Terry Berthelot, MSW, JD

• Former Health Care Section Chair
• CT Liaison for National Health Care Decisions Day 2009-2010
• Speaker at past NAELA Annual Conferences
• Contributing author: NAELA News and NAELA Journal
• 2021 Winner of the John J. Regan Writing Award
• NAELA News Editorial Board

What made you want to join a NAELA committee?

I have continued to serve on ­NAELA committees because it’s a kind of service. I see the work that NAELA attorneys are doing as a type of social justice. It’s important work. I am on committees because of that community and the work that others are doing.

How has your experience on these committees been?

Because there’s a deep bench of knowledge among NAELA attorneys, it’s a constant opportunity for learning and feeling connected to a larger community.

How has your experience made you feel more connected to ­NAELA and fellow members?

People contact me about my articles saying, “I saw your article in Journal,” or we’ll put our heads together and think through issues. It’s exciting and interesting. I watch the NAELA listserv all the time; I even use listserv items as hypotheticals on exams for my undergraduate students.

I recognized NAELA is a large organization and you can’t know everybody, but writing articles and serving on committees helps me feel connected. It’s about creating a smaller community within a larger community.

Our work really matters. Thank you to everyone for what you do, it’s great to be part of this community.

Shari Polur, Esq.

• Federal Advocacy Committee
• NAELA News Contributing Author

What made you want to join a committee?

I met Charlie Sabatino, Esq., ­NAELA Fellow, at a conference, and our conversation made me realize the reach that NAELA has.

I was dealing with a guardianship issue in 2020. I called 10 NAELA attorneys and found someone who wrote a law review article on this topic. ­NAELA stepped up and assisted with our amici briefs. We ended up with two briefs; this gave exposure to the NAELA Foundation and how helpful NAELA is and what a brain trust there is.

I don't pretend to be an expert in all areas of elder law, but NAELA provides a deep bench of experts.

I joined a committee because I realized it was time to give back a little bit. I had gotten member benefits for over 10 years; the successes that worked for me were because of NAELA.

What made you want to join a NAELA committee?

I was honored to have someone ask me if I wanted to be on a committee; I wasn’t sure I knew enough. There’s a committee for everyone out there who wants to be on one, who wants to change the world or improve their legal documents and things in their practice. You can do any of that if you join the right committee.

How has your experience on these committees been?

Being on a committee reinforced my idea that we’re a cohesive community. I was on a committee call and called the chair after to talk about an unrelated elder law issue. That turned into a 15-minute conversation.

Especially on the NAELA Federal Advocacy Committee, it’s compelling to read different points of view. The committee work is interesting.

How has your experience made you feel more connected to NAELA and fellow members?

While pursuing a Kentucky license, I looked around for the best resources, education, conferences, and elder law, and there wasn’t any competition. I see a big value because there’s really nothing else like NAELA elsewhere in the country.

I won’t respond to listserv posts every time, but I will call people individually. It’s a great way to have a national community.

If you aren’t sure about joining a committee, remember that we all make time for the things that are important to us. You benefit by becoming more engaged with something you’re interested in and then you become an expert.

There are ways to get involved that are not time-specific like writing an article, reviewing or editing articles. These are ways to get your name out there, if that’s important to you. By becoming more active and joining a NAELA committee, you are helping to steer our profession. Call someone on the committee if you find it’s an area you’re interested in and ask them how you can volunteer and ask about the time commitment. Ask yourself, “What am I doing that’s good for me personally and professionally? Do my personal and professional accomplishments give me joy?”

Andrew Boyer, Esq., BCS

• 2022 NAELA Annual Conference Committee
• NAELA Programs and Publications Steering Committee
• Webinar Planning Subcommittee

What made you want to join a NAELA committee? 

I like interacting with colleagues around the country, staying informed on what’s going on in places outside of my home state.

How has your experience on these committees been so far? 

Staff makes it really easy to serve on committees. You receive a lot of guidance along the way, especially if you’re someone who’s new to getting involved in committees.  

How has your experience made you feel more connected to NAELA and fellow members? 

I have regular interactions and discussions because of my committee participation. You have side conversations after calls, fill in the details of other things going on; especially during the pandemic with limited travel, we’ve seen each other less in-person and now see each other more on Zoom.

Joining a committee gives you more personal interactions and professional connections to help you find out what’s going on around the country.

Pick a committee that interests you and just go for it. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain from interactions and being part of it. n