3rd Annual Break Into Law Conference

Sydney received her B.A. in English and Certificate in French Language and Culture from Princeton University and her J.D. from Harvard Law School. As the first lawyer in her family, She has used her platform since 2012 to help 4,000+ students break down generational barriers and step confidently into their future. She holds a graduate certificate in Independent Educational Consulting through UC Irvine and is in the process of obtaining her Graduate Certificate in Anti-Racism in Urban Education online from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Sydney is an MDiv/MACEF Candidate at Princeton Theological Seminary. She is a member of the Ethics Committee, the current Graduate School Committee Chair of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, and a member of the National Association for College Counselors, among others.

Angela Winfield is the Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for the Law School Admission Council. In this role, she provides leadership, vision, energy, and a unified philosophy to LSAC’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on behalf of member law schools and the students who seek a career in law. Prior to her current position, Winfield was associate vice president for inclusion and workforce diversity at Cornell University, where she led the university’s affirmative action and federal contractor compliance programs, managed the university’s five identity/affinity-based colleague network groups, provided training opportunities for the 7,000+ member staff, oversaw religious accommodations, and served on the university’s ADA coordinator team. Winfield earned her JD from Cornell Law School and is admitted to the New York bar. She earned her BA from Barnard College of Columbia University.

Kaysia M. Earley is a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® rated Criminal Defense attorney and owner of Earley Law Firm, PLLC. She practices both criminal and civil litigation. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at Howard University, Washington, DC in 2004 and her Juris Doctor degree from St. Thomas University School of Law, Miami, FL in 2013. Kaysia has tried over 100 non-jury and jury trials to verdict, ranging from first-degree felonies to misdemeanors, and won dismissals in over 250 criminal cases.

The middle child of seven siblings, Kaysia’s redemption story is so inspiring. She was raised by a single mother and is a first-generation college graduate. She has exceeded the expectations of being raised in an underserved community, coupled with the rigors of a single parent household. During Kaysia’s senior year in college, she was arrested and charged with felony embezzlement as a result of discounting merchandise while working at a shoe store. Years later, Kaysia is a revered and compassionate attorney and credits her time incarcerated as the catalyst for her zealous advocacy.

Community Service: Kaysia is a firm believer of the biblical principle, “for unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required” (Luke 12:48 KJV). She has represented clients in pro bono criminal and civil cases and is actively involved in her community as a lecturer at her church, local homeless shelters, detention centers, and universities, on topics relating to criminal law, trial practice, and oral presentation skills.

Kaysia is a journalist for her local newspapers and regular guest legal analyst on CourtTV, Law & Crime, CBS, NewsNation, iCrimes, and other legal shows. She resides in Broward County, Florida and is a loving wife to her husband David of 19 years, and the proud mother of four children. Kaysia has been named Women of Tomorrow: Broward County Mentor of the Year, Top 40 Under 40 Attorney, Top 10 Best Attorney in Florida for Customer Service, Layer of Distinction, and Top 10 Best Attorney in Florida for Personal Injury.

Tanvi is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property & Technology Transactions practice group and is also a registered patent attorney. Her practice includes all aspects of patent litigation, patent prosecution and global portfolio management, as well as licensing and due diligence counseling. She is co-chair of NGE's Diversity & Inclusion Committee. She also serves on the firm's Summer Associate Hiring Committee and the Women's Leadership Network. Prior to practicing law, Tanvi worked as an engineer at Caterpillar, Inc. in the Electric Power Generation group. Tanvi’s education in electrical engineering and her technical background enable her to better understand her clients' complex technologies and protect their innovations. Outside of her practice, Tanvi is a member of Ms. JD, an organization dedicated to the success of aspiring and early-career women lawyers. From 2019 to 2022, Tanvi served on the volunteer board of directors. She also serves as a board member of the South Asian Bar Association Chicago Foundation, which is a voluntary bar association dedicated to the needs, concerns, and interests of the South Asian legal community in the Chicagoland area.

Tracy L Simmons is the Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs at Howard University School of Law. Prior to joining Howard University School of Law, Tracy L. Simmons worked for the University of San Diego School of Law as the Assistant Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid and Diversity Initiatives and she also worked for the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, as the Senior Assistant Dean for Admissions, Diversity Initiatives and Financial Aid. Along with two other law schools.

Additionally, Simmons has served as a consultant for the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) Achieving Success in the Application Process program for over 15 years. She is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), serving as the Chair of the Pre-Legal Education and Admissions to Law School Section twice and as the Chair for the Part-Time Section. She has also served on the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) Consumer Information and Law Student Information Task Force. Simmons also serves on the California System Involved Bar Association.

Most recently, Simmons is a co-founder of the Womxn of Color Collective for law schools professionals, co-chair of the newly formed Legal Professions Chapter of the National Association of Diversity Professional in Higher Education (NADOHE) has joined USD Law’s Children’s Advocacy Institute Council for Children (CAI) and is now a Board of Director with the nonprofit Barrier Breakers, Inc.

Simmons has been involved with the Law School Admission Council in a variety of roles, including serving on the Board of Trustees and as Chair for the Annual Meeting of Law School Professionals for the hybrid LSAC Annual Meeting in Florida in 2021. Other roles include serving on the Services and Programs Committee, the Forum Review Work Group, the Newcomers Workshop Planning Work Group, where she was chair; the Diversity Committee, the Annual Meeting and Educational Conference Planning Work Group, the Finance and Legal Affairs Committee and the 2018 Nominating Committee. She has also served as an appointee-at-large on the Board of Trustees and as trustee liaison to the Test Development and Research Committee, the Finance and Legal Affairs Committee and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Simmons’ last committee was a two-year term on the Services and Candidates Committee.

She also served on the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) between 2014 and 2022, serving as President and Program Chair.

Simmons is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc. Simmons has a BA in Psychology with a minor in African American Studies and MA Education with an emphasis Multicultural Counseling from San Diego State University and earned her J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law.

Yolanda D. Ingram. Esq. is currently the inaugural Director of Access to Law School Education Programs at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. She joined Penn Carey Law in August 2021. Immediately prior to her current role, Director Ingram was the inaugural Bar Success Director at Drexel Kline Law for two years. Before Drexel, Mrs. Ingram served as Dean of Students and Director of Academic Success at Penn State’s Dickinson Law and Dean of Admissions for Washburn University School of Law. In addition to a variety of administrative roles, Director Ingram has also taught a range of courses, including prelaw, legal writing, legal ethics/professional responsibility, and bar preparation. Over the course of her twenty plus year career in legal education and higher education administration, she has volunteered and served on a variety of boards, committees and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the non-profit, Barrier Breakers, which seeks to support first generation, and minority students apply to law school. For ten years, she was the Asst. Dean for Student Affairs and the Director of the state’s only conditional admissions program and diversity pipeline program for college students, the Tennessee Institute for Pre-Law (TIP). During her decade at Memphis Law, the TIP program was able to substantially increase the state law schools’ diversity enrollment each year. Professor Ingram co-founded the Memphis Bar Association’s Summer Law Internship Program (SLIP) for diverse high school students.

Prior to entering legal education and serving in various administrative roles, Ingram clerked for Judge Jay A. Daugherty of the Jackson County Circuit Court in Kansas City, Missouri. Before her judicial clerkship, she taught legal research and writing at Temple University Beasley School of Law. Prior to teaching at Temple Law, she was an associate with the Kansas City, Missouri firm, Polsinelli Law Firm where she practiced in the areas of condemnation (eminent domain law), land use/zoning, landlord/tenant disputes, and property tax appeals. She earned her Juris Doctor (with Dean’s Honors) from Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas after graduating summa cum laude from the University of Mississippi with a B.A. in English.

Dr. Nadia Castriota has nearly 20 years of experience in professional/graduate school admissions and student development and is truly dedicated to student success. She has previously been the Assistant Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Florida International University – College of Law, the Director of Admissions at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, the Assistant Dean at Albany Law School, and most recently the Director of Admissions at St. Thomas University School of Law. Dr. Castriota is originally from New York and relocated to South Florida to be closer to family and continue her career in academia, specifically admissions and student engagement. Dr. Castriota earned her BS from Florida International University, MS from Nova Southeastern University, and recently completed her PhD in Ethical Leadership at St. Thomas University.

Soukaina Sourouri, Esq. is currently a solo practitioner managing her own general practice firm in family law. She is currently serving as the first Arab-American and Muslim President of the Staten Island’s Woman’s Bar Association. She is a member of the 18B Panel in Richmond County Family Court as well as a member of the Part 36 Attorneys for Children Panel. She is the former court attorney for Family Court Judge Janet L. McFarland. She graduated from CUNY Law School in 2020. While attending law school at night, she worked for the Law Office of Rosa Pannitto, P.C. After graduation, she worked for the law firm of Glenn Yost prior to becoming a court attorney. Ms. Sourouri is also a Member of the Richmond County Bar Association, Staten Island Trial Lawyers, and Columbian Lawyers of Brooklyn. Since 2017, she has been a volunteer at CUNY! Citizenship Now, assisting in legal screenings for green card holders applying for citizenship.

Richard Vincent Hill was elected as the first African-American male Clerk of Youngstown Municipal Court in 2023. He has been a Deputy Clerk in the Clerk of Courts office since 2000 and has served as the Criminal/Traffic Division Supervisor. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Youngstown State University in 1999 earning national recognition by being named to the Who's Who among students in American Universities and Colleges. Hill obtained his Master's degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Akron in 2004. Richard Vincent Hill is the first African-American male elected as Clerk of Youngstown Municipal Court. He serves as Trustee Board member of Third Baptist Church, a board member of the Greater Mill Creek Community Center, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc, a member of Robert's Deliberating Club, and a member of Ohio Association of Municipal and County Clerk of Courts

DeAndré Aubry, a proud alum of Loyola High School, Howard University, and Southwestern Law School. He is a first-generation law student and the owner and founder of Legally Fit. As student body president in his 3L year, he created a free program called “Study with the President.” This program helped hundreds of students and made it abundantly clear that students were looking for help. From “Study with the President” came Legally Fit, which he has been running for the last 10 years!

Carwina was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and immigrated to the US in 1968 as part of the "brain drain" that resulted from the abolition of national origin-based immigration quotas. She is a first-generation US college and law student. Carwina practiced in legal services for both the New York Legal Aid Society and Greater Boston Legal Services. Carwina became a clinical professor because she realized that she enjoys helping students to be better lawyers as much as she enjoys representing indigent clients. Now, she work for the Law School Admission Council to develop programming on professional identity formation, inclusive instruction, and pre-law preparedness. To relieve her stress, Carwina loves to bake, be in nature, read cozy mysteries, and travel. Carwina’s High 5 strengths are: coach, empathizer, focus expert, strategist, and catalyst.

Mena Pirone graduated from Harvard Law School after scoring in the top 1% on her LSAT. She began her career in Intellectual Property Litigation with LSAT Tutoring as a simple pastime on the side. She soon came to appreciate the more significant impact she could have by helping others achieve their law school dreams and made LSAT Tutoring her full-time endeavor. Since that move some 13 years ago, Mena has developed a unique and targeted approach to the test which has helped hundreds of students gain admission to top schools like Stanford, Colombia, Yale, as well as her alma mater Harvard. She prides herself on her flexible and dynamic personalized approach to tutoring, and her focus on helping first-generation and underserved students (especially those of color) put their best foot forward as they begin their legal careers.

Jacques Anderson is the Founder & CEO of Lean Into Your Design, a Human Design-centered coaching and consulting business dedicated to unlocking the full potential of individuals and teams. By merging the wisdom of Human Design with modern-day practicality and traditional executive coaching modalities, Jacques offers a unique roadmap for self-discovery and alignment, tailor-made for today's professionals. After graduating from Harvard Law School at 24, Jacques’ career began at Skadden in New York City, as a Mergers & Acquisitions associate advising on deals totaling $50B+. Trained by the executive coach for Steve Jobs and one of the global leaders in Human Design, Jacques provides insightful coaching sessions for individuals, business partners, founders, and teams seeking leadership, team-building, and innovative professional development services and experiences.

Natalie has worked as a financial wellness educator for over fifteen years. She has experience in various areas of higher education including graduate and undergraduate financial aid, career development, student success, and wellness programming. Natalie believes the route to financial success includes understanding a student’s background while helping them to develop and reach their financial goals. Prior to joining AccessLex, Natalie managed the Financial Fitness program at DePaul University creating a multitude of personal finance learning materials and games.

Fady Yatooma is an incoming 2L at Yale Law School who moved to the U.S. from Iraq in 2013. On his first attempt at the LSAT, he earned a 166 and found that he struggled with the Reading Comprehension section as a non-native English speaker. After a year of learning stronger study techniques, he improved his score by 13 points, earning a 180, and was admitted to Yale Law School. Through LSAT Mastery, he shares his proven study methods to help applicants achieve their maximum potential.

With 13 years of law school administration experience and 20 years of legal experience, Valerie D. James serves as the Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Diversity Initiatives at the UOP McGeorge School of Law. She previously served as an assistant dean at UC Davis as well as at the law schools at UNT Dallas (founding) and the University of Arkansas Little Rock (UALR). She holds a JD degree with honors from the UALR and an Arkansas attorney’s license (2008). Valerie’s professional career has focused on building and leading diverse, inclusive, equitable, and accessible higher education programs.

Terra Davis is the Chief Diversity and Talent Development Officer at Knobbe Martens, where she is responsible for leading and integrating the firm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion, and professional development efforts, focusing on the recruitment, retention, and progression of its attorneys. Outside of Knobbe, she served as the 2020-2022 co-chair of the Legal Marketing Association’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Shared Interest Group. In 2024, she was elevated to the Legal Marketing Association International Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals, the only organization in the legal industry dedicated to diversity practitioners. In 2024, Terra was selected to serve the California State Bar’s 10-member Council on Access and Fairness. She is a proud graduate of Howard University and received her DEI certification from Cornell University. Terra is passionate about DEI, serving marginalized communities, and pushing the needle forward for change.

Jermaine Cruz serves as Assistant Dean for Diversity & Inclusion at Albany Law School in New York State’s capitol city of Albany. He is a seasoned law school administrator and educator with over 20 years of legal education experience including, legal clinic and targeted program administration, JD admissions, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and strategy development. Dean Cruz is also an independent DEI consultant, facilitator and strategist with clients including Bennington College and the New York State Assembly.

A diverse set of experiences in legal practice, policy development, and communications inform his comprehensive and holistic approach to ensuring an accessible, equitable, fair, and positive law school experience for all law students rooted in clear and effective administrative and academic policy and procedure. Mr. Cruz has presented nationally on law school recruitment and retention strategy, diversity in the legal academy and general diversity issues and best practices.

Immediately prior to his appointment at Albany Law School, Dean Cruz served as Director of Admissions at University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. He has worked in JD admissions at The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law (his alma mater) and managed the administration and recruitment efforts of the clinical legal education program at Georgetown Law. He has worked in private practice at Hannon Law Group, LLP, in Washington, DC, where he focused primarily on complex commercial litigation and employment law.

Michael J. States joined the University of Wisconsin Law School in December 2021 as the Inaugural Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He also manages the Office of the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and the Office of the Assistant Dean for the Academic Enhancement Program at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Prior to coming to UW Law, he was the Assistant Dean for Admissions, Financial Aid, and Diversity Initiatives at The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Kansas and his law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law, where he was president of the Black Law Students Association and a member of the Council of Presidents. Dean States began his law school administration career as the Associate Director of Admissions at the UIC Law School (then the John Marshall Law School). He has been the Director of Admissions at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law (then the Hamline University Law School), and the Assistant Dean for Enrollment Management at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Stuart Graduate School of Business. From 2004 to 2015, he was the Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Dean States is a member of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) Schools and Candidates committee, a consultant for the Council for Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO), Achieving Success in the Application Process program, and a member of the Executive Committee for both the Association of American Law School's section on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, Legal Professions Chapter. He also is a member of the Board of Directors of Christian Brothers High School in St. Louis, Missouri.

Vernadette Horne, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, joined St. John’s Law School in June 2021 after serving as Senior Director of Career Services and Diversity Initiatives at Hofstra Law School for 15 years. Ms. Horne currently serves as a member of the Diversity Committee for the New York State Bar Association and as the Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee for the New York State Bar Association’s Commercial & Federal Litigation Section.

Yvette Byes Edwards has been working in the post legal education field with law students in the Bay Area as they prepare for the bar exam, and with Academic Support teams at law schools, for 22 years. She has valued experience as an educator in the E-learning industry, and has been an Adjunct Professor for Early Bar Prep Multistate Subjects, as well as Professional Legal Writing. She holds a Juris Doctorate from Syracuse University College of Law and enjoys seeing students thrive during law school as they take those final steps towards the ultimate goal of passing the bar exam, reaching one of the most rewarding achievements in their legal career.

Anthony is a lawyer, highly-rated motivational speaker, and a strategic law school admissions advisor with over 8 years of experience. Through his work with individuals, groups, and organizations, he empowers diverse voices in the legal profession and helps individuals overcome; adversity to reclaim their dreams. Anthony is also the founder of BecomingJD and the host of "Making the Case For Your Lawyer Dreams.”

Anais Holland-Rudd brings a wealth of legal expertise and a commitment to public service in her role as Associate General Counsel and Freedom of Information Law (“FOIL”) Officer at the New York City Department of Investigation. She began her career as a prosecutor at the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, where she gained extensive experience handling a wide range of cases, from misdemeanors to serious felonies. Throughout her tenure, Anais demonstrated her expertise through successful litigation in hearings, grand jury presentations, and jury trials, all while managing various responsibilities such as witness preparation, investigations, and plea negotiations.

Transitioning into private practice after three years, Anais continued to excel, focusing on civil litigation matters. As an Associate at Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP and Aaronson Rappaport Feinstein & Deutsch LLP, she specialized in financial services litigation and defending automobile manufacturers in asbestos matters. With a meticulous approach to pretrial management and a commitment to crafting proactive defense strategies, Anais navigated complex legal challenges with diligence and professionalism. During her time in civil practice, Anais occasionally assisted in criminal defense matters.

Anais's academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in political science from CUNY Baruch College and a law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Beyond her professional achievements, she is deeply committed to public service, dedicating her time to mentorship through Baruch’s Max Berger Pre-Law Program. Anais is also a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.

In her current role, Anais demonstrates strong leadership as she manages public requests under FOIL and oversees inquiries regarding law enforcement disciplinary history. She also is involved where needed to assist in investigations and with any legal issue that arises at the agency.

Jazmín is a movement lawyer and community organizer dedicated to dismantling systems of oppression by working with BIPOC to demand and achieve a life of dignity. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The UndocuLawyer Firm, Jazmín collaborates with community organizations and organizing groups to ensure that minorities communities live a life with dignity. Since embarking on her journey in law, Jazmín has sought to combine her legal knowledge and skills with community organizing principles for systems change work, which she has done in her previous professional roles with the New Mexico Dream Team, the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, Bold Futures NM and the City of Albuquerque, as well as her volunteer roles as a board member of Emerge New Mexico, the University of New Mexico’s (UNM’s) Master of Public Policy Program, and Encuentro. In recent years, she has been named an Albuquerque Business First’s Top 40-Under-40 Honoree, received Enlace Comunitario’s Brindis a la Mujer Award in the Category of Policy and Law, the New Mexico Women’s Bar Association Rising Star Award, and had the honor of being a Co-Master of Ceremony for Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 2019 Inauguration. Jazmin is a graduate of the UNM Anderson School of Management and the UNM School of Law.

Somi is an attorney and investor who works to provide minority and women-led emerging companies with access to capital and world-class legal advice on their entrepreneurial journey. At the same time, she’s pursuing her own entrepreneurial dreams after a relatively recent transition from working as a corporate attorney (in M&A, finance and intellectual property) at a New York big law firm as she explores this new journey of being a multi-hyphenate.

Somi is a Chicago-native and a proud alum of Tema International School in Ghana, where she was basketball team captain and entertainment prefect, Princeton University, where she studied Economics, French and African-American studies, and Harvard Law School, where she was president of the African Law Association and a senior editor on the Harvard Law and Business Journal. She also spent a semester studying at Sciences Po in Paris.

After college, she worked as an investment analyst for JP Morgan in Chicago, curating investment portfolios for the bank’s high net-worth clients and after law school, she spent 5 years at Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York advising world-class Fortune 500 companies on all aspects of corporate transactional law.

Somi currently splits her time between New York and Accra, where her fur baby, the sweetest Rhodesian Ridgeback named Johnny Bravo, lives with Somi’s mom. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new countries (especially through their cuisine!), cooking, spending time with her friends, family and her four beautiful godchildren and working out.

Sedinam Anyidoho is an Associate at Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP, where she has been working in their litigation group since September 2022. Previously, she was a Summer Associate at the same firm and served as an International Law Fellow at the DC Bar. Sedinam has also been a Systemic Lawyering Corp Member at Harvard University Systemic Summer Institute and an International Affairs Intern at Howard University Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center. She is a graduate of the Howard University School of Law.

Ahmad Malik advises clients on all aspects of patent litigation.

Before joining Faegre Drinker, Ahmad clerked at the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in various capacities. Most recently, he worked as a law clerk to the Honorable Cathy Bissoon, where he assisted with case management in both civil and criminal matters, and managed jury trials — including a patent infringement lawsuit. During his time with the district court, Ahmad also served as a rotating law clerk and handled assignments for all active judges.

Ahmad also has clerked for the Honorable D. Michael Fisher, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Prior to clerking, Ahmad worked as an e-discovery attorney for an AmLaw 50 firm.

Ayana Dow advises broker-dealers, financial institutions and other global and domestic financial entities on a broad range of regulatory and enforcement matters. Ms. Dow also regularly counsels companies on compliance issues relating to Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, FINRA, and other self-regulatory organization rules and regulations.

Prior to joining WilmerHale, Ms. Dow was an associate in the financial services group at another international law firm in Washington DC. She was previously a policy fellow in the Office of Congressman James Clyburn. During law school, Ms. Dow was an intern for a global consulting firm and a law clerk for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Division of Market Oversight.

Alexandria L. Richards is a dedicated legal professional with a passion for advocacy and a commitment to excellence. Although family law is what initially drew her to law school, Alexandria developed a strong interest in labor law practice, inspired by her own experience as a micro-influencer and content creator. In her final year at Drexel, Alexandria served as Editor-In-Chief of Drexel Law Review, Volume XVI. As the first Black person to serve in this capacity at Drexel, Alexandria understands the importance of representation and mentorship within minority communities. Through this role, she developed a deep appreciation for diverse legal scholarship, recognizing its profound impact on creators and consumers. As Alexandria prepares to sit for the July bar exam, she stands poised to make significant contributions to the legal profession. Her unwavering dedication to professional growth, coupled with her fervent advocacy for social justice and community engagement, positions her as a dynamic and influential leader in the legal field. At the Break Into Law conference, Alexandria hopes to inspire and empower attendees with her unique perspective, commitment to excellence, and passion for empowering diverse individuals to create space for themselves in the legal world.

Maia Botero is a first-generation Colombian law student. She worked as a Case Manager and Legal Assistant before starting law school. Maia always had dreams of attending the University of Miami School of law and after working extremely hard during her first year of law school she finally made that dream a reality when she transferred from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law to Miami Law. Maia now serves as the Trial Team President, the SBA Transfer Senator and was just re-elected to serve as a 3L senator next year. Maia also Co-Founded the Fashion Law Society and will be acting as President of the organization at the University of Miami School of Law. After graduating law school Maia hopes to work as a litigator.

Mecca Aikens is a second-year student at Georgetown University Law Center. She is from Hinesville, GA. She graduated from Mercer University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, along with 2 minors in Philosophy and Law & Public Policy. At Georgetown, she is the Academic Chair of Georgetown's Black Law Student Association (BLSA), a Student Fellow for the Admissions Office, the Notes Editor for the Georgetown Journal of Law & Modern Critical Race Perspectives, and a Barbri Student Representative.

Jupiter is a non-traditional law student in every sense of the word. As a first-gen queer, non-binary student at Tulane Law in New Orleans, Louisiana, they have made it their mission to expand the concept of what a lawyer looks like by being unapologetically themselves in every space they enter. Their interests vary widely and include international law (both human rights and business), post-conviction capital appeals, entertainment law (think: influencers), and, most recently, real estate law. This summer, Jupiter is working with Southeast Louisiana Legal Services to provide expungement services to remove the barriers to economic opportunity placed in front of those who have formerly been convicted of criminal offenses. Jupiter uses they/them pronouns.

Rohan Gohel graduated from Villanova University in 2022 with degrees in Political Science, Economics, and Philosophy. He is currently a rising 3L at Duke Law. During his 1L summer, he worked at Lowenstein Sandler, and he is presently working at Milbank LLP. He is originally from Marlboro, New Jersey.

Sakshi Das is a rising 2L at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. She is the Vice President of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, Social Media Chair of the Cyber Law & Data Privacy Association and a member of the Alternate Dispute Resolution team at her school. She is spending her 1L summer as a law clerk for a business and financial litigation firm in Baltimore, MD. As the first in her family to pursue any education in the US, she has found support in her community and is passionate about expanding access to similar support and opportunities for other minorities in the legal field.

Celina Vicioso is a second-generation New Yorker, a first-generation college graduate and law student, and a two-time start-up founder. Prior to law school, Celina spent seven years running marketing for high growth early-stage startups across the financial, real estate, and health technology industries. Celina is a former competitive horseback rider. When she’s not in law school you can find her drinking natural wine, walking her dog, and pitching vacation ideas to her partner Katherine.

Thomas de Xavier is a rising 3L at Georgetown University Law Center, where he serves as the Managing Executive Editor of the Georgetown Immigration Law Journal. He is actively involved in several leadership roles, serving as the Membership Co-Director of the North American South Asian Law Students Association (NASALSA), Co-President of the Georgetown South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA), and Student Bar Association (SBA) Academic Affairs Chair. These positions have allowed him to engage with diverse communities, advocate for student interests, and contribute to the improvement of academic policies.

Thomas has also gained valuable experience working at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Office of International Affairs within the Bureau of Consumer Protection, contributing to global consumer protection initiatives within the digital financial markets.

Inspired by his mother’s experience as a South Asian refugee during the Idi Amin dictatorship in 1972, Thomas is committed to public service and making a positive impact through his legal career. He is particularly interested in practicing corporate law with a focus on securities regulation. Prior to law school, he swam collegiately as a Division 1 athlete, balancing rigorous training with academic responsibilities.

As a first generation law student, Thomas values the importance of community and connection, and he is eager to share his experiences and insights with fellow students to support their academic and professional journeys.