 Aldemar Diaz - Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
President
Aldemar Diaz, President, is a Technical Trainer at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, and a graduate of the Stern School of Business at New York University. Throughout his 17-year career, Aldemar has earned a reputation as a top-notch IT professional in the technical training and support arena, leaving his mark at Viacom, Christie's, Proskauer Rose, Thacher Proffitt & Wood and Integro Insurance Brokers.
Until recently, Aldemar also enjoyed a second career as a church musician, which he began at the tender age of 17, serving as organist, cantor and choir director at several New York City churches, and as guest organist at St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. James' Basilica in Brooklyn, and other religious institutions. He is currently a tenor with two groups: Cappella Sur, a chamber ensemble specializing in secular Latin American choral music, and the United Nations Singers, with whom he traveled to Japan in 2012, and is looking forward to returning to Japan later this year and touring the Philippines in 2014.
Aldemar is Chairman of the Licensing Committee on Manhattan Community Board 12, where he also serves on the Executive, Traffic and Transportation and Bylaws Committees. An avid cyclist, he and his lovely wife have completed many tours throughout New York City and the tri-state area over the last several years. Aldemar has also taken up photography recently, taking more than 20,000 photos over the past year, which he will someday have the time to edit and post on his Web site (http://www.aldemardiazphotography.com).
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 Michelle Duggan - Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto
Co-Vice President Membership
Michelle Duggan has been the trainer at Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto for 12 years where she is very enthusiastic and passionate about sharing her vast knowledge of Software Applications. Michelle has served in the Legal Industry for over 25 years at various Law Firms throughout New York City.
Prior to joining the Legal Community, Michelle worked as a Computer Programmer and has taught Computer Programming in Colleges and Business Schools and holds a New York Board of Education Teaching License. Michelle currently heads the PLTG Website Committee, as well as serving the Steering Committee as Vice President of Membership, a position she previously held in 2002. Michelle believes that a good trainer has the power to transform people.
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 Karen Kucinski - Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Co-Vice President Membership
Karen Kucinski is the Manager of IT Training at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. An experienced trainer, she has become known in many circles for her creativity and for her ability and willingness to mentor her staff, guiding them to greater success.
Prior to Wachtell Lipton, she provided technical training at Sullivan & Cromwell, Perfect Access Speer and Goldman Sachs. Karen holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from SUNY Buffalo and has completed studies towards a Master’s degree in Public Health. Karen’s first experience as a technical trainer was at the Juneau Public Health Center in Juneau, Alaska where she led the rollout and training of the their first PCs. Currently, Karen and her family live in Fairfield, Connecticut, where she takes advantage of every opportunity to indulge in her love of photography and her two sons.
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 Dawn Bolston - Fired Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP
Vice President Secretary
Dawn Bolston, Technical Trainer at Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP has been a trainer for over 15 years. She is a graduate of Pace University with a BBA in Human Resource Management with a minor in Information Systems.
Dawn began her training career with Productivity Point International (PPI) where she conducted training courses for several large corporations including Pfizer, American Express and AIG. Upon leaving PPI, she was introduced to Legal Technology as a consultant for the firm Graubard Mollen and Miller. Soon after, she spent time at Strook & Strook & Lavan LLP and then on to Fried Frank where she has been for the past 12 years. As an active member of PLTG, Dawn served as President in 2004 and has participated on several committees including the Program and Events and the By Laws committees. Dawn has also participated as a panelist for the Word Legal Users Group and is a past member of the NY chapter of the ASTD and the International Technology Trainers Association (iTrain).
When not at work Dawn enjoys dancing as well as working along with her husband, assisting as mentors to couples and the youth in their church.
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 Jeff Casper - Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Vice President Secretary
Jeff is the IT Training Coordinator at the NY office of Kirkland & Ellis, LLP, where he helps employees at all levels make the most of the technology they have, and guides upgrades and migrations to the technology they need. With a BA in Acting from NYU, and over 20 years in IT at top NY banks and law firms, Jeff loves to provide engaging learning experiences that lead to that super feeling when the penny drops for a learner.
Currently, Jeff is focusing on bringing a collaborative consulting model to the business of training, and has recently launched a Practice Team Consulting project that will work closely with attorneys to develop targeted role- and practice-based deliverables to lawyers across the firm.
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 Linda Harte
Treasurer
Linda Harte is our “Treasurer Emeritus” for the past 15 years of the 18 years that she is a member of PLTG. Although she has been retired from the workforce for the past few years, Linda continues to fulfill the Treasurer position, carefully watching over PLTG funds. Over Linda’s career, she has held positions of Supervisor Word Processing, Operations Analyst, Systems Manager in several New York Law Firms, and lastly, for 10 years with Unilever United States, Inc. Law Department as Office Manager and Systems Administrator. All this from a girl who graduated college with an art degree and prepared to teach art in public schools!
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 Marilyn Hatcher - Stark & Stark
Treasurer
Marilyn Hatcher is Training Specialist at Stark & Stark, a regional law firm with a national client base, with offices in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Her primary responsibilities are the design, implementation, and measurement of company-wide training programs, and follow-up support, for the Firm's attorneys and staff.
Marilyn also serves as a Consulting Faculty Mentor/Professor of Communications for Thomas Edison State College. She has a BA Degree in Business Education, an MBA Degree in Management, has extensive experience in many facets of adult education, and a passion for teaching. She is also a NJ-licensed Real Estate Broker, holds GRI and CRS designations, and has NJ K-12 Business Education Teacher Certification. As a long-term member of PLTG, Marilyn has served as Treasurer since 2008. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and travel.
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 Michael Barshinger - Profisciencē
Vendor Represenstative
Former adventure racer turned cyclist, mountain biker, entrepreneur, software developer, and speaker.
Inventor of UniversitySite, SkillSite, and ScormFly.
Published in the International Legal Technology Association’s (ILTA) Peer to Peer magazine.
A frequent panelist and speaker on learning management strategy, SharePoint integration, skill assessment, and prescriptive training.
Founder and CEO of Profisciencē Partners. After leaving his post as an IT director at a law firm, Michael wrote 40,000 lines of code over two years to create UniversitySite. Today UniversitySite is used to manage learning and development by half of the top 200 law firms in the United States and by many of the most prestigious law firms around the world.
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 John A.C. Kennedy - Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Past President
John is the Application Training Manager at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, where his responsibilities include project & team management, curriculum design and distance training. John's been at Manatt for 9 years, working hand-in-hand with Partners, Paralegals and Receptionists, to help them do most effectively what they need to do. He previously managed presentations, web-work and documentation for Deutsche Bank and Bankers Trust in both NYC and Los Angeles.
John is a novelist with a BA from the University of Virginia and an MFA from the California Institute of the Arts, and currently a Board Member of the Soccer Club of Springfield (NJ). He used to drive a truck for the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble and play bass for the Red Ball Jets.
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 Carol Gerber - Gerber Amalgamated LLC
Advisor
Carol Gerber is an attorney, admitted in New York State, and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Carol also holds a Master of Arts Degree from Teachers College, Columbia University, where her work included several courses in the field of adult education.
Carol has used her academic background, her experience as a practicing attorney, and her avid interest in practical applications of technology to help attorneys incorporate technology into their practices for more than 10 years. As the Director of Learning and Professional Development at Moses & Singer LLP, Carol consulted within the firm on new technology initiatives and designed and implemented numerous training programs to help the firm's attorneys take advantage of new developments in legal technology.
Carol formed Gerber Amalgamated LLC in 2011 to provide educational services to attorneys in the area of legal technology, including developing training that satisfies state-mandated continuing legal education requirements wherever possible.
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