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Officers Charles A. Beckham, Jr. Chair Patricia A. Redmond President Hon. Clifton R. Jessup, Jr. Vice-President Hon. Craig Goldblatt Vice-President Hon. Laurel M. Isicoff Vice-President Prof. Elizabeth Tashjian Treasurer Sandeep Qusba Secretary Paul E. Harner DEI Committee Liaison
Board of Directors Michael St. Patrick Baxter Hon. Janet E. Bostwick E. Franklin Childress, Jr. Charles T. Coleman Douglas M. Foley Jay S. Geller Hon. Mary Jo Heston Hon. Peggy Hunt Laura Davis Jones Demetra Liggins Cynthia Nelson Felicia Gerber Perlman Lisa Schweitzer Paul S. Singerman Berry D. Spears
Ex Officio Directors Melissa S. Kibler Jan M. Hayden
Board of Regents Jennifer C. Hagle Chair, Board of Regents Douglas R. Gooding( 1st Cir.) Paul Leake( 2nd Cir.) Derek C. Abbott( 3rd Cir.) Lynn Lewis Tavenner( 4th Cir.) William Wallander( 5th Cir.) Rozanne M. Giunta( 6th Cir.) Brian L. Shaw( 7th Cir.) Monica L. Clark( 8th Cir.) Debra Grassgreen( 9th Cir.) Annette W. Jarvis( 10th Cir.) Elizabeth A. Green( 11th Cir.) Bradley D. Sharp At Large Hon. Deborah L. Thorne At Large Prof. Angela Littwin At Large Hon. Joan N. Feeney At Large, DEI Committee Liaison
Scholar-in-Residence Donald S. Bernstein
Counsel Stephen D. Lerner
Executive Director Alexandra“ CC” Schnapp
College Columns Dec. 2025 Editors Melanie L. Cyganowski Dion W. Hayes
Layout Michelle Foster
From the Chair Hasta La Vista
Charles A. Beckham, Jr., Haynes and Boone, LLP Chair, American College of Bankruptcy
Greetings! The College is wrapping up what has been a fabulous Fall. From our Midyear Fellows Luncheon and Board of Directors meeting in Chicago, to the Illinois Dreams Program at the University of Illinois, to the Second Annual Chris Meyer Memorial Educational Program in Cleveland, to the Second Circuit Legends of Bankruptcy Program in New York, the College conducted educational programs, all over the country. Not only did the College hold outstanding educational programs but this week the College Foundation announced over $ 700,000 in Pro Bono Grants and Professional Pipeline Grants. The College achieves such positive success through you, its Fellows.
And while I’ ve got ya I want to tell you about the Best Job Ever. My last two years as College Chair have been the Best Job Ever! This Column is my last as College Chair. I have had the honor and privilege of serving the College for the last six years as Chair of the Board of Regents, President of the College, and Chair of the College. In those roles I have written twelve Columns, this one being my last. I hope in writing to you I have conveyed a little bit about myself, a little humor, my belief in the College, and the excellence of the College. The Mission of the College is dedicated to the enhancement of professionalism, scholarship, and service in bankruptcy and insolvency law and practice. I come to my computer every morning with the Mission in mind and with an opportunity to lead the College in following its Mission. I have the opportunity on a daily basis to speak with Fellows from all over the country. I get to know Fellows who I have never had a case with and never will, but I learn about the challenges and successes they have or may face professionally and personally. I attend the best bankruptcy educational programs in the world. I learn from the best bankruptcy scholars on the planet and know that I am a little better off because of it. Thank you for trusting me with our Mission. Thank you for