Indiana Legal Services Will Appoint New CEO in November
Tavonna Harris Askew will succeed Jon Laramore, overseeing legal aid services across all 92 Indiana counties.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in People
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The Indiana Legal Services Board of Directors has named Tavonna Harris Askew as its new CEO, effective November 9, 2026. She will replace Jon Laramore, who has held the leadership role since 2015.
Why it matters
The appointment of an executive with experience managing complex public funding and large health systems suggests a shift toward more robust administrative scaling for the statewide legal aid provider. This leadership transition reflects the board's emphasis on organizational capacity as the firm serves clients across all 92 counties.
The new CEO brings 25 years of leadership experience, including oversight of a $4 million budget and a 30-member team at Cummins Inc. The organization currently provides legal assistance across all 92 Indiana counties.
The players
Tavonna Harris Askew
The incoming CEO of Indiana Legal Services who has held previous executive and general counsel roles at health and power-generation corporations.
Jon Laramore
The outgoing CEO of Indiana Legal Services who has led the organization since 2015.
Indiana Legal Services
A statewide nonprofit organization providing legal aid to low-income residents across all 92 Indiana counties.
The details
Tavonna Harris Askew, who previously served as executive vice president and general counsel at Suburban Health Organization, will take over operations from outgoing leader Jon Laramore. The board selected Askew specifically for her track record in managing complex public-facing institutions. She will be responsible for scaling operations and maintaining access to justice across the firm's statewide network.
Timeline
2001: Askew began her career at Indiana Legal Services as a staff attorney.
2015: Jon Laramore began his tenure as CEO.
October 2026: Askew received the Distinguished Service Award from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
November 9, 2026: Tavonna Harris Askew begins her tenure as CEO.
Market Landscape
The transition follows the industry trend of bringing corporate-level management expertise into large-scale legal aid organizations to handle complex funding and compliance requirements. This shift mirrors the governance patterns established by the Legal Services Corporation for statewide legal providers.
Operators managing partnerships with legal aid organizations should anticipate a transition phase in administrative communications following November 9. Stakeholders should review any active service agreements or funding contracts to ensure alignment with the new management's administrative priorities.
The takeaway
Large nonprofits are increasingly prioritizing executives with heavy institutional management experience to oversee scaling efforts. Operators should monitor the new CEO's initial public directives after November 9 to identify potential shifts in outreach or eligibility criteria.
Further reading
For more on executive shifts, explore the People section of our site.
More information
To review available services or application requirements, visit the legal assistance application portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WBIW.
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