Message from the President - February 2026

I am honored to be installed as the 2026 Orange County ABOTA Chapter President this evening. It is undoubtedly a privilege to serve our organization, but for me it is also a call to service. A call I not only take very seriously, but that I approach with integrity, innovation and a deep belief in the tenets of what ABOTA stands for: Preservation of the 7th Amendment; Right to Trial by Jury, the Rule of Law and the Independence of our Judiciary.

In addition to those tenets, I have enormous passion and dedication for the ABOTA Foundation. The Foundation programs that promote Civics Education, Professional Education and Public Aware- ness are the very essence of how ABOTA reaches hundreds, and even thousands of people each year.

Having served as the 2025 National ABOTA Foundation President I witnessed first-hand the impact that each of our 94 Chapters across the Country has on their communities. Their impact reaches students of all ages, their educators, the members of their local Judiciary, their prospective jurors, those less fortunate in their communities and all local attorneys in their area. What a gift that truly is.

As incredible and rewarding as serving as National Founda- tion President was, it is comforting and exciting to now be able to focus my efforts closer to home, with our local OC Chapter.

As Chapter President, my goal is to have 2026 be a year full of Civics Education programming, Professional Education opportunities, Jury Appreciation events, charitable work and camaraderie among our long standing members and our newest and brightest members.

I am extremely fortunate to be able to serve this year alongside my fellow Board Members, Jennifer Russell, Kim Valentine, Elizabeth Kolar, Jeff Roberts, and Jennifer Leeper. I could not ask for a better group of energetic, hardworking people that care deeply about ABOTA and our OC Chapter.

On a night like tonight, my mind is full of thoughts of some of the people that have touched my life. Some that our still with us, and some that have passed on. People whose influence helped shape and guide me, and in some way helped lay the path to this moment. My father, Henry Hirsch who I lost in 2016, my Husband Dave, Joe McNeil, my mentor and long-time ABOTA member who passed away in 2006, and Chapter leaders Mike McGuire, Doug DeGrave and Linda Marks. I have learned that the best way to show appreciation to those in my life that had a meaningful impact, is to internalize their lessons and translate that inspiration into actions and habits. Evolving into a better version of myself by adopting their wisdom and virtues.

Thank you so much for joining us this evening and celebrating ABOTA and the Orange County Chapter. I hope you enjoy this evening, and we look forward to seeing many of you at our events this year!  

Deborah Tropp-Thompson

President | Orange County ABOTA