Law Alumni Board
The Law Alumni Board is dedicated to advancing the USD School of Law’s national distinction as a leader in legal education while contributing to the success of current law students and a community of more than 17,000 alumni. The Board seeks to create lifelong relationships between alumni and the School of Law through meaningful engagement, visibility, awareness, promotion, pride, participation, volunteer involvement, student support, practical educational opportunities, social connections, employment and philanthropic commitment.
Members of the law alumni board also serve on a number of committees including the Nominating Committee, the Philanthropy and Sponsorships Committee and the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
| Matthew L. Abbot '15 (JD) Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP Real Estate, Environmental, and Natural Resources Law San Diego, CA |
Daphne Arellano '27 (JD Expected) SBA President, University of San Diego School of Law San Diego, CA |
Dylan M. Aste '11 (JD) Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman Corporate Investigations & White Collar Defense San Diego, CA |
| Beth K. Baier '84 (JD) The Walt Disney Company Media Distribution Los Angeles, CA |
Alan H. Barbanel '82 (JD) Kennedys Civil Litigation Los Angeles, CA |
Alexandra Preece Barlow '14 (JD) Morrison Foerster LLP Complex Litigation + Advisement San Diego, CA |
| Ross E. Bautista '16 (JD) Morrison Foerster LLP Civil/Commercial Litigation, Corporate Defense, and Product Liability San Diego, CA |
Hon. Marissa Bejarano '01 (BA) '04 (JD) San Diego Superior Court Judicial San Diego, CA |
Carolina Bravo-Karimi '08 (JD) Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP Employment Law San Diego, CA |
| David S. Casey III '18 (JD) CaseyGerry Personal Injury and Complex Litigation San Diego, CA |
Saerin Cho '08 (JD), (LLM) Adjunct Law Professor, University of San Diego School of Law / FireWERX General Counsel, Nonprofit Law, and Governance San Diego, CA |
Nicholas "Nick" M. Dea '23 (JD) Buchalter Labor & Employment Law San Diego, CA |
| Megan L. Donohue '09 (JD) Cooley LLP Civil Litigation, Privacy, and Trade Secrets San Diego, CA |
Erin F. Giglia '01 (JD) Montage Legal Group Freelance Legal Services Irvine, CA |
Benjamin Gourley '20 (JD) Troutman Pepper Real Estate Law San Diego, CA |
| Joy Utomi Hartmann '11 (JD) State of California, Office of the Attorney General Appellate Law and Criminal Prosecution San Diego, CA |
Curtis M. Jackson '18 (JD) City of Carlsbad Real Estate Law and Government Solana Beach, CA |
Knut S. Johnson '86 (JD) Singleton Schreiber Environmental Litigation San Diego, CA |
| Julianna H. Kat '16 (JD) Kratos Defense and Security Solutions Corporate Law San Diego, CA |
Michael B. Kelly Professor of Law, University of San Diego School of Law Legal Education San Diego, CA |
Alex L. Landon '71 (JD) Law Offices of Alex Landon Criminal Law San Diego, CA |
| Erin P. Lupfer '17 (JD) California Court of Appeal Appellate Law San Diego, CA |
Carola Murguia '20 (JD) ClarusHR Employment Law Newport Beach, CA |
Berenika Palys '18 (JD) Womble Bond Dickinson LLP Litigation Irvine, CA |
| Nareene Patil Karakashian '17 (JD) Office of the Public Defender Criminal Law San Diego, CA |
Sara Pike '19 (JD), (LLM) Withers LLP Private Client and Tax Law San Diego, CA |
Alexandria Pritchett '21 (JD) Greenberg Traurig, LLP Litigation San Diego, CA |
| Benjamin Schenk '20 (JD) The Schenk Law Firm, LLP Personal Injury, Civil Rights San Diego, CA |
Phillip M. Shelton, Ph.D. '22 (JD) Jones Day Intellectual Property San Diego, CA |
Patrick C. Swan '15 (JD) Criminal Division, Office of the U.S. Attorney Criminal Law / Federal Practice San Diego, CA |
| Francis "Frank" J. Tepedino '74 (JD) The Condor Group Retired Engineer San Diego, CA |
Hon. Victor M. Torres '84 (BA), '88 (JD) San Diego Superior Court Judicial San Diego, CA |
Hon. Christopher "Chris" T. Whitten '91 (JD) Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County Judicial Phoenix, AZ |
Nominating Committee
The Law Alumni Board's Nominating Committee manages the nomination process for the annual Distinguished Alumni and Rising Star Awards. This committee also oversees the selection process for new Board members, President, and President-Elect. USD School of Law draws its Nominating Committee members from a group of highly regarded and experienced attorneys.
| Carolina Bravo-Karimi ’08 (JD) Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP San Diego, CA |
Alan K. Brubaker ’76 (JD) Wingert Grebing Brubaker & Walshok, LLP San Diego, CA |
Hon. Carolyn M. Caietti '83 (BBA), '86 (JD) San Diego Superior Court San Diego, CA |
| James "Jim" D. Crosby ’83 (JD) Attorney at Law San Diego, CA |
Megan Donohue ’09 (JD) Cooley LLP San Diego, CA |
Bobby Foster ’19 (JD) |
| Kirsten F. Gallacher ’12 (JD) U.S. Magistrate Judge Michelle Pettit Southern District of California San Diego, CA |
Knut S. Johnson '86 (JD) |
Debbie Rider '84 (JD) Assistant Dean of Development and Alumni Relations USD School of Law San Diego, CA |
Philanthropy and Sponsorships Committee
The Law Alumni Board Philanthropy and Sponsorships Committee is in charge of identifying organizations for the Law Alumni Board, and the USD School of Law as a whole, to partner with. The Philanthropy and Sponsorships Committee ensures that organization with whom the School of Law engages in philanthropy represent the University’s missions and values.
| Jeanette Nichols Associate Director of Development USD School of Law San Diego, CA |
Debbie Rider '84 (JD) Assistant Dean of Development and Alumni Relations USD School of Law San Diego, CA |
Board of Visitors
The Board of Visitors is an advisory and support group that is dedicated to the School of Law's advancement as a leading center of legal education and scholarship. Members of the Board of Visitors provide counsel and feedback to the Dean on a range of issues related to the priorities and needs of the School of Law.