Connected Minds,Connected Cultures:\ Connected Minds

ALUMNI NewsWhat’s New with your Fellow Alumni1975Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky, seniorinternational partner at the law firmof WilmerHale in Washington, D.C.,and former U.S. Trade Representativeand member of the president’s cabinet,has been elected a trustee of the HowardHughes Medical Institute. She becomesone of 10 Trustees of the Institute, amedical research organization dedicatedto the discovery and dissemination ofnew knowledge in the life sciences.Barshefsky served as the nation’s chieftrade negotiator and principal trade policymaker from 1997 to 2001 and as actingand deputy trade representative from1993 to 1996. Named one of the 50 mostinfluential women lawyers in the UnitedStates by the National Law Journal,Barshefsky joined WilmerHale in 2001.Christopher B. Carveth was re-electedpresident of the board of directors of theConnecticut Center for ChildDevelopment, Inc. The organizationprovides educational instruction andrelated services to children with autismand related spectrum disorders. Carveth,a partner in the Milford, Conn., law firmof Stevens, Carroll & Carveth, is marriedto Kimberly A. Sweeney, 1991, and isuncle to Melissa D’Ambrose, 2005.Kenneth L. Lewiswas elected chairof City ConnectDetroit’s board ofdirectors in April.City Connect Detroitwas established byMichigan grant makers,Detroit city officialsand nonprofit organizations totackle the problem of chronicallyunder-funded human service programsby the federal government. Lewis is ashareholder with the Detroit office ofPlunkett Cooney, one of the Midwest’soldest and largest law firms. Lewis’areas of practice include civil rights,commercial litigation, education law,labor and employment litigation andmunicipal law.Roberta D. Liebenberg, ofHuntingdon Valley, Pa., a partner at thelaw firm Fine, Kaplan and Black, washonored as one of “The 50 MostInfluential Women Lawyers in America”by The National Law Journal in 2007. Shewas the only woman from Pennsylvaniato receive this honor. She concentratesher practice in the areas of anti-trust andclass actions.Justice Peggy R. Quince was unanimouslyelected by her six colleagues tobe first African-American woman toserve as chief justice for Florida’sSupreme Court. As such, she is also thefirst to lead any branch of state governmentin Tallahassee. In Florida, the chiefjustice oversees the entire state courtsystem. Quince began her two-year termon July 1 st .Jose A. Toro moved to Albuquerque,N.M. from Mobile, Ala. in March, 2008.1976Margaret T. Brewer has completed theLA County Bar Association dispute resolutioncenter mediation training. She isconducting a court and communitymediation practice in Long Beach, Calif.Mary S. Elcano was appointed interimpresident of the American Red Cross inNovember 2007. She is also the agency’sCEO. Prior to her service with the RedCross, Elcano spent 18 years as a lawyerwith the U.S. Postal Service.1977Walter S. Booth was selected for inclusionin “Super Lawyers of Maryland” inDecember 2007, for his record ofaccomplishment in the field of criminaldefense. In March 2008, Booth wasagain recognized for his criminal defensework, this time being selected for inclusionin “Super Lawyers of theWashington D.C. Metro Area.” Hemaintains a law practice in Bethesda,Md. where he concentrates in trial andappellate work in Maryland and theDistrict of Columbia.Mary S. Head has been named assistantdirector of policy in the Office ofInvestor Education and Advocacy withinthe Securities and Exchange Commission,it was announced in January. She haspreviously served as counsel to SECCommissioner Kathleen L. Casey. Inthis capacity, Head advised on a widerange of commission policy and rulemakinginitiatives, with particular focuson market regulation and investmentmanagement issues.J. David Seay is vice-president ofHealthcare Educational and ResearchFund, a part of the HealthcareAssociation of New York State. Seaybegan his new duties in January 2008.1978Glenn A. Grant was appointed to manageNew Jersey’s court system, effectiveSept. 1, 2008. Grant, a Superior Courtjudge from Essex County and actingadministrative director of the courts, isthe first minority member responsiblefor overseeing all state and municipalcourts in New Jersey and the 7 millioncases they handle each year. He is also incharge of the judiciary’s 9,000 employeesand its $500 million budget.Robert Y. Hirasuna has been namedgeneral counsel for the New MexicoPublic Regulation Commission.Hirasuna has more than 27 years ofexperience as an attorney specializing inenergy law. He was a partner with variouslaw firms in Washington, D.C., andin Texas, representing all segments ofthe natural gas and electric industries.He also has been special counsel for policyat the Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission, where he led some of itsmajor natural gas initiatives.Richard A. Paciawas elected president-electof theRhode Island BarAssociation. Heassumed the post onJuly 1, 2008. A residentof North44CUALAWYER /Spring–Summer 2008