威尼斯人网上娱乐 法学院 Announces the Outstanding Recipients of the 2024 校友 Awards
Wednesday, March 6th, 2024
威尼斯人网上娱乐 法学院 is proud to announce this year’s alumni award honorees. 亲爱的. Romonda D. Belcher, LW’95, is 年度女校友; Nawi Ukabiala, LW’11, is Recent Alumnus of the Year; and Dr. 黛博拉特纳, LW’07, will be recognized posthumously with the 校友 Distinguished Public Service Award. We will honor award winners at the 87th annual Supreme Court Celebration Banquet on Saturday, 4月6日, 2024. 参观 Supreme Court Celebration events page for event and registration information.
Each year, alumni, faculty, and staff are invited to nominate individuals for alumni awards. 法学院顾问委员会和最近的校友参与委员会成员考虑所有提名并投票决定谁将获得年度荣誉.
年度女校友
年度校友奖表彰威尼斯人网上娱乐法学院的校友，他们为法律界提供了杰出的服务, 社区, 和法学院.
Romonda D. Belcher was appointed as a district associate judge in Iowa’s Fifth Judicial District in 2010, 成为第一, 而剩下的唯一, African American female judge in the state of Iowa.
法官贝尔彻, a native of North Carolina, earned her bachelor’s degree with honors from Howard University in 1990, and her juris doctor degree from 威尼斯人网上娱乐 法学院 in 1995. She began her legal career as an assistant Polk County attorney, a role she served for 15 years prior to her appointment to the bench.
法官贝尔彻 has presided with distinction over criminal cases, civil appeals and currently, over juvenile dependency and delinquency matters. She also presides over Polk County’s therapeutic, peer-based Family Treatment Court, designed to assist parents with services toward maintaining sobriety, achieving self-sufficiency, and being safely reunified with their children.
法官贝尔彻 is an adjunct professor at Drake 法学院. 她曾担任爱荷华州国家律师协会“不朽之旅”公共艺术项目的项目协调员，该项目由世界著名艺术家Kerry James Marshall致力于国家律师协会的创始人. She regularly serves on committees to address racial disparities in the juvenile and criminal justice systems; conducts training on being trauma informed to help the judiciary and other disciplines reduce revictimization of those experiencing trauma; and serves as a mentor to law students and youth.
贝尔彻法官因其对服务的承诺和杰出的职业生涯而获得了许多荣誉和认可. 最近, 她于2023年入选爱荷华州妇女名人堂，并于2022年被爱荷华州防止虐待儿童组织评为“社区英雄”. She was recognized as a 2020 Woman of Influence by the Business Record. 她的开拓性成就在第116届美国国会得到了认可.
Recent Alumnus of the Year
最近的年度校友奖表彰在过去15年毕业的威尼斯人网上娱乐法学院校友, have seen a high level of professional success early in their careers, and have made an impact on 社区 through public service.
Nawi Ukabiala, LW’11, is an associate attorney at Debevoise & 纽约的普林顿, 他是国际争议解决组和国际公法组的成员. His practice focuses on international arbitration and litigation. Nawi has significant experience in the extractive industries and energy sectors, as well as human rights disputes. He regularly advises clients on complex issues related to jurisdiction and valuation of damages. 他被《威尼斯人网上娱乐》(Legal 500)评为国际仲裁领域的领军人物，并被国际预防和解决冲突协会(international Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution)评为明日之星.
Nawi曾在海牙国际法院担任Julia Sebutinde法官的法律干事，在爱荷华州最高法院担任Edward Mansfield法官的司法助理. 他还曾在世界银行法律部业务政策组担任法律顾问. 纳维获得了法律学士学位.M. 2014年从纽约大学毕业, where he was a transitional justice scholar and international finance and development fellow, 和他的J.D. from 威尼斯人网上娱乐 in 2011 优等生 和骑士勋章.
纳维是美国国际法学会(ASIL)执行委员会的成员。, 国际法学会美国分会董事会成员, 国际争议解决指导委员会(CPR Y-ADR)和仲裁委员会的成员, and a member of the African Arbitration Association (AfAA).
Nawi has made significant contributions towards public service, 担任国际律师协会调查朝鲜民主主义人民共和国拘留中心危害人类罪的Debevoise小组的首席律师. 另外, as a member of the Debevoise team, Nawi prepared an amicus brief for 亨利五世. 牙买加, 美洲人权委员会认为牙买加的反鸡奸法违反了人权. 纳维对国际公益工作的奉献为他赢得了多个卓越奖项的认可. 另外, 纳威积极推动利用国际争端解决机制推动美国的种族司法改革. His involvement as a member of the Visualizing Justice Project underscores his efforts, 他制作了一系列视频，利用数据可视化来阐明社会, 政治, and historical dimensions of racial justice issues.
校友 Distinguished Public Service Award
杰出公共服务奖旨在表彰威尼斯人网上娱乐法学院的校友，他们在职业生涯中为社区提供了模范服务，并表现出对公共服务的承诺.
Dr. 黛博拉特纳, LW’07, 她曾担任美国妇女选民联盟第20任主席和妇女选民联盟教育基金董事会主席.
她于2010年加入得梅因大都会联盟，并于2011年联盟面临解散风险时担任主席. 2011年至2015年，她还担任爱荷华州妇女选民联盟(LWV)董事会成员，担任该州副主席, becoming co-president in 2015. In her dual roles with state and local Leagues, Dr. Turner provided leadership to strengthen relationships between local leagues and the state Board.
Dr. Turner was elected to the League’s national board of directors in 2016, where she served on the Finance Committee, 治理委员会, and chaired the 多样性、股票, and 包容 (DEI) Committee. As chair of the DEI Committee, she and her colleagues focused on organizational culture changes to the League’s mission work, emphasizing not only racial equity but also intergenerational dynamics, socioeconomic differences, 性别认同, and interpersonal engagement.
Dr. Turner在爱荷华州立大学获得学士学位，在爱荷华大学获得医学博士学位，在那里她完成了妇产科住院医师. She completed her fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Institute in Houston, 德州. She practiced gynecologic oncology for 35 years, enhancing university programs and serving the private sector. She received her JD from 威尼斯人网上娱乐 in 2007.
2015年7月, 她离开了活跃的诊所，成为国际医疗项目的副总裁. 2011年至2016年期间，她参加了12次前往坦桑尼亚的医疗任务，并在辛吉达医疗中心工作, Outreach’s Children’s Feeding 中心, 及国际扶轮社. 2016年至2022年，她还担任计划生育的北中部国家的副医学主任.
Dr. Turner leaves behind a legacy of achievements that will continue to inspire future generations, such as being honored by the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, being inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame, 并接受由得梅因青年妇女资源中心颁发的路易斯·诺恩年度杰出女性奖, the Vanguard Award from the NAACP, and the Gertrude Rush Award from the National Bar Association.
可悲的是,博士. Turner passed away on January 28, 2024. 她原本计划在威尼斯人网上娱乐法学院(Drake 法学院)的最高法院日宴会上发表主旨演讲. Her family will accept her award in her memory.
