Alumni Board of Directors and Council
Leadership 2021-2022
As a graduate of Detroit Mercy Law, you are part of an alumni network, more than 9,000 strong. Led by the Board of Directors, the Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Association is an active, engaged group that supports a variety of events and programming intended to improve the law school experience for students while enhancing the connection of alumni to their alma mater.
Your time, participation and commitment as a member of the Alumni Association not only supports the school, it helps boost your career opportunities and expands your social and professional network. Get involved. Stay involved. Make a difference.
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Alumni Association President's Message
I am thrilled to begin my tenure as the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Alumni Board President for the 2021-2022 term. It is my pleasure, along with the Board of Directors, to represent the more than 8,000 alumni around the globe and connect with our many friends and supporters.
With the leadership of our President-emeritus, the Hon. Michael J. Riordan, the Law School Alumni Board has had many successes over the past two years, including: creating and endowing the Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Board Endowed Scholarship; creating the Alumni Council – a group of recent Law School alumni; ensuring that programs and services provided to our alumni meet their current needs by revising Alumni Board By-Laws, Committee Structure, and Membership; and holding the first (and hopefully only) virtual Erin Go Law event, which provided an opportunity for our community to reconnect. Our Board intends to build on these successes.
The Alumni Board looks forward to continuing to build upon these successes and we hope you will join us in this mission.
Throughout the coming year, the Law School Alumni Board will lead several initiatives designed to raise funds as we invest in the future of legal education. A financial investment in our students will help mitigate their debt and provide tangible support as they navigate their future. Please share your experiences by engaging with admitted students to encourage their choice of Detroit Mercy Law, serving on job-related panels, or mentoring current students.
Whether virtually or, when the time is right, in person, we hope you will join us at an event, program, or lecture. The presence of alumni and friends means so much to the school. The members of the Alumni Board are here to serve you, and I invite you to join us for the exciting year we have ahead.
Looking forward to the year ahead with a semblance of normalcy for all of us. We deserve it!
Kyle R. Dufrane '98
President
Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Board -
Board of Directors
- Mr. Kyle R. Dufrane '98, President, Complex Litigation, General Motors
- Hon. Michael J. Riordan '90, President Emeritus, Michigan Court of Appeals
- Ms. Sarah Simmons '18, Vice President, Sr. Group Counsel, Legal Department, Yanfeng International Automotive Technology Co. Ltd.
- Mr. Gregory G. Thiess '79, Co-Secretary, ADR, Northern Michigan Resolutions, PLC
- Ms. Ahndia Mansoori '18, Co-Secretary, Senior Associate Attorney, Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Vlitutti & Sherbrook
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Board Members
- Hon. Michael J. Beale '91, 42nd Circuit Court Judge
- Ms. Kristoffer Butler '19, Asst. Corporate Counsel, Wayne County Corporation Counsel
- Mr. Keith Driscoll '18, Intellectual Property, Dickinson Wright, PLLC
- Mr. Yafeez S. Fatabhoy '18 (Alumni Council 2020), Dickinson Wright, PLLC
- Mr. Bernard J. Fuhs '06, Franchise Litigation, Butzel Long
- Ms. Macie Tuiasosopo Gaines '13, Member, Gaines & Gaines
- Mr. Marco Gatti '10, Intellectual Property, Cummins, Inc.
- Ms. Jewel Haji '19, Commercial Litigation, Honigman LLP
- Mr. Kenny Hemler '07, Corporate Transactions / M&A, General Motors
- Ms. Mariah Herfi '21 (Recent Grad Rep)
- Hon. Terrance A. Keith '84 (ABLA Liaison), Wayne County Probate Judge
- Ms. Christina Nassar '10, General Counsel - North America, Rheinmetall Automotive
- Ms. Mylika Radford '13, Associate, Lewis & Munday
- Mr. James E. Tamm '85, Kerr, Russell and Weber
- Ms. Lori Mireles-Smith '18, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Wayne County Prosecutor's Office
- Mr. Kory Steen '18 (Alumni Council 2020), Howard & Howard
- Mr. Matthew L. Vicari '90, Miller Johnson
- Mr. Mark A. Wisniewski '90, Kitch, Drutchas Wagner, Vlitutti & Sherbrook
- Mr. Justin Zatkoff '14, General Counsel, Zatkoff Seals & Packings
Detroit Mercy Law Representatives
Jelani Jefferson Exum, Dean and Philip J. McElroy Professor of Law
313-596-0210, jefferje1@udmercy.eduApril L. Ellison, Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving
313-596-0202, ellisoal@udmercy.edu
Past Board of Directors and Members
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Past Directors
Past Alumni Directors and Positions Held Past Directors Positions Held Anthony A. Agosta '97 1st VP 08-09, President 09-10 Kathleen L. Bogas '75 Treasurer 87-88, Secretary 88-89, 2nd VP 89-90 Edmund M. Brady, Jr. '66 President 80-81 John F. Clark '06 Secretary 14-16, VP 16-17 Jane Sullivan Colombo '79 1st VP 07-08, President 08-09 James P. Connolly President Michael G. Costello '85 President 06-08 Dahlia N. Dallo '03 Secretary 08-09 Joseph H. Dillon '59 2nd VP 86-87, 1st VP 87-88, President 88-89 Michael L. Donahue '65 Treasurer 83-84, Secretary 84-85, 2nd VP 85-86, 1st VP 86-87, President 87-88 Hon. Maggie W. Drake '81 President Kyle R. Dufrane '98 VP 17-19 John F. Fellrath, Jr. '52 Treasurer 80-81, Secretary 81-82, 2nd VP 82-83, 1st VP 83-84, President 84-85 John W. Fitzer '50 Secretary 83-84, 2nd VP 84-85, 1st VP 85-86, President 86-87 Hon. John H. Gillis '51 1st VP Patricia Rossi Galvin '70 2nd VP 80-81, 1st VP 81-82, President 82-83 Eugene A. Gargaro, Jr. '67 President Gregory J. Gamalski '83 Secretary 94-96, President William D. Gilbride, Sr. '50 Treasurer 81-82, Secretary 82-83, 2nd VP 83-84, 1st VP 84-85, President 85-86 Kelly Houk '13 Secretary 17-19, 2nd VP 12-14 Edward G. Lennon '88 President 16-19, VP 14-15, 2nd VP 12-14 Hon. Michael J. Riordan '90 President, 3rd VP 12-14, VP 14-19 Gregory G. Thiess '79 Executive Committee 16-19 Gregory L. Ulrich '77 President 15-16, VP 14-15, Secretary 12-14 Kelly A. Walters '04 1st VP 12-14 Mark A. Wisniewski '90 President 12-14, Secretary -
Past Members
- Lori Adamcheski '06
- Michael Alanson '76
- Stanley Bartnicki '65
- Michelle A. Borchanian '94
- Eugene H. Boyle, Jr. '88
- Charles Browning
- Jeffrey Buehner '95
- Hon. James Canham '52
- John F. Clark '06
- Mary Susan Connolly '79
- Michael Conway '68
- Maura D. Corrigan '73
- Dennis L. Dabney '00
- Hon. Peter E. Deegan '66
- Michael R. Dezsi '02
- John K. Dickerson
- Eric L. Doyle '95
- James F. Finn
- Hon. Anthony A. Fiorella, Jr. '66
- Rita Foley '99
- Kenneth Frankland '65
- Michael E. Geraghty '97
- John F. Gilhool '67
- Elliot B. Glicksman '69
- Scott Gorsline '90
- Barbara K. Hackett '50
- Patrick Hackett '50
- John P. Hale '94
- Michael J. Hand
- Henry L. Heading
- Kenneth Helmer '07
- Daniel J. Henry, Jr.
- Denise Hickey '95
- Thomas P. Hustoles '73
- Kenneth Hylton '80
- Sheila Jackson '86
- Ed Johnson '92
- Michelle D. Johnson '98
- Stephen M. Kelley '81
- William G. Kelly '75
- Amy M. Kline '01
- Gene R. Kohut '91
- Gerald J. LaFave
- Frederick W. Lauck '69
- Edward G. Lennon '88
- Ellie Levine '09
- John Lizza '53
- Michael Lynn '00
- Teresa Dillard Malone '87
- Robert H. Martin '66
- Thomas Mayer '55
- Hon. Renee R. McDuffee '79
- Patrick McTigue '67
- Neil A. McQuarrie
- Marc D. Melamed '04
- Domenic Migliaccio '78
- Robert P. Milia '69
- Jerome Moore '56
- Josh Moore
- Michael C. Moran '69
- Michael V. Morgan '72
- Roger P. Mourad '57
- Timothy Mulligan '96
- Mark E. Nettleton '95
- Thomas J. Niemiec '81
- Nicholas J. Nowakowski '05
- Thomas C. O'Brien '69
- Robert S. O'Connell
- William Ogden '99
- Christine D. Oldani '75
- John P. O'Leary '64
- Roland L. Olzark '59
- Marisa C. Petrella '83
- Daniel G. Pikarski '97
- George Pitchford '03
- Myron F. Poe '70
- Claudia Rast '86
- Maureen P. Reilly '58
- David A. Riggle '78
- Michael J. Riordan '90
- James A. Rocchio '82
- Sanford N. Rosethal '59
- William Rush '68
- Charles R. Rutherford '57
- Danielle Schoeny '03
- James P. Sheehy '69
- Louis F. Simmons '56
- Gerald C. Simon '52
- I. John Snider '60
- Ronald A. Sollish '88
- Paul Spaniolo '08
- Lilliam G. Stenfeldt '80
- Denise Stock '97
- Michelle Streicher '94
- Joseph B. Sullivan '57
- Victoria Toensig
- Michael R. Turco '93
- Deborah Tyler
- Dean P. Valente '84
- Andrew F. Valenti '53
- Jessica Walker '89
- Kelly A. Walters '04
- James J. Williams '76
- Mark A. Wisniewski '90
- Elaine Wright '91
- Norman L. Zemke
Alumni Council
At the urging of a few young alumni, the Alumni Council was established in fall 2019. It is an initiative designed to better engage and serve Detroit Mercy Law’s most recent graduates. The Council receives its directives from the Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Association and director of alumni relations. The Council seeks to better serve and support recent graduates with programs and communications that are uniquely tailored to their own needs and perspective. It seeks to foster and sustain the active involvement of young alumni in the support of Detroit Mercy Law and the Alumni Board.
The Council will also act to shepherd the development of volunteers and future leaders in ways that deepen their commitment to the school and prepare them for active roles in alumni and philanthropic affairs.
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Criteria
The Council also acts as a voice for young alumni concerns to the Alumni Association and the University. Council members:- serve at the pleasure of the Executive Committee for the Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Board
- serve for a term of two years (must be active during term)
- may be eligible for re-election to another term at the expiration of their first term.
- Will be eligible to run for election to the Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Board.
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Council Members
- Mr. Michael “Mickey” Chichester Jr. '07, Littler Mendelson P.C.- Labor & Employment Law Solutions
- Ms. Rebecca El Badaoui '20, Bodman
- Mr. Michael Pereira '18, Law Clerk, Michigan Court of Appeals
- Michelle Shembler '19, Law Clerk to Magistrate Judge Patricia T. Morris, US District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
- Kristin Fernandez (formerly Kristin Crowley) '19, Chapman Law Group