CHAIR

Jean Gough

"I started my verbatim reporting career in 1977.  I worked for 12 years as a Pitman shorthand writer, principally in the Crown Court.  I then retrained and qualified as a Stenographer in 1990.  From 1993 until 2006, I worked in live TV subtitling. It was a challenging and exciting field and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  I now work mainly with deafened people as a verbatim speech to text reporter. 

I am proud to be a member of AVSTTR.  I am CACDP registered and a member of BIVR.  I feel very lucky to have a job that I love.  I enjoy the sheer variety of my work and no day is ever the same. "

Secretary

Norma White

"I began training as a Verbatim Court Reporter in 1988, becoming accredited as a CAT Writer in 1991. I spent my early working life in the crown courts including the Central Criminal Court and the Royal Courts of Justice and then specialised in Realtime Court Reporting in the Admiralty and Patent & Technology Courts. I began working as a Speech-to-Text writer in 1998. I am a member of the Directory of CACDP and a member of the British Institute of Verbatim Reporters. I represent AVSTTR on the Agency Steering Group."

Treasurer

Georgina Ford

Committee Member

Cheryl Slater

I have been a speech-to-text reporter for 15 years now.  I started my reporting career in 1983 as a Court Reporter using pen shorthand and retrained in Palantype in 1987.  I spent many years working in Crown Courts, the Central Criminal Court and High Court as well as many other varied reporting assignments.  I now work mainly as a freelance STTR.  I love the variety and flexibility of this work and find working with deaf people extremely rewarding.

Committee Member

Lisa Cordaro

"I am an STTR (Palantypist) based in London and have a partnership called STTRs Direct. I began my career in September 1989 as a trainee Verbatim Court Reporter at Inner London Crown Court. I progressed to being a fully accredited Court Reporter in 1991 and passed my 250wpm speed test. I worked at the Central Criminal Court and then the Royal Courts of Justice. I began doing some STT work and in 1996 I qualified and registered with the CACDP. I love doing this job, I couldn’t think of anything better."

Committee Member

Michelle Sowerby

(Social Secretary)

 “I graduated in the USA with a degree in Court Reporting in 1994. After passing both the Illinois and Missouri Certified Shorthand Reporter examinations at 225 wpm I worked as a freelance Court Reporter taking depositions in both Federal and Civil Court proceedings.  I am currently working as a Court Reporter in the UK taking American depositions as well as working on freelance assignments.  I have passed the Level 2 CACDP examinations on my way to becoming a Registered Speech-to-Text Reporter and I am looking forward to gaining my Level 3 qualifications and furthering my career.