Scott Mitchell, Clerk (AL)
Congratulations to Lisa Collins, Clerk of the Utah Court of Appeals, Polly Brock, Clerk of the Colorado Court of Appeals, and Amy Wood, Clerk of the Arizona Court of Appeals – Division One, on their recent retirements.
Lisa joined the Utah Court of Appeals in 2002 and became Clerk in 2005. A familiar and friendly face at annual meetings for many years, she served on our executive committee and hosted a memorable 2015 NCACC Annual Meeting in scenic Snowbird. Lisa officially retired on November 30th.
Polly began her journey with the Colorado Court of Appeals in 1996 and became its Clerk about ten years later. She twice served on our executive committee and rolled out the red carpet for the 2016 NCACC Annual Meeting in Denver. Polly’s retirement became effective on March 31st.
Amy, who retired on March 15th, was appointed Clerk of the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, in August 2016, following a 15-year career with the Arizona Supreme Court. A dedicated member of the NCACC, Amy was always generous with her insight and support for fellow clerks. She, too, served on our executive committee.
Congratulations to Sarah Pendleton on her appointment as Clerk of the Washington Supreme Court. She was officially sworn into office on February 11, succeeding Erin Lennon, who served as Clerk since 2021 and was a dedicated member of the NCACC. Erin stepped down from the position for health reasons, and we thank her for her service and commitment to the Conference. Sarah previously served as Deputy Clerk and has been an NCACC member since 2021.
Congratulations to Tiffany Mortier on her appointment as Clerk of the Colorado Court of Appeals. Tiffany has been with that court since 2003, most recently serving as motions and jurisdiction counsel, and has been a member of the NCACC since 2020.
We also extend our congratulations to Nathan Wilson, former Clerk of the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, on his appointment as Alabama’s Administrative Director of Courts, effective January 21, 2025. Nathan served as Clerk since January 2022. While we will miss his collegial presence, we celebrate this exciting new chapter in his career and applaud his continued leadership within Alabama’s judicial branch.
Welcome to those who recently joined the NCACC!
Allison Cartwright was elected in November 2024 by the voters of Suffolk County as the Clerk of the Massachusetts Judicial Court for the County of Suffolk. Her position is one of two state appellate clerk positions that stand for general election. Prior to being elected Clerk, Allison served as the attorney-in-charge for Roxbury Defendants’ Office of the Committee for Public Counsel Services – Massachusetts’s public defender agency.
Colin Casler has served as Chief Deputy Clerk of the Appellate Court of Maryland since 2022. He previously served as a staff attorney with that court. In addition to his legal training, Colin holds an MPhil (Master of Philosophy) in Mediterranean Archeology from the University of Glasgow.
Morgan Coleman became Clerk of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern Division, in October 2024 succeeding Laura Roy. Prior to her appointment as Clerk, Morgan served as staff counsel for that Court.
Abrianna “Abri” Decker has served as a Deputy Clerk of the Missouri Supreme Court since August 2023. She is an alumna of Drury University in Springfield, Missouri.
Maddison Foster has served as a Deputy Clerk of the Missouri Supreme Court since May 2024. She is an alumna of the University of Missouri.
Jennifer Gadbois was recently appointed as Clerk of the Utah Court of Appeals. Prior to coming to the Court of Appeals, Jennifer previously worked with the Orange County (California) Superior Courts as well as the Third Judicial District Court based in Salt Lake City.
Myrna Gasc is the Court Business Administrator for the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals based in Dallas. She has served that court since 2019 and previously worked for the Dallas County, Texas, courts.
Kelsey Hill has served as Deputy Clerk, Court en Banc, of the Missouri Supreme Court since July 2023. She is an alumna of Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri.
Matt Martin has been with the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, since January 2025 and became Clerk of that court on March 15th. He previously served as deputy criminal court administrator and jury administrator for the Maricopa County Superior Court.
Seth Rhodebeck was appointed Clerk of the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals on January 21, 2025. He previously served as a staff attorney on both the Court of Civil Appeals and the Alabama Supreme Court. You are sure to have seen Seth hanging around at NCACC annual meetings since he is the husband of Megan Rhodebeck, the Clerk of the Alabama Supreme Court. The Rhodebecks are our nation’s first appellate clerk spousal duo.
Beth Robbins is the Assistant Clerk/Administrator for the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, based in San Francisco. She has been the Assistant Clerk/Administrator since 2017 and has worked with that court since 1997.
Christina Cooley Smith has served as Clerk of the Court of Appeals of Georgia since July 2024. While she may be relatively new to the position of clerk, she is not new to the Georgia Court of Appeals. She has over 26 years of experience with her court, having previously served as a staff attorney and a deputy court administrator.
Stacie Venable joined the Court of Appeals of Virginia in 2007 and became a Senior Deputy Clerk in 2023. Prior to her employment at the Court of Appeals, she worked as a legal claims reviewer at Brown Greer, PLC.