Meet the Academy

Board of Directors & Staff​

President

President - Board of Directors

Mark C. Leffler is a federal civil litigator with Consumer Litigation Associates, a nationally recognized leader in consumer advocacy based in Virginia. Mark has spent most of his career litigating in Bankruptcy Court, including bringing numerous actions against debt collectors, mortgage companies, and predatory lenders in bankruptcy. He is President of the NACTT Academy for Consumer Bankruptcy Education, is a frequent author for the NACTT Academy’s webzine at ConsiderChapter13.org, and has served as a panelist at numerous annual conferences of the National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees (NACTT). Mark is AV® rated by Martindale Hubbell, he was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in bankruptcy and debtor rights, and he is a frequent speaker and author on bankruptcy matters for Virginia CLE programs. Mark is a native of Williamsburg, Virginia, and he received his law degree from Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates, Virginia State Bar, Bankruptcy Section, and the Richmond Bankruptcy Bar Association.

Board of Directors

Board of Directors - Chapter 13 Trustee

Jody Bledsoe is the Chapter 13 trustee for the Fayetteville, Greenville, New Bern, and Wilmington Divisions of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. During the 20 years prior to his appointment in April of 2014, Jody represented consumer debtors in chapter 7 and chapter 13, and in claims under the FDCPA and the North Carolina Unfair and Deceptive Practices Act. He is a former member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, ABI, and the National Association of Consumer Advocates. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, Kimberly.

Board of Directors - Chapter 13 Trustee

Martha G. Bronitsky is the Chapter 13 Standing Trustee for the Northern District of California, Oakland Division. She was appointed in June 1995. She oversees an office of 33 staff members and administers over 10,000 cases. Prior to her appointment she was Vice-President/Counsel at Home Savings of America where she oversaw all Northern California bankruptcy matters. She is also a former Deputy District Attorney for the County of San Mateo. Ms. Bronitsky graduated from UCLA with an undergraduate degree in political science and the University of Maryland School of Law. Ms. Bronitsky is a Past-President of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees, Past-President of the San Mateo County Women Lawyers Educational Foundation and Past- President of the San Mateo County Bar Association. She is very active in the Rotary Club of Foster City.

Board of Directors - Chapter 13 Trustee

Beverly M. Burden, Lexington, Kentucky, has served as the Chapter 13 Trustee for the Eastern District of Kentucky since 1999. Before her appointment as trustee, she clerked for the late Bankruptcy Judge Joe Lee. She has presented at numerous national, regional, and local bankruptcy seminars, and strives to share practical information that consumer bankruptcy attorneys can use. She writes a blog for practitioners in the Eastern District of Kentucky at www.ch13edky.wordpress.com and is the Chair of the Biennial University of Kentucky Consumer Bankruptcy Law Conference. Ms. Burden is a member of the National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees (NACTT) and serves on the Board of Directors of the NACTT Academy for Consumer Bankruptcy Education. She served on the Chapter 13 Advisory Committee to the ABI Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy. Ms. Burden received her J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1983 and holds a B.B.A. degree in Accounting. She is a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy (2017).

Board of Directors - Chapter 13 Trustee

Henry E. Hildebrand, III has served as Standing Trustee for Chapter 13 matters in the Middle District of Tennessee since 1982 and as Standing Chapter 12 Trustee for that district since 1986. He also is of counsel to the Nashville law firm of Belcher Sykes Harrington, PLLC. Mr. Hildebrand graduated from Vanderbilt University and received his J.D. from the National Law Center of George Washington University. He is a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and the Nashville Bar Foundation. He is Board Certified in consumer bankruptcy law by the American Board of Certification and serves on its faculty committee. He is Chairman of the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee for the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees (NACTT). He is on the Board of Directors for the NACTT Academy for Consumer Bankruptcy Education, Inc. and is an adjunct faculty member for the Nashville School of Law and St. Johns University School of Law. In addition, he served as a commissioner to the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy.

Board of Directors - Bankruptcy Judge

Brian D. Lynch was sworn in as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Washington, Tacoma Division, on June 1, 2010. He served as the Standing Chapter 13 Trustee and Chapter 12 Trustee in the District of Oregon from 2004. Prior to serving as trustee, Judge Lynch was a partner in the firm of Bishop, Lynch & White, P.S. in Seattle, WA. He received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1975.

Board of Directors - Debtor Attorney

Cathy Moran has headed her own small firm Moran Law Group in Mountain View, California, for nearly 30 years. Family law and tax issues as they play out in bankruptcy are areas of particular interest to Cathy.

Board of Directors - Wells Fargo, Managing Counsel – Senior Vice President, Consumer BK, FCRA & SCRA Section Consumer Lending Division

Alice Whitten is Managing Counsel – Senior Vice President in the Wells Fargo Legal Department in their Irving, TX office. She leads a team that provides guidance and support for consumer bankruptcy operations across the Wells Fargo enterprise, including mortgage, automobile, credit cards and student lending and supports default functions within Home Lending, including collections, foreclosure, property preservation and REO. She has been with Wells Fargo since 2014.

Prior to joining Wells Fargo, she previously served as a Standing Chapter 13 Trustee in the Northern District of Texas for four years and was Senior Vice President – Associate General Counsel with AmeriCredit Financial Services, Inc. (now known as GM Financial) providing legal support for bankruptcy and default services operations.

Alice is a graduate of St. Mary’s University School of Law (cum laude) in San Antonio, Texas and the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management. Alice is admitted to practice in Texas. She is currently the Co-Chair of the NACTT Automobile Committee and a Board Member for the NACTT Academy. She was a Council Member of the Bankruptcy Law Section Counsel of the State Bar of Texas from 2013-2015, and a Committee Member of the Committee on Case Administration and the Estate for the ABI Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy (2018-2019). She is currently the Co-Chair of the NACTT Automobile Committee and a Board Member for the NACTT Academy.

Staff

Editor and Advisor

The Honorable William Houston Brown retired in 2006 as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Tennessee, and he had been designated to sit also in the Middle District of Tennessee, Southern District of Florida, Eastern District of Michigan and Western District of Kentucky. Judge Brown served a four-year term on the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Sixth Circuit from 1999 through 2002. He received his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law, where he was Order of the Coif. Judge Brown is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, having served on its Board and Executive Committee, and he is a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy. He is the author or co-author of several texts, including Bankruptcy Exemption Manual, 2005 Bankruptcy Reform Legislation with Analysis 1st and 2d editions, Bankruptcy and Domestic Relations Manual, The Law of Debtors and Creditors, as well as bankruptcy form books, all published by Thomson West. He is also a principal contributing editor for Norton Bankruptcy Law and Practice 3rd, published by Thomson West. Judge Brown prepares a quarterly update of consumer cases for the Federal Judicial Center, which distributes those materials to all bankruptcy judges, and he is a speaker at the Federal Judicial Center’s annual seminars for bankruptcy judges. He also speaks regularly at seminars throughout the United States, on consumer bankruptcy topics. Judge Brown co-authors Chapter 13 Bankruptcy 4th ed., a digital publication, available at ch13online.com. Judge Brown also acts as a mediator in bankruptcy-related disputes, has conducted mock trials, and has testified as an expert witness in bankruptcy court proceedings.

Executive Director

Ms. Logsdon has worked in the bankruptcy arena for 40 years (oy vey). Little did she know at the ripe ‘mature’ age of 19 that preparing proofs of claim for Jim Walter Homes (the Cadillac of modular homes back in the day) would lead to a life-long career in bankruptcy. She moved from the creditor side of things to assist a Chapter 7 panel trustee. Ms. Logsdon has spent over 30 years working directly for or affiliated with Henry E. Hildebrand, III. She spent 17 of those years as Hildebrand’s administrative assistant and gleaned mountains of useless knowledge. For the past fifteen years, she has poured her heart and soul into the NACTT Academy and ConsiderChapter13.org, watching it evolve into a premier site for all things educational in the Chapter 13 world.

Web Designer & Developer

Jonathan Barnes is a skilled web designer and developer who serves as the proprietor of Evolve Services, LLC, a reputable company located in North Carolina. He has extensive experience in the field, and his expertise was exemplified during his role as the lead developer for the comprehensive redesign of the NACTT Academy website in March and April of 2023.

In addition to his design and development work, Jonathan provides ongoing support and maintenance services for the NACTT Academy website, ensuring its smooth operation. His dedication to professionalism and excellence in his field is evident through his commitment to providing top-notch web solutions to his clients.

Web Designer

Christina Rice has worked with the NACTT Academy since 2012, primarily with website content updates. She received a Masters in Librarianship from the University of South Carolina and managed a county public library system for 25 years. Her retirement gig began in 2009 when she started a freelance web design business, Avenue One Web Design, concentrating on the Joomla CMS. While she no longer seeks new clients, she continues to support her existing web clients and their referrals. She is also an award-winning artist (https://christinaart.com) whose work has been shown throughout the US.

Former Board of Directors

Former Board of Directors

Mr. Bekofske has served as Chapter 13 Trustee for the Eastern District of Michigan since 1985. He is an experienced educator, having been an adjunct professor of law at Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan from 1992-1994. Mr. Bekofske currently serves as the Genesee County (Michigan) Public Administrator, serving as fiduciary in the administration of estates with unknown heirs. He has served on the boards of directors of the Community Foundation in Flint and the Michigan Prospect for Renewed Citizenship in Lansing. He has been a board member and president of the Genesee County Bar Association and currently serves as the president of the Genesee County Bar Foundation. Mr. Bekofske brings to the Academy Board of Directors long experience in the training and evaluation of attorneys, the operations of bar associations, and the educational training programs utilized by such groups.

Former Board of Directors

Ms. Celli has served as the Chapter 13 Standing Trustee for the Northern District of New York in Albany since 1995. Her office currently administers approximately 6,000 pending Chapter 13 cases and disburses approximately $30 Million to creditors each year. She is an attorney, licensed in the State of New York, and received a J.D. from Albany Law School of Union University and an LL.M. in American Banking Law Studies from Boston University School of Law. Ms. Celli is a frequent lecturer for the American Bankruptcy Institute, the Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association, the Capital District Women’s Bar Association, and the Albany Law School of Union University. Ms. Celli has served on the board of directors of a number of charitable and non-profit organizations including the Capital District Community Land Trust and EBA Center for Dance and Movement. She brings to the Academy the experience of a nationally respected expert on consumer bankruptcy, and an experienced leader of tax exempt and charitable organizations.

Former Board of Directors

John P. Gustafson was appointed United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Ohio in April 2014. In his former life, he was a bankruptcy law clerk, an associate and partner in a law firm representing both debtors and creditors, a solo bankruptcy practitioner representing debtors, banks and trustees, the staff attorney to a Chapter 13 trustee, and since October 1, 2007 he has been the Standing Chapter 13 Trustee for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division. Judge Gustafson regularly writes and speaks on a variety bankruptcy issues.

Former Board of Directors

Ms. Leavitt has served as a Standing Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee for the District of Nevada since 1981. She has served as editor of The Quarterly, a publication dealing with Chapter 13 bankruptcy and consumer bankruptcy matters for over ten years. She was president of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees in 1997 and currently chairs its Bankruptcy Rules Committee. She also serves on the NACTT IRS Liaison Committee and Publication Editorial Board. From 1995 through 2005, Ms. Leavitt served on the Executive Board of Consumer Credit Counseling of Southern Nevada. She has prepared and presented educational programs for the American Bankruptcy Institute, the State Bar of Nevada, and the Southern Nevada Association of Bankruptcy Attorneys, and the Department of Justice – U.S. Trustee Program.

Former Board of Directors

Brent D. Meyer focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, general civil litigation, bankruptcy and insolvency matters, receiverships, appellate advocacy, probate, and personal injury actions. He has extensive experience representing debtors and creditors in chapter 7, chapter 11, and chapter 13 cases and representing trustees in appellate proceedings. Prior to rejoining Meyer Law Group, Brent worked as a litigation associate at Hopkins & Carley, APC. Brent also served as a senior law clerk to the Honorable Hannah L. Blumenstiel in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division and as a law clerk to the Honorable Thomas E. Carlson in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division. During his time with the Court, Brent participated in the drafting of the Standard-Form Combined Plan and Disclosure Statement for Individual Chapter 11 Debtors and the Model Chapter 13 Plan and Distribution Order. After graduating from law school, Brent was a founding partner of Meyer Law Group, where he successfully represented clients in various appellate proceedings. While in law school, Brent served as a full-time judicial extern to the Honorable Michael S. McManus in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California, Sacramento Division. He also received the prestigious American College of Bankruptcy Award as the Distinguished Law Student in the Ninth Circuit, received the Loren S. Dahl Scholarship for Excellence in Bankruptcy Law, was selected for membership in the Roger J. Traynor Honor Society, received the Witkin Award for Academic Excellence for the highest overall grade in his Legal Research and Writing course, studied Fundamental Rights in the United States and Europe under Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy in Salzburg, Austria, and served as a comment writer on the Global Business & Development Law Journal. Mr. Meyer is a member of the Bench Bar Liaison Committee for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California, Member (2014-present); Aameda County Bar Association, Bankruptcy Section, Executive Board Member (2010-2011); Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum, Member (2010-present); National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, Member (2010-present); and The NACTT Academy.

Former Board of Directors

Kevin R. Anderson was appointed United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Utah on September 4, 2015. Prior to this appointment he was appointed a Standing Chapter 13 Trustee for the District of Utah in 1998. Mr. Anderson is the past-President of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees (NACTT), and he is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. He is a frequent speaker and writer on Chapter 13 issues, including for The Norton Bankruptcy Law Advisor, the ABI Journal, and the NACTT Quarterly. He has served on a number of national committees regarding Chapter 13 legislation, rules, forms, and policy. Prior to his appointment as Chapter 13 trustee, Mr. Anderson practiced for thirteen years in the area of commercial litigation with an emphasis in civil fraud, real property, and representing Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 trustees. Mr. Anderson clerked for the Honorable David N. Naugle, United States Bankruptcy Judge, Central District of California.

Former Board of Directors

Mr. Johnson served as a Chapter 13 Trustee for the District of Puerto Rico from 1989 to 1998 when he was appointed as Chapter 13 Trustee for the Eastern District of California, Sacramento Division. Mr. Johnson retired from the Puerto Rico Air National Guard in 1995 with the rank of Brigadier General. He was a founding member of the National Guard Association of Puerto Rico and has served as its president. Mr. Johnson is an active national speaker on consumer bankruptcy issues, and currently serves as a member of the Liaison Committee of NACTT.

Former Board of Directors

M. Regina Thomas was appointed Clerk of the United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Georgia, on September 1, 2009. The Court maintains Divisional Offices in Atlanta, Newnan, Rome and Gainesville, GA. Prior to this appointment, Ms. Thomas was Managing Attorney for the Bankruptcy Group at the law firm of McCalla Raymer, LLC in Atlanta, GA. and served as Assistant United States Trustee for the Southern District of Florida for three years. Beginning in 1992, Ms. Thomas served as the Standing Chapter 13 Trustee for the Northern District of Georgia for almost 12 years. During this time, she administered the largest Chapter 13 caseload in the country and was responsible for approximately $90 million per year in disbursements to creditors and attorneys. During her tenure as Chapter 13 Trustee, Ms. Thomas served as President of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees for the 2000-2001 year and was chair of the annual educational seminar in New York City in 1999. Since 1992, Ms. Thomas has been a frequent speaker at bankruptcy and business seminars, including seminars presented by the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, American Bankruptcy Institute, United States Trustee Program, State Bar of Georgia, The Florida Bar, University of Miami School of Law, Stetson School of Law, McCalla Raymer Women’s Law Symposium, National Labor Relations Board, and various other state and federal agencies. Along with the Honorable W. Homer Drake, Jr., Ms. Thomas was the co-author of the Thomson-West publication, Chapter 13 Practice and Procedure from 2003-2006. In 2009, she edited the ABI publication Chapter 13 in 13 Chapters, written by William J. McLeod. This book is among the ABI’s top selling reference guides.

Former Board of Directors

Prior to attending law school she was a Congressional Aide for Congressman Robert Davis. While attending law school Ms. Viegelahn was a law clerk for the Michigan Department of Corrections specializing in the defense of Section 1983 actions brought by prisoners. She received a JD in 1989 from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She was in private practice for 10 years with Rayman & Hamlin representing Chapter 11 debtors, creditor committees, secured creditors, chapter 7 and 11 trustees, and Chapter 12 debtors. On April 1, 2000, she was appointed as Chapter 13 Trustee for the Western District of Michigan and eventually consolidated two additional trusteeships. On March 1, 2010 she was appointed Chapter 13 Trustee for the San Antonio Division of the Western District of Texas.

She is admitted to the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, and the State Bar of Michigan. She is past Chair of the Bankruptcy Steering Committee for the Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Michigan and past Editor of the Bankruptcy Newsletter for the Western District of Michigan. She is a former adjunct professor at Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She is a speaker for ABI, NACTT, Federal Bar Association, National Business Institute, Institute of Continuing Legal Education, National Advocacy Center, State Bar of Texas – Bankruptcy Section, and other organizations. She is the current Editor of the NACTT Quarterly Journal and a member of the Board of the NACTT Academy.

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