Alumni Board of Directors
Leadership 2024-2025
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
It is my honor to serve as the Alumni Board President for the 2024-2026 term. Together, with the Alumni Board of Directors and Council, we represent the more than 9,500 Detroit Mercy Law alumni proudly serving their communities around the world.
Over the last year, we made substantial strides to connect with and support our law students. Because of the efforts and initiatives led by Mentorship Committee Chair, Jewel Haji Boelstler, we launched a remarkably successful mentorship program that connected incoming students with alumni mentors across several practice areas and disciplines. Our annual Erin Go Law networking event had the highest number of attendees. The event was hosted at the law school, which provided an opportunity for alumni to reunite with old colleagues, tour the law school, and make new connections with students.
The Detroit Mercy law Alumni Board Endowed Scholarship was granted to well-deserving law students this year. We held our first day of giving initiative wherein we aimed to raise money for this Scholarship. Alumni Board and Council Members reached out to their respective classes with a request to contribute to these efforts. We plan to broaden this initiative and continue to set new goals to raise money to support our talented Detroit Mercy Law students.
As we enter a new year, the Alumni Board and Council has set goals for connecting with students through programming and mentorship, with alumni through collaboration, and with the broader community by planning inclusive events.
We are eager to collaborate with Interim Dean Nick Schroeck. Since joining the law school in 2018, Dean Schroeck has developed a meaningful presence and relationship with our Detroit Mercy Law community through his contributions to the clinic and externship programs, as well as sharing his environmental law expertise with his students. Dean Schroeck is an advocate and resolute supporter of the Alumni Board, and we are grateful for his leadership.
We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming programming and events. We hope you take the opportunity to connect and contribute to the law school’s continued and growing dynamic success. On behalf of the Alumni Board and Council, I thank you for your support.
Kristin E. Fernandez '19
President
Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Board -
Board of Directors
- Kristin E. Fernandez '19, President
- Kristoffer Butler '19, Vice President
- Jewel Haji Boelstler '19, Vice President
- Kyle R. Dufrane ‘98, President Emeritus and Secretary
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Board Members
- Narissa Ayoub '22
- Judith A. Baxter '82
- Ahmad Chamseddine '19
- Elyse K. Culberson '17
- Yafeez S. Fatabhoy '18
- John Fitzgerald '16
- Macie D. Tuiasosopo Gaines '13
- Marco Gatti '10
- Kenny Hemler '07
- Hon. Terrance A. Keith '84
- Evon Pervan Keller '19
- Jason C. Long '99
- Ahndia Mansoori '18
- Charu Mehta '19
- Mylika Radford '13
- Hon. Michael J. Riordan '90
- Krissy Slaney '19
- Brian Smith '99
- Christine Thompson Spehar '19
- Rita S. Soka '22
- James E. Tamm '85
- Gregory G. Thiess '79
- Matthew L. Vicari '90
- Adam M. Wenner '11
- Justin Zatkoff '14
Detroit Mercy Law Representatives
Dean's Office
313-596-0210, lawdean@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 Sarah Simmons '18 Vice President 20-21 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
- Hon. Miachel J. Beale '90
- Michelle A. Borchanian '94
- Eugene H. Boyle, Jr. '88
- Charles Browning
- Jeffrey Buehner '95
- Hon. James Canham '52
- John F. Clark '06
- Janet L. Conigliaro '08
- 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
- Keither Driscoll '18
- Eric L. Doyle '95
- Rebecca El Badaoui '20
- James F. Finn
- Hon. Anthony A. Fiorella, Jr. '66
- Rita Foley '99
- Kenneth Frankland '65
- Bernard J. Fuhs '06
- 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.
- Maria Herfi '21
- 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
- Lori Mireles-Smith '18
- Jon Monteville '21
- Jerome Moore '56
- Josh Moore
- Michael C. Moran '69
- Michael V. Morgan '72
- Roger P. Mourad '57
- Timothy Mulligan '96
- Christina Nassar '10
- 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
- Madison Orow '23
- 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
- Kory Steen '18
- 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
As of 2023, the Alumni Council has folded into the Student and Mentoring Relations Committee.
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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Past Members
Past Members of the Alumni Council Council Member Council Year Michael A. Chichester Jr. '07 2019-present Keith P. Driscoll '17 2019-2020 Deja M. Davis '21 2021-present Yafeez S. Fatabhoy '18 2019-2020 Kristin E. Fernandez '19 2020-2021 Rebecca El Badaoui '20 2020-2021 Jewel Haji '19 2019-2020 Ahndia Mansoori '18 2019-2020 Ahmad S. Mazloum '19 2021-present Jonathan Monteville '21 2020-2021 Michael Pereira '18 2019-2022 Ashley M. Popiel '20 2021-2022 Luke Popiel '22 2024-present Michelle Shembler '19 2019-2022 Michael D. Solt '16 2019-2020 Kory Steen '18 2019-2020