Tech nonprofit closing the digital divide for the 17 million households that have access to the Internet but cannot afford to connect. 

Mobilized legal acumen and a startup agile process to act as a right arm to c-suite, executive leadership, and cross functional team leaders. Built and leveraged relationships with key decision makers at diverse set of state and city level government, education, library, housing authority, and community partners to activate them to be trusted messengers to advance mission to close the broadband affordability gap. 

Legal Counsel

• Delivered solutions across the organization to support its legal needs with a focus on data privacy including COPPA and FERPA compliance, product and partnership development, corporate governance, creation of a grant program, and insurance matters.
• Developed and implemented exemplary data privacy controls, which enabled the organization to be the sole nonprofit provided with FCC API access for the Affordable Connectivity Program federal benefit application.
• Catalyzed the organization’s data privacy objectives and strategic efforts by owning successful complex data sharing negotiations with leading ISPs; and negotiating and securing data privacy, data sharing, nondisclosure, and service agreements with 30+ State Departments of Education and School Districts.
• Sparked unconventional impact on product and program development as the first in-house counsel by conducting legal risk assessments to continuously advance legal and enterprise priorities.
• Fostered proactive ongoing consultation with pro bono counsel Morrison Foerster and Jenner & Block to drive impact and efficiency. 

Strategic Partnerships Highlight

• Most successful city partnership accelerated enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program from 45% to 97% across1.5 years.

Graduate Studies directs the U.S. Legal Studies LL.M., Transactional Legal Practice LL.M., Bankruptcy LL.M., and J.D. study abroad. 

• Oversaw admissions, 30+ collaborative partner relationships and MOUs, data and metrics reporting, communications, student visas, student services support, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion integration, and department operations for LL.M. and Legal English programs.
• Served as a liaison to other Law School and University departments on strategic initiatives, and to integrate and streamline procedures.
• Exceeded fall 2020 enrollment target by ~30% by continuously adapting recruitment strategy to respond to challenges posed by COVID-19. Met academic year 2019-20 enrollment target with ~$1.6M net tuition revenue and 75 students.
• Led a team to propose new LL.M. and Master programs. Developed strategy and program proposals for Law School Faculty Council, University Provost, American Bar Association, and NY State Education Department. Launched non-matriculation enrollment options.
• Selected to support J.D. admissions team by reviewing applications during three-month busy season.
• Directed robust student service support programs to address shift to remote and hybrid learning and related study, mental and physical health, financial, visa, and travel challenges. Secured IIE $2,500 awards for international students (22% award rate nationwide).
• Managed department with up to six employees and four student workers. Utilized a collaborative leadership style of discerning values and strengths to promote professional development, share ownership, and promote resilience in a high-volume fast-paced department.
• Directed study abroad programs for J.D. students. Won competitive bid securing $8,000 to subsidize a 20-student weeklong program.
• Advised on New York State bar exam eligibility and study preparations for ~50 students and alumni annually. 

Ranked 30th in 2018 for undergraduate study abroad participation among U.S. doctorate-granting universities (up from 38th in 2015). 

Legal, Risk Management, Emergency Response

• Strengthened University legal protection and student services by revising exchange agreements and student forms.
• Managed EU GDPR legal and IT compliance. 
• Proposed and implemented risk management process improvements in line with industry best practices, including program review for locations subject to U.S. Department of State travel advisories with heightened security concerns.
• Directed response to health, safety, and judicial emergencies 24/7: suicide risk, sexual assault, hospitalization, terrorist attacks, missing persons, airport strikes, and host family and roommate disagreements. 

Recruitment and Retention, Project Management, Customer Service

• Served ~1,200 students annually participating in 50+ study abroad programs run by OIE and 10+ departments and schools. Importantly, over 50% of study abroad participants identify as students of color and nearly one-third receive U.S. Federal Pell grants.
• Led visa negotiations with foreign consulates. Saved the University over $2M by retaining visa issuance for a comparative three-country program. Trained and supervised eight-member team to process 500+ visas annually.
• Achieved 42% undergraduate study abroad participation in 2018.
• Bolstered retention utilizing high-impact project management tools for recruitment, cultural competence growth, and family support. 
• Increased enrollment for the outbound semester exchange program by 240% in the first recruitment and advising cycle.
• Provided relationship based, responsive, and solution-oriented customer service to stakeholders with diverse objectives: students, families, faculty, and University administration by leading a team of two full-time employees and up to eight student workers.
• Overhauled pre-departure collection of information through Salesforce, FormAssembly, and Terra Dotta.

In-Country Program Management: Sevilla, Spain

• Selected to oversee operations and train two colleagues during the fall 2017 semester to address personnel shortages and to facilitate visa negotiations with the Spanish government. Developed new program proposals with service providers,

J.D. Program, Drafting: Contracts (2 credits), fall 2015 & fall 2016 semesters

• Used negotiation exercises, current events, and traditional texts to teach the skill of contemporary commercial contract drafting.
• Second and third year J.D. students learned to translate business deals into contract concepts, structure agreements, draft without ambiguity, mark-up contracts, apply contract concepts to current events, and negotiate to minimize risk.

American Law: Discourse and Analysis Program (ALDA), Intro to Legal Writing & Analysis I (4 credits), spring 2015 semester

• Developed curriculum for inaugural semester of this course to teach legal English and U.S. legal concepts to foreign-trained lawyers.
• Pre-LL.M. students learned to communicate through memoranda, client letters, and email for litigation and transactional practice.

The Institute strengthens mechanisms within the United Nations, as well as regional and national institutions, to promote human rights.  

Philanthropic Program Management

• Managed innovative $200,000 annual grant program, including: identifying grantees, soliciting and reviewing 10+ proposals annually, monitoring and evaluation, leading joint projects to amplify goals and impact, and presenting recommendations and results to Board.
• Established and implemented standard grant procedures for the Institute that were adopted by AJC’s General Counsel.
• Conducted a rule of law assessment in Burma with DLA Piper’s New Perimeter to advance access to justice, legal education, and law reform. Report utilized by local think tank advising Burma’s President, USAID, USCIRF, UNDP, UN Special Rapporteur, and ABA.

International and Domestic Advocacy

• Led advocacy campaigns focusing on thematic and country-specific human rights priorities: refugee rights, religious freedom, prisoners of conscience, women’s rights, and disability rights; and North Korea, Burma, Iran, U.S., and Israel.
• Successfully advocated for UNGA resolution calling for North Korea ICC referral by creating a campaign with former North Korean political prisoners, Commission of Inquiry Chair, and NGOs. Met with 20+ UN missions and helped run a UN side event.
• Supported creation and work of a bipartisan U.S. Senate Human Rights Caucus to elevate human rights issues.
• Organized advocacy meetings for 26 regional offices, young leadership, NGOs, and diplomats; and conferences with 25+ speakers.

VSO is an international development organization that places volunteers to share skills and build capacity in grassroots communities. 

EarthRights International, Campaign and Advocacy Advisor (VSO Placement), Chiang Mai

• A nonprofit that combines law, advocacy, and training grassroots leaders to defend human rights and promote environmental justice.
• Secured stricter resource extraction disclosure requirements under Dodd-Frank utilizing SEC Comment process and public advocacy.
• Collaborated with the International Labour Organization to prevent forced labor related to petroleum and industrial estate projects.

Burma Issues-Peace Way Foundation, Fundraising and Financial Management Advisor (VSO Placement), Mae Sot & Bangkok

• A community-based organization that empowers grassroots communities to act as agents of change to impact human rights in Burma.
• Provided training and mentoring to local Burmese and Thai staff to improve organizational development, project cycle management, financial accountability, and grant proposals and reports. Resulted in building the infrastructure to secure $300,000 in grants.
• Trained local staff to conduct effective advocacy on violations of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Corporate law practice focused on corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, and public offerings.

• Advised tech clients on process and merger transaction structure for deals up to $250M, and negotiated and drafted key agreements.
• Primary counsel for start-ups on financings, business plans and governance, employment, intellectual property, and real estate matters.
• Led teams of up to 30 attorneys. Supervised specialists, junior associates, paralegals, and foreign counsel. Summer associate mentor.
• Pro Bono: Initiated and secured pro bono committee approval and budget allocation for a U.S. asylum program.