The 2019-2021 National Association of State Judicial Educators’ Board of Directors is pleased to announce the 2021 recipient of the Karen Thorson Award.
By unanimous vote, Thomas N. Langhorne (Tom) will be our 2021 Karen Thorson Awardee.
As you know, NASJE’s Karen Thorson Award recognizes a career judicial educator who has made significant contributions to NASJE and judicial branch education overall. Not only has Tom contributed exponentially to judicial education on a multi-state level over his career, but he has also had a significantly positive impact on NASJE as a mentor, a leader and that “colleague to call” for help. For those of you who have had the pleasure to work with Tom, you know that he is by his core, “the self-deprecating, country boy with the infectious laugh” that so many of us look up to.
By way of background, Tom is the recently retired Director of Utah’s Judicial Institute, but his judicial education career began long before at the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES), Supreme Court of Virginia in 1993. Tom’s passion for judicial education and, especially his dedication to NASJE, cannot be overstated. He remains our cheerleader, our leader, our mentor, our “go to” for institutional knowledge and sage advice. Tom has never shied-away from doing the hard work, that is chairing committees and actively recruiting others to do so, serving on NASJE’s Board and ultimately serving as its President from 2002-2003.
A quote from one of his presidential messages encapsulates Tom’s NASJE mantra:
“….NASJE members are different from other organizations in many positive respects. In turn, our unique (and enviable) organizational dynamic creates a culture that values contributions, community, sacrifice and success.”
Congratulations Tom!
A formal presentation of this award will be given at the 2021 Annual Conference in New Haven, CT.