The 17 th Judicial Circuit’s Early Childhood Court (ECC) and Dependency Drug Court (DDC) attended the
All Sites Conference in Orlando, Florida on Wednesday, May 8, 2024.

At the conference, the circuit was represented by Dependency Judges, child welfare Dependency Case
Managers from Child Net, Children Legal Services Attorney, and Parent Attorneys, Guardian ad Litem
staff, ECC Coordinator, Juvenile Problem-Solving Court Coordinator, and treatment providers.

Photographed here from left to right are Raven Jordan, DDC Case Manager at ChildNet, Diane Rufus,
Division Manager at ChildNet, Judge Jose Izquierdo, Judge Hope Tieman Bristol, Dawseah Hunter, DDC
Supervisor at ChildNet, Jill Katz, ECC & DDC Attorney at Guardian ad Litem Office, Dr. Ziggie Jones,
Child Parent Psychotherapist at CMET, Wendy Buchanan, Drug Court Specialist at WestCare, Roxanne
Carrington, ECC Case Manager at ChildNet, Daynason Eugene, DDC Case Manager at ChildNet, Trent
Baker, Problem-Solving Court Program Coordinator, Ty Lee, ECC Case Manager at ChildNet, Leah
Gavin, DDC Case Manager at ChildNet, Terra Singletary, ECC Case Manager at ChildNet, Tiffany
Jackson, ECC Coordinator, Sherrelle Young, ECC Supervisor at ChildNet, Wendy Louis, GAL Supervisor
at Guardian ad Litem Office, Brittany Johnson, Managing Attorney at ORC-4, Matt Mandelkorn, Parent
Attorney at SPD, Sheila Gonsalves, Assistant Director at Guardian ad Litem Office, and Rebecca
Frieden, ECC Attorney at Children’s Legal Services.

Judge Christopher Wigand was sworn in at the 17th Circuit courthouse on Friday, May 17, 2024.

Swearing Judge Wigand in was Chief Judge Jack Tuter, who welcomed friends and family to be present during this significant event.

Judge Shari Africk-Olefson was the keynote speaker at the Solomon Leadership Program’s graduation on Thursday, May 9, 2024.
Judge Africk-Olefson is photographed here speaking to the students during the graduation with words of wisdom and encouragement towards their bright futures. Also pictured here is State Attorney Harold F. Pryor, who received an award for his mentorship with the program.

Judge Lauren M. Alperstein visited the fourth grade class of David Posnack Jewish Day School on Thursday, May 9, 2024.
During her visit, Judge Alperstein spoke to the students about Florida’s Judicial System and gave more detail on her role at the 17th Circuit as a Family court judge.

Judge Ari Abraham Porth led a Mental Health Task Force meeting on Monday, May 13, 2024.

Judge Porth held the meeting via zoom, while also having several community partners in the
courtroom. The meetings bring 17th Circuit staff and judges together with community partners
to discuss new programs and share ideas about care and treatment for mental health court
participants. The task force meetings are held monthly on the second Monday of each month.

The Problem-Solving Courts of the 17th Circuit held a Community Resource Fair at the main courthouse on Thursday, May 9, 2024.
Several community organizations participated and shared valuable information with judicial and court staff. Photographed here are Court Navigators Casey Johnson from Henderson Behavioral Health, Rashera Nelson from 2-1-1 Broward, and Paralegal Jaciente McDougle from Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida.