2009-2010 Board of Directors
To see a list of former NAPALSA Board Members, click here. Are you a former Board Member and not listed? Please contact the webmaster at napalsa.webmaster [at] gmail.com.
Ann Chao, President
Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
president.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Ann Chao is currently a 3L at SMU Dedman School of Law and the President of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association. Ann is also actively involved as an officer in the Board of Advocates and the Association of Public Interest Law, where she helps to organize an annual auction that provides stipends to students who work in public interest fields during the summer. Additionally, Ann is a Bryan A. Garner Law Scholar and a staff editor for the International Law Review Association. Last month, Ann's moot court team won the Thomas Tang Moot Court Regional Competition in Seattle.
Ann received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the SMU Cox School of Business and a Master of Alternative Dispute Resolution from the SMU School of Education and Human Development. Ann is on the Board of Directors of ATG Against the Grain Productions, a national non-profit organization which promotes awareness of Asian culture through non-traditional media such as film, photography, and music. Prior to law school, Ann worked as a Project Manager for Perot Systems, an IT Consulting firm.
president.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Ann Chao is currently a 3L at SMU Dedman School of Law and the President of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association. Ann is also actively involved as an officer in the Board of Advocates and the Association of Public Interest Law, where she helps to organize an annual auction that provides stipends to students who work in public interest fields during the summer. Additionally, Ann is a Bryan A. Garner Law Scholar and a staff editor for the International Law Review Association. Last month, Ann's moot court team won the Thomas Tang Moot Court Regional Competition in Seattle.
Ann received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the SMU Cox School of Business and a Master of Alternative Dispute Resolution from the SMU School of Education and Human Development. Ann is on the Board of Directors of ATG Against the Grain Productions, a national non-profit organization which promotes awareness of Asian culture through non-traditional media such as film, photography, and music. Prior to law school, Ann worked as a Project Manager for Perot Systems, an IT Consulting firm.
Vivienne Nguyen, Vice President
Hofstra University School of Law
vp.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Vivienne Nguyen is currently a 3L at Hofstra University School of Law in New York. Originally from Orange County, California, the lights of New York were so bright that she knew she had to make the cross-country trip for law school. She was President Hofstra’s APALSA as a 2L and remains an active member this year. Being in New York allowed her to intern for an investment management firm and for the NY Attorney General. Criminal and corporate law fascinate her. She just completed a summer internship with the Orange County Alternate Public Defenders and is currently a research assistant for a corporations professor at her school.
Doing well is important, but doing good is even more important. She also is founder and President of Law Brigades at Hofstra, a student initiative that allows law students to work alongside farmers in rural Panama and assist Panamanian communities with legal work.
After law school, Vivienne will join the Navy as a JAG officer. She is excited to explore the world!
As Vice President of NAPALSA, Vivienne’s main goal this year is to increase the affiliate membership of APALSAs to the NAPALSA network. She is excited to be a part of a national network of law students through NAPALSA and looks forward to meeting everyone in Los Angeles at the end of this year for the 2010 NAPABA Annual Conference.
vp.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Vivienne Nguyen is currently a 3L at Hofstra University School of Law in New York. Originally from Orange County, California, the lights of New York were so bright that she knew she had to make the cross-country trip for law school. She was President Hofstra’s APALSA as a 2L and remains an active member this year. Being in New York allowed her to intern for an investment management firm and for the NY Attorney General. Criminal and corporate law fascinate her. She just completed a summer internship with the Orange County Alternate Public Defenders and is currently a research assistant for a corporations professor at her school.
Doing well is important, but doing good is even more important. She also is founder and President of Law Brigades at Hofstra, a student initiative that allows law students to work alongside farmers in rural Panama and assist Panamanian communities with legal work.
After law school, Vivienne will join the Navy as a JAG officer. She is excited to explore the world!
As Vice President of NAPALSA, Vivienne’s main goal this year is to increase the affiliate membership of APALSAs to the NAPALSA network. She is excited to be a part of a national network of law students through NAPALSA and looks forward to meeting everyone in Los Angeles at the end of this year for the 2010 NAPABA Annual Conference.
Chethan Srinivasa, Treasurer
Northeastern University School of Law
treasurer.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Chethan is a third-year law student at the Northeastern University School of Law in Boston. In addition to being the Treasurer of NAPALSA, he is currently the Co-Chair of APALSA and past treasurer. This past summer, Chethan was a Judicial Intern at the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and this winter he is the Legal Intern for Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.’s in-house Legal Department.
Chethan received his Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Prior to law school, he worked as a Radar Systems Engineer for a defense company and also co-founded an online affiliate marketing company in his spare time.
Chethan is a Registered Patent Agent and looks forward to applying his technical and legal experiences to the field of Intellectual Property Law after graduation. In his free time, Chethan enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, playing table tennis, cooking healthy dishes, and discussing entrepreneurial ideas.
treasurer.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Chethan is a third-year law student at the Northeastern University School of Law in Boston. In addition to being the Treasurer of NAPALSA, he is currently the Co-Chair of APALSA and past treasurer. This past summer, Chethan was a Judicial Intern at the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and this winter he is the Legal Intern for Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.’s in-house Legal Department.
Chethan received his Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Prior to law school, he worked as a Radar Systems Engineer for a defense company and also co-founded an online affiliate marketing company in his spare time.
Chethan is a Registered Patent Agent and looks forward to applying his technical and legal experiences to the field of Intellectual Property Law after graduation. In his free time, Chethan enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, playing table tennis, cooking healthy dishes, and discussing entrepreneurial ideas.
Marie Nguyen, Secretary
University of Arkansas, Little Rock - William H. Bowen School of Law
secretary.naplsa[at] gmail.com
Marie Nguyen is a rising 3L at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law. Currently, Marie is the Secretary for her school’s APALSA and has been since her 2L school year. She is the Co-President for the student division of the local bar association, also holding that position since her 2L school year. She has externed at the circuit court and clerked at a small law firm. She will begin a research assistant position with her school’s Career Services in the summer and work with the Mediation Clinic in the fall. Additionally, Marie is a C.R. Warner Scholarship Recipient, Merit Scholarship Recipient, and Abstractor for Arkansas Probate and Trust Law Review and has received a top paper award in Civil Procedure I.
Prior to law school, Marie graduated from Georgia State University with a B.A. in Political Science. She then received her paralegal certificate from Emory University and worked at a law firm in Atlanta. After law school, Marie plans to move to Florida or Georgia to pursue her interest in a judicial clerkship at a trial court or practice in the area of class action, immigration, criminal, or family law.
secretary.naplsa[at] gmail.com
Marie Nguyen is a rising 3L at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law. Currently, Marie is the Secretary for her school’s APALSA and has been since her 2L school year. She is the Co-President for the student division of the local bar association, also holding that position since her 2L school year. She has externed at the circuit court and clerked at a small law firm. She will begin a research assistant position with her school’s Career Services in the summer and work with the Mediation Clinic in the fall. Additionally, Marie is a C.R. Warner Scholarship Recipient, Merit Scholarship Recipient, and Abstractor for Arkansas Probate and Trust Law Review and has received a top paper award in Civil Procedure I.
Prior to law school, Marie graduated from Georgia State University with a B.A. in Political Science. She then received her paralegal certificate from Emory University and worked at a law firm in Atlanta. After law school, Marie plans to move to Florida or Georgia to pursue her interest in a judicial clerkship at a trial court or practice in the area of class action, immigration, criminal, or family law.
Smrithi Mohan, Conference Chair
University of Arkansas, Little Rock - William H. Bowen School of Law
conference.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Smrithi is a current 3L at the University of Arkansas - Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law. She is pursuing concentrations in both International & Immigration Law, as well as in Intellectual Property Law. She is currently finishing her third and final year at Brooklyn Law School.
In addition to her duties as Conference Chair of NAPALSA, Smrithi is also the president and webmaster of her school's APALSA chapter (former treasurer), a former Senator, Student Organization Liaison, and current Curriculum Committee Liaison of her school's SBA, the Director of Executive Programming of her school's Out-of-State Student Association, a director and student teacher for the Street Law program, as well as an active member of the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers, the International Law Society, and the Intellectual Property Society.
Outside of school, Smrithi is the Cultural Coordinator and Executive Board member of an Arkansas community organization called "Friends of India," as well as a co-founder of the "Arkansas Academy for Indian Performing Arts." In her free time, she particularly enjoys performing and listening to a wide variety of music, including playing the veena (an ancient, South Indian, classical stringed instrument), writing, painting and drawing, leisure reading, and spending time with friends and family. She teaches Indian classical music independently as well.
conference.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Smrithi is a current 3L at the University of Arkansas - Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law. She is pursuing concentrations in both International & Immigration Law, as well as in Intellectual Property Law. She is currently finishing her third and final year at Brooklyn Law School.
In addition to her duties as Conference Chair of NAPALSA, Smrithi is also the president and webmaster of her school's APALSA chapter (former treasurer), a former Senator, Student Organization Liaison, and current Curriculum Committee Liaison of her school's SBA, the Director of Executive Programming of her school's Out-of-State Student Association, a director and student teacher for the Street Law program, as well as an active member of the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers, the International Law Society, and the Intellectual Property Society.
Outside of school, Smrithi is the Cultural Coordinator and Executive Board member of an Arkansas community organization called "Friends of India," as well as a co-founder of the "Arkansas Academy for Indian Performing Arts." In her free time, she particularly enjoys performing and listening to a wide variety of music, including playing the veena (an ancient, South Indian, classical stringed instrument), writing, painting and drawing, leisure reading, and spending time with friends and family. She teaches Indian classical music independently as well.
Regional Director for Northeast - vacant
northeast.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Dave Kim, Regional Director for Pacific North
University of Oregon School of Law
pacificnorth.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Dave Kim is a 3L at the University of Oregon School of Law. He was born and raised in Southern California. Dave graduated from UCLA with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Public Policy. He worked for the Social Security Administration for almost five years before starting law school. Dave is currently the co-director of APALSA at the University of Oregon School of Law. He has also volunteered for Lane County Legal Aid in Eugene, Oregon. He is interested in criminal law, particularly criminal prosecution. In the summer of 2009, he interned at the San Bernadino District Attorney's Office in San Bernadino, CA. He will return there for the summer of 2010. His hobbies include softball, tennis, cooking and travelling.
pacificnorth.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Dave Kim is a 3L at the University of Oregon School of Law. He was born and raised in Southern California. Dave graduated from UCLA with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Public Policy. He worked for the Social Security Administration for almost five years before starting law school. Dave is currently the co-director of APALSA at the University of Oregon School of Law. He has also volunteered for Lane County Legal Aid in Eugene, Oregon. He is interested in criminal law, particularly criminal prosecution. In the summer of 2009, he interned at the San Bernadino District Attorney's Office in San Bernadino, CA. He will return there for the summer of 2010. His hobbies include softball, tennis, cooking and travelling.
Ngoc Le, Regional Director for Pacific North
University of California Davis School of Law
pacificnorth.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Ngoc Le is currently a 3L at UC Davis School of Law. She serves as the Co-Chair for the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association at King Hall and the Pacific North Regional Co-Director of the National Asian Pacific American Law Students Association. Ngoc is also a Productions Editor for the UC Davis Journal of Juvenile Law and Policy and a member of the Diversity Coalition.
During her 1L summer, she received a Peggy Browning Fellowship to work for UNITE HERE! Local 2, a union representing hotel workers in San Francisco. This year, she will be a summer associate at Miller Morton Caillat & Nevis in San Jose. Ngoc graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors from UCLA and received an English degree. Her hometown is Santa Ana, California.
pacificnorth.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Ngoc Le is currently a 3L at UC Davis School of Law. She serves as the Co-Chair for the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association at King Hall and the Pacific North Regional Co-Director of the National Asian Pacific American Law Students Association. Ngoc is also a Productions Editor for the UC Davis Journal of Juvenile Law and Policy and a member of the Diversity Coalition.
During her 1L summer, she received a Peggy Browning Fellowship to work for UNITE HERE! Local 2, a union representing hotel workers in San Francisco. This year, she will be a summer associate at Miller Morton Caillat & Nevis in San Jose. Ngoc graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors from UCLA and received an English degree. Her hometown is Santa Ana, California.
Marty Chao, Regional Director for Pacific Southwest
Whittier Law School
pacificsw.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Marty is a 2010 graduate Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, California. Marty is also Vice President of Asian Pacific American Law Students’ Association at Whittier. In addition to his dual roles in NAPALSA and APALSA, Marty is the law clerk for a family court commissioner at Lamoreaux Justice Center of Orange County Superior Court. Last semester, Marty clerked at the Whittier Law School Children’s Right Center with focus on Children Advocacy.
After law school, Marty plans to practice in international and business fields with focus on Asia to better utilize his language skills. In his spare time, Marty enjoys attending bar association events, watching movies, and playing sports.
pacificsw.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Marty is a 2010 graduate Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, California. Marty is also Vice President of Asian Pacific American Law Students’ Association at Whittier. In addition to his dual roles in NAPALSA and APALSA, Marty is the law clerk for a family court commissioner at Lamoreaux Justice Center of Orange County Superior Court. Last semester, Marty clerked at the Whittier Law School Children’s Right Center with focus on Children Advocacy.
After law school, Marty plans to practice in international and business fields with focus on Asia to better utilize his language skills. In his spare time, Marty enjoys attending bar association events, watching movies, and playing sports.
Fue Thao, Regional Director for Central - North
Hamline University School of Law
centralnorth.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Fue Thao is currently a second year law student at Hamline University School of Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Fue is an alumnus of Carleton College graduating with a dual degree in International Relations and Economics.
At Hamline, Fue currently serves on the APALSA board as the First Year Ambassador. In addition to his studies, Fue volunteers at Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services in the Educational Law Advocacy Project assisting children with learning difficulties receive an education.
In his spare time, Fue likes to play golf, football, snowboard, and make music. He participates in a summer flag football league and likes to pretend he can play really well.
centralnorth.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Fue Thao is currently a second year law student at Hamline University School of Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Fue is an alumnus of Carleton College graduating with a dual degree in International Relations and Economics.
At Hamline, Fue currently serves on the APALSA board as the First Year Ambassador. In addition to his studies, Fue volunteers at Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services in the Educational Law Advocacy Project assisting children with learning difficulties receive an education.
In his spare time, Fue likes to play golf, football, snowboard, and make music. He participates in a summer flag football league and likes to pretend he can play really well.
Amy Johnson, Regional Director for Central - North
William Mitchell College of Law
centralnorth.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Amy is currently a third-year part-time student at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. Amy is a 2008 graduate of Concordia University with a Bachelors Degree in Sociology and English.
Amy currently serves as the Historian of her school's APALSA chapter. Currently, she volunteers at the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, MN at the Self Help Center. There she helps people with Harassment Restraining Orders and Criminal Expungements.
After law school graduation in 2012, Amy hopes to become a family law attorney and would like to be an advocate on issues pertaining to social justice and human rights.
In her spare time, she likes hang out with her family and friends. She also enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures.
centralnorth.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Amy is currently a third-year part-time student at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. Amy is a 2008 graduate of Concordia University with a Bachelors Degree in Sociology and English.
Amy currently serves as the Historian of her school's APALSA chapter. Currently, she volunteers at the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, MN at the Self Help Center. There she helps people with Harassment Restraining Orders and Criminal Expungements.
After law school graduation in 2012, Amy hopes to become a family law attorney and would like to be an advocate on issues pertaining to social justice and human rights.
In her spare time, she likes hang out with her family and friends. She also enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures.
Robbie Carman, Regional Director for Central - South
University of Texas School of Law
centralsouth.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Robbie is a second-year law student at the University of Texas School of Law. He is a graduate of Cornell University with a B.S. in Operations Research and Information Engineering.
At Texas, Robbie is a member of the Asian law student association as well as the Intellectual Property law student organization. He's still uncertain about his practice area interests, but hopes to work in either litigation or IP this summer.
In his free time, Robbie enjoys basketball, playing guitar, and taekwondo.
centralsouth.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Robbie is a second-year law student at the University of Texas School of Law. He is a graduate of Cornell University with a B.S. in Operations Research and Information Engineering.
At Texas, Robbie is a member of the Asian law student association as well as the Intellectual Property law student organization. He's still uncertain about his practice area interests, but hopes to work in either litigation or IP this summer.
In his free time, Robbie enjoys basketball, playing guitar, and taekwondo.
Ron Rohde, Regional Director for Southeast
University of Miami School of Law
southeast.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Ron attended Cornell University for a double major in Philosophy and Economics. After college, he worked for Abercrombie and Fitch home office in Ohio. He has interned at the Miami-Dade Public Defender's office and Department of Homeland Security: Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Ron plans on staying in Miami working with Chinese speaking clients doing immigration work. He loves riding his motorcycle and going to the beach.
southeast.napalsa [at] gmail.com
Ron attended Cornell University for a double major in Philosophy and Economics. After college, he worked for Abercrombie and Fitch home office in Ohio. He has interned at the Miami-Dade Public Defender's office and Department of Homeland Security: Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Ron plans on staying in Miami working with Chinese speaking clients doing immigration work. He loves riding his motorcycle and going to the beach.