon. Anne Paine, McCook

    Reappointed 10-17-12, 11-12-15, 10-24-18, 10-20-21

    		 County Judge, 11th Judicial District 3-18-09 12-31-24

    Hon. Randin Roland, Sidney

    Reappointed 9-29-10, 10-16-13, 10-19-16, 11-19-19

    		 County Judge, 12th Judicial District 2-21-08 12-31-25

    Hon. Mary Stevens, Omaha

    		 Separate Juvenile Judge, Douglas County 10-20-21 12-31-24

    Hon. Matthew Kahler

    Reappointed 10-20-21

    		 Separate Juvenile Judge, Douglas County 10-7-20 12-31-24

    VACANT

    Separate Juvenile Judge

    Lead Judge for the Through the Eyes of the Child teams

    		    

    Hon. Patrick Runge, Winnebago

    Reappointed 3-18-09, 10-17-12, 11-12-15, 10-24-18, 10-20-21

    		 District Judge, Winnebago Tribal Court 12-29-04 12-31-24

    Sen. Tony Vargas, Omaha

    Reappointed 10-7-20

    		 State Senator, District 7 10-18-17 12-31-23

    Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, Lincoln

    Reappointed 11-19-19

    		 State Senator, District 25 10-19-16 12-31-22
    Jennifer Carter, Lincoln Child Welfare Inspector General 10-7-20 Permanent
    Mary Jo Pankoke, Lincoln Co-Director, Governor's Task Force & Commission on the Protection of Children 12-29-04 Permanent
    Dannette Smith, Lincoln Chief Exec. Officer, Health and Human Services 4-03-19 Permanent

    Stephanie Beasley, Lincoln

    Reappointed 10-7-20

    		 Director, Children and Family Services, Health and Human Services 5-06-20 12-31-23
    Corrie Kielty Director, Nebraska CASA 3-13-13 Permanent
    Monika Gross, Lincoln Executive Director, Foster Care Review Office 5-06-20 Permanent

    Misty (Frazier) Flowers, Bloomfield

    Reappointed 10-20-21

    		 Executive Director, ICWA Coalition 10-24-18 12-31-24

    Ivy Svoboda, Omaha

    Reappointed 10-20-21

    		 Executive Director, Nebraska Alliance of Child Advocacy Centers 10-24-18 12-31-24
    Sarah Helvey, Lincoln Program Director, Nebraska Appleseed Center for the Law 3-18-09 Permanent
    Matthew Blomstedt, Lincoln Nebraska Commissioner of Education 5-2-17 Permanent
    Juliet Summers Executive Director, Voices for Children in Nebraska 1-1-23 Permanent
    Hazell Rodriguez Legal Aid of Nebraska 1-1-23 Permanent
    Liz Neeley, Lincoln Executive Director, Nebraska State Bar Association 10-19-14 Permanent

    Elizabeth A. F. Waterman, Lexington

    Reappointed 3-18-09, 10-17-12, 11-12-15, 10-24-18, 10-20-21

    		 County Attorney, Dawson County 1-05-05 12-31-24

    Chris Reid, Lincoln

    		 Deputy County Attorney, Lancaster County 5-31-23 12-31-24

    Mandi Amy, Kearney

    Reappointed 10-7-20

    		 Deputy County Attorney 10-18-17 12-31-23

    CJ Roberts, Lincoln

    		 Attorney, Health and Human Services 1-1-23 12-31-24
    Kathy Olson, Lincoln Attorney, UNL Center on Children, Families, and the Law 10-12-11 Permanent

    Tana Fye, Holdrege

    Reappointed 10-7-20

    		 Attorney, Guardian ad Litem 10-18-17 12-31-23

    Christine Costantakos, Omaha

    Reappointed 9-29-10, 10-16-13, 10-31-16, 11-19-19

    		 Attorney 2-21-08 12-31-25

    J. Leef, Sidney

    Reappointed 10-7-20

    		 Attorney 10-18-17 12-31-23

    Karen Hicks, Omaha

    Reappointed 10-20-21

    		 Attorney 10-18-17 12-31-23

    Martin Klein, Norfolk

    Reappointed 10-7-20

    		 Attorney 10-18-17 12-31-23
    Michaela Skogerboe, Omaha Attorney 10-20-21 12-31-24

    Dr. Kirk Newring, Papillion

    Reappointed 10-7-20

    		 Psychologist 10-18-17 12-31-23
    Maralee Bradley Foster and Adoptive Parent Representative 1-1-23 12-31-26
    Jamie Legates Foster and Adoptive Parent Representative 1-1-23 12-31-26
    Stephanie Branham Parent Representative 1-1-23 12-31-26
    Andrea Evans Parent Representative 1-1-23 12-31-26
    VACANT Youth Representative    
    Corey Steel, Lincoln (ex-officio) State Court Administrator, Administrative Office of the Courts and Probation  5-21-15 Permanent
    Deborah Minardi, Lincoln Probation Administrator, Administrative Office of the Courts and Probation 5-15-19 Permanent
    Jeanne Brandner, Lincoln
    Reappointed 10-24-18, 10-20-21    		 Deputy Probation Administrator for Juvenile Services 6-22-16 12-31-24
    VACANT MCLE Director    

    Note: members without a term expiration are permanent.