HomeAwards

AWARDS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ACBC honors and acknowledges outstanding contributions to our organization and to the consumer bankruptcy practice in Arizona (by both members and non-members).

2024 Awards

April Maxwell of Maxwell Law Group is the 2024 winner of the Hon. Sarah Sharer Curley Self Help Center Award. April has represented pro bono three low-income debtors on appeals to District Court/BAP on important consumer bankruptcy issues and is a dedicated volunteer for the Bankruptcy Court Self Help Center.

In order to edit this table, select the text you want to replace and either type or paste over it. Please make sure the text you're pasting has not been copied from word, and is clean of all formatting. Click on a placeholder image to delete, and upload/replace with your own using the toolbar above. Make sure they're properly sized before inserting. Right click on a table row to insert/delete that row. Additional blank rows have been pre-inserted at the bottom. THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL NOT APPEAR ON THE LIVE PAGE - DO NOT DELETE

December 14, 2023 The Inn of Courts Recognizes Gary Stickell's contribution to our profession

Gary Stickell

2023 Awards
Member of the Year: Gary Stickell, Law Office of Gary R. Stickell
Non-Member of the Year: Kelly Lischwe,Mark W. Lischwe, P.C.

The first Founders' Awards are given by ACBC founders Gary Stickell and Diane Drain to two people
who have generously donated a significant quantity of their precious time to
promote the growth and long-term viability of ACBC.

Our first Founders' Awards go to: Krystal Ahart and April Maxwell.
ACBC would not be what it is today, but for their commitment.

Gary Stickell

Gary Stickell is the owner of Law Office of Gary R. Stickell. For decades, Gary has been a strong advocate of consumer rights in Arizona.

Gary has been licensed to practice in Arizona since 1982. A leader in the Arizona bankruptcy community, he co-founded the Arizona Consumer Bankruptcy Council and was an inaugural Master of the Arizona Bankruptcy American Inn of Court. Gary has spent hundreds of hours growing the organization and educating its members.

Gary speaks regularly on consumer bankruptcy topics. In recognition of his efforts to mentor and educate lawyers new to the practice of consumer bankruptcy, Gary received the 2010 Award of Special Merit from the State Bar of Arizona. He has also been honored as a Member of the Year by the Arizona Consumer Bankruptcy Counsel in 2011. He received the Pro Bono Distinguished Service Award from the Arizona State Bar, Bankruptcy Section, for his “extraordinary efforts to establish the Chapter 13 Expert Panel.”

Kelly Lischwe

Kelly Lischwe, has been selected as ACBC's 2023 Non-Member of the Year.

Kelly was nominated by Tami Johnson, managing attorney of the Arizona Bankruptcy Court's Self-Help Center, for the ACBC Non-Member of the Year award. According to Tami, "Kelly, a math whiz, has gone above and beyond to help countless Chapter 13 debtors, who were abandoned by their attorney, get their Chapter 13 plans back on track when helping Mark with Self Help Center consults".

For the rest of us, Kelly is always available to answer our questions dealing with chapter 13 cases or how to handle the trustees.

Gary Stickell

Kelly Lischwe

Kelly Lischwe, has been selected as ACBC's 2023 Non-Member of the Year.

2022 Awards
Member of the Year: April Maxwell, Maxwell Law Group
Non-Member of the Year: Patty Chan, Trial Attorney, United States Trustee's Office

April Maxwell

April Maxwell is the owner of Maxwell Law Group. April has experience in appeals and civil litigation, but bankruptcy has her heart.

April is the chair of the ACBC Amicus Committee, and drafted several amicus briefs addressing issues of major importance to our members.

April graduated cum laude from the Sandra Day O'Connor School of Law at Arizona State University. During law school, April pursued her interest in science and the law by serving as Associate Editor for Jurimetrics, The Journal of Law, Science, and Technology, the Official Journal for the American Bar Association § of Science & Technology Law. April's interest in law and science earned her the school's Law and Science certificate.

Prior to attending law school, April received her degree in Zoology from Brigham Young University. April is also the proud mother of 4 great kids and makes a mean cinnamon roll.

Patty Chan

Patty Chan has been selected as ACBC's 2022 Non-Member of the Year. Patty has been an important resource for ACBC for many years. She is a trial attorney at the US Trustee's office, Department of Justice. Patty is a wonderful and caring person, while also being a fierce advocate for justice. Patty has been instrumental in pursuing several Arizona attorneys who have been, or are being, prosecuted for malpractice, not to mention abuses of Arizona debtors and the Bankruptcy Court system.

2021 Awards
Member of the Year: Kenn Neeley
Non-Member of the Year: Micah Wimmer

Kenn Neeley

Kenn Neeley has been selected as ACBC's 2021 Member of the Year. His award reads: In appreciation of your dedication to ACBC’s commitment to protecting the consumer through good legislature. Also, for your commitment to helping consumers navigate important appellate challenges.

Before starting Neeley Law Firm, Kenn owned a custom software development company. His experience with explaining complex technology to business executives helped him learn how to take a complicated process and explain it in an understandable way. He provides that same service for his clients. Kenn is most proud of his two published appellate wins for consumer debtors: In re. Gray, 523 B.R. 170 (9th Cir. BAP 2014) and In re. Neidorf, 534 B.R. 369 (9th Cir. BAP 2015).”

Kenn is a die-hard entrepreneur and loves small businesses. He has an amazing wife and 5 awesome kids who keep him sharp with their debate skills.

Micah Wimmer

Micah Wimmer has been selected as ACBC's 2021 Non-Member of the Year. Micah has been ACBC’s unsung hero for years. Behind the scenes, he has been instrumental in solving some technology challenges, and now is involved with legislative issues.

Micah uses knowledge, patience, and compassion to lead residential buyers and sellers through the real estate transaction process. He combines his skills as an educator to timely and effectively communicate all stages of the transaction process with those of a data scientist to create accurate pricing models to aid in negotiations.

In order to edit this table, select the text you want to replace and either type or paste over it. Please make sure the text your pasting has not been copied from word, and is clean of all formatting. Click on a placeholder image to delete, and upload/replace with your own using the toolbar above. Make sure they're properly sized before inserting. Right click on a table row to insert/delete that row. Additional blank rows have been pre-inserted at the bottom. THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL NOT APPEAR ON THE LIVE PAGE - DO NOT DELETE

2020 Awards
Member of the Year: Jacqueline Rambo
Non-Member of the Year: Russell Brown
The American Bankruptcy Institute's "40 Under 40" Award: Krystal Ahart

Jacqueline Rambo

Jacqueline Rambo has been selected as ACBC's 2020 Member of the Year. Her award reads: Your tireless work helped establish our website as a well-respected resource. Your commitment has ensured that ACBC is and will remain an important contributor to our profession.

She has been a member since back in the days when we were called Lunch at Pugzies, and she currently serves as ACBC's Website Chair.

Jacque opened her firm, Rambo Law Offices, in San Diego in 2003, straight out of law school. She expanded with a second location in Phoenix in 2006. Her practice focuses on consumer bankruptcy law, representing debtors in bankruptcy, collections, and foreclosures. She formerly practiced family law for 10 years and still occasionally handles uncontested family matters. She's also a trained mediator and life-coach, an inactive real estate broker, past Adjunct Professor at Arizona Summit Law School, and a former banker and fraud investigator.

She has been volunteering at the Bankruptcy Court's Self-Help Center since its inception 10 years ago. She also frequently volunteers for her other passion - animals. She's a mom to four Rhodesian Ridgeback littermates.

Russell Brown

Russell Brown has been selected as ACBC's 2020 Non-Member of the Year.

Russell Brown has been a Chapter 13 Standing Trustee for the District of Arizona since 1996. He graduated Kansas State University and Washburn University School of Law. Before becoming a trustee he practiced consumer bankruptcy law for eleven years.

He serves or has served on various local committees including three Bankruptcy Rules Committees, Chapter 13 Fees Committee, The Consumer Protection Committee of the State Bar, Chapter 13 Model Plan group, Bankruptcy Court Website Committee, and Bankruptcy Court ECF Users Group.

Russell has been a speaker on Chapter 13 issues and conducted many seminars for Arizona practitioners. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees (NACTT) and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Data Center.

He serves or has served on various NACTT committees including the Due Process Committee, Insurance Working Group, Standing Trustee Alliance for Computer Security, Trustee Outreach. Statistical Data Committee, and Website Committee. He was the trustee representative on the national Additional Stakeholders Functional Requirements Group (CM/ECF Next Generation Project for the Administrative Office of the Courts) for 2010-2011. Russell is a Certified Fraud Examiner (ACFE).

Krystal Ahart

Krystal Ahart was selected as a member of the 2020 Class of American Bankruptcy Institute’s “40 Under 40” Program, which identifies 40 top industry professionals, under the age of 40, who exhibit the highest standards of achievement in the bankruptcy community.

Krystal is Certified as a Bankruptcy Specialist by the State Bar of Arizona and appeared on Super Lawyers’ 2021 Southwest Rising Stars® list, an honor reserved for only 2.5 percent of attorneys in the region. She focuses her practice on assisting individuals and businesses through the bankruptcy process in Chapters 7, 11, and 13. She is an experienced attorney who has successfully guided many clients through bankruptcy, providing the high-quality, personalized legal advice they need through every phase of their case.

Krystal is an active member of the legal community and devotes a substantial amount of time to serving the underserved. She currently serves as ACBC’s Co-Executive Director and Chairs the Advisory Committee for the Volunteer Lawyers Program.

2019 Awards
Member of the Year: Shawn Stone
Non-Member of the Year: Cody Jess

Shawn Stone

We honor Shawn Stone as Member of the Year. Shawn has been a member of ACBC from back in the days that it was called Lunch at Pugzies. Shawn was our first website chair and struggled for many, many months to get an ACBC website up and running. It is not the website that we use now. Shawn is currently our membership chair. We thank him for the thankless tasks that he has performed for ACBC over the years and honor him as our Member of the Year.

Quote from Shawn's bio: "Shawn Stone, is known for the dedicated, tailored approach he takes when guiding clients through the bankruptcy process. He helps clients understand their options for stopping creditor harassment, wage garnishment and other concerns. As a licensed realtor, he also has extensive experience handling real estate concerns for those facing home foreclosure or considering short sales.

In addition to his legal activities, Mr. Stone does pro bono work for the Community Legal Services Volunteer Lawyers program. He is also a Big Brother in the national Big Brother/Big Sister program."

Cody Jess

Our non-Member of the Year is Cody Jess. Cody Jess has co-counseled in several highly contested adversaries. He is a bulldog litigator and we appreciate his many assistance. Cody was gracious enough to be a guest speaker at a monthly lunch meeting. For these reasons and more, Cody is our non-member of the year.

Quote from Cody's bio: "Cody James Jess is a shareholder at Moyes, Sellers & Hendricks Ltd. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, commercial bankruptcy, creditor's rights, and business law. He is experienced in Chapter 7, 11, and 15 (cross-border insolvency) bankruptcy and has been selected by Super Lawyers® since 2012.

A 2006 Willard J. Pedrick Scholar at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, Cody is a member of the State Bar of Arizona Bankruptcy and Trial Practice sections, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and is a Barrister in the Arizona Bankruptcy American Inn of Court."

Cody also provides pro bono assistance to indigent persons through Community Legal Services' Volunteer Lawyers Program.

2018 Awards
Member of the Year: Brian Spector
Non-Member of the Year: Daniel J. Collins, Bankruptcy Judge

Brian Spector

Brian Spector was selected as the ACBC 2018 Member of the Year. His award reads: Thank you for your extraordinary dedication to ACBC and the legal profession. You are an exemplary role model for all lawyers.

Quote from Brian's bio: “Through 30 years of practice, my experience has taught me to be a problem solver. I advise clients about the financial and legal issues confronting them, the ways to resolve them and the possible range of outcomes, and to help them focus on the big issues en route to making informed decisions.”

Brian Spector is a business and bankruptcy lawyer and litigator whose practice focuses on the representation of debtors, creditors and others in bankruptcy, workouts, and collection matters.

Judge Daniel P. Collins

Judge Collins' award reads: "Our entire bankruptcy community is enriched by your commitment to quality education and your focus on professionalism and mentorship"

To quote from Judge Collins' bio: "Hon. Daniel P. Collins is a Bankruptcy Judge for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona in Phoenix, appointed as bankruptcy judge on Jan. 18, 2013, and as chief judge on March 17, 2014. Previously, he was a shareholder with the law firm of Collins, May, Potenza, Baran & Gillespie, P.C., in downtown Phoenix, practicing primarily in the areas of bankruptcy, commercial litigation and commercial transactions.

Judge Collins served on the State Bar of Arizona’s Subcommittee on the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act. He also chaired the Bankruptcy Section of the State of Arizona from 1995-96 and was a lawyer representative to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He was granted the St. Thomas More Award in 2017.

Judge Collins is a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, ABI, Arizona Bankruptcy American Inn of Court, Federal Bar Association, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, State Bar of Arizona and the Maricopa County Bar. He currently serves on ABI’s Board of Dirctors and on the board of the Federal Bar Association’s Phoenix Chapter. He is also a member of the University of Arizona Law School Board of Visitors and was one of the founders of the Arizona Bankruptcy American Inn of Court.

2017 Awards
The American Bankruptcy Institute's "40 Under 40" Award: Andrea Wimmer

Andrea Wimmer

Andrea has practiced exclusively as debtors’ counsel in consumer chapter 7 and 13 cases for the last 10 years, including 2004 exams, objections to exemptions, stay-relief matters, adversary proceedings, and stay and discharge violations, handling all matters from inception to case closure while also acting as managing attorney for her previous firm, Marco | Wimmer PLLC. At her current firm, she will expand her practice to include chapter 11 debtor work for both individuals and businesses as well as aspects of commercial litigation and bankruptcy appeals.

Andrea has been a speaker at, among other events, ABI’s Southwest Bankruptcy Conference, Norton’s Bankruptcy Institute and the Arizona State Bar Convention. She is a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judge’s NextGen Class of 2016, and she received the 2014 Member of the Year Award and a Special Appreciation Award from a local consumer attorney group, as well as a Distinguished Service Award from ABAIC. She has published in NACBA’s Consumer Bankruptcy Journal and the State Bar of Arizona Bankruptcy Section Journal, serves as treasurer of the Arizona Consumer Bankruptcy Counsel and president of the Arizona Bankruptcy American Inn of Court, and is a member of the Local Rules Committee’s Chapter 13 and Uniformity Subcommittees.

Andrea grew up in Austria and moved to the U.S. by herself after high school with the single goal of becoming an “American lawyer.” Ten years later, she built a firm and established herself as a respected member of the legal community. She is affiliated with the League of Women Voters and Lawyers for Good Government, and she volunteers at local advocacy events and at a local food bank. She has also been a volunteer attorney with the Arizona Bankruptcy Court’s Self-Help Center, which provides assistance to pro se debtors.

2016 Awards
Member of the Year: Krystal Ahart
Non-Member of the Year: Cynthia McElroy
Forum Contributor: Larry Karandreas

Krystal Ahart

Krystal Ahart was selected as the ACBC Member of the Year. Her award reads: Thanks for your extraordinary dedication to ACBC and the legal profession. You are an exemplary role model for all lawyers, especially young lawyers.

See below for more about Krystal's contributions to the entire bankruptcy practice, her clients and her commitment to ACBC and its members.

Larry Karandreas

Larry's award reads: Our entire community is enriched by Larry’s commitment to quality education. Everyone, including our clients, benefit by Larry’s willingness to share his vast knowledge.

To quote from Larry's bio: The clients that come to me do so during a difficult time in their lives and need help. Creditor and collection agency harassment can be disturbing and can lead you to make decisions that are not in your best interests. Dealing with financial problems is stressful, so true bankruptcy help can only come from someone who genuinely cares about their client and can guide them through the process painlessly. As an experienced bankruptcy attorney in Arizona, I have helped many clients find the peace of mind they deserve and I have done so with compassion and the one-on-one bankruptcy help and advice required.

Cynthia McElroy

Cynthia's award reads: ACBC’s thanks for your tireless commitment to helping those lost in the tangle of procedures called bankruptcy. Your devotion to the Self-Help Center is core to its success.

Cynthia McElroy currently works at the Bankruptcy Court Self Help Center in Phoenix Arizona. She has an Associates Degree and Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in MIS, and has 18 credits hours toward her Masters. She started her career at the Bankruptcy Court in Chicago Illinois, and has also worked at the courts in Dallas Texas, San Jose California, Fresno California, Baltimore Maryland, and Tucson Arizona. She has been with the federal courts for 24 yrs in various positions. She enjoys helping people and gets great reward when she is able to help someone and they come back to thank her for the help. She believes in being a good listener even if there is nothing I she can do for the pro se debtor because what she has learned is that most of the time people just want someone to listen and to care. She enjoys working at the Self Help Center and has gained many a friendship from our volunteer attorneys. She is a wife and mother of 3 girls and also enjoys volunteering at her church on the weekends.

2015 Awards
Special Appreciation: Krystal Ahart and Andrea Wimmer
State Bar Convention Chair for Bankruptcy Section and Chair of Consumer Breakout

Krystal Ahart

Krystal Ahart, is an attorney at the Bankruptcy Legal Center, Law Office James F. Kahn, P.C. Krystal is also on the Board of Directors for ACBC. Krystal agreed to oversee the entire Bankruptcy Section program for the 2016 State Bar Convention. This obligation is extremely daunting and time consuming, but Krystal successfully produced a wonderful day-long series of bankruptcy programs. She will tell you that there are many unsung heroes who helped with the program. But what she will not mention is the challenge of juggling her own clients, the demands of developing a great convention program and her other numerous obligations. Few know that the week of the Convention, Jim Kahn, the founder of the Bankruptcy Legal Center, suffered a serious fall and was hospitalized for a week. This left Krystal to care for her own clients, Jim's clients, and the Convention programs. Throughout all she never stopped smiling. ACBC wants to thank Krystal for her commitment to our profession and her clients.

Andrea Wimmer

Andrea Wimmer, of Marco|Wimmer, is the co-Executive Director of ACBC, and was responsible for coordinating the consumer breakout for the Bankruptcy Section of the State Bar of Arizona. Her commitment to quality education was evident in the outcome of this all day program. ACBC wants to congratulate Andrea on this great job. Again, our membership wants to thank Andrea for all that you have done for the consumer practitioner, for the bankruptcy practice in general and for the members of ACBC.

2014 Awards
Member of the Year: Andrea Wimmer
Forum Contributor: Dan Furlong
Non-Member of the Year: Ellen Sue Katz

Andrea Wimmer

Andrea is the co-Executive Director of ACBC. Throughout the last several years Andrea has been very committed to the growth and prosperity of ACBC. She spent a considerable number of hours in coordinating and presenting numerous CLE programs, plus many other projects. Andrea’s engaging personality acts as a lighthouse for all those around her. You cannot help but smile when she walks into the room. Nor can you say no if she asks you to help out. Thank you Andrea for all that you have done for the consumer practitioner, for the bankruptcy practice in general and for the members of ACBC.

Dan Furlong

Dan Furlong is a gentleman and a bottomless well of knowledge. If any ACBC member needs case law, language for a brief, or just a simple explanation of a complicated bankruptcy concept – there is Dan. His analysis is practical and on point. His library of cases equals the National Library. What stands out the most about Dan is that he is always willing to help anyone. His clients have wonderful things to say about Dan, his staff and his services. Dan – thank you for being our expert librarian and mentor.

Ellen Sue Katz

Ellen Sue Katz, of the William E. Morris Institute for Justice. Ellen is a diligent workhorse, constantly laboring behind the legislative scene in an attempt to protect the legal rights of those without a voice in the Arizona State Legislature. Ellen is a very important contributor to the ACBC Legislative committee. For example, Ellen worked in tandem with ACBC to fight an attempt by the bankruptcy trustees to eliminate the supplementary vehicle exemption for a person with a handicap. It was thanks to Ellen that this bill was defeated. This is just one of many examples of Ellen’s diligent commitment to protecting the citizens of Arizona. Our thanks to Ellen and the William E. Morris Institute for Justice; keep up the great work.

2013 Awards
Member of the Year: Dwayne Farnsworth
Non-Member of the Year: Tami Johnson

Dwayne Farnsworth

Dwayne Farnsworth is the 2013 Member of the Year. For many years Dwayne has worked behind the scenes to change the Arizona exemptions with the goal of protecting certain essential assets for all Arizona citizens. In 2013 Dwayne successfully advanced a bill which brought Arizona exemptions into the twenty-first century. Most of the basic exemptions (household furniture, tools of the trade and other necessities) had not been updated since 1982. Without Dwayne’s guidance and doggedness the young ACBC would not have successfully changed the exemption laws. Members of ACBC understand the magnitude of these changes, but Dwayne’s hard work will never be known by those who actually receive the benefit – Arizona citizens. Our thanks to Dwayne for caring about others.

Tami Johnson

Tami Johnson is the force behind the Arizona Bankruptcy Court’s Self-Help Center. She works in tandem with ACBC on several projects, such as finding volunteer attorneys for those debtors who have been abandoned by their own attorneys. In addition, she coordinates several programs: such as the attorney volunteers for the Self-Help Clinic (both telephonic and in-person), the Adversary Clinic and the Chapter 13 SWAT Team. In her free time she works with the Reaffirmation Clinic. Tami is constantly on the lookout for document preparers who are in run afoul of the Bankruptcy Code. She coordinates between the Bankruptcy Court, Arizona Supreme Court, the State Bar of Arizona and the United States Trustees Office in order to eliminate illegal or unethical practices. It is thanks to Tami that the general public has a safe place to obtain legal counsel regarding their rights in bankruptcy.

2012 Awards
Members of the Year: Scott Hyder and Cindy Greene
Non-Members of the Year: Ilene Lashinsky and Teri Yeates

Scott Hyder

We honor Scott Hyder as Member of the Year. Scott has been a member of ACBC since back in the days when it was called Lunch at Pugzies. We thank him for the thankless tasks that he has performed for ACBC over the years and honor him as our Member of the Year.

Quote from Scott's bio:

In addition to his legal activities, Scott also does ----

Cindy Greene

Cindy Greene is the Membership Chair and our Treasurer. Cindy takes on the projects that must get done and does them. When we decided to hold a get-to-together CLE with the Trustees, she organized the program which was attended by three chapter 7 Trustees, Judge Nielsen, and Chief Judge Marlar. Cindy has been our membership chair through the rough and tumble transition from a free organization to a dues paying organization. When the handling of dues collection became to cumbersome for the past Treasurer, Cindy agreed to step in and be our treasurer as well.

Ilene Lashinsky

Ilene Lashinsky is our U.S. Trustee. Ilene is a valued bridge within our Consumer Bankruptcy Community. Ilene speaks at our lunches and our CLE programs. She partnered the U.S. Trustee’s Office with us to put on the Consumer Bankruptcy 101 program providing her time and invaluable resources to that joint effort.

Teri Yeates

Teri Yeates is the State Bar staff member assigned to the Bankruptcy Section. From our earliest involvement with representing the consumer bar, Teri has been our aid and our ally. Teri has administered countless CLE and Brown Bag programs that we have initiated. “Administered” includes sending out invitations, compiling the list of attendees and collecting fees, making sure there are enough copies of written materials, taking attendance, ordering lunch, and then cleaning up afterwards.

2011 Awards
Members of the Year: Gary Stickell and Diane L. Drain
Non-Members of the Year: Michael Zimmerman and Michelle Sojak

Gary Stickell

Gary Stickell and Diane Drain, co-founders of ACBC. Since 2005, Gary and Diane have partnered in presenting meaningful CLE’s to our consumer debtor attorneys and (with Mark Lischwe) monthly lunches. Out of the email list for the monthly lunches grew to be the Lunch at Pugzies listserv (a thanks to Allan Butler and his staff for putting that google group together). Out of their commitment to the consumer bankruptcy attorney community and the integration of the newest members of that community, the group grew from ten to one hundred and fifty. Their efforts included: Diane’s start-up and guidance of the Bankruptcy Court’s Self-Help Center. Gary’s initiation of the Consumer Mentor sessions. The free Consumer Bankruptcy 101 program held at Arizona State University in May 2010. The history of their partnership is the history of our organization and it is right that they receive the initial members of the year awards.

Diane Drain

Michael Zimmerman

Michael was the first pro se law clerk of the Arizona Bankruptcy Court. Michael Zimmerman coordinated the grants and underwriting that allowed us to put on the Consumer Bankruptcy 101 program. Michael created the environment to grow the self-help center from consisting of just Diane Drain and a few of her colleagues, to a regular group of dedicated volunteers.

Michelle Sojak

Michelle is Gary Stickell’s assistant. Among her services to ACBC has been fielding the phone calls of all of you that wanted to join the Pugzies’ listserv and compiling the materials for the Consumer Bankruptcy 101 program. Without Michelle’s support, ACBC would not be what it is today.