Board of Directors
Presidents
AIRIN CHEN (they/them) works for at the National Women’s Law Center. Previously, they were a staff attorney for the Departmental Appeals Board at the US Department of Health and Human Services. They obtained their J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and their B.A. from UC Berkeley. As a queer, trans, Taiwanese American attorney, Airin is invested health and racial justice and LGBTQ+ rights. As a multi-media artist, they are committed to cultivating LGBTQ+ art projects and community spaces throughout DC.
JOHN HEFLIN (he/him) graduated from Georgetown University Law School in 2020. During law school, John served as a staff member on the Georgetown Technology Law Review, with a focus on new developments in privacy law. He also interned at international non-profit, Ashoka, specializing in data protection and privacy compliance. Upon completing his internship, Ashoka hired him to continue his work on privacy compliance. Since joining Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, John has focused on privacy and data security, cybersquatting, emerging technologies and intellectual property with a focus on trademark law. Prior to law school, John worked for former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe as his personal aide. He attended Marquette University obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.
Vice President
CALEB HOLLAND (he/him) is originally from Smithfield, Virginia and has lived in DC since 2018. After graduating law school cum laude from the Catholic University Columbus School of Law, Caleb has developed his practice in the area of food and drug law and is currently an Associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP. Caleb has interned with the Office of Special Masters in the Court of Federal Claims under Special Master Katherine Oler and has worked for the Department of Commerce with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Caleb has published scholarly work on government-held patents for PrEP in the Catholic University Law Review, and he holds a graduate certification in Global Health from his alma mater, Old Dominion University. Caleb maintains an active pro bono practice, focusing on environmental and social justice issues. In his free time, Caleb enjoys watching tennis and spending time with his parrot, Martha Wash.
Secretary
MEGHAN DROSTE (she/her) works for a federal agency on equal employment issues. Prior to joining the federal government, Ms. Droste was in private practice with two DC-area firms representing federal and private sector employees who experienced discrimination in the workplace. She also shared her knowledge of employment discrimination law as an instructor with the Federal Employment Law Training Group, providing trainings to federal agencies across the country. Originally from Boston, Ms. Droste holds a B.A. from Boston University, an M.S. from American University, and a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School.
Treasurer
SHERRY YU (they/them) is a litigation associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. Sherry holds a B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, a M.S. from Northwestern University, and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, where they were on the board of OutLaw and were a recipient of DC LGBT Bar’s Lavender Equality Fellowship. Outside of work, Sherry is an avid CrossFitter, and was an OutAthlete in 2020 with the Out Foundation, a group dedicated to increase LGBTQ+ access in fitness, when they successfully advocated for CrossFit to allow the usage of preferred name for their certified coaches in competitions.
Members
ANDREW DAM (he/him) currently serves as a general attorney for the Department of Energy’s Office of Hearings and Appeals. Andrew grew up in Evansville, Indiana and attended Indiana University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Law & Public Policy with a Minor in Economics in 2017. He graduated from Georgetown Law in 2020. During law school, Andrew was a chair in OutLaw, Senior Articles Editor for the Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law, and a student attorney in the Georgetown Law Civil Rights Clinic. Andrew served as a law clerk for the Honorable Laura A. Cordero in D.C. Superior Court from August 2020 to April 2023. During that time, Judge Cordero was the Presiding Judge of the Civil Division, the Deputy Presiding Judge of the Probate and Tax Divisions, and eventually the Presiding Judge of the Probate and Tax Divisions. From November 2022 to April 2023, Andrew also clerked for two other judges in the Probate and Tax Divisions: the Honorable Leslie A. Meek and the Honorable Erik Christian. From April 2023 to March 2024, he worked as a trial attorney for DOE’s Office of General Counsel, Litigation.
DENNIS JANSEN (he/him) is a state and local tax associate at Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP. Dennis holds a B.A. from the University of Miami, a J.D. from the University of Minnesota, and an LL.M. in taxation from Georgetown University with a certificate in state and local taxation. Prior to practicing tax law, Dennis worked at Thomson Reuters for 7 years and served as an editor at the Dallas Morning News, where he also reported on LGBTQ+ issues. Dennis splits his time between Houston and Dallas, where he lives with two dogs – a chiweenie named Gunter and a labradoodle named Ingrid.
JOHN LAPIN (he/him) is a litigation associate at O’Melveny & Myers. Before joining O’Melveny, John spent two years clerking in his native Colorado for the Hon. Philip A. Brimmer, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Before then, John was a white collar associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges in DC. John received his J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was a board member of OutLaw, managing editor of the American Criminal Law Review, research assistant in comparative constitutional law, law clerk at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and intern for the Hon. Beryl A. Howell, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Before law school, John was the Senior Assistant to the Special Counsel at the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, where he worked on congressional and inter-governmental relations and served as a member of the Obama Administration’s working group on employment protections for LGBTQ+ federal employees. John received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Tufts University.
ALAN MOORE (he/him) is Assistant General Counsel for Data Protection at S&P Global, one of the world’s leading providers of market analytics and financial ratings services. In that role, Alan oversees privacy and data protection provisions in S&P’s vendor negotiations for the Americas and Europe and serves as liaison to the Government Relations and Cybersecurity Incident Response teams. Prior to joining S&P, Alan worked in privacy legal roles in the healthcare, government, and technology sectors. He holds a JD from the Samford University Cumberland School of Law and an LLM with Honors in privacy law from the University of East Anglia Law School in Norwich, England. Alan is originally from rural Georgia and has lived in the DC area since 2019. Outside of work, he’s an avid Nationals fan, engaged in several community health and wellness initiatives, and member of the Washington National Cathedral Congregation.
M MOORE (he/him) is a litigation associate at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP. M represents clients in a range of matters, including commercial disputes and white-collar cases, and specializes in representing individuals under government investigation. M also maintains a pro bono practice, where he represents clients in immigration and criminal cases. M received his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, and his B.S from the University of Chicago. He clerked for the Honorable T.S. Ellis, III of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Honorable Mary Beck Briscoe of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
JAGIR PATEL (they/them) Jagir Patel is an attorney with Phillips & Cohen (P&C) and an adjunct professor at Howard University, where they teach courses in Constitutional Law and Administrative Law. At P&C, Jagir works on whistleblower cases involving the False Claims Act and financial frauds before Federal regulators. Previously, they worked at the White House Office of Management and Budget where they were responsible for administering major executive branch programs, advising on significant policy and appropriations decisions, and drafting and implementing complex Federal regulations, including those involving program integrity and financial oversight of Federal programs and civil rights in educational settings. Jagir received their Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center, where they were a Blume Public Interest Scholar and served as the Executive Editor of the Annual Review of Criminal Procedure for the Georgetown Law Journal. They hold a Master of Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education and serve on the Board of Directors for the D.C. LGBTQ+ Bar Association and the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Jagir is admitted to the bar in the District of Columbia.
PAIGE RANDALL (she/her) is an Associate at Winston & Strawn LLP and is a member of the firm’s Corporate group where she specializes in the formation and advising of SBIC funds. Paige’s practice includes experience in assisting fund sponsors in the formation of private equity, real estate and venture funds. She has also represented pension plans, institutional investors, endowments and foundations in their investments in private funds. Paige has a significant experience with a variety of transactions on the secondaries market. Paige graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2018, where she served as Co-Editor in Chief of Vol. XIX of the Georgetown Journal of Gender & the Law. Since graduation, Paige has worked in both New York City and Washington, DC for large, international law firms. Paige currently serves on the Membership Committee of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association and is active in Georgetown’s Early Outreach Program, which reaches out to and mentors recent high school graduates interested in a career in the legal field. She currently resides in Washington, DC with her wife and their dogs, and is an avid fan of the Washington Spirit.
WHITNEY SCHNEIDER-WHITE (she/her) is an associate at BakerHostetler, where she is a member of the Privacy Governance and Technology Transactions team. In this role, Whitney advises clients on domestic and global privacy, data protection, and information governance issues. Whitney leads her office’s LGBTQ+ affinity group and is a co-chair of her office’s Associate Committee because she enjoys mentoring and organizing resources for her colleagues. Before joining BakerHostetler, Whitney served as the Global Privacy and Compliance Counsel for an international nonprofit, overseeing the development and implementation of its global privacy and data protection framework. Whitney obtained her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and her undergraduate degree from New York University.
PAYTON THORNTON (he/him) is an antitrust litigation associate at Mintz. He focuses his practice on antitrust, competition, and consumer protection matters– including antitrust compliance counseling, HSR notification and merger clearance, and government investigations. He primarily advises health care clients. Payton graduated from GMU Law in 2022 with a concentration in antitrust law. He was president of the OutLaw chapter and Editor in Chief of the Journal of Law, Economics and Policy. Payton is a Young Lawyer Representative for the Antitrust Source and sits on Mintz’s Firm Associate Committee. He devotes his free time volunteering with the D.C. chapter and national organization of Gay for Good, a non-profit with chapters in over 20 cities that mobilizes LGBTQ+ and ally volunteers to make a difference in their community. He is a loyal and true fan of Oklahoma State University football and wrestling.
TAI WILLIAMS (she/her) is an associate at Crowell & Moring LLP who practices within the firm’s International Dispute Resolution and Health Care groups. She maintains an active pro bono practice with a focus on immigration law and reform. Tai earned her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, and her B.A. in Psychology and Spanish from Tufts University. Through the DC LGBTQ+ Bar, she hopes to increase visibility and build community among members of the queer legal community.
ROBERT VLASIS (he/him) is a partner at Winston & Strawn LLP, where he litigates Section 337 patent-infringement disputes at the U.S. International Trade Commission. Robert dedicates his spare legal time to civic engagement and pro bono matters affecting the LGBTQ+ community. He has authored amicus briefs in landmark Supreme Court cases, and has represented numerous clients discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation and HIV status. Robert is past Chair of the Eastern Caucus for the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund and has been involved with Lambda Legal, Whitman Walker, HRC, Human Rights Watch, the ACLU, the Houston Law Center’s Diversity Mentoring Program, and Callen-Lorde in New York, among other organizations. His service has been awarded the HIV Law Project’s Distinguished Pro Bono Service Award.
LAZARO ZAMORA (he/him) is an Associate at Hogan Lovells and a member of the firm’s Litigation Arbitration and Employment practice. Lazaro has experience defending class action lawsuits and multidistrict litigation at various stages of litigation, as well as arbitrating contract disputes. Lazaro also maintains an active pro bono practice representing immigrants, survivors of violent crimes, and veterans and their families. Before joining Hogan Lovells, Lazaro attended Georgetown Law, where he served as an executive editor for the Georgetown Law Journal and as a law fellow for the First Year Legal Research and Writing Program. Originally born in Havana, Cuba, Lazaro grew up in Miami, Florida, until attending Georgetown University for college.