Outstanding Trial or Appellate Court Employee
Jackie Hladik began her service to the Nebraska Supreme Court in September 1984 when she was hired as the Administrative Assistant for Justice C. Thomas White. When Justice White was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1995, Jackie assumed the additional duties associated with being the Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice. Upon Chief Justice White’s retirement, Jackie was hired by Chief Justice John Hendry to serve as his Administrative Assistant. During that time it was reported that Chief Justice Hendry remarked that if Jackie left her employment with the Court he would follow her out the door. That is an example of how justices have relied on her assistance. When Chief Justice Hendry retired, Jackie was hired by our current Chief Justice Mike Heavican. Once again, Jackie provided continuity that allowed the office to transition smoothly to new leadership.
Jackie continues to display exemplary performance throughout her 31 years of service to the Nebraska Supreme Court.
Innovation Award
Carrie Rodriguez has served as the Deputy Chief Probation Officer in District 5 for the past 3.5 years and has helped transition this district into a positive force for change and excellence in Nebraska Probation.
Carrie has implemented creative ways to get the best out of others within the district. She initiated several activities and events over the past year to improve staff morale, performance and unity. In November 2014, Carrie developed and implemented a training around the Gallup Strength Finder Assessment, compiling the top 5 strengths for each employee within the district and created ingenious activity at the all-district staff meetings, tying all strengths into a meaningful experience for all participants. The activity engaged everyone in learning and sharing strengths as they relate to job assignments and outcomes within the system. Staff learned a great deal about themselves and their co-workers.
For the past two summers, Carrie designed and orchestrated the District 5 Walk-Run for staff and stake holders which recognized and acknowledged Probation and Parole staff in Nebraska and how they serve individuals, families and communities. This included a two mile traipse around Lake North in Columbus and received excellent press coverage and support for the work we do in community corrections.
This past spring, Carrie led the committee which developed the agenda for a two- day strategic planning event for District 5 employees at Timberlake Camp. The event included guest speakers around substance abuse and recovery, team building exercises, EBP training and staff development. Staff were energized and invigorated regarding their service to Nebraska courts, communities and behavior change and grew in their positions and professional relationships.
Carrie is committed to making our system and its employees the best we can be to guarantee the best outcomes for clients and communities. She approaches public service with a head for business and results.
Outstanding Clerk of the District Court (Marjorie Schaffer Memorial Award)
Janet Wiechelman was elected in November 1990 as Clerk of the District Court in Cedar County. She has served as the legislative liaison for the Nebraska Clerks of District Court Association since 2008. She also served as an officer for the Association from 2002 through 2004. Janet spends numerous hours each year going through the legislative bills and issues that affect the duties of the Clerks of the District Court and their offices. She has made many trips to Lincoln to testify before the Nebraska Legislature on bills relating to the judicial system. She also communicates with the offices of the Nebraska Association of County Officials and the State Court Administrator to obtain their input on judicial legislative issues. Throughout this year and her entire career, Janet has exemplified what it means to go above and beyond her duties in the workplace. She is a great asset to the office of Clerk of the District Court and to the Nebraska Clerks of District Court Association.
Outstanding Court Supervisor / Administrative Employee
Darla Schiefelbein, in addition to serving as Clerk Magistrate of the Platte County Court,has taken on numerous responsibilities in the area of Guardianship/Conservatorships which carry a statewide effect. Darla is the only Magistrate who serves on the 11 member Advisory Council on Public Guardianship. The council advises the Public Guardian on the administration of public guardianship and public conservatorships. The Public Guardian is a new concept in Nebraska requiring a certain dedication and time consuming efforts to establish a working office.
Darla also serves on the Supreme Court Commission on Guardianships and Conservatorships. The purpose of this Commission is to engage in continuing analysis and study of statutes, court rules, and court procedures relating to guardianships and conservatorships.
In addition, Darla assists two other county courts with guardianships/ conservatorship cases. This work entails on-line examination of reports and annual accountings filed by guardians or conservators to assure that the funds for which they are responsible are properly applied.
Finally, Darla serves as an Extra Duty Specialist for court staff across the state and for specific counties for which she is responsible. She is available to answer specific questions court staff or the public might have with regard to guardianship or conservatorship cases.
In addition to all of these extra duties, Darla maintains her Clerk Magistrate duties of the Platte County Court supervising six staff members.
Outstanding Customer Service Award
Johnny Blackburn was nominated for his outstanding customer service and his efficient, intelligent and exemplary service as an Accounting Clerk in the Douglas County Court’s Criminal Traffic Division.
Johnny has assisted with inquiries pertaining to payment issues such as adjusting receipts, transferring payments into the correct case and tracing funds. It is reported that when working with Johnny his can-do positive attitude sets him apart from others and he assists quickly and efficiently with every step of any financial process question. Johnny is described as dependable and truly ready to give his full attention to detail that is required for successful completion of the financial issues under consideration. He even apologizes when he is gone for the day or doesn’t get back to an inquiry within the hour.
Johnny brings to his job a high degree of energy, commitment, flexibility and professional conduct. His reliability, positive attitude and dedication to the job have a great impact on the court system and he is the kind of employee that helps make us all look good by truly understanding and demonstrating the meaning of Outstanding Customer Service.
Outstanding Probation Employee (Jean Miller Memorial Award for Probation Support Staff)
Danielle Graybill has served as the District 5 Office Manager for the past 3.5 years. Danielle is responsible for the care, maintenance and inventories of 5 fully staffed offices across the district in addition to 6 satellite offices sustained in the remaining courthouses served by District 5. She monitors a $240,000 budget, records for 48 employees, and is the direct supervisor for 9 clerical staff.
Danielle handles the orientation process for the district, the new hire process, is the District 5 Training Coordinator, orders and tracks all District 5 technological equipment, helps staff with technology issues and helps to write and track the District 5 IT Plan.
Danielle has also helped move several offices since has she been the Office manager including offices in Boone, Butler, Colfax, Hamilton, Polk, Saunders, Seward, York, and the latest and biggest undertaking in Platte County. With close to 30 staff moving from four different locations to one building, it was an enormous undertaking. There were numerous challenges with phone and internet issues, security details, supplies and furniture needs just to name a few. Danielle handled these challenges while keeping the office open for business throughout the move.
Danielle sits on the Public Relations Committee for Nebraska Probation and helps with public relations at a state-wide level. In addition, she is a member of the Orientation Committee and was a key player in the development of the current Orientation program.
While juggling all of these additional duties Danielle continues to go above and beyond on a daily basis to ensure that the entire district has what it needs to be successful and serve its clients, staff and stakeholders.
Diversity Leadership Award
Adriana Hinojosa has worked as a Spanish language interpreter in the Nebraska court system for ten years and in 2013 she was hired as one of the first Statewide Interpreter Coordinators for the judicial branch. During that time, she has distinguished herself as a champion for diversity and through her efforts and leadership she has helped the judicial branch become more welcoming and open to diverse communities.
Playing an essential role in the success of the court interpreter program, Adriana used her skills at recruiting and nurturing new interpreter candidates resulting in increasing the number of highly qualified registered and certified interpreters. She routinely reaches out to refugee groups and minority communicates and serves as a member of the Omaha Refugee Task Force. Participating in job fairs and other recruiting events she actively works to attract bi-lingual employees and interpreters to the judicial branch.
Adriana is a contributing member of the Nebraska Supreme Court’s Interpreter Advisory Committee and regularly assists with interpreter training and testing.
Through her exceptional efforts, Adriana Hinojosa has promoted and improved diversity within the Nebraska judicial branch.
Employee of the Year
Gary Dietrich has served as a Juvenile Probation Officer since 1965. Gary has carried out probation duties supervising a caseload, overseeing an intake unit, conducting presentence investigations and all other duties as assigned. Over the years, Gary has trained just about every probation officer, county attorney, defense attorney, law enforcement officer and judge in Douglas County juvenile court in the ‘art of juvenile intake.’
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, as Chief of the intake probation unit in Juvenile Court, Gary brought in law students to assist with probation intake. He instituted ‘ledger books’ to document intakes and decisions made by the staff and stakeholders. He trained law enforcement at endless roll calls in police precincts.
Gary has counseled hundreds of youth and parents, and has an extensive network of resources and support to match up the right youth with the right service. Long before juvenile detention alternative initiatives (JDAI), Gary was correctly identifying which kids needed to be in detention and which ones could go home.
Gary has participated in countless advisory committees, collaborative efforts, task forces and educational sessions to support best practices for juveniles.
Gary is also committed to the community, in volunteering at Radio Talking book every week, and delivering posters that advertise community events such as local and Broadway drama productions, concerts, festivals and summer activities.
Gary Dietrich’s dedication to the youth and families of Douglas County is a wonderful example of living the mission and vision of Nebraska State Probation.
Outstanding Probation Supervisor (Bob Keller Memorial Award for Probation Supervisor)
Heather Briggs began her career as a clerical staff member in District 4J in September of 2004. She worked her way up to eventually become a Probation Officer, Treatment Probation Officer and finally to Probation Supervisor in August of 2013. Heather’s work through the years has included completing pre-disposition investigations, supervision of high-risk youth and acting as a mentor to new officers.
Even prior to obtaining a position within the district’s management team, Heather worked tirelessly to ensure the youth under the district’s supervision were successful. Over the past eleven years, she has continuously researched best-practices and introduced alternatives to allow youth to remain in the community and at home. She advocates for these practices and alternatives in regular staffing’s with the officers in this district, during interactions with key stakeholders and in court proceedings. In doing this, Heather shows a determination to effectuate positive, lasting change with the youth in District 4J.
Since the passage of LB561, Heather has been an integral part of ensuring the success of the district and seamless transition to family centered practice. She has been a member of a number of statewide committees and was instrumental in the creation of the new pre-disposition investigation format and interview guide. Additionally, Heather has the ability to view issues or potential barriers at a global level and creates policies and procedures allowing the districts to proactively address the problem.
Heather is a trainer and provides District 4J with annual safety training as well as district new officer training. Each of these topics require weeks, if not months of planning and preparing in order to offer a quality product. Her experience and understanding of Probation and the juvenile justice system make Heather a role model others not only rely upon, but strive to resemble.
Outstanding Probation Officer (LaDonna Snell Probation Officer Award)
Jeff Banholzer came to District 5 Probation in July of 2010 and has become a leader in that district. Jeff began as a Drug Tech with Probation and has worked in Districts 7, 8, and 5. Jeff was a Juvenile Probation Officer in Columbus and eventually transitioned to the adult system. He quickly adapted to an adult high-risk caseload and has evolved into a leader in the supervision of CBI clients because of his ability to hold clients accountable while forming appropriate relationships with them, utilizing flexibility as needed, engaging them in their treatment services and utilizing empathy in his approach.
Jeff’s peers have come to look at him as a leader in the district because of his knowledge and skills. Because of his understanding of substance abuse and his ability to create successful outcome with his clients, Jeff was promoted to a Specialized Substance Abuse Supervision Probation Officer in October of 2014.
Jeff’s success with his clients became apparent to all when one of Jeff’s clients was interviewed by the local newspaper in Columbus. His story is a story of addiction, and was entitled, “Overcoming Addition One Day at a Time “and was published in the Columbus Telegram in January of 2015. He credits Jeff for helping him through the process to sobriety by “standing by him” and believing in him.
Jeff was recognized in May of 2015 by the MADD organization, winning the Outstanding Team award for his contributions in preventing impaired driving through his work with substance abusing clients.
Jeff has become a mentor within the district, helping new probation officers to enhance their skill levels. New staff members always describe Jeff as willing to help them with any questions that they have and available to assist them with any situation needed. He also works with drug techs across the district to work on finding ways to improve District 5’s Drug testing program.
Jeff’s hard work, dedication, compassion and his team player mentality has truly made Columbus and surrounding communities a safer place to live through the rehabilitation of clients and collaboration with stakeholders.
Outstanding Team
An annual conference is put on each year in July by the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators (CCJ/COSCA). The location of the conference is selected by a committee and approved by all members of that committee. Two years ago Omaha, Nebraska was selected as the site for the 2015 summer meeting. Planning for this meeting is done by the host state with help from the National Center for State Courts. Each host state must set up activities for spouses, children and guests each day and evening events for all participants.
A team in the Administrative Office of the Courts, Marcie Luhman, Eileen Janssen, Judy Beutler, Carole McMahon-Boies, Jennifer Rasmussen and Ralene Cheng, worked for over a year to successfully put on this conference this past July. From planning large events to the smallest details of the name tags of participants, this group came together several times each month to work on the details. It was this group’s work to highlight the greatness of our state and the city of Omaha. This group took leadership roles for each of the events during the conference and were on-site prior to the conference for set up and during the entire conference. They greeted and took care of any needs of the participants and their guests throughout the 5 day conference. There were 47 Chief Justices and 46 Court Administrators in attendance. The largest event was the welcoming dinner at the Lauritzen Gardens with over 225 participants and guests.
The CCJ/COSCA conference could not have been such a great success without these 6 individuals putting in the time, energy and creativeness. Due to their hard work, it was a huge success and came in under the budgeted amount by the National Center for State Courts. I could not be more proud of the work that was done and how they highlighted the State of Nebraska.
This group has exemplified what it means to work for a team and to work for the Judicial Branch in Nebraska.