MCRA BOARD
Catherine Zelinski, RPR, CRC, CSR (MA)
President
Catherine trained at Johnson & Wales College in 1983 and at The Cittone Institute in NJ. She began her career as a freelance stenographer in NJ before moving to MA, working freelance in Greater Boston for Mel Lipman. Catherine trained under Nancy Eaton and transitioned to CART Provider in 2006. She worked as a CART provider at local colleges and universities as well as continuing her work as a freelance stenographer. In January 2024 Catherine accepted a position as an official at the First Circuit in Boston. She holds several state contracts providing stenotype services and is also a member of NCRA and serves as NCSA Rep. She was appointed to the board in May 2020.
Barbara Hoey
Vice President
Barbara is a 1989 graduate of Massachusetts Bay Community College with an Associates Degree in Court and Conference Reporting. She has been a free-lance stenographer for over 30 years. After working with Melvin Lipman in Boston she founded Hoey Court Reporting in 2008.
Jennifer Vailancourt, RPR
President-Elect
Jennifer is a 2007 graduate from Bridgewater State University with a bachelor’s in early education and psychology. During school, she enrolled in the New England Court Reporting Institute. Upon graduating in 2008, she started freelancing and has been a freelance stenographer for the last 16 years. She joined the MCRA board as a director in 2024.
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Megan Speed, RPR, CRC, CRR
Treasurer
Megan earned her Bachelor of Arts in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from the University of Connecticut in 2016. She graduated from Hardeman School of Court Reporting and Captioning in 2020 and started working as a CART provider at that time. She began freelance court reporting in 2021 and now splits her time evenly with deposition and CART work. Megan was appointed to the board in March 2021.
Melissa McKenzie, CSR
Secretary
Melissa graduated in 1989 from Husson College with an Associate degree in Legal
Administration. After working in Portland, Maine, for three years, she enrolled in Mass. Bay Community College and graduated in 1995 with an Associate degree in Court & Conference Reporting. Melissa has been a freelance reporter since graduating. She joined the MCRA Board in April 2024 and sits on the Education and Mentoring Committees.
Jill Kourafas, CSR (MA)
Immediate Past President
Jill is a 1985 graduate of Massachusetts Bay Community College where she obtained an Associates Degree in Court/Conference Reporting. Jill was a freelance reporter for several Boston reporting firms until she formed Reporters, Inc. located in Quincy, MA. Jill was appointed to the board in 2012.
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Stefanie Farrell.
Director
Stefanie began providing CART as part of a pilot program while finishing her degree in Court & Conference Reporting at Massachusetts Bay Community College. This is where she found her passion for CART and making places accessible for people with hearing loss. Stefanie is on the statewide contract for the MA Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing since 1994. Her experience includes colleges/universities, State and Federal Government, Medical School, Law School, Dental School and beyond. Stefanie was appointed to the board in April 2024.
Kristin Kelley, RPR, CRR
Director
Kristin is a 1998 graduate of Boston College with a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Geoscience. After BC, she enrolled in the Court Reporting program at Mass. Bay Community College. Kristin worked for 20 years as a freelance reporter in Greater Boston and currently works as an Official Court Reporter in the US District Courts for Judge Nathaniel Gorton in Boston, Massachusetts. She is also the First Circuit Representative for the United States Court Reporters Association and currently serves as a NCSA Rep for MCRA. Kristin was appointed to the board in April 2024.
Jamie K. Halpin, CRR, RMR, RPR
Director
Jamie obtained her Bachelor of Science, Concentration in Court Reporting degree at
Johnson & Wales University in 1999. Immediately upon graduating, Jamie freelanced from 1999 to 2003 and then began working at Providence Superior Court for 21 years
and left for Boston Federal Court in April of 2024. She joined the MCRA board as a
Director in April of 2025.
Director
There are currently two director positions open.