Our Committees

ADVERTISING/FUNDRAISING

Chair:   Kathy White

Member at Large:  

      1.     Manage the online advertising.

      2.     Organize and plan silent auction at fall conventions.

      3.     Handle convention sponsorships in conjunction with event planner and convention

            coordinator.

 


CONVENTION

Co-Chair:  Meredith Seymour

Co-Chair:  Greta Pedersen

Co-Chair:  Karen Howell

Local Contact Person (will vary from convention to convention)

            

     

 1.     Volunteer Convention Coordinators:

            a.      Select speakers and obtain bio/description of seminar.

            b.     Plan agenda.

            c.      Work with the event planner to carry out administrative duties.

            d.     Be the creative backbone of the convention.

            e.      Follow up with thank you notes to presenters.

2.     Event Planner

            a.      Handle all administrative duties.

            b.     Negotiate with hotel and be hotel contact.

            c.      Once speakers are selected, follow up with travel arrangements, etc.  Send speaker confirmation letters.

            d.     Prepare promotional materials.

            e.      Attend conventions and man registration table.

 

COURT REPORTER WEEK

Co-Chair:  Greta Pedersen

Co-Chair:  Meredith Seymour

Member at Large:  

Wisconsin has joined NCRA in celebrating National Court Reporting and Captioning Week held every February.

1.     Brainstorm different ideas on how members can celebrate, and share that with members 

2.     Prepare promotional material for advertisement in winter and/or spring newsletter (deadline Oct. 1 and Jan. 1) and website. 

3.     Prepare email blasts to be sent to advertise.

 

DSA/LAA

Chairs:  Immediate Past Recipients

President:  Greta Pedersen

President-Elect:  Phil Harrelson

Member at Large: 

1.     Shall consist of the president, president-elect and immediate past recipient of the DSA/LAA with the past recipient being the chair.

2.     Shall seek applications for the DSA from the general membership by articles in the “Wisconsin Reporter” and/or the WCRA website.

3.     Deadline for applications is August 1 of each year.

4.     Committee shall then select the DSA/LAA.  The recipient shall be announced at the fall convention.

5.     Nominees remain eligible for two years.

 

EXECUTIVE

President:  Greta Pedersen

President-Elect:  Phil Harrelson

Past President:  Meredith Seymour

Secretary:  Amanda Lunde

Treasurer: Colleen Clark

1.     There is created an Executive Committee which shall consist of the president, president-elect, immediate past president, secretary, treasurer, and executive director.  All members shall be voting members except the executive director.

2.     The Executive Committee may meet from time to time at the call of the chair, who shall be the president of the association.  Three members present at an Executive Committee meeting shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business.  Meetings may be conducted by telephone.

3.     The Executive Committee may consider any matters appropriate to the conduct of the business and purposes of the association and may make recommendations to the board of directors.

4.     The Executive Committee is empowered to exercise all powers of the board of directors in intervals between meetings of the board of directors except that the executive committee shall have no authority to amend bylaws or adopt rules and regulations governing nominations and/or elections.

5.     The Executive Committee is required to report all actions taken during the interval to the full board of directors at the board of directors meeting next following any such actions.

 

INSTRUCTOR LIAISONS

Jackie Rupnow, Lakeshore Technical College, jackie.rupnow@gotoltc.edu


1.     Work with the Student Committee and Public Relations Committee on matters involving students.

2.     Work with WCRA on being a resource/advocate for students.

 

LEGISLATIVE

Co-Chair for issues relating to official reporters:  

Co-Chair for issues relating to freelance reporters:  

The Legislative Committee will:

1.     Act as liaison between the president and members on matters involving legislation.

2.     Work with the Executive Committee regarding what, if any, legislation WCRA will support, oppose, or submit.  Work with the Executive Committee on language of proposed legislation.

3.     Be alert to proposed legislation affecting reporters and notify the president thereof.

4.     Assist the WCRA lobbyist.

5.     Coordinate legislative efforts.

      a.      Establish a network of reporters to act as contact persons with others in their area.

      b.     Obtain and dispense information necessary to the legislative effort.

      c.      Obtain information from reporters re their senator/representative.

      d.     Promote contact between reporters and their senator/representative.

      e.     Promote follow-up contact to assure that supporting legislators receive thanks.

 

MEMBERSHIP

Co-Chair:  Tamille Bell

Co-Chair:  Meredith Seymour

Member at Large: 

Member at Large: 

The Membership Committee will:

1.     Acquaint yourself with Article II, Membership, in the WCRA bylaws.

2.     Act as contact person for persons seeking to join WCRA.

3.     In conjunction with the newsletter editor, assure that a supply of membership applications is available and distribute the same, making sure that the dues amounts and the treasurer’s name and address printed thereon are current and correct.

4.     Implement programs to encourage new members.

      a.      Solicit nonmembers through mailings or personally.

      b.     Solicit nonmembers by initiating contact by a fellow member.

      c.      Contact NCRA for list of Wisconsin members and compare with list of WCRA members to solicit those reporters.

5.     Working with the board of directors, provide new members with latest newsletter and updated handbook, if requested. 

 

NEWSLETTER

Chair:  Meredith Seymour

Proofreaders:  Judy DeRuyter, judy.deruyter@yahoo.com 

                       Lori Baldauf, baldauflori1@hotmail.com


1. WCRA publishes quarterly newsletters.

2. The president will work with the newsletter editor in newsletter production.


NOMINATING

Chair: Past President, Meredith Seymour

President:  Greta Pedersen

President-Elect:  Phil Harrelson

Standing Committee Chairperson:  

Member at Large:  

Member at Large:  

1.     Shall consist of the immediate past president, who shall serve as chair of the committee, and the following persons appointed by the president:  the president, the president-elect, one standing committee chairperson, and two regular members appointed at large from the membership and who are not officers, directors or committee chairpersons.

2.     Be aware of what positions will be up for election at the fall meeting, receive nominations therefore, and submit a report to the board of directors which recommends for nomination a list of qualified members which will be presented as the slate of candidates at the fall meeting.

3.     Early in the year, provide the newsletter editor and/or website coordinator with an article stating which positions will be open and asking members for nominations.

4.     Contact person nominated by members to obtain their acceptance of the nomination.

5.     If insufficient nominations are received from members, through inquiry and contact with others, select eligible, qualified members for vacancies and contact them to determine their willingness to be a candidate.

6.     Make a report at the fall meeting of the committee’s slate of candidates.

7.     Be responsible for a supply of ballots being present at the meeting place should a ballot vote be taken.

8.     Be aware that only WCRA members in good standing may be candidates for office or may vote in an election.

 

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Chair:  Tamille Bell

Co-Chair:  

            

The Public Relations Committee will:

1.     Take advantage of opportunities to obtain favorable publicity for reporters and/or the reporting profession.

      a.       Immediately after the following occurrences, type a short press release covering the event and mail it to the subject reporter’s local newspaper.  When a reporter:

             1.     Is elected to WCRA office or directorship;

             2.     Is elected or appointed to an NCRA office or committee;

             3.     Passes a qualifying exam (NCRA);

             4.     Qualifies in the NCRA (or other) speed contest;

             5.     Attends the NCRA meeting as a WCRA delegate;

             6.     Received special recognition or is in some way honored by WCRA or NCRA;

             7.     Retires, after a long career.

2.     Encourages contact between reporters and related groups.

      a.      Establish a program for reporters to speak to law school students, giving them the reporter’s viewpoint related to making a good record in hearings, trials or depositions.  Distribute NCRA’s pamphlet “Making the Record.”

      b.     Obtain from NCRA and provide to attorneys and law school students any publications which will promote the live reporter, the RPR, or a better understanding of the reporter’s role and importance.

     c.       Promote appearances by reporters at county and/or state bar association meetings in an effort to increase rapport and understanding between the bar and the reporting profession

 

REALTIME CONTEST

Chair:  Karla Sommer, sommerkms@gmail.com

Member at Large:  

     1.     Plan and administer a realtime contest to be offered at every fall convention.

     2.     Brainstorm ideas to promote registration.

REPORTING PRACTICES

Freelance:  

Officials:  

CART/Captioning:

The Reporting Practices Committee will:

1.     Act as liaison between the president and members on matters involving reporters.

2.     At the president’s request, assist in activities relating to reporters.

3.     Be aware of statutes, rules and practices affecting reporters.  Alert other reporters to such statutes, rules and practices.

      a.      Prepare informative articles for the newsletter and/or website, forwarding the same to the newsletter editor.

      b.     Work with seminar/convention chair in arranging a seminar session for exchange of information.

4.     Communicate with reporters to learn what they feel WCRA could do to assist them.

5.     Advise the president of situations – favorable or unfavorable – affecting reporters.

6.     Maintain a list of reporters – member and nonmember – for your and WCRA’s use when contact is necessary.

7.     Having in mind the NCRA Code of Ethics, advise members and/or WCRA when actions may be contrary to the code.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Chair:  Meredith Seymour

The Social Media Committee's purpose is to promote WCRA activities weekly through social media means, whether it be through Facebook, Google +, Twitter, or any other way of positively promoting our association.  The committee members will work together weekly and report to the board at their in-person meeting, or at any time it feels appropriate, through the board member.   All communication on any site must be respectful of our profession, and our main goal is to maintain current visitors and bring new traffic to our site. This committee will refresh with new pictures of events, announcements, questions, and current interest topics.

 

STUDENT

Co-Chair:  Jodie Carrico

Co-Chair:  Phil Harrelson

Co-Chair:  Claire Stein

           SUBCOMMITTEE:  STUDENT RECRUITMENT

           All of the above

     Jackie Rupnow, LTC

The Student Committee will:

1.     Act as liaison between WCRA and court reporting students on matters involving students.

      a.      Solicit other reporters for the purpose of speaking to reporting students and answering their questions.  Try to provide an appearance by an official, a freelancer, a captioner, and commission reporter.

      b.     Work with teachers in court reporting schools.

      c.      Encourage present court reporting students.

2.     Recruit students from high school for the court reporting program.

3.     Act as liaison between WCRA and the state court system regarding student issues.

4.     Prepare a section in the “Wisconsin Reporter” and/or the website specifically for the students.

5.     Put on a student seminar at WCRA conventions.

6.     Shall publicize and promote WCRA.


If you have any comments, concerns, or questions about our association, or you would like additional information about court reporting as a profession, please contact us at president.wcra@gmail.com.

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