Social Worker Meetup: Early Mitigation
2026-02-18 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual, Virtual Event
During this week’s social worker meetup we will talk about how we are using mitigation for early-stage case advocacy, whether prepetition or predisposition. If we can be called in early to develop mitigation, our mitigation information can be used in a compelling way by attorneys who seek to reduce charges, avoid indictment, and advocate dismissal and release. How are you using early development of mitigation – or how might you if given the chance?
Stephanne Cline Thornton is a West Virginia native who has worked in and around criminal defense and mitigation for more than 20 years in Georgia, Colorado, and West Virginia. She is currently the Clinical Director for the West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program, and owner of Transform Legal, a consultancy focused on mitigation, training, and sustainability. As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Master Addiction Counselor, Stephanne focuses on proper assessment for and access to trauma and substance use disorder treatment to ensure the health and well-being of affected individuals. Stephanne is on the Trauma-Informed Care Network Speakers Bureau and uses that platform to call attention to the intersection of secondary traumatic stress and legal practice. She approaches her work with clients, lawyers, social workers, and mitigation specialists through a contextualized mitigation lens.

Harm Reduction and Public Defense
2026-02-18 16:00 - 17:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/harm-reduction-and-public-defense/
This webinar will provide an overview of harm reduction services and principles, with particular emphasis on laws protecting harm reduction service providers and users from prosecution and how public defenders can collaborate with their local harm reduction programs to enhance their practice and further assist clients. Participants will leave the course with a better understanding of resources for clients who use drugs and the benefits of collaboration with their local harm reduction programs.
Presenters will be:
Leo Beletsky, Professor of Law and Health Sciences and Director of the Action Lab, Northeastern School of Law
Melissa Rothstein, Senior Legal Fellow, Action Lab
Sterling Johnson, Legal Fellow, Action Lab.

Policy and Legislative Meet-Up
2026-02-18 16:00 - 17:00, 2026-02-25 16:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-04 16:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-11 16:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-18 16:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-25 16:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-01 16:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-08 16:00 - 17:00 and 1 more date | Virtual, Virtual Event
This 60-minute virtual gathering is designed as a practical, working session—not a webinar. Together, we will:

Workshop active campaigns involving statutes, rules, budget advocacy, and administrative reforms.
Exchange model bill language, fiscal notes, one-pagers, and testimony templates.
Coordinate strategy on messaging, media engagement, coalition building, and storytelling from impacted communities.
Navigate ethics constraints, including 501(c)(3)/(c)(4) boundaries and public-sector limitations.
Translate courtroom experience and client narratives into persuasive, data-informed advocacy.
Share tools for rapid-response efforts during moments of crisis or legislative rollback.

DEIJ/Racial Justice Meet Up: "Successful but Unfulfilled" with Dr. Crystal Currie
2026-02-25 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, Virtual Event
“Successful but Unfulfilled”
This interactive session invites participants to pause, reflect, and explore the gap that often exists between professional success and personal fulfillment. While many leaders and professionals achieve external markers of success, they may still experience a sense that something is missing or misaligned.
Through guided reflection and facilitated discussion, participants will increase their awareness of why traditional measures of success do not always translate into deeper satisfaction and purpose. They will identify areas in their own careers where values, passions, or priorities may be out of alignment, and gain clarity about what truly contributes to their sense of meaning and fulfillment.
The session will conclude with practical, actionable strategies to help participants begin moving toward greater alignment and a more fulfilling professional and personal life—supporting sustainable success that honors both achievement and well-being.
Goals

Increase awareness of why professional success doesn’t always lead to personal fulfillment.
Participants will identify what feels misaligned or missing in their own careers.
Learn practical steps to move toward more fulfillment.”

Dr. Crystal Currie

Dr. Crystal R. Currie is a licensed therapist and leadership consultant with over a decade of experience facilitating trainings and workshops for professionals and community groups. Known for her engaging, compassionate, and practical teaching style, she helps individuals and teams understand how unresolved emotional patterns shape performance, decision-making, and relationships. Grounded in clinical practice and research, her Heal • Become • Lead framework equips leaders and organizations with tools to reduce burnout, strengthen emotional regulation, and build human-centered cultures that support sustainable impact.

Social Worker Supervisor Meetup and Discussion
2026-02-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual, Virtual Event
This meetup for social worker supervisors (supervisors of social workers, mitigation specialists, dispositional advocates, etc. in defense organizations) discusses issues specific to supervision practices and needs.
Kevin Bishop, LCSW, is the Social Worker Coordinator for the Colorado Office of Alternate Defense Counsel
Stephanne Thornton, LICSW, is the NAPD Social Work Training and Resource Coordinator

Investigator MeetUp: A tool for taking notes and analyzing investigative information, featuring Paul Chambers
2026-02-27 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/investigator-meetup-a-tool-for-taking-notes-and-analyzing-investigative-information-featuring-paul-chambers/
A tool for taking notes and analyzing investigative information.
During an investigation an investigator is expected to make sense of the detail involved. What is important and what is not may rely on the knowledge and experience of the investigator. This presentation will introduce an information processing method which promote a consistent approach to gathering detail which will identify categories of information. This will allow differentiation between evidential and investigative detail.
In addition when conducting an interview investigators have the difficult task of having to actively listen, formulate questions, and record notes all at the same time. This presentation will describe a note taking system which promotes the recording of detail and accurate processing of that detail.

Paul Chambers Bio
Paul Chambers recently retired as Senior Investigator at the Ontario County Public Defender’s Office. He held that post since the creation of the office in 2010. His journey to being part of the criminal legal system in upstate New York is an unusual one.
Jon Lyon – Chicago is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
He began by studying Chemistry at Portsmouth University. While there he interned at a Forensic Science Laboratory for 9 months working on a project to improve detecting explosives on hands to help investigate terrorism
After college he joined Hampshire Constabulary as a police constable. In 1990 after a nationwide selection process he was transferred for to the Royal Cayman Islands Police in the Caribbean.
On his return to Hampshire Police, he was promoted to sergeant and supervised shifts of officers. He also performed the role of Custody Sergeant, responsible for the detention and welfare of those brought into custody.
In his spare time, he took a master’s course in Forensic Archeology at Bournemouth University.
He moved to the US in July 2001 and in 2003 he became a Medical Investigator at the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office. He attended a course at St Louis Medical School and passed the exam to become a board-certified medico-legal death investigator.
While at the Medical Examiner’s Office he put the knowledge gained from his archeology course to good use, suggesting novel techniques such as Forensic Palynology and Isotope analysis be applied to a cold case. Tammy Jo Alexander
After working in the Medical Examiner’s office, He transferred to the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office to work as a Public Defender investigator. When the Ontario Public Defender’s office was created in 2010, he was asked to join them to create their investigation team. During his time there he organized multipletraining courses for investigators from all over NY state.
Trained in the PEACE framework and interested in the science of interviewing he has continued working with Forensic Interview Solutions and participates in delivering their scenario-based training using the PEACE method of interviewing across the US.

AI-Powered Discovery to Strategy: Turn Evidence Overload into Winning Defense, presented by NICE
2026-03-03 14:00 - 15:00
Juggling growing discovery volumes, tight deadlines, and increasingly complex digital evidence? For public defenders, the burden isn’t just collecting evidence — it’s turning it into a coherent defense. Join us for this webinar on March 3rd, at 2 PM EST to see how workflow-embedded AI can help you accelerate understanding, surface critical facts and inconsistencies across evidence, and move more quickly from discovery to strategy — without compromising client advocacy.

Learn how to:

· Review discovery faster and more accurately by quickly surfacing key facts across large volumes of digital evidence.
· Create clear, defensible timelines by linking people, places, objects, and events across evidence sources.
· Draft motions, briefs, and arguments confidently with transparent citations, verification loops, and safeguards that preserve your professional judgment.
· Prepare evidence for disclosure or court with clarity, completeness, and confidence.
· Maintain trust and accountability using critical guardrails — audit trails, role-based access, records integrity, policy alignment, and AI that operates entirely within your organization’s secure environment.

Move from discovery to strategy faster, reduce backlogs, and strengthen client advocacy — without compromising the principles of effective public defense.
Presenters
Rod Guy
Vice President, Business Development
NiCE
Shelly Williams
Director of Product Management
NiCE
Kelsey Kaufman Robinson
Senior Product Mgr.
NiCE

PRIVACY NOTICE: This is a presentation from an NAPD sponsor. Registration is managed directly by NiCE Justice Services. Completing the registration form will provide your information to a third party.
www.nicepublicsafety.com

NiCE is pleased to make available information on products and services that may be of interest to you in your organization or career.

Social Worker Meetup: A discussion about Specialty Courts
2026-03-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual, Virtual Event
This week’s social worker meetup will explore the roles we play in Specialty Courts (Family Treatment Courts, Recovery Courts, Veterans Courts, etc.) and the roles that Specialty Courts play in diversion and how they may either support or impact the clients with whom we work. Take a look at this blog post from the Prison Policy Initiative that examines some of the problems in specialty courts as these affect the persons involved in these court alternatives, and we will discuss our experience and ways we may support clients to counteract the problems where possible.
Stephanne Cline Thornton is a West Virginia native who has worked in and around criminal defense and mitigation for more than 20 years in Georgia, Colorado, and West Virginia. She is currently the Clinical Director for the West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program, and owner of Transform Legal, a consultancy focused on mitigation, training, and sustainability. As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Master Addiction Counselor, Stephanne focuses on proper assessment for and access to trauma and substance use disorder treatment to ensure the health and well-being of affected individuals. Stephanne is on the Trauma-Informed Care Network Speakers Bureau and uses that platform to call attention to the intersection of secondary traumatic stress and legal practice. She approaches her work with clients, lawyers, social workers, and mitigation specialists through a contextualized mitigation lens.

DEIJ/Racial Justice MeetUp featuring Guest Presenter
2026-03-10 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-04-14 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, Virtual Event
Details TBA. Meetup events are exclusive to NAPD members.

Investigator Supervisors - What kind of training do we need?
2026-03-11 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/investigator-supervisors-what-kind-of-training-do-we-need/
We will be joined by Amber Kaset to talk about what sort of training as supervisors of our investigative team would be needed and wanted. Just like in A.I. it’s all about the prompting, so we will provide some ideas and look forward to yours as well. Let’s plan what is needed together!

Amber Kaset is widely recognized for her leadership in criminal defense investigations and investigator training, with more than 20 years of experience as a private investigator and mitigation specialist. She founded AK Investigations in 2010 after seven years at the Metropolitan Public Defender in Nashville, where she worked as a criminal defense investigator and interpreter.
Throughout her career, Amber has worked on more than 1,000 cases spanning a broad spectrum of criminal and civil matters. Her experience includes serious felony cases across a wide range of offenses, including sex crimes, homicides, and federal prosecutions, with work at both the trial and post-conviction levels in capital and non-capital cases. She has participated in numerous death penalty cases across multiple states, including cases involving foreign nationals from Latin America, and partners with the Mexican Capital Legal Assistance Program (MCLAP), local innocence organizations, the National Innocence Project, public defender offices, and private defense attorneys to support clients facing the most serious charges.
What began as a one-woman practice has grown under Amber’s leadership into a multi-investigator firm with diverse skills and specialties. In addition to casework, Amber provides investigative services, training, and consulting nationwide, helping defense teams and investigators strengthen case development and elevate investigative standards. She regularly teaches and presents at national conferences and trainings for investigators, attorneys, paralegals, and defense teams, and has taught investigative practice to law students and other audiences at universities including Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is known for delivering thoughtful, high-quality, defense-centered support tailored to the unique needs of each case.
Amber is the founder of AK Investigations and the creator of The Investigative Expert Method, an online training platform for criminal defense investigators and other members of the defense team.
For more information, visitwww.akinvestigations.com andwww.investigativeexpertmethod.com.
JONATHAN “Jon” LYON is currently the Investigator Resource Coordinator, past Member Support Coordinator and the national survey investigator for National Association for Public Defense. Since the pandemic he has led roughly 200 meetups for investigators both nationally and internationally. Jon is the president of Lyon Legal Logistics to help attorneys in and out of court with Discovery and technology and has assisted attorneys in multiple federal court jurisdictions (www.lyonlegallogistics.com/).
He is also a legal investigator for McClain Investigations. Jon began his investigative background working in a PI firm and then for 12 years for the Office of the State Appellate Defender of Illinois. His primary focus has been on post-conviction death penalty cases. In addition, Jon worked for LexisNexis as an award-winning national trainer of the Case Map suite of software. He also worked for Lockheed Martin as a contractor supporting government attorneys and investigators with software and electronic discovery support needs. He is a Certified Defense Investigator through DePaul’s Center for Justice in Capital Cases and a Certified Trainer through the Bureau of Justice Assistance. He has taught at the Clarence Darrow Death Penalty Defense College, Cardoza, DePaul, Kent, Iowa, and University of Michigan law schools.
He has also taught at the National Defense Investigator Associations Annual Conferences, National Association of Legal Investigators annual conference, National Association for Public Defense, The Innocence Project, NACDL, Federal Defender’s winning strategies conferences, Life in the Balance, American Society of Criminology, US Army, Intellenet and numerous state and county public defender conferences. It is not unheard of for Jon to be invited back to conferences. Jon was most recently interviewed on “Public Defenseless” episode #99. Jon is the Creator/Webmaster for the internationally utilized website www.internetsleuth.net.

The Defender Wellness Collective MeetUp, Featuring: Terri Collins-Green, LCSW-C
2026-03-12 14:00 - 15:00
Together, We Are the Culture
As we build this community, remember that culture is not imposed; It is grown.
“You are essential. You are worth sustaining.”
You’re not alone.
Let’s walk this road together, building a culture of wellness for everyone in public defense.

Link the NAPD 10 Principles of Sustainability

ADHD and the Criminal Justice System: A Forensic Neuroscience and Neurocriminological Perspective
2026-03-16 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/adhd-and-the-criminal-justice-system/
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disorder distinguished by impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention. Typically emerging during childhood, these symptoms can persist into adulthood and contribute to social, occupational, and behavioral problems. These behavioral problems can include criminal justice-involvement, as ADHD is disproportionately likely in this context relative to the general population. Further, the symptoms of ADHD make it difficult to navigate the rules and procedures of the criminal justice system, from courtroom settings to community supervision. Without accurate assessment and effective treatment, individuals with ADHD may be at risk for reoffending and long-term criminal justice-involvement. Designed for legal and mental health professionals, this innovative training introduces the symptoms, etiology (including prenatal and postnatal neurobiopsychosocial risk factors), co-occurring conditions, and consequences of ADHD. Attendees will learn how to apply key learning objectives during interviews, screening and assessment, and interventions. Increased awareness of ADHD’s role in offending has the potential to reduce recidivism, ensure fairness, and promote public safety. Cutting-edge research from forensic neuroscience and neurocriminology will be highlighted throughout the training.

Jerrod Brown, Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.S., M.S., is a professor, trainer, researcher, and consultant with multiple years of experience teaching collegiate courses. Jerrod is also the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS). Jerrod has also provided consultation services to a number of caregivers, professionals, and organizations pertaining to topics related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), confabulation, suggestibility, trauma and other life adversities, alexithymia, executive dysfunction, criminal recidivism, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and youth firesetting. Jerrod has completed four separate master’s degree programs and holds graduate certificates in Neuroscience and the Law, Neuropsychology, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Other Health Disabilities (OHD), and Traumatic-Brain Injuries (TBI). In 2021, Jerrod completed a post-doctoral certificate in Leadership and Organizational Strategy from Walden University and a Professional Certificate in Forensic Psychology from San Diego State University Global Campus. In 2023, Jerrod completed a diabetes care and education certificate from Central Arizona College. Currently, Jerrod is pursuing his fifth master’s degree in Applied Clinical Nutrition from Northeast College of Health Sciences.Jerrod has also conducted over 300 workshops, webinars, and on-demand trainings for various organizations and professional and student audiences. Jerrod has published several articles and book chapters, and recently, co-edited the book Forensic Mental Health: A Source Guide for Professionals (Brown & Weinkauf, 2018) with ErvWeinkauf. Jerrod has also been quoted in various magazines, newspapers, and other professional outlets. Jerrod is also regularly featured on several national and international podcast programs.

NAPD Rise. Resist. Represent. 2026
2026-03-19 - 2026-03-20 | Virtual, Virtual Event
The National Public Defense Virtual Training Event will provide over a dozen topic areas to provide to the wide variety of professions and practice areas in public defense across the country. There will be skills training, but also opportunities to explore innovations, systemic litigation, development research projects – and to network with thousands of colleagues who champion the right to counsel and for the opportunity and dignity of their clients.
Recordings will be available shortly after the conference. We will be recording at least 90% of the sessions. Those not to be recorded will be noted in the description.
Check out the full 2026 Agenda!
Click here purchase tickets through Eventbrite

EARLY BIRD PRICING (Before Jan 19, 2026)

$90 NAPD Member Ticket
$125 Standard Ticket (non-member)
$65 each ticket – Bulk purchase of 5-100
$40 each ticket – Bulk purchase of 101 and above*

Jan 19 -March 20, 2026

$125 NAPD Member Ticket
$175 Standard Ticket (non-member)
$100 each ticket – Bulk purchase of 5-100
$75 each ticket – Bulk purchase of 101 and above*

*Bulk purchases of over 100 tickets are not supported by Eventbrite. To place a large bulk order, please contact us at: events@publicdefenders.us
Check out some of the past conference schedules:
R3 Conference 2025 Schedule
R3 Conference 2024 Schedule
R3 Conference 2023 Schedule
R3 Conference 2022 Schedule

Social Worker Meetup
2026-03-25 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-04-08 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual, Virtual Event
Stephanne Cline Thornton is a West Virginia native who has worked in and around criminal defense and mitigation for more than 20 years in Georgia, Colorado, and West Virginia. She is currently the Clinical Director for the West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program, and owner of Transform Legal, a consultancy focused on mitigation, training, and sustainability. As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Master Addiction Counselor, Stephanne focuses on proper assessment for and access to trauma and substance use disorder treatment to ensure the health and well-being of affected individuals. Stephanne is on the Trauma-Informed Care Network Speakers Bureau and uses that platform to call attention to the intersection of secondary traumatic stress and legal practice. She approaches her work with clients, lawyers, social workers, and mitigation specialists through a contextualized mitigation lens.

DEIJ/Racial Justice Meet Up
2026-03-25 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, Virtual Event
Details TBD

Story-Driven Advocacy: Crafting Case Narratives and Mitigation for Trial
2026-03-31 14:00 - 2026-04-24 15:30 | Virtual, Virtual Event
Description
In Story-Driven Advocacy: Crafting Case Narratives and Mitigation for Trial workshop, all public defenders will learn to apply storytelling techniques to their own cases to create empathy and compel action for their clients’ behalf. This bring-your-own-case course is a weekly, interactive workshop for attorneys, mitigation specialists, investigators, and training supervisors. Whether you’re representing clients in court or advocating for their well-being, this online workshop series from the National Association for Public Defense will help you leverage the power of storytelling to create empathy and compel action. Designed specifically for public defense professionals, this four-week course provides practical tools, proven frameworks, and real-time support to elevate your advocacy and ensure your client’s story is heard and understood.
Dates:
Begins March 30 week for 4 weeks. Each live workshop session is capped at 4 registrants (choose one date that works for your schedule).
Live 90-minute workshop sessions are offered on:

Tuesday 3/31, 4/7, 4/14, 4/21 2:00-3:30 pm EST
Wednesday 4/1, 4/8, 4/15, 4/22 2:00-3:30 pm EST
Friday 4/3, 4/10, 4/17, 4/24 2:00-3:30 pm EST

Price:
$325 NAPD Members / $425 Public
Registration closes on 3/20/26 at 5PM EST

What to Expect
On-Demand Learning
Each week, you’ll gain access up and additional hour of video content through our learning platform. Watch at your own pace as you explore key storytelling topics that prepare you for deeper engagement during the live workshops.
Facilitated Small Group Workshops
Join a 90-minute zoom-based workshop each week (4 total), led by Michael Ahn. Through peer collaboration, real-world scenarios, and guided discussion, you’ll apply what you’ve learned to your cases and learn from others. We will poll registrants to set the workshop times each week —choose the one that fits your schedule.
A similar course is also offered as in an on demand model without the workshops – click here to register

Topics Covered

Understand how story creates juror bias in trials
Learn the basic mechanism of storytelling used successfully at jury trials
Explore how to apply storytelling technique to your case
Use storytelling techniques to create empathy and action

Who Should Attend
This course is for criminal justice workers representing clients from marginalized populations, attorneys needing to argue a case before a jury or in mediation, and social workers / mitigation specialists advocating for a client’s sentencing or creating mitigation memos. You’ll leave with tools you can use right away, plus new insights to strengthen your impact and better support your clients.

Small Group Facilitator Bio
Michael Ahn is a trial narrative consultant who helps attorneys use story techniques in mediation and jury trials. Since 2016, Michael has consulted on hundreds of cases, with an 80% success rate, including acquittals on five trials where the client was facing a life sentence. Michael also creates damages narratives for personal injury cases and consults with social justice organizations on using story techniques in messaging on key issues.

Testimonials
“Michael’s trial consultation significantly contributed to a complete acquittal in a recent homicide trial. He discovers the truth of a case which allows attorneys to incorporate that truth into compelling narratives and archetypes during jury selection, opening, witness examination and closing. Michael receives my highest recommendation and I encourage any attorney trying a case to consult with him.” — Wil Rumble, Deputy Public Defender, Vista, CA
“Michael worked on a horrific sex case and was able to assist the defense in finding a way to present the client compassionately. Michael will help you to re-focus your case. He is the perfect “second chair” who understands the work but sees it as a non-lawyer. His input is priceless.” — Sloan Ostbye, Supervising Attorney, San Diego, CA
“Michael Ahn helped me distill my story into a powerful and persuasive narrative which enabled me to present a focused, theory-centered presentation to the jury. Using Michael’s unique skills and techniques, my case evolved into a story with clarity, emotion, and impact – everything necessary for a successful trial.” — Adam Hepburn, Deputy Public Defender
“Michael Ahn knows how to craft your client’s story so that it is presented in a compelling way to the jury. A great consultant prior to trial!” — Elliott H. Jung, Deputy Public Defender
“Michael’s storytelling techniques helped me focus the jury’s attention on what was important. Michael was especially useful for framing what originally seemed like weaknesses as some of our biggest narrative strengths.” — Matthew Cuthbertson, Deputy Public Defender
“Michael’s storytelling techniques helped me persuade the jury and ultimately won my case – my client was acquitted of all charges.” — Olesya Adams, Deputy Public Defender

Leading with Heart and Integrity: Emotional Intelligence and Ethical Leadership in Public Defense
2026-04-02 13:00 - 14:30 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/leading-with-heart-and-integrity-emotional-intelligence-and-ethical-leadership-in-public-defense/
Description
Public defenders operate daily in environments that demand empathy, clarity, and ethical judgment. This 90-minute interactive webinar, led by Dr. Pam Love and Dr. Lori James, explores how emotional intelligence (EI) enhances ethical decision-making and leadership effectiveness. Participants will examine how self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill—core components of EI—directly influence ethical reasoning, professional integrity, and team trust. Attendees will learn strategies to apply The Four Frames along with emotional intelligence to complex ethical dilemmas, strengthen team cohesion, and sustain well-being while leading in high-stress environments.

Note: The Four Frames of Leadership, developed by Bolman and Deal, are mental models (Structural, Human Resource, Political, Symbolic)

Learning Objectives

Goal 1: Deepen the understanding of emotional intelligence as a leadership competency.

Objective 1.1: Identify and describe the five domains of emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills).
Objective 1.2: Explore how emotional intelligence influences leadership effectiveness in public defense settings and how the Four-Frames Model supports the need for us to develop in this area.

Goal 2: Strengthen ethical decision-making through emotional intelligence.

Objective 2.1: Examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and ethical reasoning in client advocacy and workplace dynamics.
Objective 2.2: Apply an ethical decision-making model that integrates emotional intelligence to resolve leadership and client-centered dilemmas.

Goal 3: Discuss ways in which emotionally intelligent leadership practices promote equity and resilience.

Objective 3.1: Discuss strategies to manage emotional triggers and promote psychological safety within teams.
Objective 3.2: Discuss ways in which personal action planning enhances ethical and emotionally intelligent leadership practices in daily defense work.

Presenters

Lori James, Ph.D., MSW, LCSW-C
Lori James, Ph.D., MSW, LCSW-C is a nationally recognized executive leader, scholar, ordained minister, and sought-after speaker with more than 30 years of experience at the intersection of leadership development, social justice, criminal legal reform, and faith-based advocacy. She currently serves as Executive Director of the National Association for Public Defense (NAPD), where she leads a national organization representing more than 27,000 public defense professionals across the United States and U.S. territories, advancing equity, excellence, and systemic reform in public defense. Dr. James earned a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies (2025). Her dissertation, Chains of Grace: The Church’s Call to Minister to Previously Incarcerated Individuals, examines the theological, pastoral, and psychosocial responsibilities of the Church in responding to mass incarceration and reentry. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Morgan State University. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker–Clinical (LCSW-C) and is pursuing a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) at Tulane University, focusing on women in executive leadership. A certified John Maxwell Trainer, Coach, and Speaker, Dr. James is also the President and CEO of Expand-NOW, LLC, where she provides executive coaching, leadership development, organizational consulting, and faith-informed training to justice-centered organizations nationwide. A recipient of the Gideon Hero Award and recognition as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women (2015, 2025). Dr. James is widely respected for leading with clarity, courage, compassion, and conviction—consistently advancing dignity, restoring humanity, and equipping leaders to serve boldly at the margins.

Dr. Pamela Love
President of DP Love Enterprises and founder of the Finishers Network, who is an internationally renowned speaker, author, and coach. With a PhD in social work and a MBA, Dr. Love has dedicated her career to empowering individuals and organizations to achieve their highest potential. She has been on faculty with NAPD for over 5 years.

Using VPSA Framework For Strategic Communication
2026-04-06 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/using-vpsa-framework-for-strategic-communication/
Description
VPSA (Value, Problem, Solution, Action} is a communication framework designed to build persuasive, values based messages. It’s the primary tool for social justice leaders and communicators to move audiences toward systemic change.
Learning Objectives
1. Establish common ground through shared values.
2. Reframe problems as systemic threats that have opportunities for solutions.
3. Motivate specific audience action(s).

Presenter(s)
Darwin Hamilton is an award winning fifth-generation Austinite, whose ancestral home, the historic Dedrick-Hamilton House that has served as office space for the Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce and site of the African American Cultural and Heritage Facility. He is one of the co-founders of the Reentry Advocacy Project (RAP)
For over a decade he has been an activist, advocate, strategist, mentor, leader, keynote speaker and author of his self-published memoir 25 Years Later: A Sentence from Crime to Redemption, Resilience, Advocacy and Leadership. His memoir offers a rare and urgent perspective on the criminal justice system, blending raw storytelling with sharp policy insight. His op-eds have been published in the Austin American Statesman and by the ACLU of Texas.
As an author and speaker, he brings lived experience to the table with clarity, compassion, and strategic vision, offering actionable recommendations for change. Whether addressing policymakers, practitioners, or community leaders. He illuminates the path from fear to hope and possibility, from survival to systemic transformation.
Currently he serves on the Oversight Board of Travis County’s Public Defender Office, National Association of Public Defense Board of Directors, Trinity University and UTSA Philosophy & Literature Circle. He is an alumnus of Leadership Austin – Essential program and JustLeadership USA 2018 cohorts.

The Defender Wellness Collective MeetUp, Featuring Featuring: Dr. Crystal Currie
2026-04-09 14:00 - 15:00

Kluver–Bucy Syndrome (KBS) and the Criminal Justice System: A Forensic Neuroscience and Neurocriminological Perspective
2026-04-13 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/kluver-bucy-syndrome-kbs-and-the-criminal-justice-system/
Klüver-Bucy syndrome (KBS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder precipitated by bilateral brain damage in the temporal lobes, including the hippocampus and amygdala. Common causes of this type of brain damage include traumatic brain injuries, strokes, herpes simplex encephalitis, tuberculosis, and other neurological conditions (e.g., Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases). Typical consequences of KBS include visual agnosia, memory difficulties, placidity, and behavioral disturbances (e.g., disinhibition and hypersexuality). These behavioral symptoms can contribute to the onset of criminal justice involvement, which is not uncommon among some individuals with KBS or other neurological disorders. Developed for criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal professionals, this innovative training provides an overview of the etiology, symptoms, and developmental trajectories of KBS. Cutting-edge research from forensic neuroscience and neurocriminology will be highlighted throughout the training.

Jerrod Brown, Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.S., M.S., is a professor, trainer, researcher, and consultant with multiple years of experience teaching collegiate courses. Jerrod is also the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS). Jerrod has also provided consultation services to a number of caregivers, professionals, and organizations pertaining to topics related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), confabulation, suggestibility, trauma and other life adversities, alexithymia, executive dysfunction, criminal recidivism, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and youth firesetting. Jerrod has completed four separate master’s degree programs and holds graduate certificates in Neuroscience and the Law, Neuropsychology, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Other Health Disabilities (OHD), and Traumatic-Brain Injuries (TBI). In 2021, Jerrod completed a post-doctoral certificate in Leadership and Organizational Strategy from Walden University and a Professional Certificate in Forensic Psychology from San Diego State University Global Campus. In 2023, Jerrod completed a diabetes care and education certificate from Central Arizona College. Currently, Jerrod is pursuing his fifth master’s degree in Applied Clinical Nutrition from Northeast College of Health Sciences.Jerrod has also conducted over 300 workshops, webinars, and on-demand trainings for various organizations and professional and student audiences. Jerrod has published several articles and book chapters, and recently, co-edited the book Forensic Mental Health: A Source Guide for Professionals (Brown & Weinkauf, 2018) with ErvWeinkauf. Jerrod has also been quoted in various magazines, newspapers, and other professional outlets. Jerrod is also regularly featured on several national and international podcast programs.
