Member Spotlight

Cornerstone of Progress: Resilience and Access to Justice

We were delighted to gather in Montgomery, Alabama, August 13–15, 2026, for the NCBF Annual Meeting & Conference. The event began Thursday with a warm Meet & Greet at the Elevation Hotel, hosted by the Alabama Law Foundation. Over the next two days at the Elevation Convening Center and Hotel, bar foundation colleagues from across the country came together under the theme Cornerstone of Progress: Resilience and Access to Justice.

From that opening evening through the final roundtables, the days were filled with practical ideas, honest conversation, and the kind of connections that keep our work moving forward.

Friday: A Strong Start with Practical Tools

Friday began with a continental breakfast and welcome remarks, including first-time attendee introductions. Dr. Melva Tate, President & CEO of Tate & Associates Strategic Consulting, opened the program with an engaging plenary on artificial intelligence. She shared clear, usable ways foundations can strengthen donor communications, streamline grantmaking, improve board reporting, analyze data, and gain administrative efficiency, all while staying true to ethics, confidentiality, and the human relationships at the heart of access to justice.

Inspiration from the Bench with Alabama Supreme Court Justice Sarah H. Stewart

We were honored to welcome Chief Justice Sarah H. Stewart of the Alabama Supreme Court as a featured speaker. Her remarks reflected a remarkable career of service, from her years as Mobile’s first female jury trial judge through her leadership of the Circuit Judges Association to her current role as Chief Justice. Her presence reminded us why the work of bar foundations matters so deeply.

Award Presentations

The 2026 NCBF Partnership for Success Award was presented to the Connecticut Access to Justice Speaker Series created in partnership with the Connecticut Bar Foundation, Connecticut Bar Association, and the Connecticut Judicial Branch.

By fostering deep partnerships across the bar, bench, and legal aid community, the series advances public understanding, informs systemic improvements, and offers a replicable model for other jurisdictions. It exemplifies the collaborative spirit the NCBF Partnership for Success Award celebrates.

Thank you, Connecticut Bar Foundation, for your commitment to equal justice and access for all.

••••••••

The 2026 NCBF Excellence Award was presented to Leslie Barineau in recognition of her extraordinary leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment to advancing justice and strengthening communities.

This award recognizes outstanding contributions to law-related philanthropy, and Leslie’s impact exemplifies the very best of our field.

Congratulations, Leslie! It’s an honor for the entire NCBF community to celebrate your excellence in law-related philanthropy.

Branding, Funding, and Supporting Our Grantees

Caroline Cassin of The Brand Thread led a lively session on how clear messaging and authentic storytelling help foundations build trust and rally support for civil legal services.

Sang Yup Lee, Carey Schoufler, and Jessie Reeves then offered concrete funding strategies, covering annual giving, major gifts, young lawyer engagement, and successful peer-to-peer campaigns such as the Chicago Bar Foundation’s Investing in Justice Campaign.

Erikka Ryan closed the formal presentations by exploring how foundations can stand alongside grantees with flexible funding, capacity building, emergency support, and lasting partnership.

Friday Night Cocktails and Dinner

Friday night was about enjoying each other’s company. The dinner was held at Central Restaurant, considered one of the best restaurants in Montgomery and the company was excellent! A good time had by all.

Saturday: Insight, Peer Learning, and Reflection

The Annual Meeting of Members opened the day. Sang Yup Lee and Dawn Hathcock shared key findings from the national Bar Foundation Program Survey, giving us a clearer picture of how foundations across the country are structured, funded, and advancing access to justice.

Tom Heflin of Harvesters of Hope spoke about creative approaches to rural access to justice, including mentoring and placing lawyers in underserved communities. Peer breakout discussions then allowed colleagues with similar budgets, staff sizes, and structures to exchange ideas in a focused setting.

Saturday Roundtable and Lunch ended the conference sessions with ideas being shared amongst the members.

A visit to the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum offered an optional and meaningful close to the conference for those able to attend, connecting our theme of resilience to the longer story of justice in America.

Welcoming Our New Officers and Board Members

During the Annual Meeting of Members we celebrated the transition of leadership for the coming year.

Officers for FY 2026-2027

• President: Jessie Reeves, Illinois Bar Foundation
• President-elect: DeLaine Ward, Austin Bar Foundation
• Treasurer: Laura Sanford, Washington State Bar Foundation
• Secretary: Carey Schoufler, Idaho Law Foundation
• Past-President: Sang Yup Lee, Chicago Bar Foundation

New Board of Directors Members for FY 2026-2027

• Mandy Peterson-Tice, Executive Director, Birmingham Bar Foundation
• Beth Filla, Executive Director, Smith County Bar Foundation
• Jennifer Karnik, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Cleveland Metro Bar Foundation

Continuing Board Members and Term Expirations

• Hon. Carl Butkus – 1st Term expires September 2027
• Susan Duncan – 1st Term expires September 2027
• Aracelis Gray – 1st Term expires September 2028
• Dawn Hathcock – 1st Term expires September 2027
• Jessica Hilburne-Holmes – 1st Term expires September 2028
• Erikka Ryan – 1st Term expires September 2028
• Sharra Wagner – 2nd Term expires September 2027

We are grateful for the service of those completing their terms and excited for the fresh energy these leaders bring to NCBF.

Looking Ahead Together

Heartfelt thanks go to the Alabama Law Foundation for its warm hospitality, to every speaker and facilitator, to our generous sponsors, and to every colleague who made the journey to Montgomery. The ideas shared and friendships strengthened during these three days will continue to support bar foundations in the important work of expanding access to justice.

The National Conference of Bar Foundations is proud to highlight this successful gathering as a special Member Spotlight. We look forward to all that the coming year will bring under our new leadership.

Thank you for being part of this community.