Two court employees were recently presented with the 2023 Courthouse Employee of the Year Award sponsored by the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism.

Elizabeth Dierauf is a career prosecutor who has served Transylvania, Henderson, and Polk Counties for nearly 28 years. Dierauf prosecutes every type of case, from speeding tickets to capital murder, but her main focus is on maintaining the highest level of professionalism. According to her nomination, Dierauf “is an incredible trial lawyer but even more important than her skill is her compassion. She connects with victims, mentors new prosecutors, and has been a constant calming force in Prosecutorial District 42 through four elected district attorneys.” District Attorney Andrew Murray describes Dierauf as “one of the most talented ADAs I have worked with and managed in the last 12 years. She has an incredibly analytical mind and is able to understand and digest the law quickly. She connects with people and has a huge heart for her community and victims of crime.”

According to her nomination, Kimmel McDiarmid is “an amazing court reporter who has served with distinction for many years.” McDiarmid, who is assigned to Chatham County, has “shown a particular ability to handle anything and everything she encounters with unparalleled aplomb. Her attitude toward her work shows such humility that she does not realize how she is emulated and looked to as a mentor by other reporters.” McDiarmid has served in leadership roles with the N.C. Association of Official Court Reporters when called to do so. “She treats all parties and litigants with courtesy and respect and gives each case, from misdemeanors to murders to medical malpractice, careful attention.”