Cohort 1 Presenter Bios

Dr. Theresa Popp Braun is the Midwest Regional Director for the AccessLex Institute Center for Education and Financial Capability, where she directs education services and financial capability programming in ABA-member law schools and partner schools in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Her past professional experience in higher education and non-profit organizations includes serving as the director of student financial aid and student wellness divisions.

Theresa holds a Bachelor of Science Education, Master of Arts College Student Personnel, and an earned Doctor of Education Leadership Studies, from Bowling Green State University. She is also an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFCâ) through the Association of Financial Counseling and Professional Education and a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPFâ) through the Institute for Financial Literacy.

Dr. Braun’s research interests include student loan debt, higher education affordability and cost transparency, financial wellness, and financial capability.

Theresa is active in her community and currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Mercy Health Foundation – Greater Toledo. She is also past Board Chair and Treasurer of the Bowling Green State University Foundation, Inc. and a founding member of the Champions for Children Giving Circle.

Dr. Braun is passionate about empowering individuals with knowledge and tools to help them understand and strategically apply personal finance concepts so they can effectively manage their money to reach their personal and financial goals.

Education: Bachelors of Science Education, Bowling Green State University; Master’s Degree, Bowling Green State University; Doctor of Education Leadership Studies, Bowling Green State University

Email: tpoppbraun@accesslex.org

Javier Castro works at the Illinois AG’s office as an Assistant Attorney General. He has been at this position for over 4 years. As part of the Workplace Rights Bureau, Javier helps enforce the discrimination and wage and hour laws in Illinois by investigating and attempting to resolve systemic issues found in employers in the State. He will also review and provide guidance with proposed legislation and assist in multi-state investigations. Prior to that, he worked at Raise the Floor Alliance as a staff attorney, where he would represent individuals and classes in wage and hour or discrimination suits against employers. Javier graduated from DePaul University College of Law in 2014, where he was the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal for Social Justice.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Marquette University; JD, DePaul University College of Law

Email: Javier.castro@ilag.gov

Amna will be entering her second year at DePaul University College of Law this August. She is particularly interested in going into the field of health law, and is a fellow for DePaul’s Jaharis Health Law Institute. Amna is among the youngest in her class since she is part of the 3+3 BA/JD program where she completed her undergraduate study in three years. She received her undergraduate degree from DePaul with a major in political science and a minor in Spanish. Amna is a first-generation high school, college, and law student. Her family are refugees from the country of Bosnia where they fled the Yugoslavian war with no money. Amna has always held her family’s experience in a high regard and her biggest goal in life is to make them proud. Amna is excited to meet the scholars and help them smoothly transition into law school since she knows first-hand how to tackle it as a first-generation student.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, DePaul University; BA/JD-2nd Year, DePaul University College of Law

Email: acehaja@depaul.edu

Professor Cue joined the College of Law as an instructor of Legal Analysis, Research and Communication in fall 2007. She comes to DePaul from the John Marshall Law School, where she served as an adjunct professor in the lawyering skills program. Prior to teaching, she was an associate at Roberts & Vess PC in Wheaton, Illinois, where she handled a variety of commercial litigation matters. Professor Cue is actively involved in the Legal Writing Institute (LWI). She is the Technology Chair of the LWI listserv committee, on the editorial board of the LWI Monograph series, and an assistant editor of the Journal of the Legal Writing Institute. She received her bachelor’s degree and JD from the University of Illinois.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree and JD, University of Illinois

Email: mcue@depaul.edu

Megan Ferraro serves as Associate General Counsel for Meta Platforms, Inc. In this role, Megan advises and manages Meta’s responses to regulatory investigations, internal investigations, and litigation. Megan also provides counseling to the company on legal privileges, preservation, cross-border data transfers, and Information Governance. Megan is also a member of Meta Legal’s Pro Bono Steering Committee and Racial Justice Task Force.

Prior to Meta, Megan served as Senior Counsel - Litigation for Hyatt Hotels Corporation where she was als Chair of Hyatt’s Privacy and Information Governance Subcommittee. Prior to going in-house, Megan served as an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago and an Assistant State’s Attorney for Kane County.

Megan is a graduate of DePaul College of Law and The Ohio State University. Megan is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US, CIPP/E and CIPM).

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, The Ohio State University; JD, DePaul University College of Law

Quinn David Furness has been the Assistant Director of Admissions at DePaul Law since 2019. Before working in law admissions, Quinn worked for a number of years in undergraduate admissions at both Northwestern University in Evanston, IL and the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Quinn earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the DePaul University School of Music and a Master’s Degree in Education Administration and Policy from Northwestern University. In addition to serving as one of the program managers for FGLP, Quinn also manages on-campus events for the Office of Admissions, the BA/JD 3+3 program, and a variety of other areas. In his free time, Quinn enjoys going for long runs along Lake Michigan, attending Chicago Cubs games with family, and training to one day appear on Jeopardy.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, DePaul University School of Music; Master’s Degree, Northwestern University

Email: quinn.furness@depaul.edu

Karen is a member of the Midwest Region’s management team where she plays a key role in the running of the regional office. She also advises senior corporate executives and entrepreneurs and their families in benefits and compensation maximization, tax compliance, estate planning, wealth transfer, charitable planning, investment strategy and risk management. She plays an integral role in the management and oversight of several of Goldman Sachs’ key corporate relationships.

Since joining the firm in 2013 as a Financial Planner, Karen has held several positions within the Executive Financial Management business. From working as a Planner, Karen then became a Director of Development and Training until 2020, where she then assumed the position of the Business Unit Manager.

Karen has a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Bucknell University, graduating in 2010 and obtained her Juris Doctor from Marquette University in 2013.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Bucknell University; JD, Marquette University

Email: Karen.Hendrick@gs.com

Anne Hudson has served as the senior faculty research librarian at DePaul College of Law since December 2017. Prior to moving to Chicago, she served in a similar role at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, for 14 years. Before beginning her academic law librarian career, Professor Hudson worked for the Department of Justice for eight years in the environmental enforcement, civil rights and civil case divisions.

Education: JD, Western Michigan University (Thomas Cooley Law School); MLIS, Wayne State University

Email: anne.hudson@depaul.edu

Ashley graduated from the DePaul College of Law in 2015. After practicing law for four years Ashley began working as a legal recruiter in 2019, where she assisted attorneys with career development, resume and cover letter drafting, interviewing, and other general career guidance. Ashley returned to DePaul in 2021 as an Assistant Director of Law Career Services where she utilizes the knowledge and skills she gained as a recruiter in assisting law students with their careers. When she’s not working Ashley enjoys traveling, yoga, jigsaw puzzles, camping, and spending time outside with her husband and daughter.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Michigan State University; JD, DePaul University College of Law

Email: ALeo2@DePaul.edu

A dynamic HR leader with more than 15 years of experience developing and executing HR strategies that drive performance, growth and employee engagement, Shelly has a passion for building high-performing teams and recognizing and maximizing employee strengths. With broad-based experience in senior HR generalist roles, Shelly leverages her legal background and strong analytical skills to help solve business problems and develop strategy. She is decisive, creative, approachable and resilient with a proven track record for attracting, developing and retaining talent.

Her areas of functional expertise include: Talent Acquisition, Talent Development, Strategic Planning, Leadership Development, Employee Engagement, Recognition & Rewards, Succession Planning, Employee Relations, Performance Management, Project Management, Change Management, Coaching, Budgeting & Forecasting, Compensation & Benefits and Risk Management.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, DePauw University; JD, Valparaiso University School of Law

Email: sleonida@seyfarth.com

Elizabeth (Beth) Lopez received her bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in political science from Loyola University Chicago. A year after graduating from Loyola, Ms. Lopez attended the University of Detroit School of Law (now known as University of Detroit Mercy School of Law) in Michigan, where she studied Constitutional Law. During her final semester of law school, Ms. Lopez began working part-time as a researcher for a general practice law firm in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. After graduating from law school, she continued working with the Michigan law firm for five years. While employed there, Ms. Lopez drafted pleadings, motions, wills, and trusts. She also argued motions and assisted with trial preparation. Ms. Lopez is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Michigan.

In 2004, Ms. Lopez began teaching test prep classes to high school students at a community college. In 2010, her course load grew to include LSAT, GMAT, and GRE prep classes. Ms. Lopez also tutors students individually for each of these tests. Ms. Lopez began teaching GMAT prep courses at DePaul University in 2014 and LSAT prep at DePaul University in 2015. In her current position as the LSAT lead instructor, she is responsible for helping each student develop techniques to solve reasoning and comprehension questions quickly and accurately as well as to learn how to write a strong essay for the writing portion of the LSAT test. Her goals are to help students strengthen the skills needed to excel on the LSAT, learn strategies for succeeding on the LSAT, and increase confidence in preparation for the test day.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Loyola University Chicago; JD, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law

Email: eslopez62@gmail.com

Prior to joining the College of Law, Professor Jody Marcucci served as a law clerk to Illinois Appellate Court justices David A. Erickson and Rodolfo Garcia, where she drafted judicial decisions encompassing several areas of criminal and civil law including post-conviction, medical malpractice and contract cases. She also taught at DePaul as an adjunct legal writing instructor. Professor Marcucci received her BA in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned her JD, magna cum laude, from DePaul, where she served as an associate editor of DePaul Law Review and as a legal writing teaching assistant. Professor Marcucci also served as a law clerk at the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago and the Chicago Legal Clinic.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of Wisconsin-Madison; JD, DePaul University College of Law

Email: JMARCUCC@depaul.edu

Gregory Mark joined the College of Law in July 2011, serving as dean until July 2014. A noted legal historian, he has extensive experience in academia, administration and the professional world. From 1996 until joining DePaul, he was a vice dean, professor of law, center director and Justice Nathan L. Jacobs Scholar at Rutgers University School of Law in Newark, New Jersey, where he taught Business Associations, Contracts, Corporate Finance, Corporate Governance and Legal History. He was an assistant professor at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law from 1992 to 1996 and a visiting faculty member at Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1994. Professor Mark also was a member of the graduate faculty in history at Rutgers and a teaching fellow in the history department at Harvard University.

Prior to his academic career, Professor Mark served as associate counsel for the office of Independent Counsel in the Iran-Contra affair. In that role, he helped develop a case against Duane Clarridge, a former high-ranking official of the CIA, who later received a presidential pardon. He also led a project on foreign intelligence and national security concerns in the prosecution of government officials and acted as liaison to the White House Counsel’s office, the U.S. Senate, the National Security Agency and the CIA.

Professor Mark’s scholarship focuses on the areas of corporate finance, corporate governance and American legal history.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Butler University; JD, University of Chicago; Master’s Degree, Harvard University

Email: gmark@depaul.edu

Joanne Moon is Senior Counsel at Uber Technologies, Inc. She oversees a team of in-house attorneys and works closely with outside counsel to defend the company in Northeast U.S. claims litigation matters, which present a host of novel legal issues. Joanne has a bachelors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law. In her free time, Joanne enjoys exploring Chicago with her husband and 2-year-old daughter, experimenting with new recipes, and trying new restaurants.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; JD, DePaul University College of Law

Email: moon.joanne@gmail.com

Karen Mothkovich is a Vice President at Goldman Sachs - Ayco Personal Financial Management, one of the nation’s leading providers of comprehensive financial planning for executives, employers and entrepreneurs. In her role overseeing Staffing and Development for the company’s Midwest region, she focuses on recruiting and developing talent, promoting diversity, leading through change and managing internal operations and team performance. Having joined the firm as a receptionist over 13 years ago and advancing through various roles, Karen advocates for associates to create their own career paths and bring their whole, authentic selves to the workplace. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music and Communications from Lake Forest College.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Lake Forest College

Email: Karen.Mothkovich@gs.com

Bradley A. Mueller is the Senior Pre-Law Advisor at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Upon graduation from The John Marshall Law School n/k/a UIC School of Law and passing the Illinois Bar Exam, Brad was hired by the Chicago law firm Righeimer, Martin & Cinquino, P.C. where he practiced for over 25 years in the areas of health care law, adult guardianships, and minors’ estates. Brad has also served as a volunteer attorney at Cabrini Green Legal Aid. Brad became the Pre-Law Advisor at UIC in 2016 where he advises UIC students and alumni from all UIC colleges in connection with their law school journey, from exploring the legal profession to the law school application process. In addition to one-on-one advising, Brad produces and organizes workshops, experiential activities, and brings guest presenters/panels to UIC. Brad is a 2019 winner of the UIC Provost’s Excellence in Undergraduate Advising Award.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; JD, The John Marshall Law School, University of Illinois Chicago

Email: muellerb@uic.edu

Amanda Noascono returned to the College of Law as Assistant Dean and Director of Admissions in 2017, bringing with her over a decade of higher education admissions and recruitment experience. Amanda began her career in higher education at DePaul University College of Law after graduating in 2006 and has been the director of admissions at Northern Illinois University College of Law, North Park University and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. She has been a member of the Law School Admission Council Finance and Legal Affairs Committee, Midwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors, Illinois Association of College Admission Counseling, Illinois Medical School Admissions Consortium, and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. Amanda has presented at university campuses and prospective law student forums across the country and has taught pre-law students in college. Amanda has a particular interest in diversity and inclusion in legal education.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; JD, DePaul University

Email: ANOASCON@depaul.edu

Bruce L. Ottley is a professor of law at DePaul University, where he has taught since 1978. He also directs the DePaul University/University College Dublin Cooperative Program, and serves as a co-director of the International Aviation Law Institute. Professor Ottley served as associate dean of the College of Law for nine years, acting dean in 2006 and interim dean during the 2014-2015 academic year.

Professor Ottley’s areas of teaching include torts, civil procedure, remedies and products liability. He is the co-author of Illinois Tort Law (4th ed., LexisNexis 2011), Product Liability Law in Illinois (4th ed., Law Bulletin Publishing 2009), Understanding Products Liability Law (2d ed., LexisNexis 2013), and Arson Law and Prosecution (Carolina Academic Press 2009). He also worked with the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts for 20 years conducting seminars on tort law for Illinois judges.

Prior to joining DePaul, Professor Ottley was a member of the University Of Papua New Guinea Faculty Of Law from 1972 to 1977. While in Papua New Guinea, he also practiced law and was a judge of the National Capitol District Court from 1976 to 1977.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of Missouri-Kansas City; JD and Master’s Degree, University of Iowa; LLM, Columbia University

Email: BOTTLEY@depaul.edu

Martha Pagliari serves as the Assistant Dean of Experiential Learning at DePaul University, College of Law. As part of her responsibilities, she is one of the faculty advisors to the DePaul College of Law Appellate Moot Court Society. Previously, she served as the Director of the Legal Writing Program. Dean Pagliari has an extensive background in civil litigation. She served as the Professor Reporter to the Illinois Judicial Conference Study Committee on Complex Litigation. Prior to her academic career, Dean Pagliari was a partner at a civil litigation law firm in Chicago. She served as first and second chair on many trials in both state and federal courts as well as representing clients in various appellate courts. In addition, Dean Pagliari has presented at conferences on legal writing and written on the subject.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of Notre Dame; JD, DePaul University College of Law

Email: mpagliar@depaul.edu

David Rodriguez joined DePaul in 2011 to teach the Poverty Law Clinic, now known as the Civil Litigation Clinic. Professor Rodriguez attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, graduating with a degree in English, and earned his JD from the University of Michigan. Prior to law school, Professor Rodriguez worked as a youth care counselor at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. After graduating from the University of Michigan, he practiced for five years with the general litigation group Sidley Austin then practiced for five years with the Legal Assistance Foundation before joining DePaul.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of Illinois; JD, University of Michigan

Email: drodri38@depaul.edu

Now in her second term at DePaul and fourteenth year as a law dean, Jennifer Rosato Perea has served as dean of DePaul University College of Law since 2015. A nationally recognized leader in legal education, Dean Rosato Perea brings a wealth of experience to DePaul as an experienced administrator, a longtime advocate of student engagement and professionalism, and a respected legal scholar. One of only a small number of Latina law school deans in the nation, she has been recognized and honored for her commitment to diversity through her presentations on implicit bias, mentoring, and creation of innovative programs. Most recently, Dean Rosato Perea received the Aguila award, the highest honor bestowed by the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois. She also has presented nationally and regionally on the future and challenges of legal education before a variety of organizations, including the Association of American Law Schools and the American Bar Association. Dean Rosato Perea is an accomplished scholar and expert on family law, bioethics and legal ethics, having published extensively on a variety of legal issues affecting children and families. Prior to joining DePaul, she served as dean of Northern Illinois University College of Law for six years.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Cornell University; JD, University of Pennsylvania

Email: jrosato@depaul.edu

Joseph Stinton is an Advisor in the Ayco Family Office. He works with clients to organize, analyze and plan their financial futures. Joseph provides advice and guided implementation across financial matters such as investments, taxes, philanthropy, and estate planning and risk management. Joseph has been with Ayco since 2013 and joined the Chicago Family Office practice in 2016. Prior to joining the Chicago office, Joseph was a part of the Ayco Family Office practice in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Joseph is a 2013 graduate of Siena College with a Bachelor of the Arts in Political Science. He obtained a Juris Doctorate with a concentration in Taxation and Estate Planning in 2016 from Albany Law School.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Siena College; JD, Albany Law School

Email: Joseph.Stinton@gs.com

Kyle is a managing director in Consumer and Wealth Management, leading an Executive Financial Management team in Chicago. He advises both ultra-high net worth families and high net worth executive clients on benefits and compensation maximization, tax planning, estate planning, wealth transfer, investment strategy and risk management. Kyle also manages and oversees several of the Executive Financial Management team's corporate relationships. He joined the firm in 2004 as a financial analyst and was named managing director in conjunction with Ayco's full integration with Goldman Sachs in 2021.

Kyle serves on the board of the Adoption Center of Illinois.

Kyle earned a BA in Political Science in 2001 and a JD in 2004, both from Southern Illinois University.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Southern Illinois University; JD, Southern Illinois University

Email: Kyle.Stokien@gs.com

Lukas is currently studying at DePaul University majoring in finance and minoring in marketing. Lukas has been working at the DePaul Law Office of Admissions under Dean Amanda Noascono for over a year with a focus on projects, budgeting, expenses, etc. Lukas also has vast knowledge in accounting and finance, as he worked in an accounts receivable position for Ozinga for a little over a year. He also has a great interest in philanthropy as his mother is the head of a non-profit for educational change. Lukas loves to play golf, exercise, trade stocks, and focus on bettering himself in his career in finance in his free time. Lukas will be working as a FGLP fellow this summer and is extremely excited to work in a position where he can help and guide first generation law students. Throughout his life Lukas has always been interested in making a difference on the world and strives to create opportunities for others through finance and law.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree - 3rd Year, DePaul University Driehaus College of Business

Email: Ltaylo68@depaul.edu

Prior to joining DePaul, Anthony G. Volini was an associate at a Chicago intellectual property firm, where he primarily handled patent prosecution and infringement analyses in a variety of technology areas, including extrusion and other mechanical devices, plastics, household products, surgical navigation equipment and insecticides.

Professor Volini is a member of DePaul’s Center for Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology (CIPLIT®) and routinely advises students on interviewing, networking and resume writing. He also assists with coordinating CIPLIT® job placements. He is an inventor on U.S. Patent 7,308,992, assigned to S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., concerning aerosol actuating technology.

In addition to teaching his specific courses, he contributes to guiding the law school’s overall technology and intellectual property curriculum, including his active collaboration with DePaul’s College of Computing & Digital Media (CDM) on interdisciplinary technology education for law students.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Benedictine University; JD, Loyola University Chicago; Master’s Degree, DePaul University

Email: avolini@depaul.edu

Donna Welch is a Kirkland trial lawyer, who has tried complex cases involving a broad range of business and commercial issues before federal and state courts. Her practice includes public nuisance claims, breach of fiduciary duty, pharmaceutical litigation, government investigations, class actions and litigation involving fraud and civil RICO. Donna was recently recognized as an American Lawyer "Litigator of the Week" for achieving a complete defense win in a $50 billion public nuisance suit against opioid manufacturers in a six month trial in Orange County, California. CVN named it the #1 most impressive defense verdict of 2021. Donna’s practice also includes plaintiff-side litigation, obtaining the largest civil verdict then recorded in Wisconsin and a top ten national jury verdict involving breach of fiduciary and RICO claims. Donna also serves as pro bono coordinator for Kirkland’s Chicago office.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, University of Chicago; JD, DePaul University College of Law

Email: Donna.welch@kirkland.com