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Mr. Kwasny has worked on numerous projects as a geotechnical engineer throughout his many years of experience, both in Minnesota and Wisconsin. He has also been an active member in a number of associations including the American Society of Civil Engineers, The Geoprofessional Business Association, Minnesota Geotechnical Society, and the International Code Council.

In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, Mr. Shaw grew up in the sleepy little Appalachian town of Bristol, Tennessee, a small city that rests on the boundary between the two states of Tennessee and Virginia. Upon graduation from Bristol Tennessee High School, he enlisted in the United States Navy where he served as ships baker aboard the USS Shark (a fast attack submarine) for four years. When his enlistment came to an end, he took a job selling lawn care service to residential owners in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and later, moved to Knoxville, Tennessee where he worked as general manager of a landscape contracting company while attending the University of Tennessee for Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design. Eventually, Mr. Shaw took over as president of a wholesale tree care supply business and built the company from $70,000 in sales to over $1.2 million in just seven years. During that time, he married his wife Kristin and they had two children together. With encouragement from Kristin he also developed an interest in arboricultural consulting, and on May 11th, 1999, he became the first American Society of Consulting Arborist (ASCA) member in Middle Tennessee. From 1998 to 2003, he also served on the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. Mr. Shaw has since consulted with private landowners, insurance companies, attorneys, tree companies, cooperative extension service agents, country clubs, state urban forestry organizations, universities, and colleges. He has worked on some of the most challenging, difficult, and highest profile cases across the United States. Mr. Shaw is a registered consulting arborist, a board-certified master arborist and one of only a handful of arborists worldwide who consult full-time. He is a UAS pilot, a real estate appraiser and he brings a broad range of skills from a variety of scientific and professional disciplines. An autodidact, Mr. Shaw brings a unique perspective and a talent for learning to any project. He has developed authoritative expertise to create a greater understanding in tree related matters.

Mr. Trinkaus is an internationally-recognized expert in the field of low impact development (LID), having presented at many American Society of Civil Engineers/Environmental & Water Resource Institute (ASCE/EWRI) international conferences and many other regional conferences and workshops on LID and water quality issues. He was invited by the Water Resources Agency in Taichung, Taiwan, to present a 12-hour workshop on LID in December of 2011. Mr. Trinkaus has been an invited presenter and consultant multiple times on stormwater and LID in China and South Korea since 2013. He has designed LID retrofits in Zhenjiang, China. Mr. Trinkaus has reviewed and edited LID reports by Pusan National University and Land & Housing Institute in South Korea. Mr. Trinkaus has written LID design manuals for the towns of Tolland, Plainville, Harwinton, Morris, and East Granby, Connecticut. He has designed many types of LID treatment systems for a variety of residential and commercial applications. Mr. Trinkaus is primary author of the EWRI Filter Strip/Bioswales Task Committee. Mr. Trinkaus is a licensed professional engineer in Connecticut and Maryland. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management in 1980 from the University of New Hampshire. Mr. Trinkaus has more than 39 years of experience in the land development field and more than 19 years of experience designing low impact development treatment systems and 10 years writing LID regulations and design manuals.

Mr. Trinkaus is an internationally-recognized expert in the field of low impact development (LID), having presented at many American Society of Civil Engineers/Environmental & Water Resource Institute (ASCE/EWRI) international conferences and many other regional conferences and workshops on LID and water quality issues. He was invited by the Water Resources Agency in Taichung, Taiwan, to present a 12-hour workshop on LID in December of 2011. Mr. Trinkaus has been an invited presenter and consultant multiple times on stormwater and LID in China and South Korea since 2013. He has designed LID retrofits in Zhenjiang, China. Mr. Trinkaus has reviewed and edited LID reports by Pusan National University and Land & Housing Institute in South Korea. Mr. Trinkaus has written LID design manuals for the towns of Tolland, Plainville, Harwinton, Morris, and East Granby, Connecticut. He has designed many types of LID treatment systems for a variety of residential and commercial applications. Mr. Trinkaus is primary author of the EWRI Filter Strip/Bioswales Task Committee. Mr. Trinkaus is a licensed professional engineer in Connecticut and Maryland. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management in 1980 from the University of New Hampshire. Mr. Trinkaus has more than 39 years of experience in the land development field and more than 19 years of experience designing low impact development treatment systems and 10 years writing LID regulations and design manuals.

Mr. Marble, PhD, is an associate professor of ornamental and landscape weed management in the Department of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida. He is a passionate horticulturalist and educator, studying the growth and management of weeds and invasive plant species in landscapes and ornamental plant production. Dr. Marble’s research program aims to develop new methods of weed control using an integrated approach combining both chemical and non-chemical treatments. 

Dr. Mazari is an associate professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Cal State Los Angeles, specializing in transportation infrastructure and pavement materials. He is the program manager of the Sikand Center for Sustainable and Intelligent Infrastructures (SITI-Center) and founder of the Sustainable Infrastructure Materials Research Lab (SIM-Lab) at Cal State LA. His research interests include sustainable and resilient transportation infrastructure and transportation infrastructure materials. He is a member of technical committees at the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Science and Engineering, and he is co-chair of the LTPP subcommittee of the Highway Pavement Committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Dr. Mazari has published more than 70 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers. He has been actively involved in several national and state research projects, including the National Highway Cooperative Research Program (NCHRP) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Dr. Mazari is an associate professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Cal State Los Angeles, specializing in transportation infrastructure and pavement materials. He is the program manager of the Sikand Center for Sustainable and Intelligent Infrastructures (SITI-Center) and founder of the Sustainable Infrastructure Materials Research Lab (SIM-Lab) at Cal State LA. His research interests include sustainable and resilient transportation infrastructure and transportation infrastructure materials. He is a member of technical committees at the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Science and Engineering, and he is co-chair of the LTPP subcommittee of the Highway Pavement Committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Dr. Mazari has published more than 70 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers. He has been actively involved in several national and state research projects, including the National Highway Cooperative Research Program (NCHRP) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Dr. Stevens has extensive experience in both numerical and analytical heat transfer analysis covering both steady-state and transient situations with applications to thermal history, thermal response, electronic cooling, temperature profiles, thermal design, heat flow rate determination and more. He has extensive experience in applied thermodynamics with applications for renewable energy, HVAC, air engines, novel heat engines, and more. He has over 30 years experience in higher education teaching undergraduate and graduate classes, doing course and curriculum development, and advising students.

Dr. Stevens has extensive experience in both numerical and analytical heat transfer analysis covering both steady-state and transient situations with applications to thermal history, thermal response, electronic cooling, temperature profiles, thermal design, heat flow rate determination and more. He has extensive experience in applied thermodynamics with applications for renewable energy, HVAC, air engines, novel heat engines, and more. He has over 30 years experience in higher education teaching undergraduate and graduate classes, doing course and curriculum development, and advising students.

Dr. Scott Jeffers’s career focuses on urban water resources and green infrastructure collaborating with major municipalities internationally to address modern challenges in water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. Dr. Jeffers brings over 12 years’ experience in the water resource industry specializing in site and regional hydraulic/hydrologic modeling, permitting, capital improvement master planning, optimization/prioritization for asset management, IoT deployment, and a background in novel digital water techniques. Dr. Jeffers is a leading expert in EPA SWMM modeling and teaches hydrology and urban ecohydraulics at Drexel University. Recreationally, he is a musician and rock climber.

James M. Tente, President of Insight Code Consulting, LLC., a consulting company determined to assist and educate both industry and government entities in the review and development of code compliant construction projects, brings 20+ years of leadership in the civil service sector as a code official, building inspector, plans examiner and educator from the field. Mr. Tente’s focus on model codes has led to his 34 lnternational Code Council Certifications, including Chief Building Official and Certified Fire Marshal credentials. He has dedicated his career to the application, interpretation and understanding of the International Code Council family of codes which has led him to attain Master Code Professional status joining the 900 other dedicated industry experts around the globe.

Sheli Fulcher Koontz practices with the law firm of Johnson May in Boise. Ms. Koontz provides clients with concierge legal services, helping them access and navigate the courts, and securing long-term stability and success for themselves and their families. She has practiced law since 2002. She was named Idaho Trial Lawyers Association President 2015-16 and is one of only four women to serve in that office in over 50 years. Ms. Fulcher Koontz’s legal practice includes estate planning, probate, family law (divorce, custody, asset & debt division), personal injury, and family law mediation. She founded and managed Fulcher Koontz Law PLLC in 2008, and joined the firm of ANGSTMAN JOHNSON PLLC, now known as JOHNSON MAY, in July 2018, after 10 years of independent practice. She is currently the managing partner JOHNSON MAY with offices in Boise and Twin Falls. Ms. Fulcher Koontz is also an adjunct professor at the University of Idaho College of Law in Boise, where she teaches Family Law. She received her BS degree in Molecular Biology from Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, Idaho, her graduate degree in Forensic Sciences from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and her J.D. degree from University of Idaho College of Law.

Katherine Meier is a partner with Cosho Humphrey, LLP, in Boise. She is a general practice attorney with an emphasis in family law. She received her undergraduate degree from the College of Idaho and her J.D. degree from Gonzaga University School of Law. Ms. Meier was admitted to the Idaho State Bar in 2014, and she is licensed to practice before all state and federal courts in Idaho.

Abigail Morehouse is the owner of Morehouse Law firm in Boise. She is an Idaho native having grown up in Boise. Ms. Morehouse has extensive litigation experience and is a skilled trial attorney. She is a dedicated attorney that focuses on ensuring her clients are well informed and understand the complicated legal process, and she fights to get the best legal outcome possible in every case. After graduating from Boise State University, she attended Concordia Law where she served on the Board of Law Review as managing editor, volunteered in the Housing Clinic where she assisted clients that faced eviction and other housing issues, and served as research assistant to the Dean. After being admitted to the Idaho State Bar, Ms. Morehouse went to work at the Ada County Public Defender’s Office. During her time as a public defender she handled cases ranging from basic misdemeanors to serious felonies. Since opening Morehouse Law, she has expanded her practice to include family law.

Denise Penton at Penton Law Offices, Pllc, in Boise, is skilled is skilled in all aspects of legal representation. She is a former prosecutor and public defender, and she has been in private practice for over 20 years. She has been a practicing attorney for over 25 years. Ms. Penton brings all of her years of legal experience for her clients’ exclusive benefit. She gives each client her personal attention and commitment and ensures her clients will receive the very best representation. She provides efficient, aggressive, and experienced representation to resolve her clients’ legal issues. Ms. Penton was born and raised in Boise, Idaho and graduated from Boise High School. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho. She went on to earn her J.D. degree from the University Of Idaho College Of Law in 1996. Ms. Penton practices with an emphasis in legal representation in immigration law and family law.

Robert J. Taylor is an attorney and mediator with Taylor Law & Medication PLLC. He opened Taylor Law & Mediation PLLC in Mountain Home in 2013 and expanded into Boise, Idaho, in 2020 and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in 2022. His main areas of practice include divorce, will and estate planning solutions and adoptions. In addition to practicing law, Mr. Taylor also serves as an engineer officer and public affairs officer in the Idaho Army National Guard. Prior to commissioning in 2008, he spent six years as a paralegal specialist for the Idaho Army National Guard. Mr. Taylor graduated from Mountain Home High School in 2002 and attended the College of Southern Idaho. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho in public relations; a master’s in sports administration from American Military University; and a J.D. degree from the University of Idaho College of Law.

Mr. Gordon has earned a reputation while litigating hundreds of court cases of being an aggressive advocate who will not back down to anyone and who will fight to the end for his clients. Mr. Gordon is active in the trial lawyers association where he has served several terms on the board of governors, served as an editor of the Trial Journal, filed persuasive amicus briefs on important issues before state appellate courts, and has written several award-winning articles on important personal injury topics. He scored a massive victory for injury victims in the landmark case of Pena v. Viking Insurance Company. In Pena, Mr. Gordon persuasively convinced the Idaho Supreme Court to strike down provisions in insurance policies that eliminated coverage for people injured by an underinsured motorist. He is admitted to practice in Idaho. Washington, Oregon and Utah. Mr. Gordon earned his J.D. degree from S.J. Quinney College of Law.

Mr. Holman is a dedicated trial attorney who represents injured clients across Idaho with skill, compassion, and relentless advocacy. Over the course of his career, he has handled hundreds of personal injury cases—from auto and trucking collisions to premises liability and bad faith insurance disputes—recovering millions on behalf of his clients. Before founding his own firm, Mr. Holman served as the Managing Attorney for a growing regional personal injury law firm, where he oversaw daily operations, led trial teams, and guided the firm’s growth throughout Idaho. He later worked with another prominent regional firm, managing a high-volume caseload, negotiating complex insurance claims, and building a reputation for strategic, client-focused representation. Mr. Holman began his legal career as a judicial clerk for the Idaho District Courts and the U.S. District Court in Boise, where he gained firsthand insight into how judges evaluate cases—a perspective he now uses to craft winning arguments for his clients. A proud graduate of the University of Idaho College of Law, he served as a Managing Editor of the Critical Legal Studies Journal and competed on the Mock Trial Team. He also earned his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Idaho, where he was recognized as the Outstanding Senior of his graduating class.

Mr. Isanga has taught Professional Responsibility and Torts at the Idaho College of Law. Professor Isanga has also written a treatise on Personal Injury Law. He earned his J.S.D. and LL.M from the University of Notre Dame Law School.

Mr. Jacobson has represented large and small corporations, as well as individuals in various business and litigation matters. Mr. Jacobson is the author of Through the Looking Glass: Sustainable Development and Other Emerging Concepts of International Environmental Law in Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Case and the Trial Smelter Arbitration published in Transboundary Harm in International Law: Lessons from the Trail Smelter Arbitration, Cambridge University Press (2006). Mr. Jacobson began his legal career clerking for the Honorable Darla S. Williamson, Fourth Judicial District, State of Idaho. Following clerkship, Mr. Jacobson joined the firm of Sasser & Inglis, P.C. as an associate, and later became a partner in the firm of Jacobson & Jacobson, PLLC. He currently practices law as the managing partner of Jacobson & Jacobson, PLLC. While in law school, Mr. Jacobson interned in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, where he co-authored briefing submitted to an en banc panel of the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Jacobson was a student editor of an on-line international law publication entitled The German Law Journal, which is edited by Washington and Lee School of Law Professor Russell Miller.

Mr. Tolman is the president and owner of AccenaGroup, a company that has served Utah and surrounding states as stormwater plan and consulting experts since 2007. His industry certifications include QSWPPP, Utah RSI, CISEC, and CPESC. Mr. Tolman has presented several times at American Public Works Association (APWA) conferences, CASQA, Stormcon, and other industry conferences. He has consulted on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Utah State consent decrees and regularly guest lectured for construction management classes at Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University.

Dr. Wuebker is a recognized leader in merging occupational therapy principles with universal design to create more accessible, inclusive, and resilient environments. With a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Creighton University and 14 years of experience, she has dedicated her career to bridging traditional accessibility approaches with innovative, occupation-based design strategies. As the founder and owner of Uncurbed, an accessibility consulting firm, she champions the belief that design changes benefiting people with disabilities and historically marginalized communities can have a net benefit for everyone. Leveraging the Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance (PEOP) model, her work ensures that spaces support not only physical accessibility but also meaningful participation in everyday activities. As a consultant for the Great Plains ADA Center in her role as the Iowa ADA Liaison, she provides expert technical assistance on a diverse range of projects, from institutional to residential spaces, always seeking opportunities to exceed minimum standards and foster truly inclusive design. Dr. Wuebker collaborates with design professionals across disciplines to promote universal design principles and inclusive practices. Certified through the ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (ACTCP), she also delivers educational programs at the national, regional, and local levels, emphasizing the significance of participation and the dynamic interaction between individuals, their environments, and their occupations. Her mission is to redefine accessibility through inclusive practices that empower individuals and communities to fully engage in their surroundings.

Mr. Fischer has over 30 years of experience in the survey field, performing a variety of survey types for residential, municipal, commercial, industrial and government agency clients. He has experience in survey instrumentation and computer aided drafting (CAD) programs, as well as office and survey programs such as Trimble Office, Carlson and Civil 3D. Management experience includes overseeing drafting and field crews, as well as a branch office for an Oil and Gas services firm in southeast Texas. A former adjunct faculty member for the Engineering Department at St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, he holds professional land surveyor licenses in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi and Texas.

Mr. Gregory is a Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering Technology and former Department Head at Purdue University Northwest in Hammond, Indiana. He is registered as a professional surveyor in Indiana and Illinois and consults as a Project Surveyor at Abonmarche through their Hobart, Indiana office. Mr. Gregory has presented numerous seminars on various land surveying topics to professional land surveyors, surveying technicians, attorneys, title company officials, and real estate professionals through various settings. He is a member of the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors (ISPLS), the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association (IPLSA), and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). Mr. Gregory previously served on the ISPLS Board of Directors and is a past society president. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of NSPS and chairs the NSPS Education Committee.

Mr. Helfrich has been principal land surveyor with Craig R. Knoche & Associates, P.C. and its successor Koru Group PLLC in the Chicago area for the last 30 years. Mr. Helfrich first picked up a plumb bob in 1971 for Webster & Associates. From tape-and-transit to GPS, mortgage surveys to shopping centers, he has his seal on billions of dollars of commercial, residential and institutional developments and transactions in 23 counties in Illinois together with consulting and managing projects in 15 other states. Mr. Helfrich has enjoyed working with countless prominent developers, attorneys and other professionals in the field and the office. His specialties include real estate law, boundaries and boundary law, easements, rights-of-way and other encumbrances and servitudes, statutory and common-law plats, ALTA surveys, topography, building and site layout, construction- and project-management as well as land development consulting. He has presented classes and co-written manuals with the Illinois Institute For Continuing Legal Education along with classes at the University of Illinois and HalfMoon Education. Mr. Helfrich is a member of the National Society of Professional Surveyors and the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association.

Mr. Lynch, owner of the Law Office of Bryan P. Lynch, P.C., concentrates his practice on representing owners of commercial, industrial, residential, and agricultural property affected by the power of eminent domain and the condemnation legal process. In his role protecting property owners’ rights, Mr. Lynch routinely opposes state, county and municipal taking agencies, such as IDOT, the Illinois Tollway, CTA, City of Chicago, and Public Building Commission of Chicago. In addition to being a leading Illinois eminent domain attorney, Mr. Lynch has presented seminars for organizations such as the Chicago Farmers workshop and National Business Institute and was appointed by several presidents of the Illinois State Bar Association to serve on its Real Estate Section Council. He has been interviewed by the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Business Journal regarding eminent domain and has written articles published in such periodicals as the Chicago Law Bulletin.

Mr. Iliff has been a certified building official for 10+ years serving communities in Texas, Illinois, and Missouri. He has taught classes on the residential, building, and property maintenance codes with a focus on preparing students for certification exams and effective administration. Mr. Iliff has 30+ years of experience as a city planner, floodplain manager, and code enforcement officer. He earned an undergraduate degree in Urban Planning and Development from Ball State University.

Driven by a passion for solving problems and a deep sense of compassion, Mr. Fogarty has a commitment to help families navigate life’s challenges. The Heartland Law Firm helps families through life’s transitions, protecting and restoring order and well-being to clients. Throughout his career, He has guided countless clients through the complexities of estate planning, ensuring their legacies are protected and their wishes honored. Mr. Fogarty’s expertise extends to wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and elder law, with a particular focus on safeguarding client well-being through major life events.

After going on Medicare a few years ago he decided that if he could get the proper training and certification, he would like to help other people with the process of getting Medicare Supplements and plans. Mr. Gray specializes in helping both people going on Medicare for the first time as well as people who are already on Medicare navigate the Medicare maze and pick the best and most cost effective plan for their individual needs. The process is complicated but he helps make it simple and easy to understand. Besides meeting with clients he holds information Medicare 101 meetings in the local area at various venues, including Medical Centers, libraries and community centers. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University. Mr. Gray is a Registered Certified Public Accountant and is also a licensed insurance agent. He has over 40 years’ experience working with investment management organizations and financial distribution companies in leadership roles.

Ms. Moreno is a CELA (Certified Elder Law Attorney), an exclusive honor bestowed on a select group of attorneys by the National Elder Law Foundation. There are only 17 CELAs in Illinois providing creative solutions for clients who are faced with elder law issues. From complete estate and long-term care planning to addressing urgent and often expensive healthcare situations, she devotes her practice to advocating and helping individuals and families maximize the independence and quality of life of seniors and people with disabilities. Her practice focuses in estate planning, adult guardianships, estate and trust administration and litigation, including financial exploitation, will and trust contests, fiduciary disputes, issues of capacity, powers of attorney, undue influence, citations and fraud. Ms. Moreno also handles long-term care planning, Medicaid, Medicaid appeals, special needs planning and disability law. She is on the Board of Directors and is the immediate past president of the Illinois Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (IL NAELA), an organization closely involved in advancing legislation on behalf of elder law attorneys and their clients.

Mr. Pieper has been practicing law for over thirty (30) years, focusing his area of expertise in Probate, involving the administration and litigation of adult disabled estates, decedent’s estates, and minor’s estates. He is regularly appointed as a Guardian ad Litem, attorney for respondents in adult guardianship cases, and as a special administrator in the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Mr. Pieper also provides estate planning for his clients, including drafting wills, trusts and Powers of Attorney. In addition to probate matters, he also serves clients seeking residential real estate assistance. He has spoken on various topics, including assisting attorneys in the Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation (“CVLS”) training program for Guardians ad Litem, and the Guardian ad Litem’s role in domestic violence situations. Mr. Pieper has been a member with CVLS for over 20 years. In 2002 he received the Distinguished Service Award from the CVLS in recognition of the pro bono work that he has done for the organization. In 2017, He received the Pro Bono Alumni Award from DePaul University College of Law. Joe was also one of the attorneys featured in the September 2011 issue of Chicago Lawyer in the magazine’s issue on pro bono work. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Pieper worked for Merrill Lynch Futures in its Commodity Operations Division at the Chicago Board of Trade for sixteen (16) years. He filled various management roles at Merrill Lynch. While working at Merrill Lynch, Mr. Pieper attended Northwestern University where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics graduating with honors as a Phi Beta Kappa. He then went on to DePaul University College of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor, and graduated with honors in the top ten percent of his class. Mr. Pieper continues to advocate for his clients with personalized and professional attention to all matters.

Mr. Story is a seasoned Estate Planner for a range of clients and a Special Needs attorney. He knows how to help elders using specific trusts for asset protection and receiving family support, where desired. Helping elders remain at home or age in place with family members is part of his goal for helping elders, in addition to offering Estate Planning documents to facilitate their care at home and prepare Advanced Planning documents. Special Needs beneficiaries may well need to live in a community of their peers to have a more fulfilling life than living with a skilled caregiver. While it is not perfect, planning to live abroad well before long-term care is necessary is a way to obtain quality healthcare and live in a culture that values older people culturally. Mr. Story has a son, Gabriel, whom he enjoys spending time with. They like to bicycle in the beautiful forest preserve trails in Illinois and enjoy the cultural and natural joys this Great Lakes region has to offer.

Ms. DeSana is a partner with Merel Family Law. She is a skilled and compassionate attorney who is dedicated to helping her clients navigate difficult situations. Ms. DeSana received a B.A. degree in Political Science from Wayne State University. She continued her education at UIC Law School where she received her J.D. degree and a certificate in Trial Advocacy. While studying at UIC Law School, she spent her time working with the school’s Pro Bono Clinic helping underserved communities by representing individuals in bankruptcy and foreclosure proceedings as well as victims of excessive force in Federal Court. While in law school, Ms.DeSana also clerked at the Cook County Public Defender’s Office Juvenile Justice Division. During law school, she tried two jury trials in Federal Court with the school’s Pro Bono Clinic and numerous bench trials at the Public Defender’s office. Following law school, she spent a year of service with Americorps VISTA where she worked at First Defense Law Aid and personally assisted the organization in greatly expanding its volunteer network and formed partnerships with law schools, large law firms and the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. After her year of service, she began her career in family law at another boutique family law firm where she worked on hundreds of family law matters.

Ms. Fitzpatrick is a partner with Merel Family Law. She believes that a large part of her job is being a problem solver. Ms. Fitzpatrick also understands that people are often misunderstood. She has a unique ability to collaborate with family law clients by listening to her client’s concerns, evaluating multiple courses of action, and ensuring that they have the tools they need to be successful and comfortable after litigation ends. Ms. Fitzpatrick is also frequently appointed by the Court to serve as a child representative or guardian-ad-litem, representing children in high-conflict domestic relations matters. In addition, she is approved to serve as a parenting coordinator in Cook County, Illinois—a role that allows her to assist parents in implementing and complying with parenting plans, resolving disputes, and focusing on the best interests of the children. Ms. Fitzpatrick has written and published articles on numerous issues, including financial support, grandparents’ rights, and immigration issues for unaccompanied minors. She has also given presentations on a variety of family law topics. Ms. Fitzpatrick practices in Cook, DuPage, Will, McHenry, and Lake Counties. She is licensed to practice in the State of Illinois, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and the United States Supreme Court. She is an active member of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI), the Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.

Mr. Lapidus is a partner with the Law Office of Russell D. Knight. He graduated from University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana majoring in Integrative Biology and matriculated to the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana’s College of Law earning his J.D. degree. Mr. Lapidus is licensed in both Illinois and Florida, and he practices family law in both states. He specializes in complex litigation and has completed the eight-day National Family Law Trial Institute’s Kolodny Trial Skills Course. Prior to specializing in family law, Mr. Lapidus defended prison medical providers from Constitutional claims brought under Section 1983 in Federal Court.

Mr. Markey is Principal with the Law Offices of Patrick Markey P.C. He helps clients minimize the destruction of divorce whether it be through the collaborative law model, the court process or mediation. His focus is on complex family law cases and representing professionals and their spouses who value a proactive solution orientated approach to their divorce. Mr. Markey is a strong advocate of the collaborative law and mediation dispute resolution methods for their ability to custom-craft solutions, minimize conflict and usually reduce the time of a case. Not only is the firm experts on family law, but they understand the impact of divorce on children and help the client’s develop co-parenting relationships. Mr. Markey was selected as an Illinois Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers Magazine for 2024. This distinction is limited to the top five percent of lawyers in each practice area.

Ms. Onorato is a partner with Beattie|Onorato Family Law, LLC. She grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a dual degree in Psychology and Gender Studies. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Onorato worked in the non-profit sector as the director of a group home for abused and neglected adolescents. She graduated from DePaul University College of Law in 2004 with a certificate in family law and has since concentrated her practice exclusively on family law matters, including: negotiating and litigating complex divorce and custody matters; drafting prenuptial and postnuptial agreements; and appellate work involving complicated child and spousal support issues, civil unions, child custody and removal (relocation) and distribution of marital assets. Ms. Onorato received a certificate in divorce mediation from Northwestern University, and she is a frequent author and lecturer on family law subjects. Nicole serves on the DePaul University Family Law Advisory Board, and volunteers with the Domestic Violence Legal Clinic (Ascend Justice).

Mr. Rakowski is principal attorney at LSR Family Law Group. For more than 30 years, Mr. Rakowski has been providing compassionate, yet aggressive, family law representation to his clients. Mr. Rakowski has earned his reputation as a skilled trial attorney and a talented negotiator, offering proficiency in both litigation and alternative methods of dispute resolution, including collaborative law, to solve clients’ legal challenges. Mr. Rakowski began his legal career in 1990 after earning his law degree from John Marshall Law School and being admitted to the Illinois State Bar. In addition to his ability to practice law in all Illinois state courts, he has admittance to practice in the courtrooms of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. As an author and lecturer, he is a valued member of numerous organizations, including the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Cook County Bar Association, the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, the Decalogue Society, and the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois. Mr. Rakowski is a member of the Family Law Section Council of the Illinois State Bar Association. In that capacity he reviews and provides critical analysis on legislation impacting the practice of family law.