The LSAC Equality Conference
Building, Maintaining, and Promoting LGBTQ+-Inclusive Law Schools
About the Equality Conference
December 9–11, 2018
Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek
Orlando, FL
Building, promoting, and maintaining an inclusive LGBTQ+ environment in law school is an important and deliberate process. At the LSAC Equality Conference, law school administrators and faculty will have a unique opportunity to learn about best practices for welcoming LGBTQ+ students to their law schools. Leaders and experts on LGBTQ+ issues in higher education in general—and legal education in particular—will present on topics including recruitment and admissions, career opportunities, LGBTQ+ student perspectives, and general student services.
This is important: This conference is open only to faculty and staff from LSAC-member law schools. Registration for this conference is now closed.
Program Schedule
All sessions are held in Ponce de León I–III, Lower Level.
3:00 p.m. Registration
Grand Foyer, Lower Level
4:15 p.m. Welcome and Introductions
José Bahamonde-González
Associate Dean, Professional Education & Pro Bono Initiatives
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
Chair, LSAC Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Subcommittee
George Wallace
Executive Director
LGBT+Center Orlando, Inc.
(dba The Center Orlando)
4:30 p.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks
Kellye Testy
President and CEO
LSAC
5:00 p.m. Terminology
Aby Parsons, PhD
Inaugural Director
LGBTQIA Resources Center
Georgia Institute of Technology (GA Tech)
6:00 p.m. Welcome Reception
Pool Deck, Lower Level
Dinner on Your Own
7:30 a.m. Breakfast Buffet
Deep Blu Seafood Grille, Lobby Level
9:15 a.m. Welcome and Introductions
José Bahamonde-González
Associate Dean, Professional Education & Pro Bono Initiatives
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
Chair, LSAC Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Subcommittee
9:30 a.m. Panel: Best Practices—Learning from Other Graduate Schools and Universities
Moderator
Sondra Tennessee
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
University of Houston School of Law
Chair, LSAC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Panel
Sarah Clever, MD
Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Abigail Francis, MSW
Assistant Dean of LGBTQ Services
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Luke Jensen, PhD
Director, LGBT Equity Center
University of Maryland College Park
Melissa C. Thomas-Hunt, PhD
Vice Provost of Inclusive Excellence
Vanderbilt University
Professor of Management
Owen Graduate School of Management
11:00 a.m. Break
Grand Foyer, Lower Level
11:10 a.m. The Deans’ Roundtable
Moderator
Kellye Testy
President and CEO
LSAC
Roundtable
Marcilynn Burke
Dean, University of Oregon School of Law
Andrew Klein
Dean, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
Vivian Neptune
Dean, University of Puerto Rico School of Law
Anthony Niedwiecki
Dean, Golden Gate University School of Law
Donald Tobin
Dean, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
12:15 p.m. Lunch
Bonnet Creek Ballroom, Lower Level
1:00 p.m. Keynote
Introduction of Keynote
Kellye Testy
President and CEO
LSAC
Keynote
Robert Maldonado, Esq.
Partner, Cooper & Dunham LLP
Past President, Hispanic National Bar Association
1:30 p.m. Break
Grand Foyer, Lower Level
1:45 p.m. Panel: Data, Statistics, and Standards: A Review of Data and Organizational Objectives Pertaining to LGBTQ Aspirants, Students, and Lawyers
Moderator
Kent Lollis
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer
LSAC
Panel
Camille deJorna
Deputy for Legal and Global Higher Education
LSAC
Josiah Evans
Co-Director of Assessments
LSAC
James Leipold
Executive Director
National Association for Law Placement
Sean M. Scott
Associate Director
Association of American Law Schools
3:00 p.m. Break
Grand Foyer, Lower Level
3:15 p.m. Panel: LGBTQ Climate in Big Law and Public Service
Moderator
José Bahamonde-González
Associate Dean, Professional Education & Pro Bono Initiatives
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
Chair, LSAC Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Subcommittee
Panel
Marcelyn Cox
Assistant Dean for Career Development
University of Miami School of Law
Carlos Dávila-Caballero
Director of Diversity and Inclusion
Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Femi Disu-Oakley
Director of Diversity and Inclusion
The Legal Aid Society
Eric Stern
Deputy Director, Career Development Office
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
6:30 p.m. Reception and Dinner
Grand Foyer, Lower Level
8:00 p.m. Disco Party with Staff and Volunteers of the LGBT+ Center Orlando
Bonnet Creek Ballroom, Lower Level
7:30 a.m. Breakfast
Deep Blue Seafood Grille, Lobby Level
9:00 a.m. Keynote: Reaching Out and Effectively Communicating with the LGBTQ Community
Introduction to Keynote
José Bahamonde-González
Associate Dean, Professional Education & Pro Bono Initiatives
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
Chair, LSAC Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Subcommittee
Keynote
Bob Witeck
President
Witeck Communications, Inc.
10:00 a.m. Panel: Lessons Learned: LGBTQ Law School Grads Share Their Perspectives on the Law School Recruitment and Admission Process, and Safe/Inclusive Space in Law School
Moderator
Bekah Saidman-Krauss
Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid
The Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson Law
LSAC Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Subcommittee
Panel
Everett Arthur
Emory University School of Law
Alex Garnick
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
Luis Rivera
Inter American University School of Law
Margi Schiebirl
University of California, Berkeley School of Law
11:00 a.m. Break
Grand Foyer, Lower Level
11:15 a.m. Lessons Learned and to Be Learned: Admissions Professionals Roundtable
Moderator
Carla E. Anderson
Director of Operations for Admissions and Financial Aid and Director of Access Initiatives
University of Pennsylvania Law School
Roundtable
Reyes Aguilar Jr.
Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid
University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law
Ken Kleinrock
Former Associate Dean
New York University School of Law
Beth Kransberger
Kransberger Consulting Group
Laura N. Shepherd
Associate Dean for Student Services
William & Mary Law School
12:30 p.m. Keynote: It’s Not Enough to Create Gender Neutral Bathrooms: A Personal Guide to Affirming the Individual and Transforming the Institution
Introduction to Keynote
Camille deJorna
Deputy for Legal and Global Higher Education
LSAC
Keynote
Jay L. Austin
Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Financial Services
UC Irvine School of Law
1:15 p.m. Lunch Boxes Distributed
Grand Foyer, Lower Level
Safe travels to all!
Make a Donation, Enter the Raffle
For every $10 donated to The LGBT+ Center Orlando (The Center), you will receive one chance to enter our raffle for
Two Nights, plus Breakfast for Two,
at the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek
Once you’ve made a donation, please stop by our registration table to show your receipt, and you will get the ticket(s) to enter the raffle.
Conference Presented by
Law School Admission Council
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Subcommittee
Law School Admission Council