Bar Examiners celebrate record year, recognize outstanding staff contributions
The Florida Board of Bar Examiners celebrated its Annual Staff Appreciation Luncheon in Tallahassee recently with an awards ceremony infused with lighthearted humor and camaraderie.
The Florida Board of Bar Examiners celebrated record-setting achievements and honored staff excellence during its recent Annual Staff Appreciation Luncheon, where Executive Director Michele Gavagni praised the team for significantly boosting early Bar application rates and streamlining internal processes — leading to a historic 77% of character and fitness screenings completed by the time 2024 Bar Exam results were released.
Gavagni said 3,038 attorneys were admitted to the Bar in 2024 and noted that last year saw the highest usage of the applicant portal.
Highlighting the ceremony was the announcement of Director of Examinations Brian Rains as the recipient of the 2025 FBBE Brandi Cawthon Alvarado Award, which is presented annually to the employee voted by FBBE staff as best exemplifying the ideals and high standards of the organization. Rains won a three-way tie runoff for this year’s award.
“Thank you all for this,” said Rains. “I have been around long enough to have known Brandi…so I appreciate this,” he said, acknowledging his colleagues who initially tied for the award, Jason Raymond and Beau Luttrell.
FBBE Vice Chair Cristina Groschel, left, and Chair Timothy Danninger honored Executive Director Michele Gavagni for 35 years of service.
The award was created in memory of Alvarado, a 24-year-old analyst IV who did background investigations of Bar applicants. She was murdered July 9, 1999, in an act of domestic violence.
Joining staff for the event were FBBE Board Chair Timothy Danninger, Vice Chair Cristina Groschel, board members Rosalyn Destinie Baker Sutton, Kamran Malik, Gary Miller, Carolyn Moore, Amy Myers, John O’Sullivan, Laura Pincus, and emeritus board member Nancy Alfonso.
Board Chair Danninger and Vice Chair Groschel officiated the conferral of longevity awards during the April 10 luncheon at Eve on Adams in Tallahassee. Danninger praised the staff for their commitment to the FBBE mission.
Honored for two years of service were:
- Kikelomo Adekayode
- Kristy Boles
- Camryn Cothen
- Joshua Stepp
Honored for five years of service was:
- Amanda Menendez-Aponte
Honored for 15 years of service were:
- Jason Raymond
- William Slappey
Honored for 20 years of service was:
- Angela Byrd
Honored for 30 years of service were:
- Reginald Barnes
- Catherine Montpellier
Honored for 35 years of service were:
- Michele Gavagni
- Elizabeth Thompson
Julie Hannon also was recognized for 34 years of service as she transitions to retirement.
Merit awards were conferred by Gavagni and staff directors Mark Huntsberger, Janey Stuart, Tara Newman, and General Counsel William Pafford, who praised each team member for their contributions.
Staffers receiving merit awards included:
- Melissa Benn
- Kristy Boles
- Renee Dodson
- Julie Hannon
- Beau Luttrell
- Tripp McElroy
- Catherine Montpellier
- Stephen Pridemore
- Amanda Smith
- Adrienne Wilson
For more information about the FBBE, visit floridabarexam.org/.
