Spring 2025

Angels Quarterly is published by the National Court Reporters Foundation (NCRF) exclusively for you, our Foundation supporters, to keep you updated on the programs your donations help fund.

Season of support: See what your generosity Is growing this spring

By Doug Friend

To Our Wonderful Angels and Donors,

Spring has officially sprung — and with it one of my favorite issues of the year! It’s a season of renewal, growth, and exciting preparations for the upcoming NCRA Conference & Expo.

Voices of support: Why NCRF’s mission matters to our Foundation Angels

Our Foundation leaders share why supporting the National Court Reporters Foundation mission matters to them. Angels Melanie L. Humphrey-Sonntag, FAPR, RDR, CRR, CRC, and Sandy Narup, RPR, tell you why.

NCRF Conference & Expo

Ready for Minneapolis? Don’t miss these key 2025 NCRA Conference & Expo deadlines!

Summer’s almost here — and so is the 2025 NCRA Conference & Expo! Join us in vibrant downtown Minneapolis, Minn., July 24–26, for this can’t-miss event. Get in on the action early to save on registration and earn extra CEUs by signing up for Thursday morning workshops.

Take your chance with NCRF raffles: Win a Stenograph NexGen writer or a Veronica Beard handbag

NCRF is once again holding raffles in conjunction with the annual NCRA Conference & Expo. Tickets are on sale now to enter raffles to win a Stenograph NexGen writer and a Veronica Beard Croc-Embossed Crest Lock leather handbag.

Christine Phipps Family Foundation offers ten $1,000 awards for #NCRAMinneapolis

The Christine Phipps Family Foundation is proud to announce its commitment to awarding a second round of $1,000 awards to help students and members attend the NCRA Conference & Expo. Ten recipients will be selected based on financial need and other situational constraints. The award money can be used for both registration fees and to defray the cost of travel expenses. May 15 deadline.

Ask Me Anything

Strengthening the community: NCRF’s mission and impact

The Feb. 25 Ask Me Anything session highlighted the National Court Reporters Foundation's mission and programs. “While NCRA handles certification and advocacy, the Foundation is the profession’s philanthropic arm focused on giving back,” said past NCRF Chair Tami Keenan, FAPR, RPR, CPE.

Court reporting firms and schools embrace Career Launcher program: A gamechanger for students and staff

By Jill Parker Landsman

The NCRF Ask Me Anything about Career Launcher was an information-packed Zoom session focused on the deposition training program, which is offered to members through the NCRA Learning Center.

New Foundation programs

Building resilience together: Join NCRF’s peer support Zoom sessions

The Foundation's new Peer-to-Peer Support group was created by NCRA President-Elect Cindy Isaacsen, RPR, to foster a caring and confidential space on Zoom where NCRA members can openly share their emotions and reactions to the challenging cases they encounter in trials and depositions.

Benefiting future generations through NCRF’s Legacy Society

By Jill Parker Landsman

The National Court Reporters Foundation’s (NCRF) Legacy Society offers members a thoughtful way to give back to their profession by making an estate plan that includes NCRF as a beneficiary. And now the process has been simplified.

NCRF Career Launcher announces professional development partnerships

The NCRF Career Launcher program has added a valuable new benefit, offering those who complete the program access to exclusive discounts from a number of vendors on software, state-of-the-art steno machines, and expert support services. Participating vendors include Advantage Software, ProCAT, StenoCAT, and Stenograph.

Scholarships & Grants

$8,000 in grants available for new professionals with RSR or RPR certification

The Michelle Grimes Memorial Grant and the Monyeen Black Memorial Grant are open to new professionals in their first two years of employment who have earned the RSR or RPR certification. An additional $12,000 is available through the New Professionals Grant.

Two students win NCRF Gina Battaglia Student Intern Scholarships

NCRF announces its third-year winners of the Gina Battaglia Memorial Student Intern Scholarship. The 2025 winners are Mariana Schmidt from Munhall, Pa., a student at the Community College of Allegheny County, in Allegheny, Pa., and Sydney Slocum from Eddyville, Iowa, a student at Des Moines Area Community College in Des Moines, Iowa.

NCRF and Stenograph honor excellence with the Milton H. Wright Memorial Scholarship

Following a competitive selection process that drew 26 qualified applicants from across the country, Stenograph and NCRF are proud to announce that Louis Markowitz of New York, N.Y., a student at Cuyahoga Community College, is the 2025 recipient of the inaugural Stenograph Milton H. Wright Memorial Scholarship.

From Court to CART: A transformative journey into captioning

By Jacey Samic

Over the past few months I’ve had the opportunity to participate in and complete the National Court Reporters Foundation’s second Court to CART Grant. Under an experienced team, I was able to grow so much on the way to becoming a CART provider and far faster than would have been possible on my own.

New NCRF scholarship announced for 2026

In loving memory of Kim Dore-Hackbarth, a talented and dedicated realtime reporter at Buell Realtime Reporting for more than thirty years who passed away in 2025, we are proud to announce the Kim Dore-Hackbarth Memorial Student Intern Scholarship.

NCRF Angels

Become an Angel today

It only takes an $83 monthly donation to become an Angel. The Angels program is a major source of support for the National Court Reporters Foundation. Angels display their commitment to the future of the profession by donating a minimum of $1,000 to NCRF within a year. Your monthly, quarterly, or annual donation will be a 2025 tax write-off. Your NCRF support in any amount to any fundraiser is always appreciated.

Learn more.

Foundation FAQs

Important info about NCRF

Want to know more about our Foundation programs?
Meet the 2024-2025 NCRF Board of Trustees.
Check out our Foundation fundraisers and select one that means most to you.
Reminder that NCRF offers Making the Record assets for all members to share everywhere.

Learn more.

Thank you!

Giving back to nonprofits that are meaningful to you is a source of joy. The Foundation offers many choices. No matter what stage of your career you are in, you can donate an amount that fits in with your budget. All donations to NCRF fundraisers are appreciated and are a tax write-off. Consider these campaigns.