Speaker Information
Keynote Speaker C.T. Wilson
Maryland State Delegate/District 28
Charles County Attorney
C.T. Wilson was born and raised in the Midwest. Throughout his early childhood he was moved in and out of foster homes and orphanages and was eventually placed in a permanent home where he suffered abuse at the hands of his adoptive father. Despite a difficult childhood, Wilson learned that obstacles meant to limit him could be turned into opportunities, and at the age of 18, to escape poverty, he joined the United States military as an enlisted combat soldier. He served in the Persian Gulf and Bosnia Herzegovina in both the combat and medical units and after 7 years, he was honorably discharged.
Wilson was accepted into Upper Iowa University where he graduated cum laude. He went on to continue his education at Howard University School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 2003. As an attorney, Wilson served as an Assistant State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County for 7 years, during which time he became the Chief Prosecutor. After Wilson left the State’s Attorney’s Office, he opened his law firm the Law Offices of C.T. Wilson, LLC in April of 2012.
In 2010, Wilson was elected to represent the 28th District in the House of Delegates at the Maryland General Assembly. During his first term, in 2011, he served on the Environmental Matters Committee and as a member of the Black, Democratic, and Veterans Caucuses. Delegate Wilson has brought forth several pieces of legislation that have become law including legislation that provided a 5-year extension to the age eligibility for an exemption from tuition for foster care recipients.
At present, Wilson is serving his second term as State Delegate and continues to advocate for issues that he is passionate about, including child abuse, foster youth, and veterans. In 2015, Wilson was assigned to the Economic Matters Committee and went on to become the House Chair of the Veterans Caucus. Wilson was also assigned to the Banking, Economic Development, Science and Technology, Business Regulation, and Consumer Protection and Commercial Law Subcommittees of the Economic Matters Committee and the Joint Committee on Cyber security, Information Technology and Biotechnology. In 2017, Wilson was appointed as the Chair of the Business Regulations Subcommittee.
During the 7 years of his tenure at the House of Delegates, Wilson has introduced a total of 62 and supported 435 pieces of legislation. During Session 2017, Wilson re-introduced House Bill 642 – Civil Actions – Child Sexual Abuse – Statute of Limitations for the third time. For three consecutive years C.T. Wilson had been fighting to extend the statute of limitations in civil action cases for victims of child sexual abuse. Each time Wilson brought forth this legislation, and despite his impassioned testimony as to the effects that child sexual abuse can inflict, his attempts were blocked by the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee at the request of the Catholic Church.
In light of Wilson’s personal connection to the issue and his own story that he bravely chose to share during his testimony to persuade his fellow legislators the simple request of granting the victims of this heinous acts more time, he garnered the attention not only from the news media, but also from other victims who thanked him for his work and plead him to keep fighting on their behalf. In 2017 Wilson was asked to participate in a documentary series that is now on Netflix, known as The Keepers, for his efforts to change the law surrounding child sexual abuse at the state level. This series discusses the unsolved murder of Sister Cathy Cesnik and the suspicion of the concealment of sexual abuse perpetrated by a priest at the school where she was a teacher. During the filming of the series Wilson divulged his struggle to get HB 642 passed and the obstacles posed by the Catholic Church. His latest attempt to create the opportunity for justice for victims of child sexual abuse took a surprising turn when Wilson was able to work with the Catholic Church to amend the bill and get it passed through the legislature. HB 642 was signed into law by the governor in April 2017.
Outside of the office, Wilson describes the best part of his life as his family and his 3 daughters. For more information about the Netflix documentary series The Keepers, please visit their website at: http://thekeepersimpact.com/
Welcome Remarks
Marlan Wilbanks, Partner, Wilbanks & Gouinlock
Marlan B. Wilbanks is a founding partner of Wilbanks & Gouinlock, LLP. Prior to founding this Firm, he was with the firm of Harmon, Smith, Bridges & Wilbanks and then Wilbanks & Bridges since graduation from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1986. While at Harmon, Smith, Bridges & Wilbanks, Wilbanks spearheaded the Firm’s efforts to achieve national recognition involving qui tam litigation or “whistleblower” suits, as they are more commonly known. In whistleblower suits, the firm represents individuals who have come forward with information concerning fraudulent acts that have been committed against the Government (federal or state).
Emma Hetherington, Director, Wilbanks CEASE Clinic
Emma Hetherington is an assistant clinical professor and the director of the Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation (CEASE) Clinic at the University of Georgia School of Law. Hetherington was charged with the creation of the clinic in January 2016 and since that time the clinic has served over 50 survivors of child sexual abuse under her leadership.
Hetherington has represented hundreds of children in juvenile court dependency proceedings who have experienced abuse and neglect, with a specialized focus on representing children who have been sexually abused or exploited. Hetherington has served as faculty in several national and statewide conferences on child welfare and has also served as an expert for the Georgia General Assembly, commenting on proposed legislation directly affecting survivors of child sexual abuse. Hetherington provides legal consulting services to attorneys and advocates nationwide on matters involving child sexual abuse, and her research focuses on the rights of children who have been sexually abused and trauma-informed legal practice. Before joining the law school’s faculty, Hetherington served as the managing attorney for the Georgia Law Center for the Homeless and as a senior child advocate attorney for the DeKalb County Child Advocacy Center. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Emory University and her Juris Doctor cum laude from Georgia Law.
Identifying and Reporting Child Sexual Abuse
Moderator: Joanna Woolman, Associate Professor of Law, Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
Joanna Woolman is an Associate Professor of Law at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Woolman also directs the Child Protection Program. This program seeks to improve outcomes for families, children and communities through education, advocacy, research and training. The Child Protection Program provides direct representation to parents in the child protection system in Ramsey and Hennepin Counties. Professor Woolman researches, writes, and presents about women’s experiences in the criminal justice and child protection systems. Professor Woolman also helps coordinate statewide training for parents’ attorneys.
Sally Sheppard, Executive Director, The Cottage Child Advocacy Center
Sally Sheppard is the executive director of The Cottage Child Advocacy Center. Her interest in the field of child abuse and sexual assault began when she became an investigator for the Piedmont Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office. While doing this work, Sheppard began to learn more about those that provided interventions for survivors of child abuse and sexual assault.
Sheppard decided to go back to school at the University of Georgia to receive her Masters from the School of Social Work to begin working directly with victims of child abuse. Sheppard began by counseling child survivors of sexual abuse and moved into forensically interviewing child victims of abuse during criminal investigations. She truly enjoyed testifying in criminal court. After many forensic interviews and a child of her own, Sheppard decided to take on a new challenge of leading an agency that provides services to survivors of child abuse and sexual assault by becoming the Executive Director of The Cottage, Sexual Assault Center & Children’s Advocacy Center in November of 2007. Sheppard continues to enjoy leading this agency to assist victims of child abuse and sexual assault in the investigative, prosecution and healing process. Sheppard has worked in the development and implementation of policy, protocols and programs for the intervention and prevention of child abuse and sexual assault. She currently serves on the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia Board of Directors. Sally Sheppard holds a bachelor degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology and Social Control from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.
Alicia Chandler, Forensic Interviewer Specialist, The Cottage Child Advocacy Center
Alicia Chandler is a Forensic Interviewer Specialist at The Cottage Child Advocacy Center. Chandler has dedicated her career to the victims of sexual assault and abuse; first as a Police Detective specializing in crimes against women and children and now through her work at The Cottage. Chandler conducts training on these subjects to law enforcement, community groups, and those in the child advocate field all over the state of Georgia. Chandler began conducting Forensic Interviews in 2007 in and has completed over 1,000 interviews of children. Chandler also facilitates MDT and peer review for her area and is passionate about providing support to the children and families impacted by sexual abuse and domestic violence using a team approach. Alicia Chandler is graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. Chandler has also earned her Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in Criminal Justice from Columbus State University.
Dr. Jennifer Elkins, Associate Professor, University of Georgia School of Social Work.
Dr. Jennifer Elkins is an Associate Professor at the University of Georgia School of Social Work. Dr. Elkins studies diverse populations and age groups that have experienced trauma, violence, abuse and loss. She is particularly interested in the impact of trauma and loss over the life course and understanding the underlying micro- to macro-level mechanisms contributing to adaptive and maladaptive developmental outcomes. Her direct practice experience includes working with children, adolescents and adults exposed to domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. Dr. Elkins earned her B.A. in psychology and social work and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin. She earned her Ph.D. in Social Work from Columbia University.
Melissa Carter, Clinical Professor of Law and Executive Director, Barton Child Law and Policy Center, Emory University School of Law
Melissa Carter is a Clinical Professor of Law at Emory Law School and Executive Director of the Barton Child Law and Policy Center, a multidisciplinary child law program seeking to promote and protect the legal rights and interests of children involved with the juvenile court, child welfare, and juvenile justice systems, and to prepare the next generation of juvenile law attorneys. In that role, she is responsible for the administration of the Center, directing the public policy and legislative advocacy clinics, and teaching a related course in child welfare law and policy.
Carter has contributed to the drafting and passage of dozens of pieces of legislation, including the 2013 Juvenile Justice Reform Act which comprehensively revised and modernized the state’s Juvenile Code. She is a frequent presenter and has authored several publications on juvenile law topics. Before accepting her faculty appointment, Carter served as Georgia’s Child Advocate, the state’s child welfare ombudsman, and she has held previous positions with Georgia’s Court Improvement Project and as an associate attorney focusing on adoption, juvenile court, and assisted reproductive technology cases. Carter was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal to serve as a member of the Child Welfare Reform Council, Commission on Family Violence, and State Juvenile Justice Advisory Group. She is the Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Multi-Agency Alliance for Children, an advisor to the Supreme Court of Georgia Committee on Justice for Children and to ChildKind, Inc., and a member of the Policy Committee of Voices for Georgia’s Children. Melissa Carter earned her Bachelor of Science and Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois.
Sergeant Harrison Daniel, Athens-Clarke County Police Department
Sergeant S. Harrison Daniel is currently the supervisor in charge of the Sex Crimes and Crimes Against Children Unit within the Athens-Clarke County Police Department’s (ACCPD) Criminal Investigations Division (CID). Sergeant Daniel began his career in law enforcement with the ACCPD in 2004. He served five years as a patrol officer working on the Morning Watch within ACCPD’s West Precinct. In November 2014 he was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to supervise the Evening Watch within the West Precinct before returning to CID to serve in his current role.
Sergeant Daniel acts as an advisor and trainer for Georgia’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council on its grant-funded Georgia Sexual Assault Response Team Project. He also serves as faculty for the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys’ Child Abuse Prosecution Project. He is a member of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the Western Judicial Circuit SART, and the Western Judicial Circuit Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT). He is also a certified Forensic Interviewer. Serving more than thirteen years in law enforcement, Sergeant Daniel has received the Governor’s Office of Public Safety Award for Acts of Heroism, the American Red Cross Law Enforcement Hero Award, and an Acts of Heroism and Valor Award. Sergeant Daniel is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Sergeant Daniel is currently studying to receive his Master of Public Administration (MPA) Degree in the Department of Public Administration and Policy within the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) at The University of Georgia (UGA).
Commercial and Sexual Exploitation of Children: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Advocacy
Moderator: Judge Robin Shearer, Chief Judge, Athens-Clarke County Juvenile Court
The Honorable Robin Shearer served in the combined position of associate judge, court administrator, and clerk of court since 1993, before being appointed the Western Circuit Juvenile Court judge in 2008. Judge Shearer has presided over all types of Juvenile Court hearings and handled administrative duties such as preparing the budget for the court. The court, which covers Clarke and Oconee counties, has jurisdiction over abuse or neglect of children, and delinquency cases involving children under the age of 17. She received her law degree from the University of Georgia in 1987 and has a bachelor’s degree from Shorter College in Rome. Judge Shearer is also President of the Georgia Council of Juvenile Court Judges. As president, she provided testimony to the Georgia House during the crafting of House Bill 242. The bill, passed this year, takes effect in January, and is intended to, “substantially revise, supersede, and modernize provisions relating to juvenile proceedings and enact...reforms recommended by the Governor’s Special Council on Justice Reform in Georgia.”
Heather Stockdale, CEO, Georgia Cares
Tom Rawlings, Director, Office of the Child Advocate
Tom Rawlings was named the State Child Advocate for the Protection of Children by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal in January, 2017. In that role he serves as the state children's ombudsman and leads efforts to improve Georgia’s child protection system. This is his second time at the helm of the agency, having served as Director from 2007-2010 under Governor Sonny Perdue. Rawlings is an honors graduate of both Duke University and the University of Georgia School of Law and recently completed his Masters’ degree with distinction in International Human Rights Law at Oxford University. From 2000-2007, Rawlings served as the first full-time juvenile court judge in the Middle Judicial Circuit, where he oversaw juvenile justice and child protection cases in five counties. After serving his first term as the state children's ombudsman, he moved to Guatemala in 2010 to direct a child sexual abuse prosecution and treatment team as the country director for International Justice Mission. Certified by the National Association of Counsel for Children as a child welfare law specialist, Rawlings is a former Fulbright Senior Specialist in Law and is the author of Georgia Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice: Policy, Practice and Procedure, updated annually.
Alissa Tertichny, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Alissa Tertichny is a Licensed Master Social Worker and a Registered Yoga Teacher. Tertichny has been involved in the anti-trafficking movement for over 10 years through advocacy, awareness and direct service efforts. As a direct service provider, she has offered clinical, case management and trauma-sensitive yoga interventions for adults and children who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation, in both community-based and residential treatment settings. Alissa Tertichny earned her Bachelor of Science in Spanish & International Health from Clemson University and her Master of Social Work from Kennesaw State University.
Cherice Hopkins, Staff Attorney, Rights4Girls
Cherice Hopkins is a Staff Attorney at Rights4Girls, a human rights organization committed to ending gender-based violence in the U.S., where her work includes research, education and advocacy. Her focus is identifying and addressing the root causes of problems which hinder gender and racial equity. Her prior experience includes the provision of consultation services to nonprofits and small businesses, founded by women and people of color, in the areas of analysis, research and strategic planning. Cherice Hopkins received her J.D. from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and is a member of the Minnesota State Bar.
USA Gymnastics: A Legal and Media Collaboration to Expose Institutional Abuse
Moderator: Darren Penn, Partner, Penn Law Group
Darren Penn is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, is consistently named to the peer-nominated Super Lawyers list of distinguished practitioners in Georgia, Georgia Trend’s Legal Elite, the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America and Georgia, a Million Dollar Advocate, Multi-Million Dollar Advocate and is a frequent speaker at CLE seminars on topics related to trial tactics, case investigation, legal theory, auto cases, trucking cases, road defects, products liability, insurance, subrogation and liens, commercial disputes, evidence, medical malpractice, discovery, mediation and settlement, jury selection/voir dire, opening statements, closing arguments, pre-trial motions, post-trial motions, appeals. Penn is a member of the Verdicts Hall of Fame and has received awards for his service and dedication to the civil justice system, including the “Civil Justice Award.”
Penn lives in Atlanta with his wife Laura, three children, Taylor, Tori and Wade, and four dogs, Hughie, Sammie, Shasta and Coco. When not working for the benefit of his clients, he can most often be found cheering his kids on at any number of sporting events, coaching NYO football, participating in school activities, or enjoying the outdoors with his family. An avid Georgia Bulldogs fan, Darren Penn earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Georgia where he served as Executive Articles Editor of the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law and participated in the Moot Court.
Courtney Kiehl, Attorney, Abused Children Heard Everywhere Foundation
Courtney Kiehl is a lawyer and victims’ rights advocate. Kiehl is the Executive Director of A.C.H.E. (Abused Children Heard Everywhere), a non-profit she founded as a response to her own experience with sexual abuse. Kiehl received her Juris Doctorate from Pennsylvania State University, where she currently serves as Project Manager for an interdisciplinary team committed to prevention, treatment, and leadership to change cultures of exploitation to cultures of mutual trust, respect, and support.
Marisa Kwiatkowski, Investigative Reporter, Indianapolis Star
Marisa Kwiatkowski is an investigative reporter with The Indianapolis Star. She handles investigations relating to social services and welfare issues, such as child abuse and neglect, elder abuse, poverty, homelessness and sex trafficking. Kwiatkowski has earned more than 40 journalism awards throughout her career, including Indiana Journalist of the Year, the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism and the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award. Prior to The Star, Kwiatkowski worked for media outlets in northwestern Indiana, South Carolina and Michigan. She also serves as president of the Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Last year, Kwiatkowski and her colleagues launched an investigation into USA Gymnastics that revealed top officials at the sport’s national governing body failed to report many allegations of sexual abuse by coaches and showed how predators exploited a lax culture to prey on children. As a result of the series, more than 100 women came forward with allegations of sexual abuse against Dr. Larry Nassar, a longtime team physician who worked in four Olympic games. Nassar later faced myriad state and federal charges. The series also spurred 16 U.S. senators to sponsor a bill making it a federal crime for national governing bodies to fail to immediately report alleged sexual abuse. In 2013, Kwiatkowski received two national awards, as well as state and regional awards, for her coverage of the difficulties of children with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities to receive appropriate mental health services. She found parents falsely admitting to neglect in order to secure services for their children. After Kwiatkowski's series published, state officials pledged up to $25 million per year to close the funding gap. One of her articles, “The exorcisms of Latoya Ammons,” became the most-read piece in The Star’s history.
Derek Bauer, Attorney, BakerHostetler
Derek Bauer is a trial lawyer with a concentration on healthcare and media litigation, and regularly handles high-profile and complex commercial litigation matters involving healthcare regulatory, real estate, media and First Amendment issues. Bauer is currently President of the Federal Bar Association, Atlanta Chapter.
As the Chair of the firm's National Health Care Litigation Team of more than 30 litigators, Bauer helps hospital systems, physician practices, imaging providers, pharmacies and other provider-side entities resolve their commercial and regulatory disputes. Bauer also helps news media, entertainment and other content providers protect their and the public's freedom to access, create and receive information, including defending print and broadcast defamation and privacy claims and ensuring news media rights of access and protection of confidential sources. Bauer is general counsel for the Georgia Association of Broadcasters.
Brian Cornwell, Attorney, Cornwell & Stevens, LLC
Brian Cornwell was born in Savannah and raised in Effingham County, and earned a BS in Political Science from the University of West Georgia and his Juris Doctor from Samford University's Cumberland School of Law. While at Cumberland Cornwell was named to the Dean's List. After practicing for several years in South Carolina, Cornwell returned home to Savannah and handles matters throughout the states of Georgia and South Carolina.
Brian Cornwell concentrates his practice on the representation of clients who have received injuries through the negligence of others as well as property owners who have been damaged as a result of negligent and faulty construction. Cornwell is the lead attorney in the seminal case of Jane Doe vs. USA Gymnastics which has been featured nationally in the USA Today, Indy Star and the Washington Post. Cornwell was also named one of the National Trial lawyers Top 100 civil litigation attorneys. As a former insurance defense lawyer Cornwell is well versed in how insurance companies adjust claims. Cornwell also has extensive experience in multi-party complex litigation and has represented individuals, governmental entities, universities and both large and small corporations. As the son of general contractor Cornwell has extensive practical experience in the construction industry and was co-counsel for Virginia Newman in one of the leading construction insurance coverage decisions in South Carolina Auto Owners v. Newman.
Brian Cornwell is admitted to practice before all state courts in South Carolina and Georgia along with the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina and the Southern District of Georgia. Cornwell is currently serving a four year appointment to the Pooler Planning Commission.