Leaders earn the praise for a job well done, as well as the scrutiny and sometimes criticism from being in that executive role.
Those same leaders, however, rightfully recognize the work of their team members who make it all possible. One of the best in that regard – Kathryn Dolan, chief public information officer for the Indiana Supreme Court – has earned national acclaim for her expertise.
Dolan has been in her position for nearly 13 years. Which means, when the Chamber was honoring then Chief Justice Randall Shepard as one of our 2008 Government Leaders of the Year, she was relatively new to her role. No one has been more helpful (both then and 10 years later when current Chief Justice Loretta Rush earned the same award) with our many requests for interviews, photos, video opportunities and more.
I have had the pleasure of working with Dolan several times beyond those two occasions and witnessed her ongoing excellence. She is the ultimate professional and so deserving of the Distinguished Service Award detailed below.
Kathryn Dolan, chief public information officer for the Indiana Supreme Court, is a recipient of the National Center for State Courts’ Distinguished Service Award, presented annually to those who have made significant contributions to the justice system and who have supported the mission of NCSC. Dolan will be presented the award April 13 during a virtual judicial education event for Indiana judges. NCSC President Mary C. McQueen will present the award remotely.
Dolan, who leads the Indiana Supreme Court’s Office of Communication, Education and Outreach manages media inquiries, the law library, and the judicial branch website. Along with her team, she oversees the webcasting of supreme court oral arguments and internal and external messaging. She has made Indiana a leader in the use of graphic design to better convey the message of fair and impartial courts. As part of her daily duties, she conducts training for judges on how to work with the media, writes and distributes press releases, and provides outreach to schools and community organizations.
On a national level, Dolan is president of the Conference of Court Public Information Officers, the only professional organization dedicated to the role of court communicators worldwide. Her term, which began in January 2020, lasts for two years.
NCSC presents a handful of Distinguished Service Awards annually to those who have made significant contributions to the court system and to the work of the NCSC. The awards recognize one person from each of the following categories: current or former state appellate judge; current of former state trial judge; state-level court administrator or employee; trial-level court administrator or employee; attorney or other individual not employed by the courts; and current or former international judge or court executive.
Tom Schuman is the senior vice president of communications & operations for the Indiana Chamber. He is also the editor of the Chamber’s award-winning BizVoice magazine and has been with the organization for 23 years.
