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Five Minnesota Judicial Branch Employees Receive 2022 Minnesota Association for Court Management (MACM) Awards

Posted: Thursday, October 13, 2022

Five Minnesota Judicial Branch employees were honored for their professional expertise and contributions to the teams and workplaces they serve at the recent Minnesota Association for Court Management (MACM) conference.
 
  • Abby Gilmore, Wabasha County Court Administrator, Third Judicial District – Early Career Excellence Award
  • Kaitlin Schwab, Court Operations Supervisor, Fifth Judicial District – Coach/Mentor of the Year Award
  • Meghan Knapp, Accounting Manager, First Judicial District – Champion of Change Award
  • Mary Dilla, Supervising Attorney, Fourth Judicial District – Distinguished Service Award
  • Jeri Boetcher, Human Resources Manager, First Judicial District – Lifetime Achievement Award
 
Abby Gilmore, Wabasha County Court Administrator in the Third Judicial District, received the Early Career Excellence Award. The Award recognizes an individual who demonstrates achievement in the courts by obtaining a high level of knowledge in a short amount of time, is a valuable resource to others, and demonstrates outstanding leadership by considering stakeholders when making decisions.
 
Gilmore has served as the Wabasha County Court Administrator since April 2020. Her leadership and ability to work effectively with others help ensure high-quality, convenient, and consistent service. Gilmore is recognized as an exceptionally quick learner and strong communicator who builds cohesive, high-functioning staff teams and maintains collaborative relationships with justice partners. Her ability to build trust and willingness to take on new challenges was called upon when the Judicial Branch was developing a Minnesota Interpreter Scheduling Specialist Team. She helped lead the effort to create and implement this new statewide Team, which will produce greater efficiency, enhanced interpreter scheduler backup support, and more efficient and cost-effective use of employee interpreters.
 
Gilmore worked as a Court Operations Associate in Olmsted County from 2014 to 2016, and as a Lead Worker in Olmsted County from 2018 to 2020.  She is a member of the Third District Administrative Team, the Innovative Leadership Workgroup, the River Region Workgroup, and the Talent Centric Workgroup.
 
Kaitlin Schwab, Court Operations Supervisor for the Fifth Judicial District Document Acceptance Team, was awarded the Coach/Mentor of the Year Award. The Award recognizes an individual who fosters trust while encouraging others to achieve their goals without thought of reciprocation.
 
During her three-and-a-half years as a Court Operations Supervisor, Schwab created a team of five full-time staff to manage document acceptance and support for local court administrations. She is recognized as a proactive leader and strong communicator with a keen eye for detail. Schwab strongly advocates for continuous improvement and has consistently identified ways to improve data quality, document security, and efficiency. Her willingness to help staff learn and grow in their jobs has fostered a motivated and productive team.   
 
Schwab first joined the Minnesota Judicial Branch as a Court Operations Associate in 2015 before being promoted to her current position in 2019. She serves on the Statewide Document Security Oversight Team, is the secretary for the Fifth District Court Administrative Team, and is a member of the Minnesota Association for Court Management.
 
Meghan Knapp, Accounting Manager for the First Judicial District, was honored as the Champion of Change. This award recognizes an individual who fosters collaboration to promote innovation by embracing opportunities to utilize technology and other resources to increase efficiencies and productivity in the workplace.
 
Knapp is a positive and persistent change advocate. Her diverse work background has been instrumental in designing and implementing efficient and effective financial processes for the First Judicial District and the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Knapp is recognized for her extensive knowledge of financial policies and procedures, her positive attitude, and her ability to keep staff well-informed on new processes and resources. Her commitment to achieving accuracy and instituting beneficial change has led to her serving in key roles on such teams as the eFinance pilot project, the Statewide Accounting Workgroup, the Management Database Workgroup, and the Senior Judge Electronic Timesheet Workgroup.
 
Knapp joined the Judicial Branch in 2008 as an Office Assistant and has served in various administrative and financial roles in the First Judicial District since 2011. She serves on the First District Administration Management Office Team and the First District Senior Administration Team. She is also a member of the Minnesota Association for Court Management, serving as treasurer.
 
Mary Dilla, Supervising Attorney in the Family Justice Center Self-Help Center in the Fourth Judicial District, received the Distinguished Service Award. The Award recognizes an individual with a record of outstanding service to the community and the courts, and demonstrates leadership by improving the administration of justice and delivery of public service through modern management techniques.
 
A 26-year employee of the Minnesota Judicial Branch, Dilla embodies outstanding service to the Fourth Judicial District and the Hennepin County community. She puts learning into action and consistently demonstrates a commitment to improving the administration of justice. Dilla has extensive legal and court-related knowledge and experience working in Family Court proceedings. With a focus on collaboration and problem-solving, she has worked to provide access to justice for self-represented litigants, streamline processes, address challenges, and help ensure a seamless experience for litigants, external stakeholders, judicial officers, and court staff.  
 
Dilla has also strived to address larger issues impacting the community and take tangible steps toward meaningful improvements. She is a member of the Racial Equity Strategic Leadership Team in the Fourth Judicial District, and collaborates with the District’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Office to bring together a community of leaders to guide the elevation, impact, and sustainability of work that advances racial equity in the Fourth Judicial District.
 
Recognized throughout her career for her insightful contributions to various committees and workgroups, Dilla has been involved in the Self-Help Center Collaborative Leadership Group, the Self-Help Center Workgroup, the National Self-Represented Litigation Network, and the Minnesota Association for Court Management. She has also served on the Family Court Enhancement Program, the Volunteer Lawyer’s Network Family Law Committee, and Justice for Families.
 
Jeri Boetcher, Human Resources Manager in the First Judicial District, received the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award. The Award honors a recipient’s many contributions to the court management profession and years of service to the Judicial Branch.
 
In her 35 years of service to the Minnesota Judicial Branch, Boetcher has been a visionary change agent and vigorous proponent of customer service. Her deep commitment to education, training, and a learning environment has helped create a legacy of people who will serve the public well for years to come. Boetcher goes above and beyond the requirements of her position to foster relationships, mentor staff, and recognize people for excellent work.
 
Boetcher is an Institute of Court Management Fellow, Certified Court Executive, and Certified Court Manager with the National Conference on State Courts. She is also a member of the National Association for Court Management, the Minnesota Association for Court Management, the State Human Resources Management Team, the State Education Committee, the State Classification Appeal Revenue Panel, the First District Senior Administration Team, the First District Administration Office Management Team, the First District Equal Justice Committee, the First District Teamsters CAT Labor Management Committee, and the First District Court Reporter Labor Management Committee.