Judith (Judy) McKenna was born in Glen Burnie, Maryland on July 19, 1955, two days after Disneyland opened, as she was often quick to point out. The fourth of six children born to Helen and Gerard McKenna, Judy demonstrated her love of words and learning early on by reading the family’s copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica from end to end. Her acerbic wit and signature boisterous laugh reflected her rare combination of intellectual genius and social aptitude; Judy was always ready to share a meme, her impressive Spelling Bee results, or discuss the political landscape.
Following the footsteps of many other women in her family, Judy attended Seton Hill College in Greensburg, PA and earned her BA in psychology. After traveling a bit and beginning a master’s degree program in California, she was chosen for a new joint-degree program in Law and Psychology, where she earned a JD (UMAB, 1984) and PhD (Johns Hopkins, 1985).
After practicing civil litigation for several years in Baltimore, she joined the Federal Judicial Center, an agency that provides research, planning and education services for the federal courts. She found it a perfect fit for her skills and a wonderful place to work. There she spent much of her time on the courts of appeals, analyzing proposals to change their structure and operations. Her final project was staffing retired Justice Byron White’s statutorily ordered commission on these issues.
After ten years at the FJC, she became the professional development partner at a large Washington-based international law firm. Her team developed an ambitious summer associate trial practice boot camp program (intellectual calisthenics only!) where candidates were mentored and critiqued by some of the best trial lawyers and judges in the country.
In late 2003, she returned to California to help care for her aging mother. Meanwhile, Judy developed a third career as an independent contractor doing policy and development work for charter schools. She worked closely with her sister Gerry, who took over as CEO of Value Schools, a small network of schools for underserved K-12 students in downtown Los Angeles. Judy found great reward in helping Value Schools expand, but more so watching young immigrants or first-generation citizens develop into successful university scholars and tremendous contributors to their communities.
Judy was diagnosed with cancer in 2022, and underwent surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy through the Kaiser system. She was grateful to all the scientists, doctors and nurses who “kept the monster away for another day.”
Many of her past relationships from high school, college, and other walks of life greatly enriched her life, even up until her passing. Much of her family lived close by, and treasured her ever-supportive words, witty banter, and text exchanges.
In her final note to her Seton Hill College classmates, Judy wrote: “Blessings to all or, if you prefer, Live Long and Prosper (whatever prosper means to you).” She passed away peacefully in her home the morning of March 4, 2024.
Judy is survived by her brother William (Bill) McKenna, sisters Kathleen McKenna, Geraldine (Gerry) Jacoby, Maureen Silvola, brothers-in-law Paul Jacoby and Rob Silvola, nieces Kristen Jacoby, Anne Jacoby, and Elisabeth Arnold, nephews Brian Silvola and Robert Silvola, great-niece Caroline Fria, and great-nephews JP Arnold, Hunter Arnold, and Parker Fria.
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