The Fearless Stenographers Conference is an annual event dedicated to empowering court reporting and captioning professionals. Organized by Steno in the City, the 2026 conference marks its fifth anniversary and will be held from April 16 to 18 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C.
This year's theme, "The Evolution of Steno in the City," focuses on the resilience, progress, and innovation within the stenography profession. Attendees can expect top-tier seminars, inspiring speakers, and meaningful connections designed to reignite passion, elevate skills, and celebrate excellence in every form.
The conference features a lineup of esteemed speakers, including keynote speaker Lyndsay Levingston, founder of SurviveHER, and presenters such as Amy Doman, Angela Grant, and Bethany Woodward. The event also offers networking opportunities, an expo hall, and the signature Black Tie Affair, an elegant celebration of excellence and leadership within the profession.
The conference is ideal for court reporters, captioners, firm owners, educators, students, attorneys, judges, and policymakers seeking to enhance their skills, stay updated on industry trends, and connect with peers in the field.
Categories
Speakers(7)
Kairisa J. Magee
Court Reporter
Kairisa is a second generation court reporter, so she feels like she’s been in the industry all of her life. Starting in 2004 while in court reporting school at South Suburban College in South Holland, Illinois, she has worked her way through school as a proofreader to scopist. She then took a brief hiatus to nurture her family as it grew. When she returned to the industry, she took a position as an apprentice court reporter in Northwest Indiana, eventually becoming a part-time freelance court reporter. In 2015 the Magee family took a leap of faith and moved to Tallahassee where Kairisa worked as a full-time freelance court reporter with several firms covering criminal and civil matters as well as council meetings and arbitrations. In 2021 Kairisa became a realtime provider which led to a period of time where she was honored to become a federal court reporter. In 2024 Beacon Court Reporting Agency, LLC began and Kairisa finally reached her goal of becoming a court reporting firm owner.
Kerry Murphy
Freelance Reporter
Kerry Murphy has been a Southern California freelance reporter for 15 years with experience in being a CART provider as well as a Central District Grand Jury reporter for several years. She has also protemed in San Bernardino and Los Angeles County courts. She loves mentoring and helping new professionals find their footing. When she's not reporting, she's being a boy mom and enjoying the fruits of her labor with a bit of travel adventures.
Kimberly Pruitt
Realtime Deposition Reporter and Captioner
Kimmy is a realtime depo reporter and captioner based in St. Petersburg, Florida. She started reporting in 2012, later spent several years focused on realtime captioning, and now enjoys a mix of both. She is licensed in Florida, Georgia, Texas, and California, as well as being a Certified Realtime Captioner and Certified Realtime Reporter. Having mentors played a big part in helping her build that variety into her career, and she has since been paying it forward by mentoring students pursuing both court reporting and CART captioning.
Kristina Weaver
Court Reporter
With over 30 years of experience as a court reporter, I have dedicated my career to capturing the record in Georgia’s courtrooms. After completing my education in South Florida and relocating to Georgia in 1994, I have worked in multiple counties, including DeKalb, Fulton, and now Gwinnett County Superior Court. Throughout my career, I have reported on several high-profile cases, including the recent YSL trial in Atlanta. Each of these experiences has deepened my expertise and commitment to the integrity of the court record.
Lisa M. Franko
Court Reporter
I am a wife, mother of four, and a committed professional who has served as a court reporter for 28 years — with the last 12 proudly spent in the Southern District of New York. My Christian faith guides my life and work, grounding me in purpose and compassion. Beyond the courtroom, I hold a deep passion for health coaching and empowering women to live their best lives — physically, mentally, and spiritually. Whether in the courtroom or in conversations that inspire transformation, I am dedicated to serving others with excellence, integrity, and heart.
Marcus Johnson
Managing Partner and Financial Planner at Johnson Capital Planning, LLC
Marcus Johnson: A Symphony of Strategy, Service, and Soul; In the heart of Nashville, Tennessee—a city known for its rhythm, resilience, and rich cultural roots—Marcus Johnson is crafting a story all his own. Not in the recording booths of Music Row, though he’s no stranger to the stage, but in boardrooms, living rooms, and every space where financial futures are shaped with intention and integrity. Marcus's journey begins at Tennessee State University, where he studied Economics and Finance—not just to earn a degree, but to decode the blueprint of economic empowerment. With licenses in Series 7, 66, life, and health insurance in hand, he stepped into the financial world not as a bystander, but as a disruptor. From the fast pace of Wall Street to respected regional firms, Marcus quickly learned that true financial success isn’t measured in dollars—it’s measured in impact. That belief became the cornerstone of Johnson Capital Planning, LLC, the firm he founded to do more than manage money. He built it to serve people. Since its inception, Marcus has empowered over 500 clients—families, professionals, dreamers—with financial strategies as personalized as their fingerprints. His mission: to ensure that every client receives the same thoughtful, strategic care he would provide for his own family.
Victoria L. Pittman
Reporting Professional at Pittman Stenography
Tori Pittman is an accomplished reporting professional who has performed in many subspecialities in the field (but not captioning!). She has been reporting since 1999 when she started as a machine writer and officially transitioned to solely voice writing in 2011-2012 when her bilateral tendinitis caused her to be unable to use the machine any longer. Tori has a small-town reporting firm (Pittman Stenography) and a Teachable site (Beyond 225) and is currently volunteering on two committees at the national association. Additionally, she is a member of her local chamber of commerce and participates as a member of the Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival committee. Tori is a retired FAPR, RDR, CRI and currently a CVR-CM-M, RCP, and RVR. Tori loves all things court reporting and is honored to be a mentor, trainer, and presenter when offered the opportunity.
Event Details
- Date
- September 10-12, 2023
- 3 days
- Location
- 🇺🇸 Chicago, United States
- JW Marriott Hotel
- Pricing
- $325 - $775
- Audience
- Court reporters, captioners, firm owners, educators, students, attorneys, judges, policymakers.
- CLE Credits
- Up to 14.5 CE hours (1.45 CEUs) pending NCRA and JBCC approval.