Board
Hon. Todd LangPresident
Todd Lang
Superior Court of Maricopa County
Superior Court of Maricopa County
Hon. Lang is currently a judge with the Maricopa Superior Court. He previous worked at the US Attorneys’ Office and before that was the the Executive Director of the Citizens Clean Elections Commission, a state agency that administers the Citizens Clean Elections Act (ACT). Mr. Lang has direct experience with state campaign finance and election laws and programs as well as federal campaign finance laws and the U.S. Constitution. Previously, Todd served as Chief Counsel for the Consumer Litigation Unit at the Office of the Arizona Attorney General. Prior to that, he spent 2003-2004 as a Visiting Clinical Professor at the Arizona State University School of Law. Mr. Lang spent the first seven years of this legal career as a legal services attorney and litigated against slumlords and on behalf of victims of consumer fraud. Hon. Lang has received the "Top Pro-Bono Attorneys of the Year" in numerous years. Todd graduated from the Cornell University College of Law in 1993.
Jennifer Lee-CotaPresident-Elect
Jennifer Lee-Cota
Papetti Samuels Weiss
Papetti Samuels Weiss
Jennifer Lee-Cota is a litigator who works with a diverse range of clients. From public institutions to multinational corporations, Jennifer takes the time to understand her clients’ objectives to help them accomplish their desired goals.
Jennifer is often recognized for her versatility, as she handles matters both in and out of litigation and has expertise in business litigation, employment law, and education law.
She has a master’s degree in higher education and worked for years professionally in the nonprofit sector. Her background helps her understand the unique challenges large and complex organizations face as well as the importance of taking into account the perspectives of various stakeholders when evaluating a dispute.
Jennifer and her husband are from the small town of Rio Rico, located near the Arizona-Mexico border. They spend a lot of time going to concerts and eating barbecue. They have one son and a dog named Lucky Boots.
Hon. Joseph Kreamer Vice President
Hon. Joseph Kreamer
Superior Court of Maricopa County
Superior Court of Maricopa County
Hon. Kreamer is judge at the Superior Court. He was previously a trial attorney at the law firm of Hopkins & Kreamer in Phoenix, where he practiced mainly in the areas of personal injury and commercial litigation. Joe also worked with the firm of Snell & Wilmer. Joe has been involved in access to justice issues in Arizona for many years, having chaired the State Bar Legal Services Committee, the Maricopa County Bar Foundation Board of Directors, President of the Board for the Foundation, John P. Frank for Justice awardee, Top 50 Pro Bono Attorney and Volunteer of the Year.
Lance BrobergSecretary
Lance Broberg
Tiffany & Bosco
Tiffany & Bosco
Mr. Broberg currently is a shareholder at the firm Tiffany & Bosco where he focuses intra-corporate disputes, contract disputes, real estate disputes, commercial landlord-tenant disputes, and trade misappropriation. Mr. Broberg devotes much of his time to the Arizona High School Mock Trial program, where he drafts the case problems, coaches, and coordinates and judges the tournaments, Lance has been involved in the Arizona Mock Trial program for over 20 years. Before joining Tiffany & Bosco, Lance served as a judicial clerk in the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Arizona. He received his bachelor’s in political science from ASU and his law degree from the U of A.
Damon AshcraftPast President
Damon Ashcraft
Snell & Wilmer LLP
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.
Tom GiallanzaTreasurer
Tom Giallanza Treasurer
Arizona Department of Financial Institutions
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.
Joseph G. AdamsBoard Member
Joseph G. Adams
Board Member
Joe Adams, a partner at Snell & Wilmer, represents clients in commercial litigation with a focus on shareholder disputes and intellectual property matters.
He has broad experience in securities and shareholder litigation, corporate governance matters, partnership and LLC disputes, employee benefits litigation, and class actions. His clients include public companies, start-ups and emerging companies, officers and directors, shareholders and owners of companies, and individuals. Joe serves as Chair of the firm’s Securities and Shareholder Litigation Group.
He frequently represents clients before regulatory agencies such as the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), the Department of Labor (DOL), and state regulatory agencies. He also advises clients on compliance issues and oversees internal investigations regarding financial restatements, accounting issues, and instances of alleged wrongdoing raised by whistleblowers.
In the intellectual property area, Joe represents clients in cases involving trademark and copyright infringement, false advertising and unfair competition disputes, and the liability of web site operators. Earlier in his career, he practiced in the Trademark and Advertising Practices Group in a large Silicon Valley law firm.
David BellBoard Member
David Bell
Board Member
David Bell is Of Counsel for Christian, Dichter and Sluga. He is a Certified Specialist in Injury & Wrongful Death Litigation and is a member of the State Bar of Arizona Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Advisory Commission and served as its Chair from 2018 to 2021.
Since 2001, David has been a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC), an invitation-only organization of attorneys who focus their practice on the defense of civil claims and representation of insurers and corporations. He has chaired the FDCC’s Extra-Contractual Liability Section and served on the FDCC Admissions Committee.
David is also a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), a national organization of trial attorneys, both plaintiff and defense, whose criteria for membership include extensive trial experience, excellence in the courtroom, and recognition of peers and judges. He served as President of ABOTA's Phoenix Chapter (2019) and remains on its Board as its Past-President.
David Bell’s trial and appellate experience and insurance work has earned him an AV-Preeminent® Peer Review Rating™ by Martindale-Hubbell® and recognition in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (annually since 1994). In addition, he is a Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers® honoree.
David has made numerous presentations at seminars sponsored by the FDCC, State Bar of Arizona, Maricopa County Bar Association, National Business Institute, Lorman Education Services, clients and others, on topics including, insurance law and bad faith litigation, personal injury litigation, law firm management, and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims.
Susan Brichler TrujilloBoard Member
Susan Brichler Trujillo
Board Member
Susan Brichler Trujillo, partner and the Phoenix chair of the Health Law
Practice Group, practices in the areas of Health Law and Litigation &
Dispute Resolution at Quarles & Brady. She works with clients across the pharmaceutical drug
and device distribution chain, helping manufacturers, wholesalers,
pharmacies and durable medical equipment providers operate successfully
within their highly regulated industry. She also represents health care
clients including retail pharmacies, pharmaceutical distributors, pharmacy
benefit managers, hospitals, behavioral health providers, residential care
providers and licensed professionals.
Hon. Robert BrooksBoard Member
Robert Brooks
Maricopa Superior Court
Judge Brooks was appointed to the Juvenile bench in February of 2020. Prior to the court he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney's Office. He also was an Assistant Attorney General and and Associate at Osborn Maledon.
Susan ConradBoard Member
Susan Conrad
Arizona Bank & Trust
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 Arizona Bank & Trust as their Portfolio Manager Team Lead. 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.
Peter DavisBoard Member
Peter Davis
J.S. Held
J.S. Held
Mr. Davis is the Senior Managing Director of J.S. Held. His areas of expertise include understanding and interpreting financial data, fraud detection and deterrence, and determination of business and personal damages. His projects include receiverships over Ponzi schemes, receiverships over real estate, turnarounds of operating entities, alter ego analyses, fraud investigations, lost profit calculations, lost earnings calculations, asset searches and related matters. He is conversant in German and has consulted for companies in the United States, Germany and Japan. Mr. Davis is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the Turnaround Management Association, and the Association of Insolvency and Reorganization Advisors.
Denis FitzgibbonsBoard Member
Dennis Fitzgibbons
Denis Fitzgibbons is the co-managing partner of Fitzgibbons Law Offices PLC, a nine-attorney firm in Casa Grande, and Pinal County’s largest private law firm.
His law practice emphasizes municipal law, and he serves as the city attorney for the cities of Maricopa and Coolidge. He also advises families in estate planning and probate and represents local and out-of-state businesses in a variety of governance, employment and transactional matters.
Denis was born in Iowa and came to Arizona with his family when he was in elementary school. While a student at Casa Grande Union High School, he excelled academically and in sports, and he was elected Arizona Boys State governor.
He earned his bachelor’s degree at Columbia University, where he played intercollegiate football, and received his law degree from Arizona State University in 1989. After starting his legal career at Snell & Wilmer in Phoenix, he returned to Casa Grande in 1993 to practice with his father and brother.
Denis was first elected to the State Bar of Arizona Board of Governors in 2015 from District 8 and was re-elected in 2019, and served as State Bar President in 2020 to 2021. He is a member of the ABA and the Maricopa and Pinal County bar associations.
Active in the Casa Grande community, Denis is a past president of the Pinal and Gila Counties Legal Aid Society and the Pinal Alliance for Economic Growth. His leadership activities also include the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Tucson, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Casa Grande Valley, and St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School.
Denis is married to Lisa Navarro Fitzgibbons, a Casa Grande City Council member, and they have three children.
His law practice emphasizes municipal law, and he serves as the city attorney for the cities of Maricopa and Coolidge. He also advises families in estate planning and probate and represents local and out-of-state businesses in a variety of governance, employment and transactional matters.
Denis was born in Iowa and came to Arizona with his family when he was in elementary school. While a student at Casa Grande Union High School, he excelled academically and in sports, and he was elected Arizona Boys State governor.
He earned his bachelor’s degree at Columbia University, where he played intercollegiate football, and received his law degree from Arizona State University in 1989. After starting his legal career at Snell & Wilmer in Phoenix, he returned to Casa Grande in 1993 to practice with his father and brother.
Denis was first elected to the State Bar of Arizona Board of Governors in 2015 from District 8 and was re-elected in 2019, and served as State Bar President in 2020 to 2021. He is a member of the ABA and the Maricopa and Pinal County bar associations.
Active in the Casa Grande community, Denis is a past president of the Pinal and Gila Counties Legal Aid Society and the Pinal Alliance for Economic Growth. His leadership activities also include the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Tucson, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Casa Grande Valley, and St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School.
Denis is married to Lisa Navarro Fitzgibbons, a Casa Grande City Council member, and they have three children.
Anni FosterBoard Member
Anni Foster
Governor Office
Governor Office
Ms. Foster was appointed to the Governor’s Office in 2017. She was previously the Chief of Staff and General Counsel at the Arizona Department of Public Safety(AZDPS)Ma. At AZDPS she reviewed policies and oversaw the Equal Employment Opportunity office. Before the AzDPS she served as Assistant Attorney General in the Arizona Attorney General’s Office for more than 7 years. There she advised and represented state agencies on various issues. Ms. Foster currently serves on the Arizona Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission. She has her Bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from Mary Baldwin College and received her law degree from Gonzaga.
Hon. Brian FuruyaBoard Member
Brian Furuya
Court of Appeals Division One
Court of Appeals Division One
Brian Y. Furuya was appointed by Governor Ducey to the Court of Appeals Division One in 2020. Previously, he served as a deputy county attorney for Coconino County, in the office's civil division, where he provided representation for the offices of the Assessor, Treasurer, Sheriff, and many others. From 2007 through 2015, Brian was in private practice, handling cases in the areas of real estate and business transactions, landlord-tenant, appellate, personal injury, and corporate law, as well as civil litigation with the law firm of Aspey, Watkins & Diesel, P.L.L.C. He was named as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers in 2015 and again in 2016.
Residing with his family in Flagstaff, Brian is active in the community. In addition to volunteering for community focus groups for the City of Flagstaff, he has served President of the Board of Directors for the Coconino County Bar Association and was also selected as a member of the Flagstaff Leadership Program’s class of 2013. From 2014 through 2020, Brian served as the elected member of the Arizona State Bar's Board of Governors for District 1, serving Apache, Navajo, Coconino, and Mohave counties. He also filled a term as president of the State Bar of Arizona from 2019–2020, and currently serves as Advisor to the Board of Governors.
In law school, he was Managing Editor of Articles for the Brigham Young University Journal of Public Law and was an adjunct professor of law with the J. Reuben Clark Law School, teaching legal interviewing & counseling theory and technique until 2010. Brian holds law licenses in Arizona and the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and the Navajo Nation.
Gina GodbehereBoard Member
Gina Godbehere
Maricopa County Attorney's Office
Gina Godbehere is a Homicide Attorney in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. She has more than two decades of experience as a Bureau Chief and trial attorney in assignments with a wide variety of bureaus, including Pretrial, Juvenile, Gang, Homicide, and the Repeat Offender Unit, during which she has tried every type of felony case, including first degree premeditated murder.
Throughout her twenty- three years of service with MCAO, Gina has played an integral role in developing the first Juvenile Drug Court, implementing the Juvenile Transfer Offender Program, and is the co-author and creator of the Ultimate Trial Research Notebook used by prosecution agencies throughout Arizona. For over two decades, Gina has trained prosecutors in the art of persuasion and led by example as a fair minded advocate for justice. She is Maricopa County’s designated Bias Crimes Prosecutor. Gina is also the CEO and Co-founder of “Speak Up Stand Up Save a Life,” an organization dedicated to identifying and solving complex societal issues such as substance abuse, bullying and the rising teen suicide rate in Arizona. The vision for this novel collaboration was born from a tragic yet preventable murder-suicide at a local high school. In only 4 years, Speak Up Stand Up Save a Life has enjoyed exponential growth.
In 2020, 5,000 students, school employees, parents, law enforcement officers and community leaders attended our annual conference designed to empower youth, enhance school safety and help prevent the tragedies that too often stem from self-compensation, such as suicide and overdose. Speak Up Stand Up Save a Life is endorsed by the Governor and every Maricopa County municipality. It has impacted over 400,000 people throughout Arizona. Gina is active in many community organizations, and has received numerous awards, including: 2019 Westmarc’s Best of the West Quality of Life Winner, 2019 Capital Times Women Achievers of Arizona Recipient, 2019 Center for the Future of Arizona Gabe Zimmerman in Public Service Award Winner and the 2019 Leadership West Alumnus of the Year Recipient. Gina was born, raised, and currently resides in the west valley.
Kelsi LaneBoard Member
Kelsi Lane
Davis Miles
Kelsi works for Davis Miles McGuire Gardner PLLC in the LegalShield Department that provides affordable legal services to ensure equal access to legal advice for all people. She specializes in landlord tenant matters, estate planning, business, and Veteran’s law. She previously worked for the Board of Veterans Appeals in Washington, D.C. and Commercial Real Estate boutique law firm Herbert Law Offices, PLC in Phoenix. She attended Arizona State University for her undergraduate, Grand Canyon University for her MBA and Regent University for her law degree. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, their son, and two dogs.
Kelsi also serves on the Board of Governors for the State Bar of Arizona and participates in the Junior League of Phoenix.
Craig LewandowskiBoard Member
Craig Lewandowski
Board Member
Craig is a Managing Director in KPMG’s Phoenix, Arizona Audit Practice with more than 27 years of experience primarily serving Securities and Exchange Commission registrant clients in the for-profit higher education, manufacturing, technology, healthcare, consumer, retail and financial services businesses.
Craig’s experience includes several years providing assistance to companies during the initial public offering process including audit and advisory services for accounting and financial reporting matters and internal control over financial reporting. Clients severed include 20 of the Fortune 100.
Mark McCallBoard Member
Mark McCall
Board Member
Mark McCall is currently a HR/Learning and Development Manager for Maricopa County having served more than twenty years in public education as a teacher, administrator, researcher, and professional development consultant. His middle school students excelled in Project Citizen at both the regional and state levels. Mark worked part-time for Kids Voting Arizona in 2002 and joined the Foundation in 2007 as faculty and showcase judge for Project Citizen and later We the People, iCivics, and Representative Democracy in America. With credentials from Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and Grand Canyon University, Mark has held leadership positions in three Arizona school districts, Maricopa County, the Arizona Department of Education, and Arizona State University and was named a Phi Delta Kappa Emerging Leader in 2012. In addition to the Foundation, his volunteer service includes work with Arizona Odyssey of the Mind, American Legion Boys State, the Marley Park Community Association, Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure, and Disney VoluntEARS.
Bradley PackBoard Member
Bradley Pack
Engleman Berger
Mr. Pack is currently a Shareholder at Engelman Berger, P.C. where he has worked since 2006. At the firm, Brad Pack represents both creditors and debtors in different bankruptcy proceedings, negotiates and drafts complex loan and forbearance agreements, and practices in commercial litigation. Prior to Engelman Berger, Mr. Pack clerked for the Honorable Susan Ehrlich at the Court of Appeals Division One where he reviewed and analyzed appellate briefs, prepared draft opinions and participated in panel conferences.
Mr. Pack has previously served as a board member of the Anti-Defamation League Arizona Region and served as the chair of its Government Relations, Advocacy, and Community Engagement committee. He currently co-chairs the ABA’s Business Bankruptcy Committee’s Individual Chapter 11 sub-committee. He is an Arizona State Bar certified bankruptcy specialist and a SuperLawyers Rising Star since 2012.
He graduated from the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law and Penn State with a B.A. in Labor and Industrial Relations.
Leslie RossBoard Member
Leslie Ross
Office of Attorney General - Division of Civil Rights Section
Office of Attorney General - Division of Civil Rights Section
Leslie Ross is the Unit Chief Counsel for the Arizona Attorney General Division of Civil Rights Section, Chair of the Arizona Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and legal advisor to the Arizona Civil Rights Advisory Board. Prior to working for the Attorney General’s Office, Ms. Ross served as in-house counsel for state agencies and in private practice. Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Ross worked for the State Bar of Arizona on the Arizona Attorney magazine and for the Arizona Bar Foundation.
David RosenbaumBoard Member
David Rosenbaum
Osborn Maledon
Osborn Maledon
David's practice focuses on complex commercial litigation in the state and federal courts. David has represented public companies and their officers and directors in numerous securities fraud class actions, represented Fortune 50 companies in a wide range of complex commercial litigation matters, including matters involving intellectual property disputes, represented a major telecommunications company in an array of commercial litigation matters, represented companies in sales and use tax disputes, and represented national and local companies in employment controversies, including class-action discrimination lawsuits. As past President of the Federal Bar Association and Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, David has developed knowledge and experience in the finer points of prosecuting complex litigation in the federal courts.
Germán A. Salazar Board Member
Germán A. Salazar
Board Member
Germán A. Salazar, is General Counsel to financial services entities such as mortgage lenders, broker-dealers, investment advisors, and real estate brokerages. His practice includes counseling corporate leaders with respect to federal (CFPB, FINRA, SEC) and state compliance, litigation strategy and management, corporate governance, internal investigations, contracts, regulatory examinations, employment law, privacy, and intellectual property as well as managing real estate transactions and leasing. Germán’s professional experience includes being the managing partner of a mid-size law firm as well as building and managing legal departments in financial services companies. Working closely with company management, Germán solves the legal issues confronting business leaders in a timely and cost-effective manner. Germán received his Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University and is licensed to practice law in Texas, Florida, and Arizona. Bar Admissions: State Bar of Texas, State Bar of Arizona, The Florida Bar, United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, United States District Court, Southern District of Texas. Professional Organizations: Association of Corporate Counsel, College of the State Bar of Texas, Los Abogados.
Ted SchmidtBoard Member
Ted A. Schmidt
Schmidt Sethi & Akmajian
Ted Schmidt is a partner at Schmidt Sethi and Akmajian.
Ted is recognized in Best Lawyers in America, is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, International Academy of Trial Lawyers and International Society of Barristers as well as a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He is an elected member on the Arizona State Bar Board of Governors and served as Secretary/Treasurer on the Executive Committee. Ted is also on the Working Group which helps implement the State Bar's new Social Justice, Diversity & Inclusion goals and chairs the State Bar Panel on the same subject.
Additionally, Ted is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Arizona College of Law teaching Trial Advocacy, is a Judge Pro Tem in the Pima County Superior Court, has been recognized by the Arizona State Bar as Member of The Year, and is the recipient of the Walter Craig Distinguished Service Award.
Originally from Mansfield, Ohio, Ted has been in Tucson since his undergraduate years at the University of Arizona and as a graduate of the University's College of Law. A father of four, he is active in the community as the Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission in Pima County and is especially involved with youth activities - as a coach in Little League, President of the FC Tucson Youth Soccer Board of Directors, and President of the Catalina Foothills High School Booster Club.
He has also been a member of the President's Club at the University of Arizona, where he and his late wife Ann established the Tara Nicole Schmidt "Have a Dream" Memorial Scholarship at the UA. This scholarship has funded, and continues to fund, the educational pursuits of worthy Arizona high school graduates.
Ex-Officio
Joel EnglandState Bar Arizona'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.
Dr. Kevin RueggArizona Bar Foundation's 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.
Hon. Samuel ThummaAccess to Justice Comm. Chair
Hon. Samuel Thumma
Sam has served on the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, since 2012, serving as Chief Judge for two years ending June 30, 2019, and Vice Chief Judge for two years ending June 30, 2017. As Chief Judge, he served on the Arizona Judicial Council, the policy-making body that oversees the Arizona judicial system. Before being appointed to the Court of Appeals, Sam served as a Judge on the Arizona Superior Court, Maricopa County, for nearly five years, presiding over criminal and juvenile matters (including nearly 250 trials) and serving as an elected member of the Judicial Executive Committee.
In Arizona, Sam chairs the Arizona Supreme Court’s Task Force to Supplement Keeping of the Record by Electronic Means; is a member of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Committee on Juvenile Courts and is Co-Editor of the Arizona Appellate Handbook. Previously, Sam served as co-chair of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Committee on the Rules of Evidence (2012-2019) and chair of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee (2017-2019). Sam also chaired the State Bar of Arizona’s Civil Practice and Procedure and Fee Arbitration Committees and served on the State Bar’s Civil Recommended Arizona Jury Instructions and Rules of Professional Conduct Committees.
Sam is a frequent lecturer and author, having presented at more than 340 seminars and published 12 law review, and 50 other law-related, articles. Before joining the bench, Sam was a partner at Perkins Coie Brown & Bain, P.A., in Phoenix, and an associate at Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C. He served as a law clerk for Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Stanley G. Feldman and Judge David R. Hansen, United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. Sam graduated Order of the Coif from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1988, where he was a Note & Comment Editor on the Iowa Law Review, and from Iowa State University in 1984, where he was a Harry S. Truman Memorial Scholar.
In Arizona, Sam chairs the Arizona Supreme Court’s Task Force to Supplement Keeping of the Record by Electronic Means; is a member of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Committee on Juvenile Courts and is Co-Editor of the Arizona Appellate Handbook. Previously, Sam served as co-chair of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Committee on the Rules of Evidence (2012-2019) and chair of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee (2017-2019). Sam also chaired the State Bar of Arizona’s Civil Practice and Procedure and Fee Arbitration Committees and served on the State Bar’s Civil Recommended Arizona Jury Instructions and Rules of Professional Conduct Committees.
Sam is a frequent lecturer and author, having presented at more than 340 seminars and published 12 law review, and 50 other law-related, articles. Before joining the bench, Sam was a partner at Perkins Coie Brown & Bain, P.A., in Phoenix, and an associate at Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C. He served as a law clerk for Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Stanley G. Feldman and Judge David R. Hansen, United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. Sam graduated Order of the Coif from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1988, where he was a Note & Comment Editor on the Iowa Law Review, and from Iowa State University in 1984, where he was a Harry S. Truman Memorial Scholar.
4201 N 24 STREET
STE. 210
PHOENIX AZ 85016