Officers
President – Larry Royster (MI)
The Michigan Supreme Court appointed Larry Royster as its Clerk and Chief of Staff in 2013. Before joining the Supreme Court, Royster worked for the Michigan Court of Appeals for 27 years, initially as a staff attorney and ultimately as the research director and chief clerk. As a member of the NCACC, Larry has served on the Executive Committee (2013–2015) and on the Educational Fund, Technology, Contracts, and Program Committees. Larry earned his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan.
President-Elect – Christopher Prine (TX)
Christopher A. Prine was appointed as Clerk of the Court for the 14th Court of Appeals of Texas on August 1, 2008. In 2013, Chris was also appointed to serve as the Clerk of Court for the 1st Court of Appeals. After law school, Chris served as a briefing attorney at the 14th Court of Appeals and, in 1998, he served as a chambers attorney at the 1st Court of Appeals. Chris also engaged in private practice, where he focused on insurance defense and probate and estate litigation. As a member of the NCACC, Chris has served on various committees, including Membership, Convention Assistance, Strategic Planning, and the Nominating Committees. He has also served on the Executive Committee and chaired the Educational Fund, Vendor Show, Program, and Technology Committees.
Vice-President – Gregory Hilton (MD)
Gregory (Greg) Hilton was appointed Clerk of Maryland’s Court of Special Appeals in 2013. Prior to his appointment, Greg was the Chief Deputy Clerk and a Staff Attorney with the Court. He was in private litigation practice from 1996 through 2007, following his service as a law clerk to a Maryland Circuit Court Judge. Before his legal career, Greg served in the United States Navy as an active duty and reserve officer. Once his active duty service ended, Greg continued his military service as a reserve officer along with his legal career until his retirement from the Navy in 2017, after 30 years of service. Among other assignments, he served in the USS Richmond K. Turner (CG 20) and participated in Operation Earnest Will during the Iran/Iraq War, and in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Greg is a graduate of Holy Cross College (BA), Catholic University of America Law School (JD), and the United States Naval War College (MA). Hilton has served on the NCACC’s Strategic Planning, Technology, and Bylaws Committees. He is also a member of the Mid-Atlantic Association for Court Management.
Treasurer – James Hivner (TN)
James (Jim) Hivner was appointed to a six-year term as Clerk of the Supreme Court of Tennessee in 2014 and was reappointed in 2020. In his role as Clerk, Jim serves the Supreme Court of Tennessee as well as the Court of Appeals and the Court of Criminal Appeals in Tennessee. Prior to his appointment, Jim served for two years as Chief Administrative Officer of the Shelby County Chancery Court. Before working for the courts, Jim was in private practice for almost 20 years as a solo practitioner in Alabama and later as an associate in the law firm of Waring Cox, PLC in Memphis, TN, and as an associate and member in the law firm of Glankler Brown, PLLC in Memphis, TN. Prior to his legal career, Jim worked at NASA as an accountant. Jim earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with high honors from the University of Tennessee and received his J.D. and LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Alabama School of Law. Jim has been a member of the NCACC since 2014 and has served as Chair of the Bylaws Committee, Vice-Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee, and as a member of the Site Selection Committee.
Secretary – Claudia Jenks (TX)
Claudia Jenks has served as the Chief Deputy Clerk of the Supreme Court of Texas since March 2003. In that role, Claudia assists the Clerk of the Court in managing and supervising the operation of the Clerk’s Office. Prior to working for the Court, Claudia was employed in the Transportation Litigation Division at the Office of Attorney General where she processed filings for all the Assistant Attorney Generals who represented the Texas Department of Transportation, and distributed warrants on behalf of the agency for settlements and judgment claims. Claudia holds two bachelor’s degrees, in Speech and in Mass Communication, and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Texas State University-San Marcos. Claudia has been an active member of the NCACC since 2003 and has served on the Convention Assistance Committee numerous times.
Past President – Edythe Nash Gaiser (WV)
Edythe (Eydie) Nash Gaiser completed her undergraduate studies at Wheeling Jesuit University in 1985, and earned her law degree from Duquesne University School of Law in 1988. Eydie was in private practice in West Virginia until 1999 when she moved to Tallahassee, Florida, and joined the Office of the State Courts Administrator of the Florida Supreme Court. In August 2003, Eydie moved back to West Virginia and accepted the position as Deputy Clerk of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, where she served before becoming Clerk of Court for the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia on November 1, 2017. Eydie is an active member of the NCACC, and served as president (2020-2021), executive committee member (2013 through 2015), vendor chair (2013-2014), and program chair (2014-2015).
Executive Committee
Pauline (Polly) Brock (CO), partial term ending 2022
Pauline (Polly) Brock has been with the Colorado Court of Appeals since 1996. Polly graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1992. She has worked in several positions for the Court of Appeals, including Deputy District Administrator. She was a staff attorney for the Colorado Court of Appeals specializing in appellate motions and jurisdiction for over 10 years. She is a graduate of the Colorado Judicial Executive Leadership Development Program (2015) and the Colorado Institute for Faculty Excellence in Judicial Education (2017).
Gregory Pachmayr (IN), term ending 2022
Gregory Pachmayr was appointed Clerk of the Indiana Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court in June 2016 after serving as Deputy Clerk for two years. Before joining the Appellate Clerk’s Office, Greg was Director of the Indiana Board of Pharmacy. Greg is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, having served in the Kingdom of Lesotho from 2004 to 2006. Greg is a graduate of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law – Bloomington (J.D.), the Indiana University School of Public and Environment Affairs – Bloomington (M.P.A., Policy Analysis), and the University at Buffalo (B.A., English and Political Science).
Doug Shima (KS), term ending 2022
Doug Shima grew up in Rocky Ford, Colorado, a small farming community in southeastern Colorado, along the Arkansas River. Doug attended Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas, and then Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas, graduating in 1994. He started his law career as a central staff attorney with the Kansas Court of Appeals and later served as a judge’s chambers counsel until his appointment in January 2016 as the Clerk of the Kansas Appellate Courts, overseeing both the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. Doug is a past chairperson of the board of directors of the Topeka Bar Association (TBA) and has served in many capacities on the TBA board and its committees, including as chair and secretary. Doug received the TBA’s Outstanding Young Lawyer Award in 1997 and its prestigious Hon. E. Newton Vickers Professionalism Award in 2014. Doug is also active in the Sam A. Crow American Inn of Court, where he served as the Inn’s secretary-treasurer for eight years, and in Meals on Wheels, transporting meals for over 25 years, organizing two corporate routes, and serving in several capacities with the board of directors, including a two-year term as chairperson. In 2013, Doug was awarded the Rueter Award for distinguished service to Meals on Wheels.
Mary Elizabeth Kuenzel (FL), term ending 2023
Mary Elizabeth (Mary Beth) Kuenzel joined the Florida Second District Court of Appeal after graduation from Stetson University College of Law in 1993. She served as law clerk and career staff attorney for three different judges at the court and also worked as an assistant county attorney. Prior to law school, Mary Beth worked for the Florida Legislature, finishing her service there as Director of Communications for the Speaker of the House. She is a native Floridian and earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications from Florida State University. Mary Beth was appointed Clerk of the Second District in 2015 and has been an NCACC member since that time.
Kevin J. Lane (CA) , term ending 2023
Kevin J. Lane was appointed Clerk/Executive Officer of the Fourth Appellate District in July 2013. Prior to this position, he was the Assistant Clerk/Administrator in San Diego overseeing the clerical staff and administrative operations. Prior to this position with the appellate courts, Kevin was an administrator with the Los Angeles Superior Court for 14 years overseeing civil, criminal, juvenile dependency, probate, family law and specialty court programs. Kevin is a Fellow of the Institute for Court Management and a certified court manager from the National Center for State Courts. Mr. Lane has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in criminal justice, specializing in business administration and court management. Kevin has served on many statewide and national committees, including educational, technology, and fairness committees within the court system. He is the past-president of the California Appellate Clerk’s Association and currently serves on the California Judicial Education and Research Advisory Committee. Kevin was the host of the 2019 NCACC conference in San Diego, is currently a member of the NCACC Executive Committee, and has served on many other committees. Kevin is also a member of the National Association for Court Management where he has served on several committees as well.
Amy Wood (AZ) , term ending 2023
Amy Wood was appointed the Clerk of the Court for the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, in August of 2016. Division One handles civil, criminal, juvenile, family, mental health, and probate appeals for eight of Arizona’s counties. Additionally, the court reviews tax cases statewide and decisions made by the Industrial Commission, Arizona Corporation Commission, Arizona Department of Economic Security as well as special action petitions seeking pre-judgment and emergency relief. The role of the Clerk also encompasses administrative responsibilities related to human resources, technology and budgeting. Prior to her time as Clerk, Amy was the manager of the Caseflow Management Unit in the Court Services Division of the Administrative Office of the Courts. The unit she managed was responsible for oversight of statewide programs and projects such as grants, statistics, the Commission on Victims in the Courts, DUI case processing improvement, interpreting program, CourTools, Time Standards, and the business side of the statewide e-filing amongst other projects. Ms. Wood began her judicial system career with the Hawaii Judiciary, initially as a caseflow manager and then as a project manager before moving to Arizona in 2001.