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NFPA 2021 JOINT CONFERENCECERTIFICATION CONFERENCE AGENDAFRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021TIME (CDT)TOPIC12:30 – 12:35 PMOpening Remarks12:35 – 1:35 PMPanel Discussion:Certification AmbassadorBasics – Study Groups,Resources, Tips and Tricks1:35 – 1:45 PMSPEAKERLisa Vessels, RP , CPNFPA Director of Paralegal CertificationSouth Florida Paralegal AssociationBecky Kerstetter, OSBANFPA Strategic Planning CoordinatorCleveland Association of ParalegalsJanet Wilson Williams, RP NFPA Advisory Board MemberGeorgia Association of ParalegalsAngela Woodlee, RP Indiana Paralegal AssociationBreak – stretch your legs, rest your eyes, or chat with attendeesLisa Vessels, RP , CPNFPA Director of Paralegal CertificationSouth Florida Paralegal Association1:45 – 2:45 PMFastTrack – Yesterday,Today, and Tomorrow2:45 – 3:00 PMBreak – stretch your legs, rest your eyes, or chat with attendees3:00 – 4:00 PMIdentifying and MitigatingBias: Certification StudyGroups and CandidateRecruitmentApproved for 1.0 DI&E CLESybil Taylor Aytch, M.Ed., RP NFPA Diversity, Inclusion, and EquityCommittee ChairNFPA Bar Association CoordinatorNFPA Ethics Board MemberOregon Paralegal AssociationTracey Woolsey, RP NFPA Region III DirectorPast NFPA Renewals CoordinatorIndiana Paralegal Association4:00 – 5:00 PMPanel Discussion: Issueswith Certification RenewalsVanessa Laro, RP , CPPast NFPA Renewals CoordinatorCentral Connecticut Paralegal AssociationLisa Vessels, RP , CPNFPA Director of Paralegal CertificationSouth Florida Paralegal Association5:00 – 5:30 PMBreak – check your email and come back with your beverage of choice5:30 – 6:30 PMVirtual Happy Hour & Networking

Panel Discussion: Certification Ambassador Basics – Study Groups,Resources, Tips and TricksFriday, June 11, 2021, 12:35 p.m. CDTOur distinguished panel of speakers will discuss how to organize study groups, tips and tricks to pass on topotential candidates, how to recruit candidates, where to find resources for study, and review the materials foundin Certification Ambassador Toolkit and how to access it on NFPA’s website.BECKY KERSTETTER, OSBA is an Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) CertifiedParalegal with over 15 years of experience at the law offices of Squire Patton Boggs (US)LLP in Cleveland Ohio in the public finance and infrastructure department. She earned aB.A. in Paralegal Studies and Justice Studies from Kent State University in 2005 and hasbeen working in the paralegal field since the completion of her degree. She also servedmultiple terms as President of the Cleveland Association of Paralegals and is the current VicePresident of Membership and in this role also works closely with the Cleveland MetropolitanBar Association on their charitable events, pro-bono opportunities and inner-city studenteducational learning programs. Becky also serves NFPA as Secondary Representative and isthe NFPA Strategic Planning Coordinator as well as the NFPA Certification AmbassadorsCoordinator. She volunteers and sits on the Advisory Boards for Ursuline College’s LegalStudies Program and Kent State University’s Paralegal Program. Her expertise encompasses all types of public financeissues including working with bond counsel in both general obligation and revenue bond and note financings for Ohioschool districts, municipalities and counties and also for underwriters’ counsel for national and regional underwriters of taxexempt bond issues by Ohio issuers.JANET WILSON WILLIAMS, RP - Over the past 10 years, Ms. Janet WilsonWilliams, RP has served the Georgia Association of Paralegals (GAP) in the capacities ofPresident, Vice President, Director of Certification, and Primary and Secondary Delegate, andcurrently serves as Board Advisor. She has also served on the NFPA Certification Task Force (toupdate the PACE Exam) and, in 2021, was appointed to the NFPA Advisory Council.Ms. Williams earned an advanced national paralegal certification in 2008 as a PACE RegisteredParalegal and is a graduate of the ABA-approved paralegal program at The National Center forParalegal Training, formerly of Atlanta, Georgia. She also earned a Certificate in Human ResourcesManagement from the University of Georgia in 2013. She has been working as a paralegal in thearea of Commercial Real Estate and Finance since 1990, and has been employed at the law office ofAndersen Tate & Carr, P.C. for over 15 years.High notes with student involvement were her engagement as an interviewer and mentor tograduating students of the Emory University paralegal program, as a key speaker for the GeorgeWashington University Paralegal Student Association, and as a frequent speaker to the paralegal students of the Universityof Georgia.Ms. Williams is the author of "My Journey to Becoming an RP," published in the National Paralegal Reporter(February/March 2010) and was a featured speaker in the Institute for Paralegal Education presentation, "The Paralegal'sRole in the Real Estate Transaction in Georgia" (November 1999). Most recently published were "Paralegal Think Tank"and "Musings from the Paralegal of the Year" in the NFPA Blog. Ms. Williams was awarded GAP Paralegal of the Yearfor 2016-2017, NFPA Paralegal of the Year in 2016, and NFPA Certification Ambassador of the Year in 2014.

ANGELA C. WOODLEE, RP is a Senior Litigation Paralegal at Hall Render. Sheobtained her paralegal certificate from IUPUI and her Bachelor's Degree from theUniversity of Indianapolis. Angela is a member of the Indiana Paralegal Association,the Indianapolis Bar Association's Paralegal Committee, and the National Federationof Paralegal Associations. Outside of work, Angela is married to her best friend, Jeffand together they have two boys who keep them very busy with lacrosse, basketball,football and golf.

FastTrack – Yesterday, Today, and TomorrowFriday, June 11, 2021, 1:45 p.m. CDTLast year, the NFPA Board of Directors implemented a program called FastTrack to address some of the uniqueissues encountered with the certification programs while dealing with the ongoing pandemic. At the same time,there were procedural changes made to streamline the application, review, renewal application and review, aswell as appeals, etc. Although the FastTrack program ended on March 31, 2021, there are still some of thestreamlining efforts implemented with this program that are continuing to support the efforts to streamlineprocedures for headquarters staff. This topic will explore what changed in FastTrack, what will remain from thatshort-term program, and what is on the horizon for the programs overall, as well as our Assurance of Learningprogram.LISA VESSELS, RP , CP , lives in Miami, Florida, and is employed by DuaneMorris LLP managing the docketing function for her firm's U.S. offices. Lisa hasworked in the paralegal profession since 1992 with experience in commerciallitigation, corporate contract law, and commercial aviation equipment leasing andsales.Lisa is a former two-term President of the South Florida Paralegal Association andthe Florida Alliance of Paralegal Associations. As an active member in bothorganizations, she has served in many additional roles such as Webmaster,Treasurer, Secretary, and Membership Chair since joining in 2005.Lisa served on Miami-Dade College's Paralegal Studies Program Advisory Boardfrom 2006 to 2012, serving as chairperson from 2010-12. She has served fourthree-year terms as a non-lawyer member of The Florida Bar's Unlicensed Practiceof Law Committee for the 11th Circuit in Miami-Dade County, and is currently serving one of the Florida Bar’s FloridaRegistered Paralegal Disciplinary Committees. She was an adjunct instructor at Florida International University's ParalegalStudies certificate program from 2006 to 2008.Lisa served as NFPA’s Regulation Review Coordinator from November 2009 until September 2012 and was an activeparticipant on the PCC Exam Development Committee from its inception in 2008 through its launch in 2011. In 2012, shewas elected as NFPA’s Vice President and Director of Positions and Issues, and 2014, she was elected as NFPA’sPresident. From 2016-2018 she served in the role of NFPA’s Board Advisor.Lisa earned her Bachelor's degree in Paralegal Studies from Nova Southeastern University in 2005, and Associate's degreesin Computer Information Systems and Computer Programming (Visual Basic) from Miami Dade College in 2002. Lisaearned the Certified Paralegal designation in September 2005, earned the PACE Registered Paralegal designation inSeptember 2012, and held the Florida Registered Paralegal registration of The Florida Bar from 2008 to 2018.

Identifying and Mitigating Bias: Certification Study Groups and CandidateRecruitmentFriday, June 11, 2021, 3:00 p.m. CDTBiases are more prevalent than envisioned and play a consequential role in inclusion and participation inprofessional organizations, including issues related to certification programs such as study groups and therecruitment of candidates.Topics to be examined include: Defining BiasIdentifying the Implications of Cognitive BiasEvaluating and Overcoming Unconscious BiasEradicating Implicit BiasThe Role of Cultural Competence in Mitigating BiasSYBIL TAYLOR AYTCH, RP , M.ED. is a first-generation American and a nativeof New York City. She is an educator and PACE Registered Paralegal who hasinterviewed, mentored, and trained scores of paralegal students and entry-levelparalegals. She writes and speaks frequently on issues related to the paralegal professionincluding ethics, technology, utilization, professionalism, and diversity and inclusion.Sybil has extensive experience in complex litigation, commercial bankruptcy law,antitrust law, and trial preparation, specializing in electronic document and discoverymanagement, trial technology, and project administrationSybil is the Senior Paralegal in the Commercial Bankruptcy, Restructuring andCreditors’ Rights group in the Phoenix, Arizona office of the national law firm ofQuarles & Brady LLP. Prior to moving to Phoenix, she was a Senior Specialist andCoordinator in the Corporate Restructuring group at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &Flom LLP in New York.Sybil is also an Adjunct Professor in the ABA-approved Paralegal Studies program at Phoenix College where she teachesEthics and Professional Practice, Civil Interviewing and Investigation, Bankruptcy, and The Paralegal Profession. From2004-2008, she served as a member of the ABA's Standing Commission on Paralegals Approval Commission where sheled site visits to review applications for ABA-approval at multiple educational institutions. She was previously an AssistantProfessor at Western International University where she taught Critical Thinking, Civil Procedure, and Comparative Law.Sybil holds a double Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in French and English from Smith College in Northampton,Massachusetts and a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in Educational Psychology from Northern Arizona University inFlagstaff, Arizona. She was also educated in Paris, France and earned a Certificat en Littérature in French Literature froml'Université de Paris- La Sorbonne and a Certificat en Sciences Politiques in International Law from l'Institut d'ÉtudesPolitiques. She obtained the PACE Registered Paralegal credential in 1999.Sybil is a member of the Oregon Paralegal Association and has a long history with NFPA. In 2002, she was the recipientof the Outstanding Local Leadership Award. From 2007-2010, she served as Ethics Board Chair. Since 2017, she hasserved as Chair of the Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Committee and as Bar Association Coordinator. Sybil is also afounding member of the Paralegal Division of the Maricopa County Bar Association in Phoenix and served as its firstPresident in 2002.Sybil is the co-author of two published textbooks: Ethics And Professional Responsibility For Paralegals (8th edition) andConcise Guide To Paralegal Ethics (5th edition).