Hometown: West Caldwell, New Jersey

Degrees:  Johns Hopkins University, ’06 B.A. Political Science; University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, ’09 M. Ed. Education

Why did you choose UH Law?  After moving to Hawai‘i in 2007, my decision to attend UH was largely grounded in my desire to make Hawai‘i my permanent home. The networking opportunities available from the law school are invaluable and I have found that people in the legal community look out for the Richardson Law School graduates when offering jobs. UH also doesn’t have that “cut-throat” environment that some Mainland schools are known for, making it that much more of an enjoyable learning experience.

What were you doing before you started Law School? Upon acceptance to Teach For America, I taught 7^th and 8^th grade students at Ilima Intermediate in Ewa Beach for three years. I simultaneously pursued a Master’s in Education at UH. In an effort to learn more about the Hawai‘i political system, I worked as a social media coordinator for a state senator’s campaign for lieutenant governor for the 2010 election. Over the summer, I worked as an intern for the education policy team at the Center For American Progress in Washington, D.C.

Where are you headed after you graduate?  Good question. My passion largely rests in public service work so I plan on working with education advocacy groups, legislators, and other stakeholders within the state to help influence policy decisions that affect the Hawai‘i public school system.

Describe UH Law using three words. Nurturing. Energizing. Well-rounded.

What advice would you give to an entering law student? Generally speaking, I think people over-exaggerate the difficulty of the first semester and thus create a lot of hype and unnecessary stress for those about to start. To lessen this effect, 1) don’t hold on to others’ experience of law school—create your own 2) focus early on getting to know your classmates—they will be an enormous source of support when you need them 3) be flexible—you’ll constantly try to come up with different study methods, places to study, note-taking styles, etc. It’s worth it to keep plugging until you find something that works for you, 4) enjoy the ride—sure it’s tough, but you know that when you submitted your application. Make sure you preserve some time to do things you love unrelated to law school. It will keep your mind and body healthy, an often forgotten but critical element of success in law school.

Where can we find you when you're not in class? Surfing at Gas Chambers, making hilarious music videos for our law classes, playing bluegrass music with the Rocky Point Jughandlers, reading and researching education policy news and books.

How would you describe your classmates? Incredibly supportive and high-spirited. I was amazed with how fast our class gelled together in the first semester, from flag football games to post-exam beach potlucks. Even though my family lives in New Jersey, my classmates have become a second ‘ohana for me. There’s a lot of Aloha amongst our classmates. Landsharks ahoy!!!