[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 53 (Thursday, March 23, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E245]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING MS. ANNA MARIA HODGES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 23, 2023

  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Anna 
Maria Hodges who became the first woman of color and Afro-Latina to 
hold the position of Clerk of Circuit Court of Milwaukee County, 
Wisconsin. Ms. Hodges is a consummate professional with decades of 
hard-earned experience, leadership abilities, impressive work ethic, 
and commitment to justice and innovation.
  Elected by the people of Milwaukee County on November 8, 2022, Ms. 
Hodges assumed office on January 2, 2023, and directs the 
administrative, recordkeeping, and clerical services that support the 
Milwaukee County Circuit Court.
  Ms. Hodges leads a staff of nearly 300 employees, supervises the 
management of approximately 150,000 annual cases, and administers a 
budget exceeding $42 million. In addition to her statutory duties as 
the Clerk of Circuit Court, Ms. Hodges serves pursuant to the Milwaukee 
County General Ordinances as Director of the Milwaukee County Division 
of Court Services, supervising additional fiscal and administrative 
services supporting court operations, and provides direction to 
Milwaukee County's Jury Management Office.
  As the Clerk of Circuit Court, Ms. Hodges continues upon her nearly 
three decades of work expanding public access to our justice system and 
ensuring efficient court operations. Ms. Hodges' priorities include 
achieving excellence in customer service, increasing professional 
development and training opportunities for her office's dedicated 
personnel, and responsibly administering the records and funding 
entrusted to her office. Ms. Hodges' service as Clerk of Circuit Court 
marks only the most recent step in a three-decade career in public 
service.
  A public servant for nearly 30 years, Ms. Hodges previously served as 
Acting Clerk of Circuit Court in early 2022, Chief Deputy Clerk of 
Circuit Court from 2018 to 2022, and as Assistant Chief Deputy Clerk of 
Circuit Court and Civil Division Administrator from 2006 to 2018. She 
has also served as Court Coordinator and Deputy Director of Litigation 
Services for the First Judicial Administrative District, as Deputy 
Director of the Milwaukee Office of former Governor Tommy Thompson of 
Wisconsin, and as Constituent Services Specialist in the office of 
former Milwaukee County Executive Francis Thomas Ament.
  A resident of Brown Deer, Wisconsin, Ms. Hodges graduated magna cum 
laude from Cardinal Stritch University with a Bachelor of Science in 
Management. She is a proud mother and grandmother and is active in her 
community and church.
  Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I am honored to recognize Anna Maria 
Hodges and her lifelong commitment to public service and Wisconsin. I 
look forward to seeing Ms. Hodges' contributions and accomplishments as 
Clerk of Circuit Court.

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