Jennifer Weddle specializes in Indian law issues as a partner at Greenberg Traurig. Previously, she was an attorney at Holland & Hart where she chaired the firm's Indian Law Service Group. She is a frequent speaker on tribal rights, Indian Law matters, and Native Americans' unique racial and political perspective on legal diversity issues. Ms. Weddle was a Co-Chair of the 2007 Rocky Mountain Legal Diversity Summit and currently serves as President of the Colorado Indian Bar Association.

Jim Pinto is a Shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.  He works with the firm's Intellectual Property & Technology Group in the Denver office, assisting clients with intellectual property issues, as well as preparing and prosecuting patent applications relating to electrical, computer, software and mechanical technologies.  He is also a member of the firm's Diversity Committee.

Ms. Rhoades is of counsel in Kutak Rock’s Litigation group and focuses her practice on telecommunications, regulatory and commercial litigation. Before joining Kutak Rock, she served as in-house counsel for a Fortune 200 company and also clerked for U.S. Senior District Court Judge John L. Kane. Ms. Rhoades is a former President of the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association and represents CHBA on the CLI Board. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Easter Seals Colorado and the Colorado Center on Law and Policy. Ms. Rhoades was recently appointed to the Hispanic National Bar Association’s Commission on Women in the Profession. She is the past chair of the Colorado Bar Association’s Diversity in the Legal Profession Committee and was named the Outstanding New Hispanic Lawyer by the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association in 2006.

Judge Arguello was appointed to the U.S. District Court in October 2008. Previously, she was the Managing Senior Associate Counsel at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Judge Arguello has taught law in Kansas and Colorado and practiced in both the private and public sectors. In 2007, she was selected for the Denver legal community's 2007 Qwest Diversity Trailblazer: Individual of the Year Award for her commitment to, and work on behalf of, inclusiveness in the legal profession.

Heather Baker has been chair of CLI’s marketing committee for the past three years. Ms. Baker is the director of marketing and business development at the law firm of Otten Johnson Robinson Neff + Ragonetti PC, in Denver. She has over 14 years of strategic marketing experience in the legal, architectural and construction industries. Ms. Baker received her M.S. in resort and tourism management from the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver and her A.B. in political science from Davidson College.

Eric Bono joined the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2011 as the Assistant Dean for Career Opportunities. He has a diverse background practicing law and working in higher education. Previously, Mr. Bono worked as the Director for the Private Sector and Judicial Clerkships in Colorado at the University of Colorado Law School. Before that, he practiced general litigation and employment law in Denver at the law firms of Holme Roberts & Owen and Baird & Kiovsky. Prior to law school, Eric was an Admissions Counselor at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio and an Assistant Director of Admissions at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. Mr. Bono was a Co-Chair of the 2007 Rocky Mountain Legal Diversity Summit.

With his appointment in 1995 by President Clinton, Chief Judge Daniel became the first African-American to be appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Colorado and only the second to be appointed in the Tenth Circuit. In October 2008, Judge Daniel was appointed as the Chief Judge of the District. He began his legal career as an associate at a Detroit law firm. Judge Daniel moved to Denver in 1977 and practiced law at two law firms before his judicial appointment. Judge Daniel also teaches law as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado Law School and as a lecturer for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA), the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, and various other organizations.

Leslie Fields is a managing partner in the Denver office of Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, where she specializes in eminent domain and real estate litigation law. She has been recognized as one of the top women lawyers in the state by Law Week Colorado and is consistently listed with America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Real Estate. Leslie wrote the leading textbook on eminent domain law in Colorado: Colorado Eminent Domain Practice. During her extensive career, Ms. Fields has been involved in nearly every major governmental project within the state of Colorado. She is also a member of the Faegre Baker Daniels' diversity committee. She received her J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.

David Fine is partner in the Denver office of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, employment litigation, and public policy and regulatory affairs. Prior to joining MLA, Mr. Fine served as the City Attorney for the City and County of Denver from 2007 - 2011.  In that capacity he provided policy and legal advice to Mayor John Hickenlooper and other City leadership, served as the final decision maker on all critical legal decisions facing the City, and managed a large public law firm with diverse practices.

Jordan M. Fox is a Member with Denver’s oldest law firm, Sherman & Howard LLC. He focuses his practice on family law. Mr. Fox is a frequent author and speaker on family law topics and is a Fellow with the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He received his BS degree in Chemical and Petroleum Refining Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 1989 and his JD from the University of Houston Law Center in 1993. Mr. Fox is a member of the First Judicial and the Colorado Bar associations and is a member of the Family law section of the Colorado Bar. In his spare time Mr. Fox takes and teaches karate in Lakewood, Colorado.

Nicole Gorham focuses her law practice on commercial and complex civil litigation involving business entities of various sizes. Ms. Gorham's experience includes litigation in a wide range of substantive areas including business transactions and contractual disputes, and real estate law. She received her law degree in 2007 from Syracuse University College of Law. She also holds a master of public administration degree from Syracuse University, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Ms. Gorham represents the Colorado Women's Bar Association on CLI's Board of Directors.

Susani Harris serves as the Senior Director for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence at the University of Colorado Law School. She develops and oversees initiatives that support admissions, career development, retention, student programming, pipeline activities and alumni. From 2008 to 2011, she served as the Assistant Dean for Career Development at the University of Colorado Law School. Prior to this position, she was legal counsel for a settlement consulting firm in Houston, Texas, and was an attorney at Holland & Hart, where, over her 20 years there, she practiced Oil & Gas and Mining Law and was Of Counsel, Director of Attorney Recruitment and Professional Development, and Director of Diversity and Professional Development.

Franz Hardy is a partner in the Denver office of Gordon & Rees LLP, whose practice includes complex commercial cases in employment matters on behalf of employers and professional liability cases. Mr. Hardy serves on the Colorado Bar Association and Professional Liability Committee, where he co-chaired the state-wide 2007 Preventing Legal Malpractice Seminar. He is also president of the Colorado Asian Pacific American Bar Association (ABAPA) and represents APABA on the CLI Board of Directors.

Dean Heizer's practice focuses on employment law. Mr. Heizer is deeply committed to CLI and its efforts to increase diversity within the legal profession. He was selected for the Qwest Diversity Trailblazer Individual of the Year Award in 2008 for his work as CLI Chair and as a former Chair of the Pledge to Diversity Legal Group. He served as the Chair of CLI's Board of Directors from CLI's inception in 2007 to 2010.

Dean Katz teaches and writes about constitutional law and employment discrimination law. Prior to joining DU, he was a partner in the employment litigation group at Davis, Graham & Stubbs LLP, and a law clerk to Judge David M. Ebel, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Dean Katz graduated from Harvard College and Yale Law School. In his spare time, he flies search and rescue missions for the Civil Air Patrol.

Bob Lawrence is head of Davis Graham & Stubbs' Natural Resources Department and is also a member of the firm's Executive Committee. He has practiced environmental law for over twenty-five years and has extensive experience in environmental litigation and administrative proceedings, permitting, compliance and enforcement matters and successful resolution of environmental issues in a wide range of transactions.

Loretta Martinez is the general counsel for Metropolitan State College of Denver. She serves as the chief legal adviser to the President and Board of Trustees, providing advice and counsel on all matters affecting the legal rights and obligations of the College.  Martinez also was appointed secretary to the College’s Board of Trustees in November 2010. She previously served as General Counsel for the Colorado State University System, and as Legal Counsel, General Secretary and acting Director of Human Resources for Colorado College. Martinez has been named a Mexican and American Solidarity Foundation Fellow, a National Hispaña Leadership Institute Fellow and a Harvard Administrative Fellow.

Lisa Mickley´s practice at Hall & Evans focuses on litigation and insurance coverage. Her experience includes coverage advice, disputes and extra-contractual claims, as well as personal injury claims, products liability, wrongful death and premises liability. She is the Colorado Pledge to Diversity Legal Group's representative on CLI's Board of Directors.

Andy McCallin is a First Assistant Attorney General in the Consumer Protection Section of the Colorado Attorney General's Office. Previously, he practiced law and clerked for a federal judge in Denver. Mr. McCallin is a Co-Chair of the Pipeline Working Group and has served on the board of the Colorado Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Bar Association since 2005 (president in 2006). In 2007, the Colorado Supreme Court appointed Mr. McCallin to the Board of Trustees for the Attorney's Fund for Client Protection, which was to reimburse clients who have lost money as a result of dishonest acts by their lawyers.

Rhonda Parish currently serves as the Chief Legal, People and Risk Officer & Corporate Secretary for Einstein Noah Restaurant Group (“ENRGI”), based in Lakewood, Colorado, with leadership responsibilities for the Legal, Human Resources and Risk Management Departments as well as for the Office of the Corporate Secretary to the ENRGI Board of Directors. Prior to joining ENRGI in January, 2010, Ms. Parish worked for Denny’s Corporation and its predecessor companies serving first as Senior Vice President and General Counsel, and later as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary. Prior to her tenure with Denny’s, she worked for Walmart Stores, Inc. as Corporate Counsel and later as Assistant General Counsel.

Patty Powell is currently a lecturer with the Academic Achievement Program/DU Bar Success Program of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law (DU Law).  Previously she served as Director of Career Services and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at DU Law, as well as Assistant Dean of Career Development at the University of Colorado Law School. She is a past Co-Chair of the Diversity in the Legal Profession Committee of the CBA; past Co-Chair of the Professional Advancement Committee for the Colorado Women's Bar Association; past President of the Sam Cary Bar Association; and Co-Chair of the 2007 Rocky Mountain Legal Diversity Summit in Denver.

A former managing partner of Patton Boggs' Denver Office, Mark Savit counsels clients on natural resources law and regulation matters, with an emphasis on mine safety and health law, protected species law, public lands law, oil and gas law, occupational safety law, and related litigation and legislative services. Mr. Savit began his career at the Department of the Interior and before joining Patton Boggs, he headed the special investigation unit of the Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration.

Y.E. Scott joined the Colorado Attorney General's Office in 1991, representing the Department of Corrections. In 1993, Governor Roy Romer appointed her to the State Parole Board. In 1997, Ms. Scott became the Board's first and only Administrative Law Judge, conducting revocation hearings along the Front Range. After the Board was reorganized in 2000, Ms. Scott returned to the Attorney General's office, where she is now the Senior Assistant Attorney General serving as General Counsel to the State Board of Nursing. Additionally, Ms. Scott has been an adjunct professor at the Denver University Sturm College of Law and a volunteer judge for the Aurora Teen Court.

Paula Torke has been with Dorsey & Whitney LLP for 18 years starting her career as the Office Manager for the Denver office. For the past 8 years she has been one of three Regional Directors responsible for five of the firm’s regional offices. Her career started out in the area of human resources and since that time she has developed a strong background in all areas of law firm management. During her career as an administrator, she has been a member of the Association of Legal Administrators and has been involved with its leadership on a local, regional and national level. She has participated as a speaker at regional and national conferences focused on such issues as branch management, outsourcing, facilities and office space.  Since her involvement with CLI's Inclusiveness Network, Ms. Torke has become an advocate for embedding inclusiveness in all areas of law firm management.

Dr. Treviño is a private diversity and inclusiveness consultant. He has served as the Associate Provost for Multicultural Excellence at the University of Denver's Center for Multicultural Excellence, and as the Director of the Intergroup Relations Center, Office of the Senior Vice-President and Provost at Arizona State University. He earned his B.A. in 1979 and his M.A. in 1982, both from Eastern Michigan University. In 1992, Dr. Treviño graduated from UCLA with both an M.A. and Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis on higher education. His areas of expertise include campus climate issues, campus intergroup relations, diversity training, and the collegiate experiences of students of color.

Scott Wilensky is Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Xcel Energy. Previously he was Vice president of Regulatory and Resource Planning for all of Xcel Energy's operating companies. He has more than 25 years of experience in utility regulation, having served both as Managing Director of Rate Revenue and as Managing Director of Government Affairs. Before coming to Xcel Energy, he spent 10 years as Assistant Attorney General with the Minnesota Attorney General's Office in areas affecting public utility regulation. Scott earned his J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Most recently Mark Yonkman served as the chief legal and regulatory officer of CoBank, responsible for providing legal counsel to all areas of CoBank's business operations. He oversaw the bank's regulatory and board relations functions and served on CoBank's Management Executive Committee. Prior to joining CoBank in 2009, Mr. Yonkman was senior vice president and general counsel for M&T Bank, a commercial bank with over $65 billion in total assets headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y. Mr. Yonkman holds a law degree from Wayne State University.

In his more than two decades at the University of Colorado Law School, Dean Getches was a national authority on natural resources and Indian law issues. Hew was appointed Dean in July 2003. Prior to joining the faculty of CU Law School in 1979, he was the founding Executive Director of the Boulder-based Native American Rights Fund and spent several years in private practice. Dean Getches took two leaves from the University of Colorado, first to serve as the executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources from 1983 to 1987, and then to serve as a special consultant to the Secretary of the Interior in 1996. Dean Getches co-founded the Deans’ Diversity Council with former DU Law Dean Beto Juárez in 2006. In March 2011, CLI’s Board of Directors honored Dean Getches with a special recognition award at the spring Deans’ Diversity Council Meeting & Dinner. He was recognized for his visionary leadership and commitment to making the legal profession more diverse and inclusive.

Beto Juárez, the University of Denver's first Hispanic Dean, began his tenure at the Sturm College of Law in July, 2006. An accomplished scholar, lawyer, and administrator, Dean Juárez came to DU from St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas, where he was a law professor and an associate dean for academic and student affairs. Dean Juárez began his career as a staff attorney for the Gulf Coast Legal Foundation in Galveston, Texas, where he practiced poverty law, with an emphasis on family and housing law. He also worked as a staff attorney for MALDEF in San Antonio and as MALDEF's Regional Counsel and Employment Program Director in their LA office.