Board
Jennifer Holsman TetreaultPresident
Jennifer Holsman Tetreault
President
Ms. Holsman Tetreault serves as the West Region Legal Counsel for US Foods and is responsible for providing practical, timely and high quality legal services to various functional groups, including Sales, Marketing, Human Resources, Supply Chain, and Operations.
Prior to joining US Foods, she was Corporate Counsel for Rural/Metro Corporation and served as the Executive Director of Operations and Chief Legal Officer for the Arizona State University Alumni Association from 2007-2012. From 2003-2011, she worked as a litigation defense attorney (2003-2007), and Of Counsel (2007-2011) at Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C. From 2011-2013, Jenny served as Of Counsel at Struck, Wieneke and Love, P.L.C., practicing in the area of civil rights, constitutional defense, and governmental liability. She is admitted in the state courts for Arizona and the District of Columbia, the U.S. District Courts for Arizona and the District of Columbia, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mrs. Holsman Tetreault is a graduate of Arizona State University (magna cum laude and Barrett Honors College). She earned both her masters and law degrees from Syracuse University, where she was named the Outstanding Law School Graduate upon her graduation.
Mrs. Holsman Tetreault is very active in the community and serves on the Board of Directors for Valley Leadership, the Children′s Action Alliance, Downtown YMCA, Women′s Leadership Council/United Way, and the Tempe Community Council. Jenny is also active with the Sandra Day O'Connor Inn of Court, Association of Corporate Counsel, and the Maricopa County Bar Association. In recognition for her work in the community, Jenny was named one of the Top 25 “ASU Barrett Honors College Graduates to Watch" in 2013 and was a recipient of the Phoenix Business Journal's Forty Under 40 in 2009. She also graduated from Valley Leadership in 2010 and was a Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy Fellow in 2011.
She has served as a faculty member at the Sandra Day O'Connor School of Law since 2010 and teaches U.S. Law and Legal Analysis.
Rachel HernandezPresident Elect
Rachel Hernandez
President Elect
Ms. Hernandez is an Assistant United States Attorney in Phoenix, Arizona. She currently handles criminal appeals, representing the United States before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to her stint in the appellate section, Rachel was assigned to the fraud section of the criminal division, where she prosecuted a wide range of fraud and public corruption cases. From 2009 to 2012, Rachel was the Executive Assistant United States Attorney, where she advised the United States Attorney, oversaw administrative matters and developed and implemented office-wide policies.
She received her law degree from University of California, Hastings College of Law and her undergraduate degree from Brandeis University. Over the course of her career, she has also prosecuted violent crimes, drug organizations and immigration cases. Prior to becoming an Assistant United States Attorney in 2000, she was a Deputy Maricopa County Attorney and an Assistant Arizona Attorney General.
Rachel served as chair of the State Bar Public Lawyer Section from 2002 to 2003 and as chair of the State Bar Legal Services Committee from 2008 to 2010.
Damon AshcraftVice President
Damon Ashcraft
Vice President
Mr. Ashcraft is a partner at Snell & Wilmer law Firm. He assists clients in identifying, protecting, and maximizing the value of their intellectual property. As a registered patent attorney, Damon prepares and prosecutes patent applications in the biotechnology, medical device, electronics, software and business method areas, and manages numerous global patent portfolios. His technical experience includes medical devices, software,microbiology, optics, pumps, heaters, ultrasound, semiconductors, wireless devices, software and circuitry.
Damon is a frequent speaker on various intellectual property topics and has authored and co-authored various articles. He is also an active member of the International Trademark Association("INTA") and currently is serving on the Internet Committee as Chair of the Internet Governance and Contracts Subcommittee.
His community involvement include Epiphany Lutheran Church, Habitat for Humanity and Snell & Wilmer Community Committee.
Matthew BinfordPast President
Matthew Binford
Past President
Mr. Binford is an Assistant United States Attorney with the Department of Justice in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to serving with the Department of Justice, Matt was an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Arizona. Before he began his legal career, Matt taught with the Teach For America program in South Central Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
Matt received his law degree from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, where he graduated with Highest Pro Bono Distinction. At the law school, he was the Truman R. Young Prosecutorial Fellow and a staff writer for the Arizona State Law Journal. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona, and has a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
Matt is a member of Arizona’s Criminal Jury Instructions Committee and the Arizona Bar Foundation’s Board of Directors. He also serves on the Executive Council of the State Bar’s Appellate Practice Section and has previously served on the Attorney General’s Committee on Record Statements and Eyewitness Identification, as well as on the Arizona Forensic Science Academy Advisory Board.
Tom GiallanzaTreasurer
Tom Giallanza
Treasurer
Mr. Giallanza previously served on the Arizona Bar Foundation Board from 2009-2015. He had been an Assistant Superintendent for the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions. Prior to moving to Arizona, he served as general counsel for a national real estate developer and later as manager of a national business unit for a major title insurance company. Tom earned his B.S. and J.D. from Loyola University of Chicago and is admitted to the Illinois bar. He is a member of the St. Thomas More Society of Phoenix.
Robert BrooksBoard Member
Robert Brooks
Board Member
Robert Brooks - U.S. Attorney's Office
Andrew ChingBoard Member
Andrew Ching
Board Member
Mr. Ching began serving the City as City Manager in April 2013, following his appointment as Interim City Manager in January 2013. He served as the City Attorney from August 2006 to January 2013. Mr. Ching started his career in the Tempe City Attorney's Office as a volunteer in 1992, became a law clerk in 1993, and served as a contract attorney from 1995 to 1996. He left briefly from 1996 to 1998 to work in the Mesa City Prosecutor's Office, where he was named Prosecutor of the Year in 1997.
Returning to the City, Mr. Ching worked as Assistant City Attorney from 1998 to 2005, and was named Senior Assistant City Attorney in 2004. He left the City in 2005 to work as an associate at Phoenix firm Moyes Storey in the areas of civil litigation, land use litigation, zoning law and local government law.
Mr. Ching was born in Tucson and raised in Tempe, and has been a Tempe resident for over 30 years. He received a Bachelor′s degree from the University of Arizona in 1991, and earned a law degree from Arizona State University in 1994.
Susan ConradBoard Member
Susan Conrad
Board Member
Ms. Conrad has served in senior roles in Special Assets with financial institutions managing complex workout and turnaround situations, including restructuring, bankruptcy and commercial litigation claims. Her current venture is with Premier Strategy group working with a team of investment bankers, tax attorneys, CPS and financial service professionals to help bring a comprehensive, holistic approach to their clients. Ms. Conrad creates collaborative environments, leveraging the strengths and ideas of many to get things done. Provides expert financial analysis and consults with stakeholders, empowering them to make sound, evidence-based decisions. Intrinsically motivated to add value to teams, stakeholders, and business partners. Effortlessly identifies cost savings and profitable answers to complex financial situations, as demonstrated by multi-million dollar portfolio management experience.
Ms. Conrad received her MBA from Arizona State University and a Masters of Science in Accounting from Grand Canyon University.
Rodney GlassmanBoard Member
Rodney Glassman
Board Member
Mr. Glassman currently works for Beus Gilbert managing external affairs, government relations and strategic development among other areas. Prior to that, Mr. Glassman led Ryley Carlock & Applewhite's External Affairs and Government Relations practice. Rodney's practice is focused on driving relevancy, enhancing credibility, and developing substantive relationships for his government, corporate, and non-profit clients. In 2013, Rodney was appointed as the Acting Town Manager of Cave Creek, one of Arizona's most conservative communities, where he oversaw the completion of an independent audit, infrastructure planning for the town's utilities, and a national search for the community's new, permanent manager.
Prior to his service in Cave Creek, Rodney managed over $150,000,000 in annual sales revenue for Waste Management in Arizona and New Mexico. In 2010, Rodney won a four-way primary to then serve as the Democratic nominee for United States Senate. Previously, at the age of 29, Rodney was elected to the Tucson City Council by over 60% of the vote and was the first Democrat elected by residents of the Ward he represented in over two decades.
Having earned his Eagle Scout as a youth, Rodney serves as a Major in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps Reserves. There he acts as both a litigator and civil attorney in the Air Force, attached to the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. In 2012, Rodney was selected as the 12th Air Force, JAG Reservist of the Year, amongst reservists from more than 27 active and reserve duty units.
John GordonBoard Member
John Gordon
Board Member
Mr. Gordon is the former Director of Leadership Development at Arizona School Boards Association (6 years). John’s 38 years in public education include serving as the Superintendent of the Cave Creek Unified School District from 2000 — 2005.
Prior to arriving in Arizona, John was a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent in the State of Washington. His final role in Washington was as Superintendent of the Wenatchee Public Schools in Wenatchee.
John has been involved in ASBA′s superintendent searches and leadership training since the spring of 2006 and completed many searches and school board training sessions throughout Arizona. He knows high–level performance and has a history of assisting district leaders to make breakthrough improvements in their organizations.
Prof. Kenney HeglandBoard Member
Prof. Kenney Hegland
Board Member
Prof. Hegland has spent his career teaching at Arizona with stints at U.C.L.A, Harvard, and the University of San Diego. As a law student he worked with a civil rights lawyer in Albany Georgia. Upon graduation he joined a newly formed state wide legal services program, California Rural Legal Assistance. He represented farm workers and poor folks in Delano. He was in private practice a week.
He served on the boards of Southern Arizona Legal Aid and the Tucson Aids Project and is currently on boards of nonprofits fighting economic exploration of the poor, helping the Tucson Veteran Treatment Court, and getting legal help to hospice patients. He’s a new member of Board of Governors of the state bar.
With his wife, Barbara Sattler, then a judge at Juvenile Court, he created a program where law students discuss law and life with kids in custody. Many say it’s the best thing they’ve done in law school (a rather low bar?) and a few have mentioned career goals changing. His A Short and Happy Guide to Elder Guide helps seniors in hard times. His 18 short videos, on problems facing seniors, are found at www.heglandlaw.com.
With Andy Silverman he has written 10 videos, distributed by Discovery, which put high school students in the role of jurors and judges deciding tough legal issues. For Army One Source, What We Need to Know About Our Troops - vets discuss their training, deployment and return). Recently Manny’s Story, the true story of a high school kid who committed a murder, served 20 years, and is now helping teens avoid trouble. What to Do About Goldilocks? is distributed by the Foundation and stars his son, Alex Lane, and Judge Winthrop.
At the insistence of She Who Must Be Obeyed, he wrote Law School Chronicles. A law prof teams with his daughter to try a wrongful death case - lawyers scheme, profs debate, and students pray they won’t be called on.
Educational achievements are fading memories but provoke a gag inspired by W. C. Fields. His degrees from Stanford, U.C. Berkeley, and Harvard prove you can fool some universities, some of the time, and that’s good enough for tenure.
Jennifer Lee-CotaBoard Member
Jennifer Lee-Cota
Board Member
Board Member
Hon. Stephen McCarvilleBoard Member
Hon. Stephen McCarville
Board Member
Hon. Mcarville attended Creighton University, Bachelor of Arts, History/Political Science, 1983; and, Creighton University School of Law School, Juris Doctorate Law Degree, 1987. Steve was engaged in the general practice of law with McCarville , Cooper & Vasquez in Casa Grande, Arizona until 2000 and also served as Town attorney for the Town of Mammoth, from 1990-2000. Steve was appointed as Pro Tempore Juvenile Court Commissioner by Presiding Juvenile Court Judge William O’Neil, May, 2000, as Superior Court Judge Pro Tempore by Vice-Chief Justice Charles E. Jones of the Arizona Supreme Court, July, 2000 and was elected to first full term as Pinal County Superior Court Judge, beginning January 2001.
Steve has served on several community boards including: Pinal-Gila County Legal Aid Board; Casa Grande Valley Historical Society; the Mayor’s Ad Hoc Committee on Downtown Development in Casa Grande, 1998; Saint Anthony of Padua School Board; Hospice Charitable Foundation; and, Casa Grande’s Main Street Board.
He is a member of the Pinal County Bar Association; Arizona Bar Association; and, American Bar Association.
Robert McWhirterBoard Member
Robert McWhirter
Board Member
Mr. McWhirter is a nationally and internationally known speaker and author on trial advocacy, immigration law, and the history of the bill of rights. He is a Certified Specialist in Criminal Law with the State Bar of Arizona and first chair qualified to defend capital cases by the Arizona Supreme Court.
The American Bar Association has publish Mr. McWhirter′s book BILLS, QUILLS, AND STILLS: THE HISTORY OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS (working title) in 2014. The American Bar Association has published his books THE CRIMINAL LAWYER′S GUIDE TO IMMIGRATION LAW: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, 2nd Ed. 2006 and THE CITIZENSHIP FLOWCHART, 2007. In 2010, in Padilla v. Kentucky Justice Alito extensively quoted from his book. Mr. McWhirter has served on the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section and on the Standard Committee writing the CRIMINAL JUSTICE STANDARDS.
Currently, Mr. McWhirter has continued his private practice in Criminal Defense and testifies and provides expert advice on Immigration Consequences of Criminal Conviction. Mr. McWhirter also provides expert opinions on citizenship issues and litigation.
Duane PhiferBoard Member
Duane Phifer
Board Member
Board Member
Mr. Phifer came to the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education after attending a Summer Institute in 2004. Since that time, he has been a Mentor teacher in 5 Summer Institutes; as well as, a District level judge for the We The People competition, a Project Citizen judge for state level competitions, and a Law Related Education faculty member for We The People Seminars 101. He has prepared 6 non-competitive We The People Congressional Hearing teams for the annual middle school level showcase at the state competitions. He is also currently a “Trainer-Trainer” for the Law Related Education department. As a result of his involvement with the Foundation, he became a summer institute Fellow through the National Endowment for the Humanities by completing the National Academy, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California.
His professional career outside of the Foundation includes a wide array of technical and academic experiences. Duane has three years of technical instructor experience as a technical instructor at Chanute Air Force Base’s Center for Technical Training. He instructed students in technical reading and applied sciences at the School for Aerospace Ground Equipment. This was followed by seven and one-half years of academic training in the field of Equal Opportunity and Treatment/Human Relations Education. After retirement, he studied and practiced Civil Law for State Farm Insurance; before returning to Europe, where he served as adjunct faculty at the Bremerhaven Hochschule, Bremerhaven, West Germany; teaching technical English in the Computer Engineering Department. He has recently retired from an inner-city middle school teaching job where he taught U.S. History and math intervention.
Jennifer RebholzBoard Member
Jennifer Rebholz
Board Member
Ms. Rebholz has been an active member of the State Bar of Arizona and its sister bars for more than nine years, most notably in the Young Lawyers Divisions. During the 2012-2013 year, as the President of the Young Lawyers Division, Jennifer served on the Board of Governors. She then ran and was elected to Board service in 2014. She is currently a board member on the Maricopa County Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Division. Jennifer graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2005, and began her career in Tucson at the firm of James R. Farley & Associates as in-house counsel for Farmers Insurance. She relocated to Phoenix within the same firm, now Choate & Seletos.
Board Member
Ms. Rebholz has been an active member of the State Bar of Arizona and its sister bars for more than nine years, most notably in the Young Lawyers Divisions. During the 2012-2013 year, as the President of the Young Lawyers Division, Jennifer served on the Board of Governors. She then ran and was elected to Board service in 2014. She is currently a board member on the Maricopa County Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Division. Jennifer graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2005, and began her career in Tucson at the firm of James R. Farley & Associates as in-house counsel for Farmers Insurance. She relocated to Phoenix within the same firm, now Choate & Seletos.
Dee-Dee SametBoard Member
Dee-Dee Samet
Board Member
Ms. Samet currently sits on the State Bar Board of Governors, where she was a past president. Ms. Samet has also been a past president of the Federal Bar - Tucson Chapter, Pima County Bar, and Casa de Los Ninos Board. She is a past co-chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section and the Worker's Compensation Section. Since 1985, Ms. Samet has been a Judge Pro Tempore. In addition to the Board of Governors and Foundation, she is also a member of the Invisible Theatre Board, Southern Arizona Children's Advocacy board, and Casa de Los Ninos board. She has been honored with the Alice Truman Award, Fred Kay Award, and the Soroptimist Award for Advancing the Status of Women.
Board Member
Ms. Samet currently sits on the State Bar Board of Governors, where she was a past president. Ms. Samet has also been a past president of the Federal Bar - Tucson Chapter, Pima County Bar, and Casa de Los Ninos Board. She is a past co-chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section and the Worker's Compensation Section. Since 1985, Ms. Samet has been a Judge Pro Tempore. In addition to the Board of Governors and Foundation, she is also a member of the Invisible Theatre Board, Southern Arizona Children's Advocacy board, and Casa de Los Ninos board. She has been honored with the Alice Truman Award, Fred Kay Award, and the Soroptimist Award for Advancing the Status of Women.
Alexia SemlekBoard Member
Alexia Semlek
Board Member
Alexia Semlek specializes in probate and elder law. She has her own firm Alexia J. Semlek & Associates. Her passion is "cost-efficient and compassionate legal representation for families experiencing one of the most difficult times of their lives."
Geoff SturrBoard Member
Geoff Sturr
Board Member
Mr. Sturr is an attorney with Osborn Maledon. He represents clients in litigation and arbitration proceedings. His cases currently involve defending claims against lawyers and law firms, disputes involving businesses and real estate, and defending claims brought under the False Claims Act. He also conducts internal corporate investigations. He has represented clients in administrative and bar disciplinary proceedings and advises lawyers and law firms on professional responsibility issues. Mr. Sturr received his B.A. from Haverford College and his J.D. from UCLA. He was admitted into the California Bar in 1990 and Arizona in 1991. He has been admitted to U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, U.S. District Court , District of Arizona, U.S. District Court, Central District of California and both the Arizona and California Supreme Courts. Geoffrey has served on the State Bar's Legal Services Committee, served as an Adjunct Professor at ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, and is a member of the American Bar Association, Center for Professional Responsibility. He was named "Southwest Super Lawyer" by Law and Policy Magazine and is a past recipient of the Bar Foundation's Top 50 Pro Bono attorneys.
Board Member
Mr. Sturr is an attorney with Osborn Maledon. He represents clients in litigation and arbitration proceedings. His cases currently involve defending claims against lawyers and law firms, disputes involving businesses and real estate, and defending claims brought under the False Claims Act. He also conducts internal corporate investigations. He has represented clients in administrative and bar disciplinary proceedings and advises lawyers and law firms on professional responsibility issues. Mr. Sturr received his B.A. from Haverford College and his J.D. from UCLA. He was admitted into the California Bar in 1990 and Arizona in 1991. He has been admitted to U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, U.S. District Court , District of Arizona, U.S. District Court, Central District of California and both the Arizona and California Supreme Courts. Geoffrey has served on the State Bar's Legal Services Committee, served as an Adjunct Professor at ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, and is a member of the American Bar Association, Center for Professional Responsibility. He was named "Southwest Super Lawyer" by Law and Policy Magazine and is a past recipient of the Bar Foundation's Top 50 Pro Bono attorneys.
Hon. Lawrence WinthropEx-Officio/Access to Justice Commission Chair
Hon. Lawrence Winthrop
Ex-Officio/Access to Justice Commission Chair
Ex-Officio/Access to Justice Commission Chair
Hon. Winthrop received his B.A. from Whittier College and his JD from California Western School of Law. He practiced law with Snell & Wilmer from 1977 to 1993, when he then started Doyle and Winthrop (1993-2002). He is currently a judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One. He was appointed to the position in 2002. He has been on the Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, a member of the Arizona Supreme Court Committee on Examinations, served as President of the Arizona Bar Foundation, Chaired the Maricopa County Medical-Legal Committee, and been part of the Volunteer Lawyers Program.
Dr. Kevin RueggEx-Officio/CEO
Dr. Kevin Ruegg
Ex-Officio/CEO
Dr. Ruegg has over twenty years with working with nonprofit organizations serving those most marginalized in our society. Currently she serves as the CEO/Executive Director for the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education, Inc. In addition to her administration of nonprofit agencies, she has lent her expertise to mentoring numerous small nonprofit organizations to build their capacity; increase volunteer involvement; and create quality assurance processes. She has been recognized for building collaborative efforts and has presented at National Conferences regarding both statewide cadres and University & Community partnership programs which she assisted in developing. Kevin has a doctoral degree in Applied Management and Decision Sciences. Her Masters is in Human Resource Development and she holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration with a Minor in Theology.
Ex-Officio/CEO
Dr. Ruegg has over twenty years with working with nonprofit organizations serving those most marginalized in our society. Currently she serves as the CEO/Executive Director for the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education, Inc. In addition to her administration of nonprofit agencies, she has lent her expertise to mentoring numerous small nonprofit organizations to build their capacity; increase volunteer involvement; and create quality assurance processes. She has been recognized for building collaborative efforts and has presented at National Conferences regarding both statewide cadres and University & Community partnership programs which she assisted in developing. Kevin has a doctoral degree in Applied Management and Decision Sciences. Her Masters is in Human Resource Development and she holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration with a Minor in Theology.
Joel EnglandEx-Officio/State Bar's CEO
Joel England
Ex-Officio/State Bar's CEO
Joel F. England currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the State Bar of Arizona.
Before coming to the Bar, Joel was the Chief Judge of the Yavapai-Apache Nation, a federally recognized Indian Tribe in Camp Verde, Arizona. He was responsible for the overall administration of the Court and presides over criminal and civil cases as well as an alternative disposition Wellness Court.
Prior to his current position, he served for over 21 years in the United States Air Force. He held a variety of positions, including service as a prosecutor, defense counsel and as a deployed combat operations attorney advising on the law of armed conflict. His final assignments included serving as the Chief of Professional Responsibility for the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps and as the General Counsel for the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base. During his tenure at Luke Air Force Base, his team was recognized as the Arizona Corporate Counsel In-House Legal Department of the Year in 2016.
Joel graduated with academic distinction from the United States Air Force Academy with a bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies. He holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona College of Law, where he graduated summa cum laude and served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law. Joel is a member of the Arizona, California, and District of Columbia bars.
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