Deborah Ragas – Resume’
u.s. District Court, eastern district of Louisiana:
Jury Administrator, January 2017 – present
I am currently the Jury Administrator for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, located at 500 Poydras Street in New Orleans.
As Jury Administrator, I am responsible for managing and maintaining the court’s jury system and jury wheels (databases of potential jurors) in accordance with governing laws, rules and regulations. This requires communication skills to coordinate with case managers and judges’ staff and summon and notice the correct number of potential jurors for each jury selection day; attention to detail to accurately record juror attendances and expenses, and to produce accurate juror payment requests; technical skills to use our jury management software and automated voice messaging systems; mechanical skills to operate our mail inserting machine and postage machine; professionalism to respond to juror inquiries and requests with patience and empathy; confidence to deliver juror orientation briefings and conduct grand jury empanelment proceedings in court before the presiding judge; and leadership skills to provide training, guidance and coaching to other jury personnel. While primarily managerial in its functions, the position requires that the Jury Administrator be able to perform any and all of the duties of the jury personnel under his or her supervision, both to cover absences and to train new personnel. The Jury Administrator reports to the Clerk of Court and the Chief Deputy Clerk of Court.
Assistant Jury Administrator, August 2013 – January 2017
The duties of the Assistant Jury Administrator are similar to the duties of the jury administrator; in fact, the assistant jury administrator must be prepared to step in for the jury administrator in his or her absence, even for prolonged periods and on short notice. This requires an excellent understanding of the court’s jury system and thorough familiarity with the software, hardware, and guidance required to keep the jury system running. The day-to-day duties of the assistant jury administrator are more hands-on, involving much more processing of paperwork and contact with the public. The Assistant Jury Administrator performs the duties of a Jury Specialist, as well as preparing juror payments and statistical reports for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The Assistant Jury Administrator assists the Jury Administrator by alternating as the on-call point of contact for changes to the jury selection schedule occurring outside business hours, and confers with the Jury Administrator regarding upcoming tasks, juror utilization, and preparation for large or notorious trials. The Assistant Jury Administrator reports to the Jury Administrator.
jury specialist (jury clerk), august 2005 – august 2013
The Jury Specialist (formerly “Jury Clerk”) is often the first point of contact for members of the public calling for information and guidance regarding their jury service. While both the Jury Administrator and Assistant Jury Administrator speak with the public, the Jury Specialist receives the bulk of our incoming phone calls. The position requires a great deal of patience, tact, and unfailing professionalism, as well as empathy for callers who are unfamiliar with our court’s jury procedures. While not expected to serve as a backup for the Jury Administrator or Assistant Jury Administrator, the position requires the ability to oversee the unit for brief periods of time when other members are unavailable. The Jury Specialist reports to the Jury Administrator, and is mentored by the Assistant Jury Administrator.
Conservation Force
Administrative Assistant, September 2003 – August 2005
Maintained Access database of over 3,000 contributor contacts, sorted and managed fundraising mailing list and executive contact list, tracked donations and acknowledgment letters, prepared correspondence and other documents using MS Word and WordPerfect software, made HTML changes to company website, conducted online research to filter organization-relevant information for executive review, prepared brochure mock-ups using PageMaker software, scanned documents and images, resized and retouch digital images using Photoshop, prepared Adobe PDF documents, performed regular secretarial duties including telephone, photocopying, hotel reservations, etc., as required.
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Secretary/Word Processor Operator, 1989 – 1996
Typed bid specifications, memos, presentations and confidential employee performance review documents (Mac and PC platforms), made travel arrangements and prepared expense reports in accordance with company’s travel reimbursement policies and procedures, recorded employee timekeeping information, ordered supplies, scheduled meeting rooms, and performed various clerical duties as required.
Reproduction Equipment Operator, 1987 – 1989
Used high-volume photocopy and document preparation equipment to produce finished documents, logged incoming and completed jobs and faxes.
computer Backup Operator, 1986 – 1987
Performed night-shift tape backups of two Wang VS mainframe computers, monitored temperatures in the computer room, safely shut down computers and alerted management when temperature rose beyond threshold levels or during emergency evacuation conditions, entered data and typed documents as required.