Neighbors in the news: Park Ridge native wins Irish dancing championship
• Park Ridge native Orla Godley was crowned a world champion of Irish dancing at the 50th World Irish Dancing Championships held recently in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Godley was in the ladies 21- to 23-year-old category, where she competed against more than 120 dancers from around the globe for the world title. She previously won the World Championship title twice, once in 2014 and again in 2018.
To compete at the world's most prestigious Irish dancing competition, dancers must first qualify by a achieving a high placement at their regional Oireachtas, or national championships. Godley qualified for the global competition by winning both the regional and national title.
A junior at Loyola University, Chicago, Godley has been Irish dancing since she was a toddler. She trains at Mullane Godley Irish Dance Academy in Edison Park. The school was founded by her mother, uncles and aunt more than 35 years ago.
"The best part of Irish dancing isn't world championships; it's celebrating our rich culture and heritage and sharing it with millions of people across the world. That's what this is about. That's what I'll continue to do," said Godley.
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Deerfield resident Debbie Tapper was promoted to director of Relocation at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago.
Based from the firm's Michigan Avenue office, Tapper will lead company-generated business, including relocation, broker to broker referrals and eLeads.
Most recently, she was co-director of the firm's People and Culture Department, where she elevated the levels of personalized service to brokers and brought mindfulness to routine real estate practices.
"It's my great pleasure to appoint Debbie to this position," said Diane Glass, Berkshire Hathaway HomeService Chicago CEO said.
"She has been an integral part of our company for many years, and has played an active role in its transformation to the company it is today. As director of relocation, she will continue that path using her exceptional skills to identify opportunities that will generate business for our agents, as well as the firm."
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Newland & Newland, LLP, promoted Jennifer Carroll, Katrine Fleishman and Erin Adamski to partners. The three woman are accomplished and skilled attorneys who have more than 20 combined years with the firm.
Carroll, who started with the firm in 2012, focuses her legal skillset on representing clients facing foreclosure, and defends more foreclosures than any lawyer in Lake County.
She serves as co-chairwoman on the debtor-creditor committee of the Lake County Bar Association, and also practices in the area of loan modifications, probate and trust administration. She earned her juris doctorate from the University of Oregon School of Law.
Fleishman provides representation for clients needing legal assistance with real estate transactions and estate planning. As a senior associate attorney with Newland & Newland for the last seven years, Fleishman regularly handles complex legal matters involving wills, trusts and powers of attorney for health care and property.
She volunteers with Wills for Heroes and serves as co-chairwoman of the Lake County Bar Association real estate committee. She holds a law degree from Georgetown Law School and a degree from the London School of Economics.
Adamski is a personal injury litigator who - through settlements and jury trials - has obtained millions of dollars for clients of Newland & Newland, LLP. Adamski has handled a multitude of cases involving motor vehicle, truck, motorcycle and pedestrian accidents. Additionally, she has represented victims of slip and fall accidents and food poisoning.
Outside of the courtroom, she acts as co-chairwoman of the Women in Law Committee of the Northwestern Suburban Bar Association.
The firm serves clients from its five office locations in Arlington Heights, Chicago, Libertyville, Itasca and Crystal Lake.
• Submit your 'Neighbors in the News' items to ntwohey@dailyherald.com.