Benes Z. Aldana elected president of The National Judicial College

Benes Z. Aldana, chief trial judge of the U.S. Coast Guard, has been selected to be the president of The National Judicial College.

He will succeed retiring President Chad C. Schmucker, a former Michigan judge and state court administrator who has led the College for three-plus years. Schmucker will be stepping down at the end of April.

Aldana was unanimously selected by the NJC’s Board of Trustees at the board’s meeting in Denver earlier this month.

Aldana was the first Asian Pacific (Filipino) American chief trial judge in U.S. military history. As the ninth overall president or chief executive officer of the NJC, he will be the second person of color and the first military judge to lead the College.

Aldana has served with the Coast Guard since 1994 in multiple leadership positions. As chief trial judge, headquartered in Washington, D.C., he presided over felony trials throughout the country while overseeing a trial judiciary composed of 10 judges.