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President
Cheo Reid, Esq.
Cheo Reid is a deputy chief assistant state attorney in the 15th Judicial Circuit of Florida serving Palm Beach County and has served as a prosecutor since 2009. He has prosecuted a myriad of cases on offenses ranging from simple battery to homicide. Cheo is the immediate past chair of the Florida Bar’s Juvenile Court Rules Committee and a member of the Florida Bar’s Criminal Procedure Rules Committee. He is also the author of the Florida Bar’s publication Chapter 6: Transfer Proceedings in Delinquency Case, Florida Juvenile Law and Practice (17th Edition), a manual on Florida’s laws regarding juveniles in adult criminal court.
In addition to his involvement and leadership in the legal field, community engagement is also high on his list of priorities. He regularly speaks at schools and seminars educating parents and the public on internet safety and educating youth on the consequences of crime. Cheo also serves on the Community Engagement Team for Palm Beach County’s Criminal Justice Commission where he strives to create a culture of transparency and accountability between the community and the criminal justice system. He is also active in the music ministry at his church.
He is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University and Florida A&M University College of Law. He has a demonstrated passion for protecting the community and re-shaping the lives of youth who entire the justice system. He is married and has two sons.
President-Elect
Veronica Hazzard, Esq.
mailto:president-elect@fmcba.com
Veronica Hazzard is a proud graduate of Howard University School of Law. Early in her legal career, Veronica served the citizens of Palm Beach County as an Assistant Public Defender for nearly seven years. During her time at the Office of the Public Defender, she represented thousands of indigent clients charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to capital felonies and tried nearly forty trials to verdict. After leaving the Office of the Public Defender, she joined Universal and has been an integral part of the trial team. As a member of the trial team, she has tried over a dozen jury trials and has also jumped in to help litigating attorneys with expert depositions, jury instructions, and complex hearings. When she is not in trial herself, she can often be found supporting her trial teammates in trial.
Veronica is also active in the legal community. She has been an active member of the F. Malcolm Cunningham Sr., Bar Association for several years and currently serves as Chair of the Judicial Diversity Initiative (JDI). She also proudly serves on the Florida’s Bar Seventeenth Circuit UPL Committee “C.”
Treasurer
Schnelle Tonge, Esq.
Schnelle Tonge earned her J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Schnelle has served the citizens of Palm Beach County as an Assistant Public Defender for over 17 years. She currently serves as Chief of the Mental Health & Social Services Division. Over the last ten years, she has served as Chief of the Juvenile Division and former Chief of the County Court Division.
She has dedicated her time to F. Malcolm Cunningham, Sr. Bar Association through her work on the Holland Scholarship committee. She is a firm believer in supporting and mentoring aspiring and new lawyers and has been a mentor to many young attorneys matriculating through the Office of the Public Defender. Schnelle is from the beautiful island of pink sand beaches, Antigua and Barbuda. Outside of the office, Schnelle enjoys mentoring youth in the community, traveling, and working out.
Secretary
Imani Williams, Esq.
Imani Williams graduated from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rogue, Louisiana. After earning her J.D. and passing the Louisiana bar examination, she returned to her roots in West Palm Beach and also passed the Florida bar examination. In August 2023, she joined the West Palm Beach Office of Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, PLLC where she focuses on personal injury cases.
She has been an active leader in F. Malcolm Cunningham Bar Association’s young lawyers section. In addition to dedicating her time to the Association, Imani is an ambassador of Speak Up for Kids Palm Beach County, a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women South Palm Beach County Chapter, and serves as a 15th Circuit Representative on The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors.
Immediate Past President
Kemar Thomas, Esq.
mailto:pastpresident@fmcba.com
Kemar Thomas is the General Counsel of Operations at Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company (“Universal”), where he focuses on litigating first-party property lawsuits. He serves as chief trial counsel of Universal and manages the trial department. In his role as General Counsel, Kemar provides counsel to the Chief Legal Officer and Vice President of Litigation regarding potential exposure and managing the company’s risk at trial.
He has tried over 65 civil and criminal jury-trial. Mr. Thomas started his legal career at the Public Defender’s Office in Palm Beach County where he represented indigent individuals charged with misdemeanors and life felonies such as attempted-murder, burglary, battery, DUI and stalking.
Mr. Thomas graduated from St. Thomas Universal School of Law. During law school, he was the President of the Award-Winning Trial Team and a member of the Moot Court Board. He also interned with the late Honorable Meenu Sasser of the 15th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida and worked as an Active Learning Instructor for Property I and II.
He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice with minor in Hospitality Management from Florida Atlantic University. He is also a member of the Palm Beach County Bar Association.
Public Sector Advisor
Lawonda Warren, Esq.
Private Sector Advisor
Jason McIntosh, Esq.
Judicial Advisor
Honorable Danielle Sherriff