Stenograph|Technology|Agencies|Reporters (STAR) is a professional, not-for-profit organization that works toward the advancement of the latest technologies in the court reporting industry. Our over 500 members are court reporting firm owners and individuals engaged in or associated with the practice of court reporting, as well as court reporting students.
Andrea discovered her passion for court reporting at the age of 16 and now has more than 18 years of experience as a freelance court reporter and captioner locally, nationally, and internationally. In 2015, Andrea became the owner of Associated Reporting & Video, a full-service litigation support firm headquartered in Boise, Idaho. She is also the owner of IdaCaption, a CART and captioning company that serves the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in Idaho and beyond.
Along with being a full-time freelance reporter and agency owner, Andrea is also a member of the elite team of reporters working in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, reporting the 9/11 and USS Cole terrorist trials. She knew from the moment she set foot on base that this incredibly challenging work is what she was built to do and is truly honored to have been chosen to play such an integral part in documenting history.
Andrea served as president of the Idaho Court Reporters Association from 2017 to 2019 and has been an active member of the National Court Reporters Association for over 20 years. She spends countless hours mentoring students and new reporters, as well as educating the legal community on the important role that court reporters play in our judicial system.
In her “spare” time, Andrea is an avid kickboxer (call it stress relief) and also enjoys competing in speed and real-time contests whenever she has the opportunity.
George is Executive Director at STAR and Chief Operations Officer at The Varallo Group LLC, a management services organization for court reporting firms nationwide. He began his career in the court reporting and clinical documentation services industries in 1986 and is the former President of Catuogno Court Reporting & StenTel Transcription. George has volunteered his time serving as a member of the Board of Directors of the Medical Transcription Industry Association, and he currently serves as a member of the Advisory Council for Project Steno.
George enjoys outdoor living in Jupiter, FL, with his wife, Melissa, and three kids, and most notably plays pickleball at a competitive level.
Mr. Levy graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1993 from the University of Alabama and completed Court Reporting school in 1996 from Atlantic Technical College.
He was the sole owner of a court reporting firm from 2003 – 2014 before it merged with First Choice Reporting where he remained a managing partner of the firm.
In 2014 First Choice was acquired by US Legal Support Company and Mr. Levy is the current Regional Director of Reporter and Client Relations but continues to work as a steno reporter handling depositions and trials while also offering Real-Time services.
Previous Board service includes:
FCRA Board of Directors: 2006 – 2011
FCRA President: 2011 – 2012
NCRA Board of Directors: 2013 – 2016
Ron is a 1981 graduate of Stenograph Institute of Texas and has been a full-time freelance court reporter for the last 41 years. Having embraced technology from the beginning, he began producing transcripts on the BaronData mainframe then eventually on the OZ, OZpc, Premier Power, and currently Case CATalyst platforms. Ron still enjoys the ever-evolving technology behind court reporting and is a beta tester for Case CATalyst software in addition to being a member of the Technology and Liaison committees.
Jo Ann attended Marshall University and Wittenberg University before finally deciding that court reporting was her career path. She attended the Stenotype Institute of Springfield, Springfield, Ohio, before transferring to the Huntington Jr. College of Business where she completed her degree in March of 1982. She started freelance reporting immediately upon graduation until hired by Judge John L. Cummings to be his official reporter.
She served as the official reporter for the Sixth Circuit under Judge John L. Cummings and Judge F. Jane Hustead. She “retired” in October of 2015 from her official position. Jo Ann and her husband currently operate a freelance firm (Betler’s Reporting & Legal Video Services) in Huntington, West Virginia, where she continues to be very active in the reporting profession. Jo Ann has had the pleasure of not only reporting as a freelance deposition reporter, as an official reporter, and at the state and federal level, but she also captions for the hard of hearing in public settings and remotely.
Jo Ann is a member of NCRA, STAR, WVCRA, WVOCRA, and KyCRA, and has served on several committees and boards.
Sam graduated from DeVry University with a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering Technology in 2005. He joined Spectrum Reporting’s video department soon after graduation and apprenticed under CLVS Tom Rees.
Within a couple of years of daily video depositions and trial playback, Sam took on more responsibilities. Because of his computer background, he became indispensable for troubleshooting realtime connections and daily-copy setups. Thankfully, PCMCIA-to-serial laptop cards, adapters, and baud rates were eventually replaced by CaseViewNet so that Sam could focus on other areas of the business.
Before long, Sam took ownership of the entire IT infrastructure and spending for the organization and became responsible for researching, developing, and supporting new solutions for Spectrum and its clients. This included trial presentation, videoconferencing, exhibit processing, secure file delivery, and even a witness transcript-review platform. He also started presenting on the different technologies to law firms, paralegal organizations, and even to law students, all of this while still being a full-time videographer.
After ten years in the field, in 2015 Sam became the Operations Manager for Spectrum Reporting. Though he still fills in for depositions and trials as needed, he now focuses on new business development, staff and client support, and client relations.
Sam married Sanja in 2012 and they have two young children: Stefan, a preschooler, and Maja, a baby. Sam and Sanja love international travel, and have visited France, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, and most recently Japan.
Doreen Sutton is a freelance reporter from Scottsdale, Arizona, with over 29 years of experience. She holds the certification of Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR), California Shorthand Reporter (CSR), and her practice includes depositions, arbitrations, and mediations. She also has grand jury, CART, and per-diem official reporting experience. Doreen has served on NCRA’s Test Advisory Committee and served five years on the Board of Directors, which included three years in the roles of Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer.
Doreen is a past president of the Arizona Court Reporters Association and in 2013, she was awarded the ACRA Distinguished Service Award. Sutton holds certifications in the states of California, New Mexico and Arizona and is a Fellow of the Academy of Professional Reporters. Doreen also is a certified CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and a mentor, both to students in the reporting field, as well as mentoring other women through her church.
When she is not working, Doreen enjoys running, cooking, and spending time with her new grandbaby!
William has been a court reporter since 1974. His work experience includes as a state official in Pennsylvania and Ohio, along with a Federal officialship in Pennsylvania. Currently, he is a partner with RevolutionaryText and a founding member. RevolutionaryText provides remote reporting to the courts, especially in areas where reporters are unavailable.
William is certified as an RPR, CRR, RMR, and RDR with the National Court Reporters Association and is licensed in Illinois and Kansas. He works on the GTMO 9/11 terrorist trials and other related terrorist trials, owns a freelance firm, and is an active writer.
He served in all positions for the Pennsylvania Court Reporters Association and is a Past President of the National Court Reporters Association. Robert holds the distinction of Fellow with NCRA.
William is a graduate of Duff’s Business Institute in court reporting and obtained a bachelor’s degree from Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Dan is the Vice President of Marketing for Stenograph and has been the company for about 3 years. He has 25 years in various marketing and leadership roles, developing teams and bringing new solutions to market.
Dan comes to Stenograph after 17 years in the digital printing industry with Eastman Kodak, and most recently served as Director, Product Management and Director, OEM Business Development for Kodak’s inkjet division. Dan also worked for 4 years in the medical devices market as Director, Marketing Communications.
Dan is from Phoenix, Arizona, but has lived in Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Atlanta and Dayton but now lives in Chicago.
STAR is a membership organization for court reporting professionals and students utilizing all methods, agency owners and staff, as well as videographers, scopists, proofreaders, and editors. We recognize and support all professionals who provide communication access and create verbatim transcripts. We value the clients who use our services, and we salute the developers and entrepreneurs who help to advance the latest technologies in court reporting.
STAR is a membership organization for court reporting professionals and students utilizing all methods, agency owners and staff, as well as videographers, scopists, proofreaders, and editors.