Committees

The key to making the most of your WLAM membership is to get involved!  A great way to do so is to join one of our WLAM committees; use the WLAM Committee Preference Form. For more information, please contact the Committee Chair of the Committee you are interested in joining.  If a committee has yet to be assigned a chair, please contact WLAM President, Erin Klug.

STANDING COMMITTEES:

Leadership Identification & Development/Nominations & Awards Committee

Chair (Immediate Past-President): Ryan Kelly

Members: Mary Aretha, Lanita Carter, Kailen Piper, Ryan Kelly

Regional Representatives: Kailen Piper (Great Lakes Bay), Farrah Ramdayal (Macomb), Laura Polizzi (Macomb), Kristina Bilowus (Mid-Michigan), Jacqueline August (Oakland | WBA), Kelley Donnelly (Oakland | WBA), Melissa Wangler (Tip of the Mitt), Sandy Musser (Washtenaw), Nina Prashad-Kidd (Wayne), Essence Patterson (Wayne), Melissa Kelleigh (Western)

The chair of this committee works with state and regional leadership to identify and develop interested members for leadership positions within the Association. This committee handles the annual nomination of state officers and submits a proposed slate to the Board of Directors for approval. This committee also evaluates members and/or regions nominated for Association awards. To become a member of this committee, you must be appointed by your Region or the State President of the Association.


Regional Development Committee

Chair: Angela Medley

Members: Susie Chalgian, Angela Medley, Veronica Femminineo, Kailen Piper, Carolyn Horton, Melissa Wangler

Regional Presidents: Emilie Lyday (Great Lakes Bay), Alexandra (Lesia) Fedorak (Macomb), Melanie Smith (Mid-Michigan), Stephanie Brochert (Oakland | WBA), Amber Libby (Tip of the Mitt), Jinan Hamood (Washtenaw), Kathleen (Katie) Stearns (Wayne), Laura Morris(Western)

This committee works with interested members to establish new regions and/or student chapters in the underrepresented areas of the State of Michigan. This committee also works with existing regions and/or student chapters to establish mentoring opportunities.


Annual Meeting Committee

Chair (Current President-Elect): Susan Chalgian

Members:  Kirsten Silwanowicz, Melissa Card-Abela, Susan Chalgian, Veronica Femminineo, Melissa Heinz, Mary Aretha, Farrah Ramdayal- Howard, Tanya Grillo

This committee plans and manages the annual statewide meeting (including the content of the meeting program, obtaining sponsors and speakers, securing a location, promoting the meeting in the media, onsite facilitation at the meeting, and subsequent evaluation follow-up).


Membership Committee

Chair (Current Vice-President): Nicole Smithson

Members: Susie Chalgian, Farrah Ramdayal-Howard, Jennifer France, Katie Stearns, Melissa Heinz, Alexis Brown, Melissa Wangler, Rebecca Tetreau, Kailen Piper, Nicole M. Smithson

This committee works together to encourage new membership and helps WLAM retain current members. Establishes and maintains the Member Services Program (MSP). The MSP maintains and evaluates existing membership services, and creates programs to promote membership retention and growth.  Further, the MSP evaluates future potential member services and submits recommendations to the Board for implementation.


Finance Committee

Chair (Current Treasurer): Tanya Grillo

Members: Chelsea Utt (Great Lakes Bay), Jenna Bommarito (Macomb), Teddy Eisenhut (Mid-Michigan), Elyse Culberson (Oakland | WBA), Amanda Libby (Tip of the Mitt), Frances Hollander (Washtenaw), Julia Walczak (Wayne), Leslie Abdoo (Western)

The chair of the Finance Committee submits the annual budget for adoption. This committee works together with the Director to maintain Association finances (including preparation of monthly financial statements, consolidated quarterly reports, and the Association’s annual tax return). This committee also ensures accuracy and compliance with the Association’s financial policies and procedures.  This committee generally consists of the State Treasurer and the treasurers of each active region and/or student chapter.


Technology & Communications Committee

Chair (Current Secretary):  Kirsten Silwanowicz

Members: Huda M. Alawi, Patricia Woodruff, Kirsten Silwanowicz

The chair of this committee oversees the maintenance of the Association’s website and other media sources (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, listserv, etc.), the distribution of the Association’s quarterly electronic newsletter (e-Focus), and the distribution of referral emails to members. This committee works to ensure that the Association’s media sources are current and up to date with accurate leadership contact information, past event content displayed, and timely information is provided regarding upcoming events.


Bylaws, Policies & Procedures Committee

Chair: Tanya Lundberg

Members: Jennifer Henderson, Tanya Lundberg, Kirsten Silwanowicz, Rebecca Tetreau, Veronica Femminineo

This committee reviews the Association’s bylaws, policies and procedures and makes recommendations for appropriate changes to the Board of Directors and the membership.


Legal Affairs, Legislative, and Candidate Rating & Endorsement (CREC) Committee

Co-Chairs: Patty Woodruff and Nicole Smithson

Members: Nicole Smithson, Patricia Woodruff, Amanda Narvaes, Amber Libby, Amber Soler, Jacqueline August, Kim Crawford, Kristina Joseph, Nekia Kelley, Kymberlie Beth London, Chloe Neely, Kara Krause, Shannon Phillips, Katie Stearns, Emily Evers, Kerene Moore, Mary Parisien

This committee performs the following activities:

  • CREC (Candidate Rating & Endorsement Committee) – Reviews, rates or endorses, and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding candidates and/or potential appointees for judicial, quasi-judicial, and in some cases non-partisan appointive positions.
  • Legal Affairs/Amicus – Identifies cases in which the Association can participate as amicus curiae, brings such cases to the Board of the Association for consideration, and, when necessary, coordinates such participation. This committee also addresses any other response to existing law.
  • Legislative – Reviews and recommends support or opposition to legislation of interest to the membership.

Program Committee

Chair: Kirsten Silwanowicz

Members: Kirsten Silwanowicz, Elyse Culberson, Carolyn Horton, Krista Hurst, Kristina Bilowus, Mary Aretha, Nita Murray-Grier, Kara Krause, Alexis Brown

This committee works at the state and regional level to perform the following activities:

  • Career Development – Develops and establishes workshops and seminars that educate members regarding developing laws, technology and provides tools for career development.
  • Networking – Develops and establishes networking activities at the regional and state level for Association members. This committee also coordinates networking activities with other organizations/associations.
  • Charitable – Develops and establishes charitable activities at the regional and state level for Association members. This committee also coordinates charitable activities with other organizations/associations.

Historical Preservation Committee

Chair: Nicole Smithson

Members: Nicole M Smith, Rebecca Tetreau, Lindsay Hazen, Melissa Heinz, Wesley Levise, Emily Evers, Carolyn Horton

This committee will work to preserve, archive and present the history of WLAM.


Diversity and Inclusion Committee

Co-Chairs: Zenell Brown and Abril Valdes Siewert

Members: Zenell Brown, Abril Valdes Siewert, Alexis Brown, Demetria Brue, Huda M. Alawi, Kristina Robinson Garrett, Lanita Carter, Maria Vinueza-Henton, Nekia Kelley, Nina Prashad-Kidd, Noraline Issak, Frances Hollander, Judge Sima Patel, Jacqueline August, Kim Crawford, Krista Hurst, Stephanie A Thomas, Kerene Moore, Jennifer France, Elyse Culberson

Educate, coordinate activities, and facilitate internal and external outreach with WLAM committees, other bar associations and members of the legal community to further D&I initiatives.

The Diversity and Inclusion Committee will develop educational tools and programming, in conjunction with other WLAM committees and collaboration with external organizations to (1) raise awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion to the structure and action of the organization, (2) assist members in facilitating and encouraging D&I discussion, engagement and initiatives through the organization’s internal and external communications, (3) assist the profession and the general public with D&I initiatives that are in line with the WLAM mission statement.

SBM Resources on Race and Justice


WLAMom Committee

Co-Chairs: Patricia Woodruff and Kirsten Silwanowicz 

Members: Kirsten Silwanowicz, Patricia Woodruff, Susan Chalgian, Annie Hussein, Lindsay Hazen, Mary Parisien, Stephanie A Thomas, Amber Soler, Lanita Carter, Shannon Phillips, Melissa Card-Abela, Abril Valdes Siewert, Jennifer Henderson, Amber Libby

WLAMom focuses on providing resources and advocacy for WLAM’s members with families, no matter what stage of parenthood they are in. WLAMom strives to be an open and nurturing environment, one in which its members can come together to navigate and balance parenting and lawyering.


Leadership Class Committee

Co-Chairs: Kirsten Silwanowicz and Tanya Grillo 

Members: Kirsten Silwanowicz, Tanya Grillo, Elyse Culberson, Essence Patterson, Jennifer Henderson, Judge Sima Patel, Kristina Robinson Garrett, Noraline Issak, Wesley Levise, Laura Danielson, Farrah Ramdayal-Howard, Maria Vinueza-Henton, Nina Prashad-Kidd

This committee works with interested members to create an annual program focused on the development of future female leaders.  This committee designs core leadership classes focused on mentoring and networking development with experienced women lawyers and judges from a diverse background of the law.   In addition, the committee will guide and support the Leadership Class as they develop and implement a community service project.


SPECIAL COMMITTEES (Ad Hoc)

Gender Equity Committee

Chair: Kristina Bilowus

Members: Kristina Bilowus, Susan Chalgian, Chloe Neely, Kara Krause, Laura Danielson, Melissa Kelleigh, Shannon Phillips, Jennifer France, Frances Hollander, Judge Sima Patel, Kymberlie Beth London, Katie Stearns 

This committee develops programs and services to: (1) assist members in dealing with gender bias; (2) raise awareness among the bench, bar, law schools, law enforcement, state government and/or general public of the continuing problem of gender bias; and (3) attempt to reduce the frequency and severity of the incidents and effects of gender bias on individual lawyers and members of society.


Domestic Violence Committee

Chair: Noraline Issak

Members: Frances Hollander, Kymberlie Beth London, Wesley Levise, Stephanie A Thomas, Huda M. Alawi, Maria Vinueza-Henton, Nina Prashad-Kidd, Amber Soler, Lauren Giese, Noraline Issak, Abril Valdes Siewert, Amber Libby

This committee will work with the State Bar of Michigan as part of a taskforce to establish a domestic violence assistance program.

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