Meet the 2024 Board Candidates
Voting is open for AAERT’s 2024 Board of Directors. SEVEN (7) candidates have been nominated to fill the FOUR (4) open Board positions. Online voting will be open from Wednesday, May 1 at 11:45 am through Tuesday, May 21 5 at 11:45 pm Eastern. Current AAERT Professional members as of 5/15/2024 are eligible to vote. All members received a personalized ballot, via email.
Please contact AAERT at aaert@aaert.org with any questions.

ELIZABETH "LIZ" DWYER
Liz Dwyer is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the court reporting industry. Currently serving as the Vice President of Operations for Advanced Court Reporting, she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's operations to ensure efficiency and excellence in service delivery.
Liz's transition from a court reporter to a leadership position is a testament to her drive and determination.
She has continually sought out opportunities for professional growth and has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities throughout her career. Her colleagues and clients alike appreciate her hands-on approach and her unwavering commitment to delivering excellence in all aspects of her work.
Throughout her career, Liz has demonstrated a strong commitment to quality and client satisfaction. Her leadership skills and strategic vision have played a pivotal role in the growth and success of Advanced Court Reporting. Under her guidance, the company has expanded its service offerings and strengthened its position as a leader in the Greater Boston area.
As the host of "Cocktails for Court Reporters," a popular Zoom meeting series, Liz has created a vibrant forum for court reporters to connect, learn, and share insights with one another. Through these virtual gatherings, Liz has created a supportive community where court reporters can discuss industry trends, share tips and best practices, and learn from one another's experiences.
Liz holds a certificate in court and conference reporting from The New England School of Court Reporting and continues to expand her knowledge through ongoing education and professional development. Her background as a court reporter combined with her strategic vision and leadership skills make her a valuable asset to Advanced Court Reporting and a driving force behind its continued success.
Liz's transition from a court reporter to a leadership position is a testament to her drive and determination.
She has continually sought out opportunities for professional growth and has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities throughout her career. Her colleagues and clients alike appreciate her hands-on approach and her unwavering commitment to delivering excellence in all aspects of her work.
Throughout her career, Liz has demonstrated a strong commitment to quality and client satisfaction. Her leadership skills and strategic vision have played a pivotal role in the growth and success of Advanced Court Reporting. Under her guidance, the company has expanded its service offerings and strengthened its position as a leader in the Greater Boston area.
As the host of "Cocktails for Court Reporters," a popular Zoom meeting series, Liz has created a vibrant forum for court reporters to connect, learn, and share insights with one another. Through these virtual gatherings, Liz has created a supportive community where court reporters can discuss industry trends, share tips and best practices, and learn from one another's experiences.
Liz holds a certificate in court and conference reporting from The New England School of Court Reporting and continues to expand her knowledge through ongoing education and professional development. Her background as a court reporter combined with her strategic vision and leadership skills make her a valuable asset to Advanced Court Reporting and a driving force behind its continued success.

Betsy Ertel
After obtaining a college degree in Medical Office Administration, Betsy Ertel was hired by the Medical University at Charleston, SC for intern physicians as a medical transcriptionist on an original typewriter keyboard with 5 layers of carbon paper as copies. That turned into a longtime career working in acute care settings transcribing thousands of medical audio files. I grew with the industry through much technology change transcribing from the micro mini tape players now to the digital audio files with ASR and AI on the table. In 1991 I transitioned over to the Stenotype Institute in Jacksonville, FL to learn stenography with my original stenograph machine still in my possession. Learning thousands of brief forms and sound blends for stenograph writing, I still utilize those today inside the SpeedType™ system when at the keyboard.
However, my love for people, crowds, associations, and a convention atmosphere placed me in a leadership role where I have served for over 30 years. Serving in local chapters on the executive board level as well as multiple committees, I became state president for several years and serving at a national level on educational platforms. I helped grow the student sector through initiating an Externship program along with an Educators Alliance group. These provided training materials and support from a national level down to the grass root’s membership level. We also created an online presence for over 2,000 new students with a viable student community and new members to the association which is still intact today.
I have been a member of AAERT since 2008 serving on committees as well as having a vendor presence through the SpeedType™ system. However, previous service to AAERT since 2014 has allowed me the privilege of serving as a Director for 7 years, serving on the Executive Board as Treasurer and multiple committees established by the Board, i.e. membership, conference committee, speaker committee, vendor committee, sponsorhip committee, bylaws, and executive forum planning. One of my major service areas was through education. Having served as Education Chair and the Educators Alliance Chair, I was successful in initiating our LMS online program to build a robust CEU library conveniently providing professional growth to our members and nonmembers. Many educational relationships were built during board terms and years associated with AAERT. I would like to continue assisting in populating that sector for the court reporting industry to provide well qualified staffing to the local firms, deposition market, and legal industry overall.
So, my interest in once again running for the Board is to continue to support membership growth through actively providing educational support tools, bringing together the educators through an Educators Alliance group and providing helpful student online content at the AAERT website. A certified body of high achievers adds value and relevance to the association. Supporting our court reporting market, firms and deposition marketplace also lend credibilty to our association. I would love to again serve another term with my peers in supporting AAERT’s reputation of providing excellence and reliability to the court reporting market.
CEO SpeedType™ since 1999
AAERT Member 2008 - Present
AAERT Director 2014-2020
AAERT Education Chair 2013-2019
AAERT Treasurer 2018-2019
AHDI Florida State President 2013
AHDI Education Chair 2011-2015
AHDI Educators Alliance 2012-2016
AHDI-Fellow 2006 - Present
AHIMA Member 2010 - Present
NVRA Vendor Member 2003 - Present
However, my love for people, crowds, associations, and a convention atmosphere placed me in a leadership role where I have served for over 30 years. Serving in local chapters on the executive board level as well as multiple committees, I became state president for several years and serving at a national level on educational platforms. I helped grow the student sector through initiating an Externship program along with an Educators Alliance group. These provided training materials and support from a national level down to the grass root’s membership level. We also created an online presence for over 2,000 new students with a viable student community and new members to the association which is still intact today.
I have been a member of AAERT since 2008 serving on committees as well as having a vendor presence through the SpeedType™ system. However, previous service to AAERT since 2014 has allowed me the privilege of serving as a Director for 7 years, serving on the Executive Board as Treasurer and multiple committees established by the Board, i.e. membership, conference committee, speaker committee, vendor committee, sponsorhip committee, bylaws, and executive forum planning. One of my major service areas was through education. Having served as Education Chair and the Educators Alliance Chair, I was successful in initiating our LMS online program to build a robust CEU library conveniently providing professional growth to our members and nonmembers. Many educational relationships were built during board terms and years associated with AAERT. I would like to continue assisting in populating that sector for the court reporting industry to provide well qualified staffing to the local firms, deposition market, and legal industry overall.
So, my interest in once again running for the Board is to continue to support membership growth through actively providing educational support tools, bringing together the educators through an Educators Alliance group and providing helpful student online content at the AAERT website. A certified body of high achievers adds value and relevance to the association. Supporting our court reporting market, firms and deposition marketplace also lend credibilty to our association. I would love to again serve another term with my peers in supporting AAERT’s reputation of providing excellence and reliability to the court reporting market.
CEO SpeedType™ since 1999
AAERT Member 2008 - Present
AAERT Director 2014-2020
AAERT Education Chair 2013-2019
AAERT Treasurer 2018-2019
AHDI Florida State President 2013
AHDI Education Chair 2011-2015
AHDI Educators Alliance 2012-2016
AHDI-Fellow 2006 - Present
AHIMA Member 2010 - Present
NVRA Vendor Member 2003 - Present

Kaci Hardin
Living on a farm in Louisiana with my husband and two daughters, I've cultivated a strong work ethic and a passion for excellence. Armed with a Bachelor's Degree from Louisiana State University, I embarked on a career as a certified court reporter, honing my skills in various transcription fields, from clerical to legal and beyond.
My journey led me to the forefront of legal technology, where I currently serve as the Legal Operations Manager at Verbit. Leading a team of legal professionals, I am dedicated to fostering innovation and efficiency in the legal vertical. From recruitment to quality assurance, I ensure that our operations are finely tuned to meet the ever-evolving demands of our clients.
In addition to my managerial role, I am deeply involved in advocating for the advancement of digital reporters. As a member of the Advocacy Committee for AAERT, I strive to promote inclusivity and excellence within the profession. My commitment to staying abreast of industry trends and leveraging cutting-edge technology ensures that our teams remain at the forefront of innovation.
My journey led me to the forefront of legal technology, where I currently serve as the Legal Operations Manager at Verbit. Leading a team of legal professionals, I am dedicated to fostering innovation and efficiency in the legal vertical. From recruitment to quality assurance, I ensure that our operations are finely tuned to meet the ever-evolving demands of our clients.
In addition to my managerial role, I am deeply involved in advocating for the advancement of digital reporters. As a member of the Advocacy Committee for AAERT, I strive to promote inclusivity and excellence within the profession. My commitment to staying abreast of industry trends and leveraging cutting-edge technology ensures that our teams remain at the forefront of innovation.

Benjamin Jaffe
Benjamin Jaffe is a seasoned court reporting industry professional with extensive expertise in technology. Currently, as an industry consultant, he collaborates with court reporting firms and software developers to foster industry growth, develop training, and enhance court reporting technology. Prior to this, Benjamin served as the Manager of Digital Training and Development at BlueLedge, an AAERT approved online training company specializing in digital court reporting and legal transcription.
His leadership journey spans almost 20 years in various industries including legal, media, education, and government. From 2014 to 2018, Benjamin led the legal technology team at Orange Legal where he managed digital court reporting, legal videography, trial technology, and e-discovery. During his tenure, he obtained approval to teach Continuing Legal Education classes in Florida, Georgia, and for the National Association of Legal Assistants.
Currently, Benjamin holds the position of Vice President on the AAERT Board of Directors. He played a crucial role in expanding membership, advocating for the industry, and successfully launching the Leadership Summit. Benjamin currently serves as the chair of the AAERT Leadership Summit Committee and contributes as a member of the Advocacy Committee and Communications Committee.
Benjamin’s academic background includes an MBA from Rollins College and a BA in Communications from the University of Central Florida. He is known for his advocacy efforts, starting with the 2018 article “Two Truths and a Lie.” In 2023, his article “5 Innovative Legal Support Careers” was featured in the Association of Legal Administrators Legal Management Magazine, and he writes regularly for BlueLedge’s blog, “Ledger,” for which he covers topics such as e- learning, career transitioning, court reporting equipment, and professionalism. In December 2023, he was quoted in Part 2 of Government Technology Magazine’s 3- part series, “More Than Stenography: Exploring Court Record Options.” Benjamin also shares his passion for the industry and technology through AAERT’s Facebook groups and other court reporting groups.
His leadership journey spans almost 20 years in various industries including legal, media, education, and government. From 2014 to 2018, Benjamin led the legal technology team at Orange Legal where he managed digital court reporting, legal videography, trial technology, and e-discovery. During his tenure, he obtained approval to teach Continuing Legal Education classes in Florida, Georgia, and for the National Association of Legal Assistants.
Currently, Benjamin holds the position of Vice President on the AAERT Board of Directors. He played a crucial role in expanding membership, advocating for the industry, and successfully launching the Leadership Summit. Benjamin currently serves as the chair of the AAERT Leadership Summit Committee and contributes as a member of the Advocacy Committee and Communications Committee.
Benjamin’s academic background includes an MBA from Rollins College and a BA in Communications from the University of Central Florida. He is known for his advocacy efforts, starting with the 2018 article “Two Truths and a Lie.” In 2023, his article “5 Innovative Legal Support Careers” was featured in the Association of Legal Administrators Legal Management Magazine, and he writes regularly for BlueLedge’s blog, “Ledger,” for which he covers topics such as e- learning, career transitioning, court reporting equipment, and professionalism. In December 2023, he was quoted in Part 2 of Government Technology Magazine’s 3- part series, “More Than Stenography: Exploring Court Record Options.” Benjamin also shares his passion for the industry and technology through AAERT’s Facebook groups and other court reporting groups.

Shaylah Kiser
Hello, you awesome individual reading this. I was nominated for board position by someone in the industry that either wanted to see my vision brought to AAERT or thought my dedication was honorable. Either way, that being said, allow me to introduce myself.
I am Shaylah Kiser, the founder and owner of Shaylah Burrill and Associates, LLC, and Kiser’s Reporting. With a strong passion for accuracy and professionalism in the legal field, I have built a reputation for providing top-notch court reporting services to clients in need. I am a dedicated professional who takes my position very seriously. We get folks at their lowest points at times, and they should not have anything court reporting related to worry about. That being said, I am known for my strong work ethic, diligence, and commitment to excellence. I am a very family-oriented individual, so I’ll mention a well-known Mary-Kay saying that I like to live by. My life is God first, family second, then career. As a wife to a wonderful man and fellow digital reporter, mother of 6 beautiful children, and grandmother, I have trained and will train my entire family in digital reporting. I value the importance of training and mentoring others in the industry. Over the years, I have trained many individuals and have helped them develop the necessary skills to succeed in the field of court reporting. My husband, being my number one trainee, made our tag team very well-known together in the region. In addition to my work in the legal field, I am always striving to expand my knowledge and abilities.
I am committed to lifelong learning and am constantly seeking out opportunities to improve my skills. I hold a bachelors in Business, I have completed a few Blueledge courses, and I am currently a law school student. I hold certifications from the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT) as a Certified Electronic Reporter (CER) and a Certified Deposition Reporter (CDR). Through my dedication to my craft and my commitment to ongoing education, I continue to excel as a digital court reporter and a trusted professional in the legal community. To learn more about Shaylah Burrill and Associates, LLC, please visit www.sbandassoc.com.
I am Shaylah Kiser, the founder and owner of Shaylah Burrill and Associates, LLC, and Kiser’s Reporting. With a strong passion for accuracy and professionalism in the legal field, I have built a reputation for providing top-notch court reporting services to clients in need. I am a dedicated professional who takes my position very seriously. We get folks at their lowest points at times, and they should not have anything court reporting related to worry about. That being said, I am known for my strong work ethic, diligence, and commitment to excellence. I am a very family-oriented individual, so I’ll mention a well-known Mary-Kay saying that I like to live by. My life is God first, family second, then career. As a wife to a wonderful man and fellow digital reporter, mother of 6 beautiful children, and grandmother, I have trained and will train my entire family in digital reporting. I value the importance of training and mentoring others in the industry. Over the years, I have trained many individuals and have helped them develop the necessary skills to succeed in the field of court reporting. My husband, being my number one trainee, made our tag team very well-known together in the region. In addition to my work in the legal field, I am always striving to expand my knowledge and abilities.
I am committed to lifelong learning and am constantly seeking out opportunities to improve my skills. I hold a bachelors in Business, I have completed a few Blueledge courses, and I am currently a law school student. I hold certifications from the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT) as a Certified Electronic Reporter (CER) and a Certified Deposition Reporter (CDR). Through my dedication to my craft and my commitment to ongoing education, I continue to excel as a digital court reporter and a trusted professional in the legal community. To learn more about Shaylah Burrill and Associates, LLC, please visit www.sbandassoc.com.

TORI LAWTON
Greetings! My name is Tori Lawton and I'm an official court reporter with the Appalachian Judicial Circuit in North Georgia. I'm a certified court reporter (CCR/LERT) with the State of Georgia and CER/CDR/CET with AAERT. I've been a member of the Certification Committee since 2020. In years past, I've been a member of the Conference Committee and Government Relations Committee. I also participated in a panel discussion about transcription tips and tricks at the AAERT annual conference in 2021.
I began my career in legal transcription back in 2001 on the old Sony BM-147 tape transcriber. We've come a long way since then =) I love the flexibility transcription gives me. I love the vast variety of subject matters and every day is different. Since I became a digital reporter in 2019, I've been working on growing my business and now have a team of six transcriptionists and a proofreader/admin.
I would love to serve you as a Director on the Board of AAERT. This would not only increase my exposure to the industry, but I would love to collaborate with like-minded reporters and transcriptionists who truly care for this industry. I would love to bring more awareness to the industry regarding our method of reporting, as well as showcase our industry to the younger generation who might not even realize what a wonderful career it can be.
Thank you for your time and I hope to receive your vote!
I began my career in legal transcription back in 2001 on the old Sony BM-147 tape transcriber. We've come a long way since then =) I love the flexibility transcription gives me. I love the vast variety of subject matters and every day is different. Since I became a digital reporter in 2019, I've been working on growing my business and now have a team of six transcriptionists and a proofreader/admin.
I would love to serve you as a Director on the Board of AAERT. This would not only increase my exposure to the industry, but I would love to collaborate with like-minded reporters and transcriptionists who truly care for this industry. I would love to bring more awareness to the industry regarding our method of reporting, as well as showcase our industry to the younger generation who might not even realize what a wonderful career it can be.
Thank you for your time and I hope to receive your vote!