Ms. Elizabeth DeVaughn Costner Related Seminars and Products

Law Office of Elizabeth DeVaughn Costner

BIOGRAPHY

                                                  OF

                               ELIZABETH DEVAUGHN COSTNER

Elizabeth DeVaughn Costner was born on October 1, 1967 in Montezuma, Georgia.  She attended the University of Georgia where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sport Science in 1990.  Thereafter, she attended the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University and earned her Juris Doctor in 1993.

Mrs. Costner first practiced in Valdosta, Georgia with the firm of Clyatt, Clyatt and Costner.  She practiced exclusively in Workers’ Compensation defense.  Thereafter, in 2000, she moved to Savannah, Georgia and joined the firm of Herndon & Costner. In 2006, Mrs. Costner began a solo practice.  Her practice is now limited to the representation of Workers’ Compensation Claimants.

She has been an active member of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Board of Georgia.  Mrs. Costner has been a frequent speaker at Workers’ Compensation Seminars throughout the State. She is a certified mediator who has mediated State and Federal cases throughout the country since 2006. She served on the Legislative Committee on the Georgia Chairman’s Advisory Council.  She served on the Workers’ Compensation Committee of the State Bar of Georgia for five years and was the Chairman in 2018. She co-chaired the 2018 and 2023 Annual Georgia Workers’ Compensation Seminars. In March of 2019, Elizabeth was inducted into the National College of Workers’ Compensation attorneys. 

Mr. Matthew St Nicholas Cumper Related Seminars and Products

Richter Head Shinall White & Slotkin LLP

Matt Cumper is a Partner at Richter, Head, Shinall, White & Slotkin.  He represents the interests of employers, insurers, and third-party administrators throughout Georgia.  He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Boston University and went on to receive his Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law.

Mr. Norman Daniel Lovein Related Seminars and Products

Hall Booth Smith PC

OVERVIEW
A Nashville, Georgia native, Daniel Lovein practices in the areas of workers’ comp defense, 
premises liability, medical malpractice, real estate, school law, and local government law. Daniel 
presented an argument to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Castro v. United States on October 15, 2003.

PRACTICE AREAS AGING SERVICES EDUCATION
Daniel has served as local counsel for Professional Association of Georgia Educators. As a result 
of this representation, Daniel has had an opportunity to defend and/or assist many Georgia 
educators when adverse action has been taken against them.

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
Daniel is committed to helping employers avoid, resolve and prevail in employment disputes 
involving the full range of employment and labor issues. This includes litigation in state and 
federal courts and the representation of employers before administrative agencies over claims 
including: discrimination, harassment, retaliation, accommodation, and state torts such as 
negligent supervision and hiring, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, 
defamation, invasion of privacy, and wrongful discharge allegations.

GOVERNMENTAL LIABILITY
Daniel has served as counsel representing several cities and counties throughout South Georgia in 
the defense of all types of claims including employment related claims, 1983 actions, and other 
civil rights claims.

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
Daniel has served as counsel defending physicians and hospitals in medical malpractice actions for 
much of
his legal career. He has extensive experience in defending all types of medical claims from the 
filing of the lawsuit through trial.

REAL ESTATE
Daniel has experience in both residential and commercial real estate closings.
Premises Liability
Daniel has extensive experience in defending property owners in premises liability actions. 
Specifically, He. has defended many “slip and fall” actions as well as other premises liability 
claims for many employers and
property owners throughout South Georgia.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
Daniel has served as defense counsel for many employers throughout South Georgia in the defense of 
workers’ compensation claims. He has extensive experience in the defense of all types of workers’ 
compensation claims.
EDUCATION
• J.D., Mercer University, 1997
• B.B.A., University of Georgia, 1994

MEMBERSHIP
• ABA (Insurance Defense Section)
• Glynn County Bar Association, President
• DRI – member, Lawyers Professionalism & Ethics Committee
• Workers’ Compensation Section of State Bar of Georgia

PUBLICATIONS
• Defense Counsel “USA v Castro” United State Supreme Court, October 2003.
ACTIVITIES
• Successfully appeared before the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on October 15, 
2003. Favorable decision rendered on December 15, 2003, involving Federal Habeas Corpus issue under 
Anti-
Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.

Hon. Sharon Hurt Reeves Related Seminars and Products

State Board of Workers' Compensation

Judge Sharon Reeves is the Deputy Chief Administrative Law Judge of the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation.  Before her appointment in 2017, she spent more than 20 years in private practice specializing in workers’ compensation and general litigation.  She is a Board Member of the National Association of Workers’ Compensation Judiciary (NAWCJ) and a Fellow in the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers.  She is a graduate of the University of Georgia and the University of Georgia School of Law.

Mr. Benjamin James Vinson Related Seminars and Products

State Board of Workers' Compensation

Ben Vinson is the Chairman and Chief Appellate Judge of the State Board of Workers’ Compensation. He was first appointed to the State Board by Governor Deal in 2017, then reappointed by Governor Kemp in 2021 and 2025. Chairman Vinson hears appellate cases and leads the state agency on regulatory, policy, and operational matters. Previously, he was a partner at Dentons US LLP focusing his practice on public policy and political law. Before that he was majority caucus counsel in the Georgia House of Representatives and clerked for U.S. District Judge W. Brevard Hand. He is a member of the Federalist Society and the board of Kids’ Chance of Georgia. Chairman Vinson went to Furman University and the University of Georgia School of Law. He lives in Greensboro, Georgia with his wife and two children.

Mr. Damir Blazevic Related Seminars and Products

Bronsted, Blazevic, & Winders, LLP

After arriving in the United States at the age of 6 as a refugee, Damir went on to become the first member of his immediate family to graduate from college, earning his bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University with Summa Cum Laude honors before going on to attend law school at Georgia State University College of Law and becoming a licensed attorney.

In June 2023, Damir joined Aleksandra Bronsted and Amanda Winders in forming Bronsted, Blazevic, and Winders, LLP. Damir is also a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. Aside from being an attorney, Damir is also a father to three beautiful children and has been a member of various community organizations aimed at giving back to the less fortunate. Damir is an avid soccer fan in his spare time and has a passion for music and the creative arts.

Mr. Davis Matthew Kimball Related Seminars and Products

Law Office of Michael T. Goodin

Davis Kimball is a Trial Attorney with the Law Office of Michael T. Goodin (Zurich American Insurance Company). He has practiced workers’ compensation law for his entire legal career. Most of that time has been spent defending Employers and Insurers. Davis prides himself on being extremely responsive to his clients and providing transparent, candid legal advice. Davis approaches every case as if it will go to trial, with the goal of obtaining a favorable, efficient resolution for the Employer/Insurer. 

Davis obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Georgia. He attended Samford University for his undergraduate studies and obtained a degree in Political Science. 

Davis is an avid Georgia Bulldogs fan. In his spare time, he enjoys playing sports and spending time with his family. 

Mr. Benjamin Vernon Copeland Related Seminars and Products

Montlick & Associates PC

Ben Copeland was born in North Carolina but moved to Alabama at a young age. He grew up in Montgomery, Alabama where he graduated high school. Prior to law school, he attended the University of Alabama, where he earned two Bachelor of Art degrees and worked in the public sector for a county government in Alabama for a period of time. During that time, he earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Alabama.

Thereafter, he attended the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University, graduating in 2008. Since law school, Ben has lived and worked in the Atlanta area. Initially, he worked at a small firm in Douglasville, Georgia where he handled a diverse mix of cases, including personal injury, family law, and criminal defense, and gaining significant civil trial experience.

He also gained his first exposure to Workers’ Compensation during that time and transitioned to Workers’ Compensation defense practice, where he spent three years representing insurance companies and employers at a large firm in Atlanta, Georgia. Currently, Ben works for Montlick & Associates, having worked there since 2015, and handles almost exclusively Workers’ Compensation claims.

Ben lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and one child and enjoys travelling, cooking, and cycling.

Mr. Gerald Robert Ryan Jr. Related Seminars and Products

Ryan Law Firm LLC

Rob Ryan is the managing partner of Ryan Law Firm in Valdosta.  Rob has devoted a substantial portion of his practice to workers’ compensation law since 2002.  Rob regularly represents clients throughout Georgia and has extensive experience representing insurers, self-insureds, and employers in workers’ compensation mediations, hearings, and appeals, as well as representing injured workers and conducting mediations.  Rob received his J.D. from Washington & Lee University School of Law in 1999 and his B.A. from the University of Florida in 1996, where he was a National Merit Scholarship recipient and a member of the University Honors Program.  He began his legal career as law clerk for the Hon. Hugh Stone and Hon. David Barrett in the Enotah Judicial Circuit of Georgia, and later was an Assistant District Attorney in the Enotah Circuit, serving under District Attorney Stan Gunter.  Rob is married to the former Emily Brady and they live on the family homeplace in Brooks County, Georgia.

Mr. Richard Hampton Sapp III Related Seminars and Products

State Board of Worker's Compensation

RICHARD HAMPTON SAPP, III is an Administrative Law Judge with the State Board of Workers Compensation. He handles the Northwest Georgia territory including the Dalton, Blue Ridge, Jasper, and Rome areas.  He is a 1984 graduate of Emory University and a cum laude 1987 graduate of Mercer Law School.  He spent four years after graduation from law school handling a variety of cases including criminal cases, divorce cases, and workers compensation cases at the Dalton, Georgia, law firm of Kinney and Kemp.  Next, he was an in-house attorney for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company for a few years, and then he was a partner at the Atlanta law firm, Swift Currie, for over 20 years where he handled workers compensation cases.  He has been an administrative law judge for eight years.  

Mr. Charles Lamar Clifton III Related Seminars and Products

Morgan & Morgan

An Atlanta native, Charles "Clay" Clifton, III practices workers compensation law in Morgan and Morgan's Atlanta office. Prior to joining Morgan and Morgan, Mr. Clifton worked as a workers' compensation defense attorney before devoting his practice specifically to the representation of injured workers. 

Mr. Clifton received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia, where he majored in Spanish and Latin American & Caribbean Studies. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Clifton lived and worked in Latin America, and is fortunate to be able to assist both English and Spanish speaking clients as a part of his practice. He went on to receive his law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law in Richmond, Virginia, where he served as a member of the University of Richmond Law Review.

Mr. Frank McKay Related Seminars and Products

State Board of Workers' Compensation

Judge FRANK R. McKay is an Appellate Judge and Director for the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation where he served as Chairman and Chief Appellate Judge for eight years.

In 2024, Judge McKay was inducted into the National Association of Workers’ Compensation Judiciary Hall of Fame. He also received the 2019 National Judge Comp Laude Award from WorkCompCentral.  He is a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers (CWCL).  He is a Past-President of the Southern Association of Workers’ Compensation Administrators (SAWCA) and Co-Dean of the 2024 and 2023 Roger L. Williams National Regulators College.  He served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Workers’ Compensation Judiciary (NAWCJ).  He served on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Workers’ Compensation Institute (WCI). He served on the Board of Directors of Kids’ Chance of Georgia.  He served on the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute’s (WCRI) Georgia Advisory Committee.  He serves on Georgia’s Statewide Opioid Task Force.  Judge McKay is a frequent speaker at the National Association of Workers’ Compensation Judiciary College and many other conferences.

He came to the Board in 2013 from private practice where he was a partner in the Stewart, Melvin and Frost law firm in Gainesville, Georgia. His practice was concentrated in workers’ compensation, and he tried and presented many cases before the Administrative Law Judges and the Appellate Division of the State Board and appeals to the Superior Courts and the Georgia Court of Appeals. He was a former Special Assistant Attorney General handling workers’ compensation claims for the State of Georgia. He was on the State Board’s Advisory Council prior to being appointed the Chairman by the Governor of Georgia in 2013 and 2017.  He was reappointed as a Director and Appellate Judge by Governor Brian P. Kemp in 2021.

He obtained his law degree (J.D.) from Walter F. George School of Law, Mercer University, and his undergraduate degree (B.A. Economics) from Clemson University. 

Mr. Phillip Andrew Sibley Related Seminars and Products

Levy, Sibley, Foreman & Speir, LLC

Phillip A. Sibley born Burlington, North Carolina, November 6, 1961; admitted to bar, 1987, Georgia.  Education:  Wake Forest University (B.A., 1984); Walter F. George School of Law, Mercer University (J.D., 1987), Sigma Chi Fraternity.  Mr. Sibley is a partner with Levy, Sibley, Foreman & Speir, LLC’s  Macon and Savannah offices and handles matters for the firm both regionally and state-wide.  Mr. Sibley has practiced in the area of workers compensation defense since 1987 and has authored numerous articles and spoken at various seminars regarding Workers’ Compensation Law.  Mr. Sibley was 2018 Co-Chairman of the annual Workers' Compensation Seminar.  Member:  Macon and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia; Georgia Defense Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Workers Compensation Defense; Insurance Defense Law.

Phil is a Martindale Hubbell AV Pre-eminent rated attorney.

Mr. Daniel Stephen Levitas Related Seminars and Products

Clements & Sweet LLP

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

A 2010 graduate of Emory University School of Law, Daniel Levitas has practiced nearly exclusively in the area of workers’ compensation for the past 15 years.   He has been with the law firm of Clements and Sweet since 2013.  Mr. Levitas’ practice focuses on medically complex and catastrophic cases, workers’ compensation death claims, and litigating against uninsured employers.

A native of New York City, Mr. Levitas graduated from the University of Michigan in 1982 and moved to Atlanta in 1989 to run the National Anti-Klan Network (formerly the Center for Democratic Renewal) founded by The Rev. C.T. Vivian.  His 2002 book, The Terrorist Next Door. The Militia Movement and the Radical Right (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press, 2002), chronicled the rise of armed militia groups in the 1990s and other white supremacist organizations and movements.  His book was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award.

Immediately prior to obtaining his law degree, Mr. Levitas worked for the American Civil Liberties Union Voting Rights Project from 2004 - 2006 to help secure renewal of Section 5 and other then-expiring provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and on the issue felon re-enfranchisement.

Mr. Levitas and his wife live in Decatur, Georgia.

Heather Sanderson Related Seminars and Products

Attorney

Heather Schwartz Sanderson is a nationally recognized legal expert in Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) Compliance, known for her cutting-edge expertise, practical analysis, and industry advocacy. With over 15 years of experience, she founded Sanderson Firm PLLC in 2021, offering expert MSP compliance solutions and education to the Property & Casualty Insurance market and legal communities. Sanderson Firm is one of the nation’s fastest growing MSP compliance companies in the country recently landing on the 2025 Inc. 5000 fastest growing companies, and offers Medicare Set-Aside, Conditional Payment, and Section 111 Services to the insurance and legal sectors nationwide.

Before launching Sanderson Firm PLLC, Heather served as Chief Legal Officer for Franco Signor, a leading MSP services provider, and held key roles at Optum and ExamWorks Compliance Solutions. Her extensive legal experience includes serving as an MSP expert in federal class action litigation as well as state-level matters, contributing to MSP legislative reforms since 2011.

Mr. Jeffrey Kenyon Stinson Related Seminars and Products

Swift Currie McGhee & Hiers LLP

Jeff K. Stinson is a Swift Currie partner who has more than 15 years of experience counseling clients through difficult workers’ compensation claims and advocating on their behalf. During this time, he has developed longstanding relationships and become a trusted adviser to his clients, which include insurance companies and employers in a diverse spectrum of industries, such as retail sales, childcare, education, trucking and transportation and religious institutions, to name a few.

Jeff’s attention to detail and thoroughness ensure his clients’ cases are looked at through careful and critical eyes. Because of his diligence, he has been able to spot crucial details or pieces of evidence that often get overlooked. Additionally, he prides himself on being responsive to and always available for his clients and ensures he understands his clients’ business models and goals so he can represent their best interests. Knowing his clients and their businesses is key to his successful practice and enables his ability to provide full-service representation as if he were in-house counsel.

Jeff honed his strong skills in the courtroom when he interned at a solicitor general’s office in Douglas County during law school. In this role, he prosecuted misdemeanor crimes, and that raw, hands-on experience helped him become comfortable in any kind of courtroom and fast on his feet in front of judges and juries.

Ms. Lily Wilkerson Burkhart Related Seminars and Products

Speed Seta Martin Trivett & Stubley LLC

Lily Wilkerson Burkhart graduated summa cum laude from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minor in English. She joined Speed Seta as a law clerk in her second year of law school and, in 2016, earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law, cum laude. While in law school, Lily competed on a national level with the Business Negotiations Team, learning valuable strategies for negotiation, business ethics, and problem solving.

Lily has concentrated her practice in the area of workers' compensation defense, defending claims for insurance companies, third-party administrators, and self-insured employers from inception through resolution. She has defended claims at the trial and appellate level.

Lily is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the State Bar of Florida.

Hon. Nicole Danielle Tifverman Related Seminars and Products

State Board of Workers' Compensation

Nicole Tifverman is an Administrative Law Judge with the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation in Savannah, Georgia. Prior to her appointment as a judge in 2011, she practiced workers’ compensation law in Atlanta for 24 years. She received a B.A. from the University of Rhode Island and a J.D. from Emory University School of Law

Mr. Ryan Vincent Klee Related Seminars and Products

Drew Eckl & Farnham LLP

Ryan Klee practices Workers’ Compensation law and guides
Risk Managers, Human Resource Managers, Third Party
Administrators (TPAs), and Claims Adjusters in developing a
plan to resolve and close files quickly and efficiently.
He has taken hundreds of employee depositions and
defended numerous depositions of employer representatives
as well. In addition, he has taken expert witness depositions
ranging from physicians to vocational experts. He has
personally handled all aspects of workers’ compensation
claims, representing clients from the trial level through the
appeals process, as well as engaging in settlement mediations.
Ryan has particular experience with the trucking industry,
health care service providers, manufacturers, retailers,
employee leasing companies and the hospitality industry.
While in law school, he also clerked for the Honorable Reggie
B. Walton, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Since 2024, he was selected by his peers for inclusion in the
Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Workers’
Compensation Law – Employers in Atlanta. Ryan is also an AV
Preeminent rated lawyer by Martindale Hubbell.

Hon. Johnny W. Mason Jr. Related Seminars and Products

Judge

State Board of Workers' Compensation

JUDGE JOHNNY MASON, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, obtained his B.A. in 1978 from the University of Pennsylvania, and obtained his law degree in 1984 from Woodrow Wilson College of Law. Judge Mason was in private practice as a trial lawyer from 1985 to 1995, primarily practicing in the areas of civil rights, domestic law, workers’ compensation, criminal defense, and personal injury. In 1995, Judge Mason was appointed as an Administrative Law Judge with the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation. In 2000, on appointment by the Governor, Judge Mason served for one year as Chief Judge of the Georgia Office of State Administrative Hearings and, thereafter, returned to the Workers’ Compensation Board where he continues to serve as an Administrative Law Judge.

Ms. Tracy Toussaint Leonard Related Seminars and Products

Savell & Williams LLP

Tracy Leonard has extensive litigation experience, and her practice focuses almost exclusively on the defense of employers and insurers in workers’ compensation cases. Tracy has litigated issues throughout Georgia. She has participated in numerous trials before various Administrative Law Judges in addition to arguing appeals before the Appellate Division of the State Board of Workers’ Compensation and various Superior Courts. Although Tracy primarily practices in Georgia, she is also licensed to practice in Alabama. Tracy enjoys being a zealous advocate and obtaining favorable results for her clients. Prior to joining Savell & Williams, she gained valuable experience working in-house for one of the largest insurers in the country as well as for other private law firms handling both workers’ compensation and general liability matters.

Tracy has served on the State Board of Workers’ Compensation Chairperson’s Advisory Council since 2015 and is the Chairperson of the Licensure and Self-Insurance Committee. She is a member of the College of Workers Compensation Lawyers and has served on the Alabama Legislative Task Force. Tracy is a frequent lecturer for various seminars for the State Board of Workers’ Compensation and Georgia Institute of Continuing Education. She has also presented as a speaker at seminars for the Alabama Insurance Commission. Tracy is admitted to practice in all State and Superior Courts in Georgia, as well as the Georgia Court of Appeals and Georgia Supreme Court.

Tracy is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She earned her undergraduate degree from Samford University and law degree from the Cumberland School of Law, where she graduated cum laude. Tracy lives in Alpharetta with her husband, Ben, and daughter, Arabella. She enjoys Alabama football, running, and spending time with family.

Mr. Todd K. Maziar Related Seminars and Products

Stottlemyer & Associates LLC

Todd K. Maziar earned his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University and his law degree from Emory University. His law practice is principally dedicated to representing injured workers in workers’ compensation claims.

Todd joined Stottlemyer & Associates as an of counsel attorney in January of 2020. His previous law firm experiences range from practicing as a member of a large firm to practicing as a solo practitioner for over 18 years. He is licensed to practice in all Georgia state courts, as well before the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Georgia, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

For over 20 years, Mr. Maziar has been a member (and former president) of the Georgia Legal Foundation (GLF) – a volunteer organization primarily dedicated to writing amicus curiae briefs on behalf of injured workers. Todd is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Workers’ Compensation Claimant’s Lawyers Section (WCCL) of the Georgia Trial Lawyer’s Association (GTLA); a member of the Chairman’s Advisory Committee of the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation; a member of the Workers’ Injury Law and Advocacy Group (WILG); and, in 2018, was inducted as a member into The College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers.

Todd not only has personally handled and resolved many hundreds of workers’ compensation claims, but he also has written briefs in support of injured workers in some 17 cases accepted by the Court of Appeals via the discretionary appeals process. He continues to provide appeals assistance to Georgia lawyers, and he is also a licensed mediator.

Hon. Kimberly Stone Boehm Related Seminars and Products

State Board of Workers' Compensation

Kimberly Boehm is an administrative law judge with the State Board of Workers’ Compensation’s Atlanta office.  Prior to joining the Board in 2017, she represented injured workers for several years and before that, had a defense practice representing employers, insurers, servicing agents, and group funds in Duluth.  She graduated from the University of Georgia with an undergraduate degree in history and philosophy, and obtained her law degree from the Georgia State University College of Law in 1996. She is a member of the National Association of Workers’ Compensation Judiciary (NAWCJ) and Southern Association of Workers’ Compensation Administrators (SAWCA). 

Ms. Anna Cook Related Seminars and Products

Richter Head Shinall White & Slotkin LLP

Anna Cook exclusively practices workers' compensation defense with the firm of Richter Head Shinall White & Slotkin LLP. She earned her Juris Doctor in 2002 from the University of Georgia School of Law.

Mr. Christopher Jason Perkins Related Seminars and Products

Perkins Studdard LLC

Jason Perkins received his B.A. from Mercer University and his J.D. from the University of Georgia.  He is a partner at Perkins Studdard LLC.  His firm specializes in the representation of injured workers in workers’ compensation claims and the representation of military veterans in claims before the Veterans Administration.

Jason is a Past President of the Workers’ Compensation Claimants Lawyers section of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and a past Chair of the Workers Compensation Section of the State Bar of Georgia.  He serves on the Legislative Committee and Settlement Committee of the State Board of Workers’ Compensation’s Chairman’s Advisory Council.  He also mediates workers' compensation claims.

Hon. Viola Sellers Drew Related Seminars and Products

State Board of Workers' Compensation

Judge Viola Drew is a graduate of Emory University School of Law. She has been an administrative law judge with the State Board of Workers’ Compensation for over 30 years.  She has also served as a Director of the Board, as Chief Judge, as Interim Executive Director, and as acting Director of the Licensure and Self-Insurance Division during her tenure with the Board.  She also served as  Deputy Executive Director of the Board for the past 9 years. She continues to hear cases as an administrative law judge in Atlanta.  In addition, she serves as a member and staff liaison to the Advisory Council’s Rules Committee.

Hon. David K. Imahara Related Seminars and Products

Chief Judge

State Board of Workers' Compensation

David is the Chief Judge in the Hearing Division at the State Board of Workers’ Compensation.  David has been involved in Georgia’s workers’ compensation system for over 25 years.  David is a frequent speaker on hearings, mediations, the Board’s paperless/online processes, and workers’ compensation.  David obtained his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Georgia (“Double Dawg”). 

Hon. Melodie Lynn Belcher Related Seminars and Products

State Board of Workers' Compensation

Melodie Belcher is an Administrative Law Judge for the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation. After spending nearly 10 years as a flight attendant, Melodie attended Georgia State University College of Law where she was an editor on the law review and graduated cum laude. Melodie then went to work for Swift, Currie, McGhee and Hiers, an Atlanta firm, where she represented employers and insurers in workers’ compensation claims. In 1999, Melodie joined the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation. She served as the chief judge from 2009 until 2012. Melodie is actively involved with the Southern Association of Workers’ Compensation Administrators and  previously served as SAWCA’s president. She served on the Board of the National Association of Workers’ Compensation Judiciary (NAWCJ) and was inducted into their initial Hall of Fame class. She has also been inducted as a fellow in the College of Workers’ Compensation Attorneys. Melodie speaks frequently on workers’ compensation issues in Georgia and nationally. She lives in Lagrange, Georgia. 

Mr. Daniel Ryan Richardson Related Seminars and Products

Quintaros, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A.

Daniel Richardson is an attorney in the Atlanta office of Hall Booth & Smith. For almost seven years, he has specialized exclusively in defending employers in all aspects of their workers' compensation claims throughout Georgia. Currently, he represents school districts, insurance companies, industrial companies specializing in flooring, roofing, and automobile manufacturing, and several other small businesses. Before his current role, he served as a trial attorney in the DA's office in Coweta County. He also has a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Tech. 

Ms. Luanne Bryant Smith Related Seminars and Products

Dell Law Firm

Luanne Bryant Smith was a solo practitioner in Valdosta, Georgia practicing primarily in the areas of Claimant’s Workers’ Compensation, Real Estate, and Business Law before moving to the Lake Oconee area in March 2024 to be closer to her children both of whom attend the University of Georgia.  GO DAWGS!

A native of Cairo, Georgia, Mrs. Smith received her Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree with a concentration in Accounting in 1996 from Valdosta State University. 

Mrs. Smith earned her Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in 2000 and was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 2005.  She was active with the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyer’s Division, having been elected to the Board of Directors and appointed to the Leadership Academy in 2008.  Mrs. Smith also served as a founding member of the Valdosta Young Lawyer’s Division and was an active member of the Valdosta Bar Association until moving to Lake Oconee.  Most recently, Mrs. Smith was chosen to serve on the Executive Committee of the State Bar of Georgia Workers’ Compensation Section. 

Mrs. Smith has represented the Valdosta-Lowndes County chapter of Habitat for Humanity for the past 18 years and recently began providing legal assistance to the Thomasville-Thomas County and Greene County Chapters as well.  Mrs. Smith is currently a member of the Leadership Putnam Class of 2026. 

Mr. Russell Cotter Wallace Related Seminars and Products

Wallace Law Group PC

Russell C. Wallace founded Wallace Law Group, P.C. in Valdosta to focus on insurance defense litigation and defending Employers, Insurers, and Self-Insurer’s in workers’ compensation claims throughout South, Middle, and Coastal Georgia. He takes the role of counselor seriously, helping companies develop preventative measures to avoid disputes prior to their inception. The State Bar of Georgia and the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation frequently invite him to provide the defense’s perspective on case law updates and evidentiary issues. Governor Nathan Deal has also appointed him as a mentor for young lawyers. His reputation for high ethical standards and legal ability earned him the highest peer review rating from his fellow attorneys as a Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent-Rated attorney. He is a member of the Georgia Defense Lawyer Association, Atlanta Claims Association, National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association, Southeastern Wood Producers Association, and the Georgia Employers’ Workers’ Compensation Association.

Mr. Stephen Michael Welsh Related Seminars and Products

Buzzell Welsh & Hill LLP

“Stephen Welsh didn’t expect to build his life and career in Macon, but more than three decades later, he wouldn’t have it any other way. What started as a practical choice to attend Mercer Law quickly became a long-term commitment to the Middle Georgia community. Steve and his wife made friends, settled in, and started a family during his time in law school, ultimately deciding that Macon was the right place to raise their children. In 1998, Steve co-founded Buzzell, Welsh & Hill with a clear mission: to serve the people of Middle Georgia with local attorneys who care about making a difference right here at home.

Since beginning his legal career in 1994, Steve has focused on workers’ compensation, personal injury, and civil litigation. In 2011, he secured a $1.4 million verdict for a veteran truck driver in the Superior Court of Laurens County. He has served as Writing Editor for the Mercer Law Review, Co-Chair of the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Law Institute, and a frequent host, panelist, author, and speaker at State Board of Workers’ Compensation educational seminars. Steve is AV Preeminent® rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been recognized by Best Lawyers® for over a decade.

In addition to leading the firm, Steve continues to stay connected to his alma mater. Since 2020, he has served as an adjunct professor at Mercer Law School, teaching the Workers’ Compensation course and mentoring future attorneys. He’s also an avid golfer and enjoys traveling with his family. Whether he’s greeting former clients around town or supporting new attorneys who want to make Macon their home, Steve brings the same long-term commitment to the people and place that shaped his career.

Memberships

• AV Preeminent Rated Attorney
• State Bar of Georgia
• American Bar Association
• Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
• Macon Trial Lawyers Association
• American Association for Justice
• Georgia Workers Compensation Claimants Lawyers

Education

• B.A., Political Science, Duke University (1990)
• J.D., Mercer University (Cum Laude, 1994)

Brandy Ellis Related Seminars and Products

Professor

University of Georgia

Brandy Ellis is the Research Services Librarian at the University of Georgia Alexander Campbell King Law Library. In this role, she teaches first-year and advanced legal research courses. She has spoken about artificial intelligence before the Southern District of Georgia Court Advisory Committee, the University of Georgia Law School Board of Visitors, and the American Association of Law Libraries. Prior to entering academia, she worked for over six years as an emerging companies associate at Cooley in New York City and Fenwick & West in Seattle. She is admitted in New York.

Jason Tubinis Related Seminars and Products

Professor

University of Georgia

Jason Tubinis is the Law & Technology Librarian at the University of Georgia Alexander Campbell King Law Library. In this role, he teaches first-year and advanced legal research courses. He has spoken about artificial intelligence before the Southern District of Georgia Court Advisory Committee, the University of Georgia Law School Board of Visitors, and the American Association of Law Libraries.

Mr. John Douglas Christy Related Seminars and Products

John D. Christy P.C.

JOHN D. CHRISTY

JOHN D. CHRISTY, P.C.

909 BALL STREET

P.O. BOX 1816

PERRY, GEORGIA 31069

CURRICULUM VITAE

John D. Christy has a statewide litigation practice located in Perry, Georgia.  He represents severely injured individuals and the families of individuals who are injured or have been killed, on the job or through the negligence of others. While the focus of his law practice is handling claims for individuals in the areas of workers’ compensation and personal injury, John has successfully represented major employers and insurers, giving him the advantage of understanding how employers and insurers defend claims. John has been involved in numerous cases involving complex litigation issues in both the workers’ compensation and personal injury areas of the law.  John is a registered mediator and has successfully mediated many complicated workers’ compensation claims.

John is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the Georgia Supreme Court and the Georgia Court of Appeals.  He formerly served as the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Georgia.  John is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer in 2012 and 2014 through 2025. 

John is the past chairman of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of Georgia, has served on the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council Medical Committee, as Editor of the State Bar of Georgia Workers’ Compensation Section Law Letter, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Workers’ Compensation Claimant’s Law Section of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.  He is a frequent speaker at seminars on employment and workers’ compensation legal issues.

John is a native of Atlanta, GA and enjoys reading and spending time with his family.

Ms. Meredith Lee Knight Related Seminars and Products

McAngus Goudelock & Courie

Meredith L. Knight

Atlanta, GA

Click here to view Meredith's full biography.

For nearly two decades, Meredith Knight has defended employers, insurers, insureds and third-party administrators in workers' compensation claims, including catastrophic claims. Meredith applies her experience and wealth of information in the courtroom and beyond to expedite processes and procedures specifically tailored to each of her clients across several industries, including construction, shipping, automotive, manufacturing, restaurant and retail. She has served as first chair attorney for hearings and has argued before the Appellate Division of the State Board of Workers' Compensation and Superior Courts. "The most important thing to me is specifically tailoring every form and claim defense to the needs of the client," says Meredith. "It is so easy in this industry to copy and paste by providing a generic 'boilerplate' defense or presentation. I would rather serve the specific needs of the client every time and do what is best for their individual issues."

With the goal of mitigating risk, a key aspect of Meredith's practice includes guiding clients in establishing robust programs that enhance their workers' compensation frameworks; she provides thorough evaluations of injury reporting policies and company handbooks to educate her clients on how to proceed if claims arise. She regularly hosts seminars and training sessions on hot topic issues for professionals in every aspect of the workers’ compensation industry, from claims handlers to injured workers’ direct supervisors, with the goal of leaving any given room better-informed than how she found it. Meredith received a Mediation Certificate from the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution, and she currently serves as a Board Member and the Litigation Chair of the Atlanta Claims Association. She is also a member of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association and the Atlanta Chapter of RIMS.

Outside of MGC, Meredith enjoys live music; she has played the bass in several Atlanta bands, including with her husband. She has two sons and a Chocolate Havanese pup.

Hon. Jerome J. Stenger Related Seminars and Products

State Board of Workers' Compensation

JERRY STENGER, ALJ

State Board of Workers' Compensation

7 East Congress St., Suite 601

Savannah, Georgia 31401

(912) 651-6223

Graduated with a B.A. from West Georgia College (now the University of West Georgia) in 1983

Graduated with J.D. from Mercer University School of Law in Macon, Georgia, in 1986.

Law Clerk for trial court judges in Savannah, Georgia 1986-1989.

Practiced workers' compensation law in Savannah and Atlanta from 1989 to 1995.

Administrative Law Judge in the Savannah office of the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation from October 1995 through the present.

Emmanuel Gage Related Seminars and Products

Centurion Spine & Pain Centers

Dr. Emmanuel Gage is a nationally recognized leader in a number of interventional pain-relief techniques, including spinal cord stimulation and vertiflex superion, a minimally invasive procedure to alleviate spinal stenosis. Dr. Gage has performed more than 15,000 interventional procedures, including cervical and thoracic interlaminar, sympathetic blocks, and joint injections.

A Magna Cum Laude graduate of John Carroll University in Ohio, Dr. Gage won early acceptance to the University of Toledo Medical School as well as the school’s Gregory A. Nemunaitis Award for Outstanding Medical Student in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

Shane Mangrum, M.D. Related Seminars and Products

Physician

Axion Spine & Neurosurgery

Shane Mangrum, MD, is an experienced, board-certified physiatrist at Axion Spine & Neurosurgery in Alpharetta in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area. He is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as well as Sports Medicine. He takes a holistic approach to spine treatment and other musculoskeletal disorders, specializing in non-operative interventions. 

Dr. Mangrum earned his undergraduate degree in evolutionary biology from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He completed medical school at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Dr. Mangrum spent time with his training at the  Mayo Clinic also the University of Utah.  He is also a co-founder of TheraNova, LLC, a biomedical device development company. 

Dr. Mangrum has worked in the Worker’s Compensation space for 20+ years in multiple different states across the country.  He has experience working in the care of injured workers and also with larger companies consulting regarding employee health and occupational health care. 

Mr. Pearce Walker Johnstone Taylor Related Seminars and Products

Hasner Law

Pearce W. J. Taylor joined Hasner Law Injury & Workers’ Compensation Attorneys after years of defending employers and their insurers in Georgia Workers’ Compensation claims. With his knowledge of the defense side of these claims, Pearce uses this expertise to ease the burden on injured workers’ and help secure all benefits to which they are entitled under Georgia law.

Pearce attended the University of Central Florida and achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in Legal Studies with a minor in Criminal Justice. While at UCF, Pearce was a member of the Cheerleading team. Following his graduation, Pearce attended law school at Florida Coastal School of Law. There he was involved in the Moot Court team with multiple competitions across the country, and assuming a leadership role in the organization. With a full course load as a law student, Pearce was a member of the Dean search committee to name a new administration for the school, clerked with the Jacksonville Ethics Commission, and worked in a law firm. Pearce graduated from law school Magna Cum Laude, earning his Juris Doctor degree. He is admitted to the Georgia Bar and is sworn to practice in every state court in Georgia.

Outside of work, Pearce spends time with his wife, two boys, and Golden Retriever. Pearce also enjoys camping, hiking, and CrossFit.