JUDGE ANNALISA S. WILLIAMS APPOINTED TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE OHIO SUPREME COURT JUDICIAL COL

Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor has appointed Judge Annalisa S. Williams (Akron, OH) to the Board of Trustees of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College for a three-year term beginning January 1, 2018 and ending December 31, 2020. According the Ohio Supreme Court's website, "the Judicial College was created in 1976 and is governed by Gov. Jud. R. V. The College was initially established to provide educational programs and activities for Ohio judges. In 1988, the program was expanded to include magistrates (then known as referees), and in 1990 the College began to provide programs for non-judicial court personnel throughout the state. The Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College provides continuing legal and professional education for judges, magistrates, acting judges, and non-judicial court personnel to ensure the effective administration of justice for all Ohioans. The Judicial College receives advice from and provides support to its oversight body — the Board of Trustees of the Judicial College. The Board of Trustees consists of 10 members plus the Chief Justice, who serves ex officio. The membership consists of seven judges appointed by the various judicial associations, one magistrate appointed by the Ohio Association of Magistrates, and two judges appointed by the Chief Justice." Judge Williams said, "The work that the Judicial College does is invaluable to the citizens of

Ohio. I am honored to be appointed to the Board of Trustees and look forward to serving in this capacity to help support the education of judges, magistrates and court personnel." Judge Annalisa S. Williams was elected to the Akron Municipal Court on November 4, 2003 and was re-elected on November 8, 2005 and November 8, 2011. Judge Williams is currently the Presiding/Administrative Judge over the Akron Municipal Court. She has been elected to serve in this capacity three times, in 2008, 2012 and 2017. She presides over the Akron Municipal Court Mental Health Court and co-presides over the Akron Municipal Court OVI court.

In September 2015, the Ohio Supreme Court appointed Judge Williams as a representative of the Association of Municipal and County Judges of Ohio as a judge of a municipal court assigned to a mental health docket to the Commission on Specialized Dockets. In 2017, the Ohio Supreme Court reappointed Judge Williams to this position for a three year term beginning January 1, 2017 and ending December 31, 2019. Judge Williams is passionate about mental health services being available to criminal defendants and as an outgrowth of this passion and being mindful of the unique needs of female offenders and their rate of recidivism in the criminal justice system, Judge Williams created a probation program geared to female offenders, the Women's Peace of Mind Program. The goal of the Peace of Mind Program is to assist the program participants with developing more effective coping strategies and thinking processes in order to change their reaction to life events and prevent recidivism. Judge Williams teaches the participants that "Wise Women Walk Away." This program received a grant from the Akron Bar Foundation in 2015 and 2016 as a law-related program that serves the Summit County community. Judge Williams is on the ballot on November 7, 2017 to retain her seat. Judge Williams stated, "I am pursuing my third full term on the Akron Municipal Court because I love what I do. I've been blessed by God with the opportunity to humbly serve the residents of Akron, Fairlawn, the Townships of Bath, Richfield and Springfield and the Villages of Lakemore, Richfield and Mogadore. It has been my highest honor to serve for the past fourteen years." Election Day is Tuesday, November 7, 2017.