The SITC Recap: The Black Tie Affair – Steno Honors & Legends
To close out the Fearless Stenographers Conference, we hosted a Black Tie Affair to celebrate five years of building Steno in the City and to honor the Steno Legends who paved the way for our profession.
While past SITC conferences focused on keeping things casual, we learned in New Orleans just how much our community enjoyed the opportunity to dress up and celebrate. This year, we elevated the experience while still making it inclusive, inviting attendees to embrace black tie attire or simply wear all black and show up as their authentic selves.
The evening was designed with intention. From the moment guests arrived, they were welcomed with a champagne strolling lady, elegant décor, passed hors d’oeuvres, and a stunning sponsor appreciation backdrop that reflected gratitude for those who have supported Steno in the City throughout the years. Attendees walked the purple carpet in beautiful gowns and sharp suits, creating an unforgettable atmosphere of celebration and pride. Always wanting to enhance the events with decor, Shaunise Day sponsored the backdrop and the staging to celebrate the hard work and foundation that she has laid out for Steno in the City.
Like any event, there were unexpected challenges. A last-minute hotel logistics issue meant there would be no bar service to close out the night, an obstacle completely out of our control.
But true to the spirit of Steno in the City, we pivoted and made the best of it the night. The evening continued with exceptional dining (the food was top-tier), the attendees entree was filet mignon, chicken or salmon, delicious desserts, and most importantly, meaningful moments shared together. Despite not having a bar which was an enhancement, we partied the night away without the alcohol.
This was a true intimate evening of honoring and celebrating the steno community.
Giving Flowers: A Steno United Tribute
During the Black Tie Affair, there were several heartfelt surprises, but one of the most memorable moments came from the Double Diamond Steno United Reporters. In a powerful show of unity, they took the stage together, standing as one to demonstrate the strength, purpose, and momentum behind this new movement.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Cindy Bowen shared the mission and vision of Steno United, reminding the community what it means to build together and move the profession forward as one.
Then came an emotional surprise for Shaunise Day.
In a beautiful and unexpected moment, the reporters collectively gave Shaunise her flowers, honoring her leadership, vision, and the impact she has made within the profession and across the community. From serving on the national level to laying the foundation for Steno in the City, Shaunise has been pouring into the profession from the very beginning. Never expecting recognition and always focused on serving others.
Shaunise was deeply moved by the gesture. It was a powerful reminder that when you pour into others with purpose and heart, that impact always finds its way back.
Honoring 40+ Years of Steno Excellence
One of the most meaningful traditions at Steno in the City is honoring the seasoned reporters who have dedicated more than 40 years of service to this profession. This tribute is deeply personal to me.
At the start of the pandemic, I lost my grandmother, someone who meant the world. After losing my mother, my grandmother stepped in and helped guide me, ensuring I carried forward my mother’s legacy.
Much of what I do today is rooted in my family, my faith, and the values they instilled in me. One of the greatest lessons my grandmother taught me was simple but powerful: always honor and care for your elders.
During the pandemic, as many reporters experienced isolation and uncertainty, I found myself grieving and searching for ways to heal.
In that season, I created a post in the Steno in the City Facebook community asking reporters how long they had been in the profession. What better way to turn my pain into a purpose in honor of my grandmother.
What happened next was incredible. More than 300 comments of reporters sharing their years of service and dedication to this profession. I was overwhelmed reading the stories and seeing the incredible number of seasoned reporters who had devoted decades of their lives to serving this industry.
In that moment, I knew their legacy needed to be documented and celebrated. Since then, Steno in the City has proudly made it a tradition to honor these veteran stenographers, our true Guardians of the Record. These are the professionals who paved the way, protected the integrity of our work, and built the foundation we stand on today.
During our ceremony, we had the privilege of recognizing and celebrating these remarkable reporters for their extraordinary commitment, sacrifice, and more than four decades of excellence.
To each of our honorees, thank you for your 40+ years of service, leadership, and dedication to this profession. Your legacy continues to inspire us all.
Diane Freeman, Lucy Carrillo-Grubbs, Janine Ferren, Sandy Carranza, Tamara Houston, Michelle Dawkins, Debra Ballard Flamer, Sonia Trevino, and Penny Dean
STENO HONORS: Honoring the Steno Legends
One of the most meaningful moments of the evening was Steno Honors: The Steno Legends, a special tribute dedicated to recognizing those whose legacy has helped shape and strengthen our profession.
This year, we proudly selected five extraordinary individuals to honor for their lasting impact, leadership, and commitment to stenography.
These legends have paved the way for generations of reporters, and it was our privilege to celebrate their contributions and present each of them with a special award in recognition of their remarkable service and dedication.
To pay tribute to our Steno Legends, the legendary Brenda Countz graced the room with her beautiful music, creating a heartfelt and unforgettable atmosphere. It was a moment filled with joy, gratitude, and deep appreciation for the court reporting and captioning community and the incredible legacy that continues to unite us.
What came next was an unexpected and deeply personal surprise for Shaunise Day. A very special Steno Legend, Mary Ann Payonk, made a surprise appearance to honor Shaunise and give her flowers in a way that words can hardly capture. Mary Ann played an instrumental role in helping Shaunise begin her journey as a speaker, seeing something in her long before Shaunise fully saw it in herself.
Having Mary Ann in the room, reconnecting with colleagues and sharing in this special celebration, became one of those unforgettable moments that will forever hold a place in Steno in the City history. It was a full circle moment and a powerful reminder of the importance of mentorship, legacy, and believing in the next generation.
STENO HONORS: THE LEGENDS
Margie Wakeman Wells, Educator, Author, Speaker
Margie has a BA from the University of California, Santa Barbara; did graduate work in education and linguistics at UCLA; taught high school Spanish for five years; taught Spanish grammar to Peace Corps volunteers going to Latin American countries; and worked with Spanish-speaking women in a community setting.
In 1976 she enrolled in a court reporting program, where her teaching
background and knowledge of English grammar led her back to teaching. In
1979 she went to work at Bryan College of Court Reporting in Los Angeles, where she taught everything from theory to exit speeds, designed programs, wrote curriculum, and guided countless students through their professional journeys.
Margie is in her seventh decade of teaching—50 of those years in court reporting education. She has presented, under the auspices of NCRA and state organizations, hundreds of seminars for reporters, scopists, proofreaders, educators, and students on English-related topics. Court Reporting: Bad Grammar/Good Punctuation is her best-selling reference text with an accompanying Workbook. She has also published Word Pares, Pears, Pairs, a reference work of 2,000 word pairs; and All Things English, a practice book on English skills. Her latest book, Just Grammar, completes the set for anyone who wants to master English skills.
Margie operates Margie Holds Class, her online school, for both live and recorded classes; answers questions daily on her popular subscription site, Margie’s Gurus, which also includes a bimonthly class for CEUs, Masterclass; and sponsors Margie’s English Corner, which offers tips on various English
topics.
A message from Margie Wakeman Wells:
Dear students:
With unlimited time, I have many messages, but Shaunise has wonderful plans for you right now.
My message to you is to make a school schedule. If you need help, ask us. We will help with that.
Schedule school time. Plan time for school: for practice, for study, for academics. And inside that time, have a plan for what you are going to do. There will be glitches on some days. There will be interruptions. But have a plan.
And when that planned time is over and you have done what you planned to do or maybe you didn’t get to everything, LET IT GO. Live your life. Do the laundry. Fix dinner. Listen to music. Stream something on TV. Spend time with family or friends. Read a book. Go to the beach. School is over for the day.
It is a process; it is a journey. Work at it. Plan for it. Give it your all. Then LET IT GO for the day. Do not torture yourself; do not fret every moment about school — it will not get you to your goal, and it will make you crazy. Be kind to yourself.
We all want you to succeed. We will help. Ask us for help. Our message is to live your life in the gaps between speed tests and academics and studying. We are cheering for you. We believe in you.
Harriet M. Brenner-Gettleman, CMRS, CRI
Realtime Center for Learning, Inc., President/Director/co-owner
Court Reporting History: Spanning 63 years in the court reporting profession as an official court reporter, freelancer, and agency owner, Harriet’s career reflects a desire to help the industry move forward by embracing the technology that became available in the 1990s. Honing her skills in corporate management for several years, Harriet saw an urgent need for changes in the CR industry, and she opened a new kind of court reporting agency; she founded Realtime Reporting, Inc. and it opened for business in January 1998. The company was named the best court reporting firm on Long Island for 2007 and 2008 by the Long Island Business News readership.
Court Reporting Instructor:
Harriet’s passion had always been to be a teacher. She began teaching in 1967 at a court reporting school in New York City as a court reporting instructor for a couple of years. She moved from the City to LI and reached out to a school in Hicksville in 1971 and was hired to teach at Verbatim, which was owned by Dom Tursi. She worked there from ’71 to ’76, at which time she resumed freelance court reporting until 1998 when she founded Realtime Reporting, Inc. The graduate students from the NY court reporting schools having achieved the necessary speed to work were missing the basic professional skills to produce transcripts. She created an intern program teaching them the important skills that the schools were not providing. She searched for two years for a real-time theory with a developed dictionary and decided to open a school that would give the students the tools for real-time translation.
She launched Realtime Center for Learning, Inc. in 2006, a court reporting school, blending both in-house and distance learning training in a self-paced curriculum designed to teach the basics of real-time reporting and the foundation for CART and broadcast captioning.
In October of 2008, Harriet retired as President of Realtime Reporting, Inc. to focus on the school. The Pandemic created the need for an updated online curriculum, which was approved and licensed by the NYS Department of Education in 2022.
Starting in 2010 she served as Vice President in New York State Court Reporters Association, then as President from 2012 to 2014 and is currently serving as a Board member and participates on several committees. Harriet was presented with the NYSCRA 2016 Louis Goldstein Memorial Award.
Her other volunteer activities include participating on the Nassau County Bar Association’s We Care Outing committee since1998, and she has been a part of the WE CARE Fund Advisory Board since 2007. Harriet was the recipient of the 2015 Stephen Gassman Award.
Her Certifications include Connecticut CSR, NCRA’s CMRS and CRI.
NCRA awarded Harriet the Legacy Achievement Recognition Award in September of 2025.
Carl Sauceda, RPR, RMR, FAPR (ret)
After serving four years in the United States Air Force I enrolled at the Academy of Stenographic Arts in San Francisco, California to become a court reporter. It took me three years to graduate.
I became a California Certified Shorthand Reporter in 1969. Right out of the gate I was hired as an Official Court Reporter for the Honorable Allison Rouse of San Mateo County, Redwood City, CA. That was my ticket to a fabulous and rewarding career that spanned more than forty years.
Throughout my career I reported many high profile cases both civil and criminal. Two that stand out: The People versus Juan Corona, charged with murdering twenty-five migrant farm workers in the California Delta. Part of the proceedings were reported on a bus up and down the delta. Secondly, The People versus Huey P. Newton, one of the founders of the Black Panther Party. The charge was murder.
Further into my career, I served every office in the California Court Reporters Association and becoming President in 1988. Moving on to the top of the Ivory Tower, I became the First African American to serve as President of the National Court Reporters Association. What an accomplishment!
After retirement, I was a teacher at the College of Court Reporting in Dublin, CA for four years.
As to future reporters, stay focused, stay in school. The profession of court reporting will take one to the highest goals never imagined.
Donna Leigh Scott, CSR CA- 48 years of Service
Once you get as old as I am there’s a lot of living packed in there. Briefly, after leaving University of Arizona, I moved to Southern California where I worked in the entertainment business, first as a personal assistant to various producers and directors and as a producer of Raquel Welch and Ann Margaret Specials.
I studied acting with a well known coach and worked as an actor in theatre, a few films and some television. I did some modeling and was Miss Baja for five minutes. I worked as a Golddigger (singer, dancer, skits) on The Dean Martin Show to pay for court reporting school. I married, had one daughter, Marisa, divorced and then a few years later, married a popular actor, Tim Scott (Lonesome Dove,
Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, Fried Green Tomatoes, Electric Horseman, on which shoot we were married.) He was inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame a year before he died in 1995.
While in court reporting school, first at Clark College of Court Reporting and finishing at Pacific Legal Arts College in 1975, I would take off for a few months when I got stuck at certain speeds, and did some film work. Came back and my speed jumped ahead. But FINALLY was able to pass the CSR in 1976 and started working that year.
This turned out to be the best decision of my life and I loved it. I often worked on high profile cases which got me on the Greta Van Susteren show, On The Record, during the Michael Jackson first child molest case. One day I got a call to go to England, first class, all expenses paid, for a one-day depo in London.
I grabbed that one. Then 25 years later while working for another agency a handsome attorney from England walked into the room and after chatting for 15 minutes, he asked me if I did a depo in London on such and such case 25 years ago and I said YES! How ever did he recognize me? He said when he walked in he had a sense of Déjà vu and when I started talking he remembered. It was his first depo and he described what I wore, where I sat and what we had for lunch. It can be a small wonderful world in this profession. I’ve loved every minute of it.
I started working for a court reporting agency as a freelancer so that I could work on my own timeline. In about three years I had picked up enough of my own clients to be able to start my own agency. This was about 1979. Then in 1988 I partnered with another reporter and we collaborated to form another agency until she retired and I went back to being a sole proprietor. I retired in 2024 at age 78 after the best run I could imagine. I loved my clients and they became life long friends.
In 2002 also reinvented myself as a singer, forming a duo, Sugar Magnolia, and also had a full band, Circuit Riders. We played mostly in California but also Arizona, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas. Most fun gig, headlining at the Prescott Fairgrounds one year, with a thunder and lightning storm behind me (unbeknownst to me; we could have been electrocuted.) I retired from that during the pandemic.
After my husband and my father died, I became a Stephen Minister in my church and spearheaded a program at a local hospital, No One Dies Alone, where we sit with dying patients whose family can’t be there. I also gave communion to patients and blessed newborns. I counseled people in crises and am available for spiritual care at disasters, like train crashes and fires. Very rewarding work.
In 2012 I teamed up with Robert Redford, a friend since 1979, to help him with his social media, sending pictures to fans, which I did until his death last September. We were going to collaborate on writing a book but that was not to be.
I am the proud Grammie of four children: Rory, 22; Jourdan, 20; Tristan, 18; and my own little Diva, Brooklyn, 15. All are extremely artistically talented and are the joy of my life. Now that I’m retired, I’m busier than ever, now renovating my house.
A message from Donna Leigh Scott
My message to reporters would be that people skills are as important as reporter skills. You can be professional with grace, kindness and humor. This will enable you to enjoy every day in the greatest profession ever because people will like you and treat you with respect. What other profession do you get to meet new people every day, hear new stories every day, have continuing education, travel the world with the job if you wish, and make a great living.
Brenda Countz- The Steno Legend
Brenda has celebrated a cumulative 55 years as a Court and Congressional Stenographer, captioner and freelance realtime deposition reporter. During the 1970s in Washington, D. C., Ms. Countz built a reputation as a daily copy reporter in several landmark cases and she was an experimental writer in the early developmental phases of CAT technology. During the 1980s, as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Corps of Reporters she covered committee and subcommittee hearings in 48 of the 50 United States. During those years she was also a wife, mother and active member of her community.
In 1985, as the top producing reporter on the Corps of Reporters, she
was rewarded with the assignment to report President Ronald Reagan’s State of the Union Message. She was the first person of color to achieve that honor. This historic event was recently added to the U.S. House Of Representatives Oral History Project and Archives.
https://history.house.gov/Oral-History/Women/Brenda-Countz/
After leaving the House Corp of Reporters and relocating to Southern California, she has been a freelance realtime reporter and has covered depositions in Asia, South America and Central America. She is currently living her best life in Los Angeles, California traveling the world and enjoying what she calls her encore career as an Inspirational
Leadership Speaker, author and vocalist. As a lifelong learner and lover of steno, she still likes to take realtime depositions in complex litigation.
