Kathy Bounds recognized as Registered Diplomate Reporter
Reston, Virginia -- The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), the country’s leading organization representing stenographic court reporters and captioners, has announced that Kathy Bounds has earned the nationally recognized Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR) certification, the highest credential available to stenographic court reporters. The reporters with the RDR credential are recognized as highly experienced and seasoned, and members of the profession’s elite.
Earning RDR credentials is a reflection of the commitment to advancement in a court reporter’s career and their professional growth. RDRs truly are the elite members of the court reporters and captioners when it comes to experience and knowledge of the latest technology, reporting practices and professional practices. NCRA currently has about 350 members who hold this highly prestigious certification.
Bounds, from McKinney, Texas, is a member of NCRA and has worked as a court reporter for 35 years. She also holds the professional certifications of Registered Professional Reporter (RPR), Registered Merit Reporter (RMR), and Certified Realtime Reporter (RPR). Bounds is currently an official court reporter for the 417th Judicial District Court in Collin County, Texas.
To be recognized as an RDR, candidates must hold the Registered Merit Reporter (RMR) certification and have five current and continuous years of membership in the NCRA, as well as pass a written knowledge test that focuses on the areas of technology, reporting practices and professional practices.
“I have finished the race that was set before me and achieved the goal!” Bounds said. “I am truly humbled to be a part of this profession and this association. NCRA is an integral part of the court reporting industry. It provides endless opportunities for its members to reach excellence and maintain a strong level of professionalism in our chosen field. Being a member of NCRA gives you a deep sense of camaraderie, and I am thankful they have been by my side every step of the way,” she added.
The court reporting and captioning professions offer viable career choices that do not require a four-year college degree and yet offer good salaries, flexible schedules, and interesting venues. There is currently an increasing demand for more reporters and captioners to meet the growing number of employment opportunities available nationwide and abroad. Court reporters and captioners rely on the latest in technology to use stenographic machines to capture the spoken word and translate it into written text in real time. These professionals work both in and out of the courtroom recording legal cases and depositions, providing live captioning of events, and assisting members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities with gaining access to information, entertainment, educational opportunities, and more.
To arrange an interview with a working court reporter or captioner, or to learn more about the lucrative and flexible court reporting or captioning professions and the many job opportunities currently available, contact pr@ncra.org.
The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) has been internationally recognized for promoting excellence among those who capture and convert the spoken word to text for more than 125 years. NCRA is committed to supporting its more than 10,000 members in achieving the highest level of professional expertise with educational opportunities and industry-recognized court reporting, educator, and videographer certification programs.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the court reporting field is expected to be one of the fastest areas of projected employment growth across all occupations. Career information about the court reporting profession—one of the leading career options that do not require a traditional four-year degree—can be found at NCRA DiscoverSteno.org.
