.png)
Conference Presenters
Noa Beck
Beth Harmer
Noa is a vibrant mental health advocate dedicated to building compassionate, connected communities. She brings a grounding presence to her work, engaging people in community connection practices, mutual support, and honest conversations about emotional wellbeing. She has a particular passion for bringing youthful and fresh perspectives to mental health, empowering younger voices and fostering intergenerational connection. She engages with public speaking by creating interactive presentations and group dialogue.
Dr. Beth Harmer is the Assistant Department Head and the Graduate Program Director for the Department of Social Work at Western Carolina University. Prior to coming to WCU, she worked in community based mental health and addiction treatment in WNC. She earned her MSW from WCU and her DSW from the University of St. Thomas and maintains her clinical social work and clinical addiction specialist licensures. Her research focuses on adolescent addiction, harm reduction, perinatal health, and prevalence of addictive disorders in NC.
Timothy Heinle
Timothy Heinle is an expert on North Carolina civil matters, including evidence; abuse, neglect, and dependency; incompetency and guardianship; and child support contempt proceedings. As a faculty member in the School's Public Defense Education program, his primary focus is on providing education and resources to civil defense attorneys, including parent attorneys and Chapter 35A guardian ad litem attorneys. In addition to his work with civil defenders, Heinle teaches other attorneys and judicial officials on matters of civil law.
Heinle was awarded with an Albert and Gladys Coates Term Professorship for 2025-2027. In 2022, he received the School's Performance Excellence Award for "collaborative, dedicated, and innovative efforts that advance the mission of the School of Government,” and the Margaret Taylor Writing Award for “outstanding writing that displays [a] clear and direct style,” for The First Seven Days as a Parent Defender.
Heinle joined the School in 2020. Previously, he spent a decade as a civil litigator at the trial and appellate levels in the areas he now focuses on at the School. Heinle earned a J.D. from New England Law in Boston, MA.
Sally Balch Hurme
Sally Balch Hurme is an elder law expert and author who has led the national conversation on many of the legal issues of concern to older persons and their families. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Newcomb College of Tulane University and her J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law.
​
Sally Hurme’s legal career spans public service, private practice, associations, and a wealth of volunteer commitments. Among other positions, she has served as a city magistrate in Alexandria, Virginia; an attorney adviser with the Office of Intelligence Policy and Review at the U.S. Department of Justice; and a staff attorney with the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging. She also worked for nearly 25 years for AARP, and she has taught as an adjunct professor at the American University Washington College of Law and The George Washington University Law School.
Joyce McHugh
Joyce McHugh is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Legal Guardian and Trauma Therapist working in the Boulder, Colorado area. She started with Advocate Care Services in 2008 and is now a owner of the agency. She is passionate about advocating for and working with protected populations. Joyce is currently working to improve the awareness of the role of a guardian with the State of Colorado, local facilities, hospitals and medical providers. In addition to working full-time, she has finished a book about Legal Guardianship that is in the editing phase. Joyce recently joined the board of the National Guardianship Association.
Kathleen Rodberg
Kathleen Rodberg is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Elder Law. She focuses her practice on the full spectrum of estate planning, estate administration, and the complex issues facing older adults and individuals with special needs. Kathleen regularly assists clients with guardianship matters, special needs trust planning and administration, Medicaid and long-term care strategies, and comprehensive incapacity planning. Her work emphasizes clear guidance, practical solutions, and compassionate support for families navigating challenging transitions.
EDUCATION:
Wake Forest University School of Law (J.D., 2012)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A. Political Science & B.A. German, 2009)
Meredith Smith
Meredith Smith joined the School of Government in 2013. Previously, she was an associate with the law firm of McGuireWoods LLP in Charlotte, where she practiced with the real estate, corporate, and restructuring and insolvency groups on matters related to a wide range of issues including commercial loan modifications, foreclosures, bankruptcy, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, commercial leasing, and real estate purchase and sale contracts. Smith earned a B.A. in political science and Spanish, with distinction, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a law degree, cum laude, from Georgetown University School of Law, where she was a member of the American Criminal Law Review.
Marvin Swartz
Marvin S. Swartz, M.D., is Professor of Psychiatry at the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Swartz’s work has focused on research and policy issues related to the care of individuals with mental illness, the use of legal tools to improve care and the interface between the mental health and justice systems. He was a Network Member in the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Mandated Community Treatment examining use of legal mandates to promote adherence to mental health treatment, led the Duke team in conducting the first randomized trial of involuntary outpatient commitment in North Carolina and the legislatively mandated evaluation of Assisted Outpatient Treatment in New York. He also co-led a North Carolina study examining the effectiveness of Psychiatric Advance Directives and serves as the Director of the National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives. He is also a faculty affiliate of the Wilson Center for Science and Justice at the Duke University School of Law. Dr. Swartz was the recipient of the 2011 American Public Health Association’s Carl Taube Award, the 2012 American Psychiatric Association’s Senior Scholar, Health Services Research Award for career contributions to mental health services research and the 2015 American Psychiatric Association Isaac Ray Award, for Distinguished Contributions to Forensic Psychiatry and Psychiatric Aspects of Jurisprudence.
Denise Young
Denise Young is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and Program Manager for the Alzheimer's Association, Western Carolina Chapter. She has worked to provide education and awareness for individuals and families living with dementia, caregivers, and professionals throughout western NC for the past 11 years. She has received extensive training surrounding Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia through both the Alzheimer's Association, and the University of Tasmania's Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre. After watching her grandmother go through the dementia journey, she became passionate about raising awareness and bringing education and resources to those families facing the disease.
Lisa Wawrzonek
Lisa is a 26 year veteran of the adult guardianship and conservatorship system spending 19 years as a Court Visitor for the Alaska Court System and the last 7 as the Guardianship Compliance Officer for the court. She is currently the NGA President having been involved with NGA for over 20 years. Previously, Lisa spent 15 years working with families and those impacted by Alzheimer's and related dementia. Lisa's degrees include a Bachelor in Human Service and Masters in Gerontology.