On March 11, 2026, the Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure held a special event at the D.C. Bar Headquarters. The event honored five individuals for their contributions to the Commission, including Hon. Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, U.S. District Judge and former Commission Chair; William Lightfoot, Esq., former Commission Chair; Hon. Diane Brenneman, D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judge (ret.) and former Commission Vice Chair; Patrick Jackson, MD, FACS, former Commissioner; and Amy Conway-Hatcher, Esq., former Special Counsel.

Commission Chair Amy Bess began the program with a warm welcome to all honorees and their special guests. She thanked the many judges of the D.C. Superior Court, D.C. Court of Appeals, and U.S. District Court, including Chief Judges Milton Lee, Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, and Jeb Boasberg for attending. She also recognized representatives from the Commission’s appointing authorities and other distinguished guests, including D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb.

The first presentation was made by Hon. Loren L. AliKhan, U.S. District Judge and Commission Vice Chair to honor Hon. Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. Judge AliKhan read a letter of gratitude from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recognizing Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s dedicated service to the Commission. In the letter, Mayor Bowser noted that Judge Kollar-Kotelly had served in multiple leadership roles during her tenure, including Vice Chair from 2020 to 2021 and Chair from 2021 to 2024. In addition, Mayor Bowser acknowledged Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s “steadfast work to enhance the Commission’s reputation, spearhead modernization, and meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic,” which were “essential to carrying out the Commission’s critical purpose of ensuring public confidence in the judiciary.”

Next, Chair Bess presented a letter of gratitude from Mayor Bowser to William Lightfoot, Esq. In the letter, Mayor Bowser thanked Mr. Lightfoot on behalf of the residents of the District of Columbia. She noted that his tenure on the Commission spanned twenty-five years, during which he was Chair from 2004 to 2009 and Vice Chair from 2009 to 2013. Mayor Bowser expressed her gratitude to Mr. Lightfoot for supporting the Commission with his legal acumen, judgment, and leadership.

Mr. Lightfoot then presented Hon. Diane Brenneman with a plaque recognizing her outstanding contributions to the Commission. He also read a resolution, passed by the Commission, which noted Judge Brenneman’s service as Vice Chair (from 2021 to 2026) and described her critical work supporting the Commission.

Nikki Sertsu, the Executive Director of the Planet Word Museum and a Commissioner since 2017, then presented Dr. Patrick Jackson, MD, FACS, with a plaque recognizing his service. She also read a resolution, passed by the Commission, which discussed the invaluable medical expertise Dr. Jackson provided on a range of issues within the Commission’s areas of responsibility.

The final presentation was made by Judge Kollar-Kotelly, who spoke eloquently about the work of Amy Conway-Hatcher, Esq., the Commission’s Special Counsel from December 2018 through January 2026. Judge Kollar-Kotelly recognized Ms. Conway-Hatcher for her excellent legal work, her key role in building relationships with important stakeholders, and her willingness to serve as the Commission’s Interim Executive Director. Judge Kollar-Kotelly also acknowledged Ms. Conway-Hatcher’s law firm, Schertler, Onorato, Mead, Sears & Manning, which provided significant support to the Commission on a pro bono basis.

After the presentations were finished, Chair Bess reiterated her thanks to those in attendance. She also expressed the Commission’s gratitude to the D.C. Bar for hosting the event.

   

Pictured above (from left to right): William Lightfoot, Esq., former Chair and Amy Bess, Esq., Chair. © 2026 D.C. Bar. All rights reserved.

   

Pictured above (from left to right): Hon. Loren L. AliKhan, Commission Vice Chair; D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson; Kate Mitchell, Chief of Staff to D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen; and Antonio Nunes, Legislative Director to D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen. © 2026 D.C. Bar. All rights reserved.

   

Pictured above (from left to right): Patrick Jackson, MD, FACS, former Commissioner, and Nikki Sertsu, Commissioner. © 2026 D.C. Bar. All rights reserved.

   

Pictured above (from left to right): Amy Conway-Hatcher, Esq., former Special Counsel, and Hon. Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, former Chair. © 2026 D.C. Bar. All rights reserved.

   

Pictured above (from left to right): Hon. Diane Brenneman, former Vice Chair, and William Lightfoot, Esq., former Chair. © 2026 D.C. Bar. All rights reserved.

   

Pictured above (from left to right): Lloyd Liu, Esq., Commissioner, and Anthony Coppolino, Esq., member of the D.C. Bar Board of Governors. © 2026 D.C. Bar. All rights reserved.

   

Pictured above (from left to right): D.C. Superior Court Chief Judge Milton Lee and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb. © 2026 D.C. Bar. All rights reserved.

   

Pictured above (from left to right): Amy Bess, Esq., Chair and Hon. Loren AliKhan, Vice Chair. © 2026 D.C. Bar. All rights reserved.

   

Pictured above (from left to right): Amy Bess, Esq., Chair, and D.C. Court of Appeals Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby. © 2026 D.C. Bar. All rights reserved.