Login | July 18, 2025
Leadership Ohio highlights Akron Municipal Court diversionary program COMPASS
On May 17, Leadership Ohio held a special event at the Akron Municipal Courthouse to highlight the COMPASS program that was created by Administrative/Presiding Judge David Hamilton. Members of Leadership Ohio's 2025 Fellows Class heard from Judge Hamilton, Probation Officer Livia Young and three COMPASS graduates, including Adam Huber. Judge Hamilton recently performed his marriage ceremony. Huber and his wife Kendra are pictured here with Judge Hamilton. (Photo courtesy of Akron Municipal Court.
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: July 18, 2025
When he was 18, Akron native Adam Huber was incarcerated in connection with several theft-related incidents.
“I was young and I did not learn much from that experience,” said Huber, who turns 31 on July 16.
Still when Huber was released, he embarked on a positive path. He got involved in the construction industry, where he gained a number of skills.
He stayed out of trouble for close to 10 years. But then in 2022 problems with an ex-girlfriend led to domestic violence charges.
This time however, he came before Akron Municipal Court Administrative/Presiding Judge David Hamilton, who created the program COMPASS (Compassion, Opportunity, Mentoring, Purpose, Achievement, Success, Stepping forward) designed to help men between the ages of 18 and 30 get their lives back on track.
COMPASS offered an alternative to jail for Huber, providing him with the support and resources that allowed him to get a handle on his emotions and anger.
“The program showed me that I can be upset without reacting in a negative way,” said Huber, who graduated from COMPASS on April 8. “It exposed me to a lot of positive people including Judge Hamilton and my probation officer Livia Young, who I still talk to periodically even though I graduated.
“COMPASS helped me organize my life and create a five-year plan,” said Huber. “It even helped me get married. Judge Hamilton performed the ceremony on June 10.”
On May 17, Huber was one of three COMPASS graduates to serve on a panel during a special Leadership Ohio event at the Akron Municipal Courthouse.
It was all part of a two-day program for Leadership Ohio’s 2025 Fellows, which explored Akron’s historical, economic and social landscapes.
“Leadership Ohio is a non-partisan civic leadership program which inspires leaders to a higher level of service,” said Leadership Ohio Executive Director Lisa Duty, Ph.D. “Our mission is to create a unifying movement of diverse leaders whose efforts make Ohio the best place in which to live and work.
“Part of our goal is for the fellows to learn about new practices, programs and collaborations across multiple Ohio regions and cities,” said Duty. “Akron was one of just eight cities we selected to focus on this year.
“Judge Hamilton is a 2023 graduate and alum from our 2023 cohort, so we were well aware of his COMPASS program which provides intervention for men who’ve had previous involvement in the criminal justice system. It’s a one-of-a-kind, barrier-breaking innovation, and proof that transformative change is possible wherever commitment and compassion take hold.
“As such we thought it was important for our fellows to learn about it,” said Duty.
“Our fellows also spent time visiting locations designed to bring a greater understanding of the polymer industry in Akron, the city’s change agents and its historical roots,” Duty said.
Judge Hamilton, who unveiled COMPASS on Nov. 2, 2020, said having the program showcased by Leadership Ohio was one of the greatest highlights of his career.
“There are so many positive programs and philanthropic efforts taking place around the state so to have COMPASS featured is not only an honor for me personally but it’s also a major accomplishment for the men in the program, who have worked so hard.”
A native of Summit County, Judge Hamilton took the bench in December 2019 and was re-elected in 2023. This is the second time he’s served as administrative/presiding judge. He also held the title in 2023.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from The University of Akron and his juris doctor from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in 2012.
Judge Hamilton started his career as a field organizer in Akron and Cuyahoga Falls for Organizing for America, where he worked for former President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, later taking on the role of NAACP legal chair for the Akron chapter of the organization under past president Ophelia Averitt, advising inmates on their civil rights.
He then served as an assistant prosecutor for the city of Akron from January 2013 to January 2016.
Prior to taking the bench, he was an associate at Littlejohn Law, a member of Summit County Council and a judicial attorney to Akron Municipal Judge Ron Cable.
In addition to Leadership Ohio, Judge Hamilton is a graduate of Leadership Akron Signature Class 34. On July 1, 2025, he began serving on Leadership Akron’s board of trustees.
He was appointed to the Ohio Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism in 2023 and currently serves on the board of ArtsNow. He’s also an adjunct faculty member at The University of Akron School of Law.
Last year, he received Leadership Ohio’s Community Impact Award and became one of 25 professionals in the Akron/Canton region to earn an Accent on Excellence award from the National Sales & Marketing Executives Akron/Canton.
His other accolades include the Akron Bar Association Diversity Award, the Judge Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award in Law and the Akron Urban League’s Rising Star Award in 2022.
Judge Hamilton also received a 30 for the Future Award from the Greater Akron Chamber in 2020 and was a Crain’s Cleveland Business 40 Under 40 honoree in 2019.
In addition to starting COMPASS, he unveiled Raising the Bar, which was begun as a pilot program in conjunction with Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro’s office in October 2022.
It’s designed to expose minority high school students to the legal profession and the many different career opportunities within it.
Since 2020, there have been 37 graduates from COMPASS, which is now a diversionary program providing participants the opportunity to have their records sealed, if the case is eligible, as Huber’s was.
“When I started COMPASS I was not thinking about getting recognition,” said Judge Hamilton. “My goal was to help reduce the recidivism rate among men who in some cases have a long history of involvement with the criminal justice system.
“So to have three of the participants stand up and share their stories at a Leadership Ohio event, explaining how they worked to overcome obstacles was incredibly inspiring.”
In addition to Huber, COMPASS graduates Jordan Durant and Darius Cummings, who completed the program on June 11, also spoke as did Probation Officer Livia Young.
“As a probation officer, it’s clear that punitive measures are not working,” said Young. “True rehabilitation can only be achieved by addressing the root causes of the problem.
“Many of these men have a history of trauma, mental health or substance use disorders,” said Young. “Providing them with the resources to turn their lives around is very beneficial and can lead to real change in their lives, which benefits the community.”
Huber said his message to those at the Leadership Ohio event was simple: “Just because you’re in a bad situation it doesn’t have to be the end of the world.
“Thankfully there are programs like COMPASS that can help if you are willing to make the effort,” said Huber.
“Some people go into the program with the negative intention that it won’t help them,” said Huber. “I was not one of them. I tried to get the most out of it. I’ve learned not to blame my shortcomings on others and instead to be accountable for my actions.”