You may have missed the savings on early access registration for the 2021 NCRA Conference & Expo happening July 29 through Aug. 1 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., but you can still save if you book in the host hotel. Take advantage of the special room rate for Conference attendees that includes breakfast on Friday and Saturday. Rooms are booking up quickly. If you plan on attending the Conference, don’t wait until the last minute.
The schedule is packed with sessions that will feature the latest in business trends and more, including Ethics? Ethics? I Got Your Ethics Here, led by Denis Kennedy, an attorney who has been practicing law for 46 years. In addition, Kennedy has been married to a court reporter for the last 31 of those.
“I do a lot of lawyer continuing legislative education and have some interesting and funny stories about the two professions. I have spoken to court reporter groups before. When I’m done, I hope the attendees will have learned a few things and had a few laughs – and maybe a few beers as well,” Kennedy said.
Other highlights include keynote speaker American entrepreneur Debbi Fields, founder of the Mrs. Fields cookie brand. Fields, who came from what she calls humble beginnings, launched one of the nation’s most visible, successful dessert empires. Founded in 1977, the baker and cookie lover built a business from scratch which she later sold for $450 million. Today, in addition to cookies, the Mrs. Fields company also includes several candy and chocolate entities as well as the nationally recognized TCBY (The Country’s Best Yogurt) brand.
And you won’t want to miss Own Your Story to Speak Up for the Record and Your Needs, being presented by Ana Fatima Costa, who hopes that attendees will learn how to use their breath to connect with their body, calm themselves, and speak up to maintain order. She also wants attendees to understand the power of asking questions to make decisions, negotiate deadlines, and meet clients’ needs.
“Since the very first Perry Mason show aired in 1957, court reporters have been depicted silently capturing the record, usually with overflowing paper trays, even on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit today. The only time you hear court reporters speak is when they are asked to read back. Thus, the reason the general public believes the unspoken ‘story’ that court reporters should be seen and not heard,” Costa said.
Costa said she is honored to have been invited and is excited to meet several of her apprentices and colleagues in person for the first time.
“I am a giver. As a highly sensitive person (HSP) and empath, I sense reporting students’ and reporters’ pain,” she said. “I am uniquely qualified to help through my vast expertise as a former RPR and California CSR, reporting firm manager, sales executive, and litigation secretary, as well as my training as a certified coach. Combined, I have a depth of knowledge about what drives human behavior and how to transform negative emotions into empowered action,” she added.
