Student and Alumni Profiles

What I Did Before Law School:

I founded the Younger Women's Task Force, a national grassroots organization for women in their 20s and 30s to take action on issues that matter most to them. YWTF trains younger women to be leaders in their workplaces and communities and to run for office. In founding YWTF, I had the honor of traveling around the country, talking with younger women about the issues that affect their daily lives and implementing programs that address their greatest challenges.

My Best Experience at Penn Law:

My best experience at Penn Law has been founding the Penn Law International Human Rights Advocates with four other first year students. Only at a place like Penn Law would you be able to manifest leadership so early in the law school experience. Penn Law has been incredibly supportive of our work.

Professor Who Influenced Me Most:

Professor Catherine Struve. Her energy is tremendous, and she is incredibly dedicated to her students. She is one of the more brilliant people I have come across in my life. As a younger woman, I feel blessed to have her as a mentor and role model. Professor Eric Feldman has also had a tremendous influence on me. He and I co-authored an article and that experience piqued my interest in academics. He is very dedicated to helping his mentees pursue a career in law teaching.

My Favorite Course:

It’s hard to choose. My first year section was very lucky to have four great professors—Struve, Madison, Feldman, and Pritchett. Property was a wonderful course. Professor Wendell Pritchett infused the course with his passion for cities and local government, which made the class very unique and special.

An Example of How the Law School’s Cross-disciplinary Approach Influences My Legal Education:

In working on the human rights clinic, I have been able to reach out to faculty at the Medical School and in the African Studies Department at the University to figure out ways we can collaborate on some of the work we are pursuing.

My Favorite Philadelphia Moment:

I spent my undergraduate years at Penn so I have many favorite Philadelphia moments, but my favorite moment was a warm summer night in Rittenhouse Square – the night my husband Tom proposed to me!

What I'm Most Proud Of:

I am proud of my work with Professor William Burke-White and the Transitional Justice Seminar. We traveled to Uganda to advise on post-conflict issues and the challenges of reconciling peace versus justice. Professor Burke-White was an amazing leader, and it was an experience of a lifetime. I am also proud of the relationships I have built with my professors and some of the staff at the Law School. I truly feel like I am a member of a community and know that I will miss the school very much.

My Extracurricular Activities at Penn Law:

University of Pennsylvania Law Review, International Human Rights Advocates (IHRA), Equal Justice Foundation, Penn Law for Obama.

What I Did For Public Service:

International Human Rights Advocates, Poll monitoring on election day.

My Favorite Place or Activity on the University Campus:

The Fine Arts Library, where I do all of my Law School homework. It is quiet, beautiful, and very conducive to intense study.

What is the toughest thing about law school?

Not getting caught up in the pressure to be on the "law school track." You should always remember that you were a full person before you came to law school and that your interests and passions need not necessarily change while you are attending law school. Instead, they should just expand.

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