President

With over two decades of decorated service in the U.S. Coast Guard, Benes Aldana retired with the rank of Captain (O-6) in 2017 and began his role as the President and CEO of The National Judicial College (NJC), America’s leading judicial education institution. He made history as the U.S. military’s first Asian Pacific American chief trial judge, following roles as an appellate judge, trial judge, and prosecutor. His leadership extended as the chief legal officer of the Eighth Coast Guard District in New Orleans, overseeing legal support for extensive operational units across 26 states.

Benes’s global legal impact was significant during his tenure as chief counsel of the Legal Engagements Division at the U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, where he collaborated with African militaries and international organizations to advance the rule of law and human rights. In the aftermath of 9/11, he was on the front lines in Guantanamo Bay, contributing to critical anti-terrorism investigations. He further distinguished himself as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environmental Enforcement Section. His service in these pivotal roles earned him several military honors, including the Department of Defense Meritorious Service Medal. His military justice expertise secured his appointment by the Secretary of Defense to an eight-year term on the Military Justice Review Panel, a body established by Congress to ensure the military justice system’s integrity. In the legal community, Benes is recognized for his advocacy for diversity and inclusion, evident through leadership roles in various legal associations and within the ABA. Benes chairs the ABA Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and has served as president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Judicial Council and the Asian Bar Association of Washington. He also held positions on the ABA Commission on Diversity and Inclusion 360, the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession, the ABA President’s Advisory Council, and had a groundbreaking term as the first Diversity Director of the ABA Young Lawyers Division. Benes’s contributions to the ABA further include roles as chair of the ABA Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division, assembly speaker for the ABA Young Lawyers Division, and memberships in the ABA House of Delegates, ABA Standing Committee on Judicial Independence, ABA Rule of Law Initiative Board, and ABA Section of Litigation Judicial Intern Opportunity Program. He co-founded the Filipino Lawyers of Washington, the National Filipino American Lawyers Association, and the Filipino American Lawyers Association of Washington, DC. His work has garnered respect and awards such as the Daniel Inouye Trailblazer Award, NAPABA’s “Best Lawyer Under 40,” and the ABA Outstanding Young Military Service Lawyer Award. He recently was honored by the ABA as a 2024 recipient of the Spirit of Excellence Award.

A Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, he served as co-chair of the Washington State Fellows and received the Outstanding State Chair Award in 2011.

Under his visionary and transformative leadership, the NJC has experienced unprecedented growth and a record-breaking enrollment surge in 2020, thanks to innovative online programming addressing contemporary challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and social justice issues. His initiatives include the first-of-its-kind Judicial Academy for aspiring judges, with 28 graduates having ascended to the bench — more than half of them women and people of color. He also introduced courses addressing contemporary issues such as artificial intelligence, climate science, and anti-racism, underscoring his dedication to evolving judicial education to meet modern challenges.