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Home > UMB Homeland Security > CHHS Staff > CHHS StaffCurrent CHHS Staff
Director: Associate Director: Heather Shaivitz, JD Heather Shaivitz rejoined CHHS in 2008 as the Associate Director. Ms. Shaivitz previously worked for CHHS as a Law Fellow in 2004-05 where her primary responsibility was working with the Maryland State Cabinet Agencies on their Continuity of Operations (COOP) plans. She holds a BA in Political Science from Gettysburg College and a JD from the University of Maryland School of Law. While in law school, Ms. Shaivitz served as the Executive Editor of the Journal of Health Care Law & Policy, interned with the Office of the Federal Public Defender, and worked as a law clerk for the law offices of Andrew C. White. She is admitted to practice law in Maryland. Prior to rejoining CHHS, Ms. Shaivitz was a senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton in McLean, VA. While at Booz Allen she supported FEMA's National Preparedness Directorate, worked on National Capital Region (NCR) strategic planning, and provided COOP support to the Army. Before going to Booz Allen, Ms. Shaivitz served as the NCR liaison for Maryland. In this role she supported the Director of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and the Director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and made policy recommendations regarding federal homeland security funding. Phone: 410-706-2156 Associate Director of Policy and Training: Alexandra C. Podolny, JD Alexandra Podolny joined CHHS in May 2005 as a Law and Policy Analyst. Ms. Podolny holds a BA in Economics from the University of Maryland at College Park and a JD from the University of Maryland School of Law. While in law school, she served as Associate Articles Editor for The Business Lawyer, clerked for the Law Offices of Harry S. Seigel and the Office of the Maryland Attorney General, and interned for the D.C. Department of Insurance and Securities Regulation. She is admitted to practice law in Maryland. In addition to her membership on the DHS Continuity of Operations (COOP) team, Ms. Podolny’s duties at CHHS have included drafting the second version of the Maryland COOP Manual that she used while working with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency to develop COOP plans for numerous state and local agencies in Maryland. She is involved with the Court COOP and Baltimore City Health Department COOP projects, and is also a member of the University of Maryland, Baltimore Campus Emergency Management Team, working with the campus to develop its COOP plan. In preparation for her participation in the DHS COOP training program, she completed FEMA COOP training, the CDP’s Instructor Training Certification Course, ICS training, and Maryland’s HSEEP training. Ms. Podolny currently serves as a Senior Instructor and the Program Manager for the DHS COOP training program. In addition to her duties at CHHS, Ms. Podolny is the author of a Baltimore-based food and entertainment blog, Black Coffee and a Donut. Phone: 410-706-2153 Coordinator: Jeanne Stringer Jeanne Stringer is the CHHS Coordinator. She has worked on the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus since 1988, beginning as a Development Associate in the Office for Institutional Advancement. Ms. Stringer later served in the Dean’s Office in the School of Medicine, coordinating special projects. Ms. Stringer joined CHHS at its inception in 2002. Currently, she manages the day-to-day operations of the Center and is the key planner of its special events. Phone: (410)706-0585 CHHS Professional Staff: Nick Alexopulos Nick Alexopulos joined CHHS in May 2008 as a Media Relations Specialist after almost five years working in television news at WBFF-TV in Baltimore, where he was the Investigative and Special Projects Producer. As a journalist, Mr. Alexopulos focused on enterprise story telling, which afforded him the opportunity to cover a broad range of subjects and pursue stories up and down the East Coast with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the National Guard and the U.S. Marine Corps. He won a regional Emmy Award in 2008 and has been recognized by the Maryland Society of Professional Journalists for investigative, human interest, documentary, and general reporting. In 2003, Mr. Alexopulos earned a BA in Political Science from Loyola College in Maryland, where he was Managing Editor of the campus newspaper. At CHHS, Mr. Alexopulos focuses on enhancing public knowledge of the Center’s work across the country through media coverage, publications, pictures and video. Phone: 410-706-0914 Calvin J. Bowman Calvin Bowman joined CHHS in March 2008. He received his BS in Political Science from Towson University in 2003 and brings a wealth of research and analytical skills to the center to compliment his strong background in homeland security policy and information assurance. While at Towson University, Mr. Bowman served as Attorney General and as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee for the University Student Government Association. During this time, he also interned in Annapolis as a Legislative Aid for Delegate James E. Malone, and was a recipient of the Maryland House of Delegate Scholarship for outstanding academic achievement. In 2003, he was awarded for his work in producing the program of the year: “War – Teach-In Discussion.” In addition to working full time at CHHS, Mr. Bowman is also a Sign Language interpreter, assisting numerous governments, non-profit, and private agencies in their need for helping people with disabilities. Currently, Mr. Bowman has a Graduate Certificate in Security Assessment and Management and is completing a master’s degree at Towson University in Integrated Homeland Security Management with a focus on Homeland Security Policy. With CHHS, Mr. Bowman has written Continuity of Operations plans for the Maryland Judiciary and is currently working on the Special Needs Population Project. Mr. Bowman is also working with the D.C. Homeland Security Emergency Management Agency on credentialing operations for the 2009 presidential inauguration. Phone: 410-706-5799 Robin Clark, JD Robin Clark joined CHHS as a full-time staff member in August 2007 after working at CHHS as a research assistant during law school. Ms. Clark is currently leading Continuity of Operations (COOP) planning for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and has previously developed and conducted COOP planning and tabletop exercises for the Maryland Judiciary. She is a 2007 graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law and a 2001 Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Maryland College Park where she earned a BA in English Literature and Italian Language. During her undergraduate education, she also earned a Certificate from the Università Per Stranieri in Siena, Italy. In law school, she was a member of the Moot Court Board and President of the American Constitution Society, and was the recipient of the David S. Brown International Fellowship (2006), the Litigation and Advocacy Award (2007) and the William P. Cunningham Award (2007). Prior to graduating, she interned at the Australian Law Reform Commission and contributed to their report to the Australian Attorney General, “Fighting Words: A Review of Sedition Laws in Australia (ALRC 104).” Ms. Clark is admitted to practice law in Maryland. Phone: 410-706-4289 Colleen Clary, JD Colleen Clary joined CHHS as a Law and Policy Analyst in August 2008 after working at CHHS as a research assistant during law school. Ms. Clary earned her JD from the University of Maryland School of Law cum laude with a certificate in Health Law and her BA in history cum laude from Le Moyne College. As an undergrad, she served as a volunteer emergency medical technician for a local ambulance corps. While in law school, she interned at the Office of the District Attorney in New York, clerked for the Hon. Carl Putzer, and was a summer associate at a local law firm. Ms. Clary is currently working on the Maryland Judiciary COOP plans and a mass fatality gap analysis for the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Ellen Cornelius, JD Ellen Cornelius joined CHHS in April 2008 and serves as a planner for shelter management and mass evacuation in the District of Columbia’s Executive Office of the Mayor. Previously, Ms. Cornelius was selected for the Attorney General’s Honor’s Program. She lived in Houston, Texas and was the law clerk to six judges in the Executive Office for Immigration Review. From 2005-2006, she worked as the law clerk to the Hon. John W. Debelius, III of the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD. She is a member of both the Maryland and the District of Columbia bars. Ms. Cornelius is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law where she received a JD with honors. She also has a BA from Wake Forest University where she graduated with honors in Political Science. Ms. Cornelius’ interest in sheltering was sparked by a year of AmeriCorps service through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in San Diego, CA. A native of Darnestown, MD, Ms. Cornelius now resides in the District of Columbia. Phone: 202-481-3045 Emily Cornette, JD Emily Cornette joined CHHS in May 2008 as a Law and Policy Analyst and is currently working on a COOP plan for the Kansas Department of Health and the Environment. She graduated from Washington College with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration in 2004 and received her JD from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2007. While attending law school, Ms. Cornette worked as a law clerk at the Office of the Maryland Public Defender and at The Law Offices of Steven Heisler. Phone: 410-706-3985 Kelley Coyner, JD In January 2008, Kelley Coyner began her work as the new Chief of Staff of the Senior Policy Group of the National Capital Region (NCR). In that capacity, she has helped NCR’s emergency planning leadership implement its strategic priorities including major new investments in building medical surge capacity, better integrated applications of technology, and high impact law enforcement and detection and prevention efforts with respect to improvised explosive devises. Ms. Coyner serves the principal as a liaison for the Senior Policy Group (SPG) to other entities in the NCR and coordinates the SPG’s efforts to enhance homeland security through policy and programmatic initiatives. SPG is comprised of the Homeland Security Advisors and senior Emergency Management Administrations of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, as well as the director of FEMA’s Office of National Capital Region Coordination. Ms. Coyner joined CHHS as a Senior Researcher in July 2007 and served as a Senior Advisor to the Director. A writer, lawyer, and advisor to nonprofits, Ms. Coyner brings 25 years experience in nonprofits as board member or advisor to more than 60 non-profits in the United States and South America. As a lawyer in private practice, as a congressional staffer, director of a public affairs office, staff to a county board member, and a federal state liaison for the state of Texas, Ms. Coyner advocated for legislative and regulatory action on transportation, community development, and environmental issues at federal, state, and local levels. She has served as an advocate for disabled persons and their families and victims of domestic violence. For her leadership of the Garrett A. Morgan Transportation and Technology Program, she was awarded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) gold medal award. Her previous work in emergency preparedness and response includes serving as the senior official in charge of emergency preparation and response at DOT during the Clinton Administration; civilian advisor to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy on coordinated disaster response (2001); visiting researcher at MIT's Center for Transportation Research (2001-2002); and observer, Executive Session on Domestic Preparedness at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University (2001-2003). Ms. Coyner’s six years as a senior official at DOT included service as the Senate Confirmed Administrator of the Research and Special Programs Administration. From 2001 to 2006, Ms. Coyner lived in Bolivia and Paraguay where she served as an advisor to local and international nonprofits on the issues of institutional development, disaster relief, and risk mitigation. During her tenure in South America, she traveled extensively in the region and is the author of numerous articles and a book on the natural history, culture, and ecotravel in the region. Ms. Coyner clerked for Federal District Judge George P. Kazen, Southern District of Texas. She holds a JD from University of Virginia and a BS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and has authored various articles on legal issues both for professional and general audiences. E-mail: kcoyner@law.umaryland.edu Joshua Easton, JD, MA Joshua Easton is an attorney with CHHS. Currently, he provides law and policy assistance to the Baltimore Urban Area Homeland Security Working Group on grant issues and security strategy. Mr. Easton is a certified U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) instructor and was an author of the “Preparing the States: Implementing Continuity of Operations Planning” course, which the University of Maryland produced for DHS. Mr. Easton continues to serve as an instructor for this course that has been delivered nationwide in 2007 and 2008. Josh holds a BA and MA from the University of Louisville and a JD from Tulane Law School. He is admitted to practice law in New York and Maryland. Phone: 410-396-6179 Whitney Faust, JD, MBA Whitney Faust joined CHHS in April 2008 as a Law Fellow and is working on updating the Anne Arundel County Emergency Operations Plan. She works at the Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and collaborates with the OEM Director of Emergency Management and Executive Officer to update this plan. Ms. Faust received her JD and MBA from Case Western Reserve University in 2007 with Health Law and Marketing concentrations. Before coming to CHHS, Ms. Faust worked at Anne Arundel Medical Center as a Law Clerk (2005) and as a Clinical Research Coordinator of two oncology studies (2007). Ms. Faust received her BA in American History and in Spanish from the University of Pennsylvania in 2003. Phone: 410-222-0602 Jessica George, JD Jessica George joined CHHS in September 2008. She currently works as the Emergency Training Coordinator for the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD), where she leads efforts for training BCHD staff on various aspects of emergency preparedness. Prior to BCHD, Ms. George led CHHS’s effort to create a COOP plan for Carroll Community College in Westminster, MD. She graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in May 2008, where she worked as a research assistant for CHHS during her third year. While in law school, Ms. George completed the University of Maryland’s South Africa Externship as a David S. Brown International Fellow. In Cape Town, she worked at the Women’s Legal Centre, a women’s rights constitutional law litigation firm, and the Legal Aid Board, South Africa’s equivalent of the Public Defender. In addition, Ms. George spent a semester working as a legal intern with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, where she worked in the Child Protection Division. During law school Ms. George also devoted significant time as a volunteer for the International Rescue Committee’s Refugee Youth Project and Family Mentoring Program. Prior to law school, Ms. George worked as a Department of State Foreign Service Intern at the United States Consulate in Naples, Italy. In addition, she volunteered as a Research Assistant at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Innocenti Research Centre in Florence, Italy. Ms. George graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in May 2004, with a BA in Sociology. Phone: 443-984-2624 Ulka Ghanta, JD Ulka Ghanta rejoined CHHS as a Staff Attorney in October 2008. Ms. Ghanta previously worked for CHHS as a Law Fellow in 2006 when her primary responsibility was working with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency on Continuity of Operations (COOP) planning for state and local agencies in Maryland. Ms. Ghanta currently works in the Grants Division of the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency. Prior to CHHS, she served as a Legislative Assistant for U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, specializing in energy, environment, civil rights and homeland security issues. She has a BA in International Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a JD from the University of Maryland School of Law. Phone: 202-481-3082 Trudy Henson, JD Trudy Henson joined CHHS as a Law and Policy Analyst in September 2008. Originally from Georgia, she received her BA in English Literature from Berry College and an MA in English Literature from the University of Georgia. She attended the University of Maryland School of Law and graduated cum laude in 2008. During law school, she worked on the Journal for Health Care Law and Policy and interned for the Atlanta district office of the Securities and Exchange Commission. She began interning at the Center in 2007 and joined as a Law and Policy Analyst upon graduating. She has worked on a variety of projects, including emergency response plan testing and training for hospitals, and developing recommendations for facilities managing mass fatalities. Ms. Henson also coordinates the work of research assistants and School of Law externs at the Center. Phone: 410-706-3531 Jessica Hurst Jessica Hurst joined CHHS in July 2008 as a Policy Analyst and is currently working on creating a COOP plan for the Maryland courts. Ms. Hurst is pursuing her JD from the University of Maryland School of Law where she is a full-time evening student. Prior to joining CHHS, Ms. Hurst was a senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton in Herndon, VA, where she worked on emergency communications policy for the National Communications System, Department of Homeland Security. She also previously worked as a legislative aide for the Rhode Island House of Representatives and as a staff reporter and columnist for The Narragansett Times in Rhode Island. She is a recipient of awards in journalism from the New England Press Association (2004), the Journal Register Company (2003), and the Rhode Island Press Association (2003). Ms. Hurst is a graduate of Boston University’s College of Communication (2003), where she earned a BS in Journalism. During her undergraduate education, she also completed an internship with the fashion department of Tatler magazine in London, England. Phone: 410-706-3981 Sean Kates joined CHHS in August 2007 as a Law and Policy Analyst and is currently working on creating a COOP plan for Montgomery College. He has previously helped develop COOP plans for the Maryland Judiciary and the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies, and he co-coordinated training exercises for Doctor’s Community Hospital in Lanham, MD. Mr. Kates received his JD from the University of Maryland School of Law in May 2007, and was barred in the State of Maryland in the fall of that year. Mr. Kates is a graduate of the University of Maryland, receiving degrees in Political Science and History. Phone: 410-706-3501 Amy L. Major, JD Amy Major joined CHHS as a Law and Policy Analyst in January 2008 and is currently working on creating a Continuity of Operations plan for the Maryland Judiciary. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Kent State University with a BS in Education in 1999. After spending several years as a kindergarten teacher, Ms. Major attended the University of Maryland School of Law and earned her JD and a Certificate of Concentration in Environmental Law in May 2007. While in law school, Ms. Major worked as a legal intern in the Animal Protection Litigation Department of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), assisting HSUS staff attorneys in litigation concerning the humane slaughter of poultry. She also served as a student attorney for the University of Maryland’s Legal Resource Center for Tobacco Regulation, Litigation, and Advocacy, where she worked to promote smoke-free placements for foster children in addition to advocating for smoke-free state parks in Maryland. Finally, Ms. Major served as an Asper Fellow in the District of Columbia Public Schools Office of General Counsel, where she focused on a variety of matters related to special education, employment, and labor law. In 2006, Ms. Major was chosen as the winner of the Environmental Law Institute’s Endangered Environmental Laws student writing competition, and her article, “Foxes Guarding the Henhouse: How to Protect Environmental Standing from a Conservative Supreme Court” was published in the September 2006 edition of the Environmental Law Reporter. Ms. Major is admitted to practice law in the state of Maryland. Phone: 410-706-8036 David Mandell, JD David Mandell joined CHHS as a Staff Attorney in April 2008. Mr. Mandell is currently a member of a CHHS team assigned to create COOP plans for the Maryland court system. Mr. Mandell received a JD from the University of Maryland School of Law in 2007, where he was a member of the Moot Court Board and a recipient of the Litigation and Advocacy Award. As part of his legal studies, Mr. Mandell argued before the Maryland Court of Special Appeals on behalf of an individual who could not afford representation. Mr. Mandell has served as a participant, coach, and judge in several law school advocacy competitions, where his teams have won multiple awards including Best Memorial, International Finalist, and Second Best Oralist. Mr. Mandell will return to the University of Maryland School of Law in Fall 2008 as an adjunct professor to co-teach a course entitled “Environmental Advocacy.” The course will prepare students to represent the University of Maryland School of Law at environmental advocacy competitions across the country. Mr. Mandell received a BA in Economics and Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis, where he graduated with honors in 2000. Phone: 410-706-6533 Darren P. Mareiniss, MD, JD, MBe Dr. Darren P. Mareiniss joined CHHS as a Senior Law and Medical Consultant in April 2006. Dr. Mareiniss is a cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College and received his JD, and MBe (Masters in Bioethics) from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to receiving these degrees, Dr. Mareiniss earned his MD from the New York University School of Medicine, where he was an AOA graduate. Subsequently, he pursued training in categorical general surgery and completed his internship in surgery at NYU Medical Center/Bellevue Hospital. After this internship, Dr. Mareiniss continued his surgical training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dalls/Parkland Hospital. He has been primary surgeon for over 250 surgical cases and has extensive experience with trauma, burn, and ICU care. Dr. Mareiniss is certified as an Advanced Trauma and Life Support (ATLS) instructor. He is a member of numerous professional associations including the AOA Honor Medical Society, the American Medical Association, the North Texes Bioethics Network, and the AAPS. Additionally, as a Fellow of the American College of Legal Medicine, he is a member of the Publication and Ethics Committees. Dr. Mareiniss holds licenses to practice medicine in New York and New Jersey and is licensed to practice law in the state of Texas. Dr. Mareiniss has published on medico-legal issues, bioethics, and basic science topics in numerous journals including The New England Journal of Medicine, Academic Medicine, The Journal of Legal Medicine, Spine Line, and Biology of the Cell. In addition, he recently co-authored a book chapter on bioethics to be included in a palliative care textbook pending publication by Elsevier. Dr. Mareiniss also co-authored the ACLM's amicus brief to the United States Supreme Court in Oregon v. Gonzales. He is the deputy editor of the ACLM's Legal Medicine Perspectives and lectures regularly on medico-legal and bioethics issues. Dr. Mareiniss is currently an associate at Bickel & Brewer in Dallas, Texas and advises CHHS on issues involving health and bioethics. Most recently, he assisted CHHS in organizing and preparing a presentation on avian influenza for the Howard County Pandemic Flu Summit in May 2006. E-mail: dpmmd@sbcglobal.net Jennifer L. Martin, JD Jennifer L. Martin joined CHHS in September 2007. She holds a BS from St. Lawrence University where she majored in biology and anthropology, and a JD with a concentration in health law from the University of Maryland School of Law. Prior to law school, Ms. Martin worked as a biologist at the National Science Foundation, served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Republic of Vanuatu, and taught math and science in the Baltimore City Public School System. While in law school, she was an Articles Editor for the Journal of Health Law and Policy and completed an Asper Fellowship at the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center. As a recipient of the David S. Brown International Law Fellowship and the Global Health Travel Award, Ms. Martin also completed a semester-long internship at the World Health Organization with its Health and Human Rights Team, where she helped develop a legal information database on health as a human right. She is admitted to practice law in New York. Currently, Ms. Martin is working with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency on a port security grant project and as an exercise coordinator. Phone: 410-517-5105 David McDonough, JD David McDonough joined CHHS in August 2007 as a Staff Attorney. Mr. McDonough received a degree in Political Science and from Syracuse University in 2002 and received his JD from the University of Maryland School of Law in 2007. He was admitted to the Maryland Bar in December of 2007. Mr. McDonough joined CHHS after working as a law clerk in the Baltimore firm of Cooper & Tuerk, LLP. Prior to attending law school he worked for a local mortgage company providing support, training, and consultancy services to loan officers. Mr. McDonough is working at the Maryland Emergency Management Agency in a strategic planning capacity, writing Maryland’s new and comprehensive Homeland Security Strategy. In addition, the Journal of Emergency Management recently published an article co-authored by Mr. McDonough on the Homeland Security Grant process. Phone: 410-517-5136 Kimberly Nagel, MA Kimberly Nagel joined CHHS in March 2009. She is the National Capital Regional Planner for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, coordinating efforts between local and state emergency management. Most recently, she was working for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management as a regional planner. Prior to that, she spent 5 years as a homeland security contactor focusing on training and exercises and federal policy development. Ms. Nagel holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Regent University. Phone: 410-517-3686 Eric Oddo, MPA Eric Oddo joined CHHS in September 2008. He is a graduate of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, where he earned a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in National and International Security Policy. While at the Maxwell School, Mr. Oddo earned a Certificate of Advanced Study in Security Studies through the Syracuse College of Law's Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism program. In May 2008, Mr. Oddo was part of a six-student team that consulted the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee on the current state of security screening effectiveness on mass transit systems. In June and July of 2008, Mr. Oddo traveled to Israel, where he earned Executive Certificates in Counterterrorism Studies and Arab Culture and Environment from the Interdisciplinary Center at Herzliya. Mr. Oddo completed his undergraduate coursework at SUNY-Oswego, earning BAs in Political Science and Criminal Justice. His professional experience includes three years with the Bank of New York-Mellon, where he served as a Client Management Administrator. Mr. Oddo is currently a member of the DHS COOP training program. Phone: 410-706-7352 Koorosh Orandi, JD Koorosh Orandi joined CHHS in April 2008 as a Law and Policy Analyst. He received his BS in Information Systems from American University in May 2003, and completed graduate studies in Computer Security and Information Assurance at George Washington University in October 2003. He then received his JD from American University’s Washington College of Law in May 2007, where he was a senator in the Student Bar Association (SBA) Senate, and member of the SBA Finance Committee, National Security and Law Society, Intellectual Property Society, and the ABA’s Information Security Committee. During his third year of law school he served as a student attorney in the International Human Rights Law Clinic, working on two major human rights cases relating to the war on terror, and domestic corporate complicity in human rights violations abroad. Throughout his academic and professional career, he has worked at a variety of private companies, law firms, and government offices. Immediately prior to joining CHHS, Mr. Orandi worked at a DC-area law firm where he assisted with intellectual property and corporate law. Phone: 410-706-4291 Markus Rauschecker, JD Markus Rauschecker joined CHHS in March 2008 as a Law Fellow and is currently working on creating COOP plans for six government agencies of the District of Columbia. Mr. Rauschecker received his JD from the University of Maryland School of Law in 2006. During law school, Mr. Rauschecker focused on international law and was co-president of the International Law Society. He served as a student attorney in the Immigration Clinic, where he represented asylum seekers before the Immigration Court. He also completed a semester-long internship at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, where he helped develop a database that includes international instruments, constitutional provisions and case law on health as a human right. After graduating from law school and before joining CHHS, Mr. Rauschecker worked for the WHO as a consultant. Mr. Rauschecker earned a BA in History and German and a minor in Philosophy at Georgetown University in 2002. During his undergraduate education, Mr. Rauschecker also spent a year studying at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet in Munich, Germany. Mr. Rauschecker is admitted to practice law in the state of Maryland. Phone: 202-481-3065 Brigid Ryan, JD Brigid Ryan joined CHHS in July 2008 as a Law Fellow. She is currently working on developing a COOP plan for Montgomery County government agencies. Ms. Ryan earned her JD from the University of Maryland School of Law where she served as a member of the International Moot Court Team and president of the ACLU, and co-founded the Maryland Katrina Indigent Defense Project. During law school, Ms. Ryan interned for Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, worked as a law clerk at the Public Defender Service for Washington, D.C., and interned at the Legal Resources Center and the Legal Aid Board in Cape Town, South Africa. She is the recipient of the William Donald Schaefer Scholarship, David S. Brown Fellowship, Maryland Public Service Award, and the Martin Luther King Diversity Award. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Ryan served as a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Bolivia, where she worked as a beekeeper. She holds a BA in Spanish Literature (2001) and a BA in History (2001), both from the University of Maryland at College Park. During her undergraduate studies, Ms. Ryan spent a semester at the University of Alcalá de Henares, Spain, and worked on an archaeological dig in Caesarea, Israel. Phone: 240-773-0070 Kristen Skogsberg joined CHHS in February 2009 as a Law Fellow and is currently working with the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland State Police on communications interoperability issues in Maryland and the National Capital Region. She is a 2008 cum laude graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law, where she completed a Certificate of Concentration in health law. During law school, Ms. Skogsberg’s involvement in the Healthcare Delivery and Child Welfare Legal Issues Clinic earned her the Ward Kershaw Fund Award for outstanding advocacy. She also served as an associate editor for the Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender, and Class. Ms. Skogsberg graduated from the University of Virginia in 2005 with a BA in Economics. Phone: 410-865-1178 Arianne Spaccarelli, JD Arianne Spaccarelli joined CHHS as a Staff Attorney in August 2007. Ms. Spaccarelli has seven years of experience as a Policy Analyst and Program Administrator at the Baltimore City Health Department, where she worked on a variety of issues including drug treatment, lead poisoning prevention, youth violence, and juvenile justice. Ms. Spaccarelli graduated from Harvard University (AB, cum laude, 2000) and from the University of Maryland School of Law (JD, cum laude, 2007), with a concentration in health law. Phone: 240-773-0072 Michael Stallings, JD Michael Stallings joined CHHS in September 2007. Mr. Stallings holds a BA in Political Science and History from Villanova University (2003) and a JD from the University of Maryland School of Law (2007). While in law school, Mr. Stallings interned for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security where he worked on various legislative issues, including congressional reauthorization of DHS entities and FEMA response protocol to state requests for major disaster and emergency declarations. Also during law school, Mr. Stallings volunteered in the Orleans Parish (Louisiana) Public Defender’s Office and served as a judicial intern in the chambers of the Hon. Paul W. Grimm, U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. At CHHS, Mr. Stallings has worked on Continuity of Operations (COOP) and Strategic National Stockpile planning for the Baltimore City Health Department. He currently works on COOP planning for the Carroll County (MD) Health Department and emergency operations planning for Anne Arundel County, Maryland. He is admitted to practice law in Maryland. Phone: 410-706-3502 Jodi E. Stern, JD Jodi E. Stern re-joined CHHS in February 2008 to focus on the special needs population project, serving as Senior Counsel. In September 2004, she joined CHHS as a member of the MEMA COOP team assisting in the development of COOP plans for state and local agencies, drafting grants, and revising the COOP manual. She left CHHS in July 2005 to practice law with the Maryland Office of the Public Defender (OPD). While working at the OPD, she represented juveniles in Baltimore City at all stages of delinquency proceedings. She was then placed in a newly developed Juvenile Protection Division (JPD) established to handle systemic issues dealing with conditions of confinement. Additionally, her work in JPD allowed her to expand her representation to juveniles state-wide and appear in courts throughout Maryland. She continues to volunteer by running a book club for detained youth. Ms. Stern graduated cum laude from Barnard College at Columbia University and earned her JD from the University of Maryland School of Law. Phone: 410-706-4287 Lori Romer Stone joined CHHS in February 2008. She is the National Capital Region Planner for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, coordinating efforts with federal, state, and local emergency managers in evacuating and sheltering special needs populations. She is also working on public education and outreach issues related to evacuation and shelter. Most recently, she was the director of media relations for the University of Maryland School of Law. Prior to that, Ms. Stone spent almost a decade working as a producer, writer, and assignment editor for WBAL-TV in Baltimore and WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. While in law school, she worked as a law clerk for the Office of the Public Defender in Baltimore. She is a graduate of Towson State University, the University of Maryland School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in the state of Maryland. Phone: 410-517-5123 Megan Houck Timmins joined CHHS as a Law and Policy Analyst in September 2007. Ms. Timmins pursued her law degree at the University of Maryland School of Law and graduated in 2007. She is admitted to practice law in Maryland. During law school, she served as a member of the Moot Court Executive Board, completed an Asper Fellowship at the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, studied comparative law in Aberdeen, Scotland, and worked as a law clerk for Rosenberg, Martin, Greenberg, LLP in Baltimore. In addition, Ms. Timmins graduated magna cum laude from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in 2004, with a BA in Economics. Currently, Ms. Timmins is writing a Continuity of Operations plan for the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, as well as aiding in fatality management planning for the state of Maryland. Phone: 410-706-4290 Michael Vesely, JD Michael Vesely joined CHHS as a Staff Attorney in February 2007. He attended the University of Maryland, College Park, and graduated cum laude in 2002, with a BA in English Literature and another BA in Philosophy, with a concentration in analytical philosophy. He pursued his law degree at the University of Maryland School of Law and graduated cum laude in 2006. During law school, Mr. Vesely served as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Health Care Law & Policy and he also worked in a criminal defense firm. Later Mr. Vesely worked as a law clerk in the Montgomery County State's Attorney’s Office where he was a member of the juvenile team. As a member of the juvenile team, much of his work focused on clarifying the status of state law concerning weapons in schools. Mr. Vesely is currently a member of the DHS COOP team and is involved in disaster planning for both state and private entities. He has completed the Instructor Training Certification Program at DHS’ Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Alabama, and has received additional training in COOP, NIMS, and ICS. Phone: 410-706-2161 Preeti Vijayakumaran, JD Preeti Vijayakumaran joined CHHS in May 2008 as a Staff Attorney and is working as a planner on comprehensive shelter and mass evacuation issues for the District of Columbia’s Executive Office of the Mayor. She received her JD from the American University Washington College of Law (2006) where she was the co-founder and senior articles editor of the The Modern American and received the Mussey-Gillett Award. Prior to graduating from law school, Ms. Vijayakumaran was a research associate (and now Advisory Council member) of the Public International Law and Policy Group, where she drafted policy and legislation for foreign governments, including proposed amendments to the constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After graduating from law school, Ms. Vijayakumaran was an associate at a Baltimore law firm, representing indigent clients in medical assistance and social security disability claims. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan (2002) where she earned a BA in Political Science and Asian Studies. Phone: 202-481-3083 Alec Walen, PhD, JD Alec Walen joined CHHS in August 2008 as a Senior Fellow. Dr. Walen is working with a collection of volunteers from CHHS on a book tentatively titled “Preventive Detention in the War on Terror; an Evolving Practice in Search of a Moral Justification.” He is also a Research Scholar at the University of Maryland’s Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy. Prior to joining the Institute and the Center, Dr. Walen spent almost two years in Germany where he was a Guest Professor of Philosophy at the University of Aachen, a lecturer on U.S. Constitutional Law at the University of Heidelberg, and a Visiting Scholar at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law. Before leaving for Germany, he was an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Baltimore in the Division of Legal, Ethical and Historical Studies. He received his JD from Harvard in 1998 and his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh in 1993. Adrian Wilairat, JD Adrian Wilairat is a cum laude graduate of Tufts University and the University of Maryland School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in New Jersey and Maryland. Prior to law school, Mr. Wilairat worked as a paralegal in the civil fraud section of the United States Department of Justice and interned at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague. While in law school, he served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Health Care Law & Policy and published an article on federal regulation of anabolic steroids. Mr. Wilairat was also a member of the Moot Court Board, Vice President of the school's chapter of the American Constitution Society, and a judicial intern for the Honorable Lynne A. Battaglia of the Court of Appeals of Maryland. He is a recipient of the William P. Cunningham Award in recognition of exceptional achievement and service to the law school. During the summer of 2005, he interned in Sarajevo at the War Crimes Chamber Project of the Court of Bosnia & Herzegovina. Mr. Wilairat joined CHHS in August 2006 to work with the Maryland Transit Administration Police on a Con-Ops rail security project, enhancing emergency response coordination among Maryland police agencies with a focus on potential improvised explosive devices and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents. Currently Mr. Wilairat is a member of the DHS COOP team and is helping develop COOP plans for six District of Columbia agencies. Phone: 202-481-3064 Jillian Williams, JD Jillian Williams joined CHHS as a Staff Attorney in August 2007. She attended the University of Maryland, College Park and graduated in 2004 with a BA in English Literature as well as a BA in Government and Politics. In 2004, Ms. Williams was accepted to the University of Maryland School of Law as a leadership Scholar and in 2007 she received her JD. While in law school Ms. Williams participated in the Equal Access to Justice Clinic and was a law clerk for the Howard County Public Defender's office. Ms. Williams is currently working at the Office of National Capital Region Coordination. Phone: 202-212-1526 Aileen Xenakis, JD Aileen Xenakis joined CHHS in August 2007 as a Law and Policy Analyst. Ms. Xenakis is currently working on the Continuity of Operations (COOP) plan for the Maryland Judiciary. Ms. Xenakis interned with the Maryland General Assembly for Speaker Michael Busch, and completed an Asper Fellowship with Senator Bobby Zirkin and Delegate Dana Stein. She graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in 2007, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the law school newspaper. Ms. Xenakis graduated Magna Cum Laude from Mount St. Mary’s College in 2004 with a BA in French and English. Phone: 202-481-3043 Orit Zeevi, JD Orit Zeevi joined CHHS in November 2007. She is currently working for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency in the strategic planning section. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a double degree in History and Philosophy. Before law school she worked as a technical and freelance writer. She attended the University of Baltimore School of Law and graduated magna cum laude. While in law school she was assistant production editor for the Journal of Environmental Law. Ms. Zeevi is currently admitted to practice law in Maryland. Phone: 410-517-3614 |
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