Panelists

Megan McAllen, Director, Campaign Finance Litigation, Campaign Legal Center

Megan McAllen is Director of Campaign Finance Litigation at Campaign Legal Center, where she focuses on campaign finance law and policy. Ms. McAllen litigates a broad range of money-in-politics issues in state and federal courts across the country, and also has expertise on topics related to administrative law, government ethics, lobbying, and political transparency. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and Princeton University.

 

 

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Abby Wood, Professor of Law, Political Science, and Public Policy; Commissioner USC Gould School of Law; California Fair Political Practices Commission

 

 

 

 

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Zachary D'Amico, Senior Investigative and Legal Analyst, San Francisco Ethics Commission

Zachary D’Amico is a Senior Investigator & Legal Analyst with the San Francisco Ethics Commission, specializing in the investigation and administrative resolution of campaign finance violations. Prior to this role, Zach served as Counsel and Policy Director for Senator Elizabeth Warren, where his work focused on federal oversight and investigations.

 

 

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Sukhi Brar, Assistant Chief Counsel, Assistant Chief Counsel

 

 

 

         

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Pat Ford, Program Manager of the Fair Elections Program, San Francisco Ethics Commission

Pat Ford directs the San Francisco Ethics Commission, which is responsible for administering ethics, campaign finance, and lobbying laws in the City and County of San Francisco. Prior to becoming the Executive Director, Pat led the Commission's Enforcement Division and Policy Division. He is a member of the COGEL Program Committee.

Panelists

Cheryl Couser, Co - Director, New York State Public Campaign Finance Board

Cheryl L. Couser was appointed Co-Director of the New York State Campaign Finance Board in May 2021, overseeing the nation’s largest public campaign finance program. She joined the State Board of Elections in 2008 as Compliance Specialist, later helping implement the 2014 pilot program for public financing. From 2017-2021, she was Deputy Director of Public Information, focusing on election security and grant administration. Cheryl began her career in 1999 in the New York State Assembly, handling legislation and oversight for various agencies. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the State University of New York at Cortland and received a master’s degree in public policy from the University at Albany.

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Nick Mahon, Campaign Finance Administrator Office of the Clerk and Recorder, City and County of Denver

Nick Mahon is the Campaign Finance Administrator for the Office of the Denver Clerk and Recorder, where he played a pivotal role in implementing the Denver Fair Elections Fund. The public-matching funds program disbursed nearly $7.7 million to 47 candidates during its inaugural election cycle. Nick holds a B.A. from the University of Arizona and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado Denver. Previously, he worked for the City of Tucson and on political campaigns.

 

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Erick L. Jackson, Program Manager of the Fair Elections Program, Office of Campaign Finance, District of Columbia Board of Elections

Erick L. Jackson currently serves as the Program Manager of the Fair Elections Program (FEP) Division of the Office of Campaign Finance (OCF), Board of Elections in Washington, DC. As the FEP Manager for OCF, Erick is responsible for the research, development, and implementation of the Fair Election Act of the District of Columbia. Among other accomplishments, he developed a comprehensive training program for all employees and the candidates seeking political office in the District of Columbia.

 

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Moderator

Patrick Llewellyn, Director, State Campaign Finance, Campaign Legal Center

Patrick Llewellyn directs CLC’s work with state and local stakeholders and policymakers to advance innovative campaign finance policies which are designed to promote a democracy responsive to voters and to ensure every American’s right to participate in the democratic process. His work covers a substantial number of campaign finance issues, including public financing of elections and transparency of election spending.

Panelists

Ellen Weintraub, Vice Chair, Campaign Finance Litigation, U.S. Federal Election Commission

Ellen Weintraub has served as a commissioner on the U.S. Federal Election Commission since 2002 and chaired it for the third time in 2019. During her tenure, Weintraub has served as a consistent voice for meaningful campaign-finance law enforcement and robust disclosure. Weintraub is a native New Yorker with degrees from Yale College and Harvard Law School. Prior to her appointment to the FEC, Weintraub was Of Counsel to the Political Law Group of Perkins Coie LLP and Counsel to the House Ethics Committee.

 

 

 

 

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Erin Chlopak, Senor Director, Campaign Finance, Campaign Legal Center

Erin Chlopak is Senior Director of Campaign Finance at Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that works to advance democracy through law. She previously led the Policy Division and a litigation team in the Federal Election Commission’s Office of General Counsel. Erin has been a regular participant in the COGEL conference for several years and previously served on the COGEL program planning committee.

 

 

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Adam Barnes, Director of Investigations, BC Elections

Adam Barnes has been the head of investigations at Elections BC for 7 years. He has 22 years of experience in the BC public service, and 17 years combined experience as an investigator for the BC Ombudsperson’s Office, the BC Information and Privacy Commissioner’s Office, the Victoria Police Service, and Elections BC.

 

 

 

 

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Moderator

Jason Kaune, Partner, Nielsen Merksamer

Jason Kaune leads the firm’s Political Law section and advises clients about the unique and complex laws at the intersection of the public and private sectors in the United States. For nearly twenty five years, Mr. Kaune has specialized in government ethics, elections, lobbying disclosure, conflicts of interest, and campaign finance laws of federal, state and local governments.

Panelists

Daniel I. Weiner, Director of Elections & Government Program, Brennan Center

Daniel I. Weiner serves as director of the Brennan Center’s Elections & Government Program, where he leads work on money in politics, voting and elections, government ethics, and other democracy and rule of law issues. He has authored a number of nationally recognized reports and law review articles on election law and related topics. He also writes and comments regularly for media outlets such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, Politico, Slate, the Daily Beast, CNN, MSNBC, ABC News, and National Public Radio. He has testified before Congress, state legislatures, and other governmental bodies, and regularly provides legal and policy advice and other assistance to leaders in Washington and across the country.

 

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Orly Lobel, Author, Professor, Speaker, Expert

Orly Lobel is the Warren Distinguished Professor of Law, and the founding director of the Center for Employment and Labor Policy (CELP) at University of San Diego. She is the award-winning author of best-selling books and numerous high-impact articles. A graduate of Tel-Aviv University and Harvard Law School, Lobel clerked on the Israeli Supreme Court and is a member of the American Law Institute. She has recently been named as one of the most cited legal scholars in in law and technology and in employment law and overall one of the most cited younger legal scholars in the United States. She has received several grants for her scholarship including most recently a grant from the AI and Humanities Project. Buy the book here: https://tinyurl.com/orlylobelbook

 

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Adam, Chair, California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC)

Adam E. Silver serves as the Chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). His appointment as Chair followed a distinguished career in the public and private sectors, where he consistently championed ethics, transparency, and the use of emerging technology to increase governmental efficiency and promote public trust. Prior to his appointment, Chair Silver served as Chief Counsel to the Special Committee on Legislative Ethics for the California State Assembly. Before joining the Assembly, he worked in various roles at the FPPC, including as a prosecutor in the Enforcement Division and Commission Counsel for the Legal Division, and in private practice at Olson Hagel and Fishburn LLP. Chair Silver earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California, Davis and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles.

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Moderator

Elli Abdoli, Partner, Nielsen Merksamer

Elli Abdoli is a partner with the firm’s political law section. She advises Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, trade associations and other organizations on complying with federal, state and local lobby, campaign finance and ethics laws, including developing and implementing comprehensive nationwide compliance systems.

Panelists

Garrett Lavertu, Deputy Director of Audit, Operations, New York Campaign Finance Board,

Garrett is the Deputy Director of Operations in the NYC Campaign Finance Board’s Audit and Accounting unit. With over 13 years of audit experience, he has dedicated his career to enhancing assurance in campaign finance and other industries. In his current role, Garrett focuses on integrating technology into the CFB’s rigorous oversight and enforcement efforts, ensuring that NYC’s campaign finance system remains one of the strongest in the country.

 

 

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David Buerger, Staff Counsel, Wisconsin Ethics Commission

David Buerger has served as Staff Counsel to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission since its creation in 2016. He previously served as Staff Counsel to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB) and also worked in the GAB’s Elections Division as an Elections Specialist. David has been an instructor at the Wisconsin Judicial College, the Wisconsin Municipal Attorneys Institute, and the Wisconsin Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Institute.

 

 

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Moderator

Pat Ford, Program Manager of the Fair Elections Program, San Francisco Ethics Commission

Pat Ford directs the San Francisco Ethics Commission, which is responsible for administering ethics, campaign finance, and lobbying laws in the City and County of San Francisco. Prior to becoming the Executive Director, Pat led the Commission's Enforcement Division and Policy Division. He is a member of the COGEL Program Committee.

Panelists

Manya Reinhardt, Director, Systems, Business Intelligence and Regulatory Instruments, Elections Canada

Word-lover and book enthusiast, Manya has worked for Elections Canada for the past 12 years. In her current role, she oversees the modernization of financial systems and services to political entities and leads the publication of official guidance on how the law applies to Canadian federal political entities. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration.

 

 

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Elizabeth D. Shimek, Senior Legal Counsel, Campaign Finance Campaign Legal Center

Elizabeth is a member of CLC’s Campaign Finance team, working with state and local partners to develop and advocate for campaign finance reforms that lift the voices of voters and lead to a more transparent and accountable democracy. Image Portrait of Elizabeth Shimek Prior to joining CLC, Elizabeth worked as Chief of Staff for Wisconsin State Representative Greta Neubauer, where she worked with policymakers and stakeholders to develop innovative public policy, increase public engagement in the legislative process, and push back against efforts to undermine our democratic systems

 

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Moderator

Darrin Lim, Co-Founder, Partner, Politicom Law LLP

Darrin Lim is Co-Founder and Partner of Politicom Law, a political compliance firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. He is Co-Chair of this year’s COGEL Conference and received the organization’s Outstanding Service Award in 2021.

Panelists

Charles Ricciardelli, Partner, Political Law Compliance and Investigations, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Charles Ricciardelli advises clients on the federal, state, and local laws that govern their interactions with government entities and officials, as well as their engagement with the political process. He regularly counsels companies on campaign finance, pay-to-play, lobbying, gift, and conflict of interest laws, as well as the Foreign Agents Registration Act. He frequently represents clients before various ethics and campaign finance regulators, including the Federal Election Commission. Mr. Ricciardelli also advises companies and individuals facing politically sensitive and high-profile investigations and enforcement actions, and conducts internal investigations, involving such political laws.

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Jonathan Wayne, Executive Director, Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics & Election Practices

Jonathan Wayne is the executive director of the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices.

 

 

 

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Anna Massoglia, Independent Advisor

Anna Massoglia is an independent advisor with over a decade of experience in government accountability, political finance, and investigations. She worked at OpenSecrets between 2015 and 2024, most recently as Editorial and Investigations Manager. She holds degrees in political science and psychology from North Carolina State University and a J.D. from the University of the District of Columbia School of Law.

 

 

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Moderator

Aaron McKean, Senior Legal Counsel, Campaign Finance, Campaign Legal Center

Aaron McKean works with state and local partners to develop and advocate for campaign finance reforms that lift the voices of voters and lead to a more transparent democracy.

Panelists

Paul S. Ryan, Executive Director, NYC Campaign Finance Board

Paul S. Ryan became Executive Director of the New York City Campaign Finance Board in February 2024. He is nationally recognized as an expert in campaign finance and democratic participation. Prior to joining the CFB, he served as Deputy Executive Director of the Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation, Vice President for Policy and Litigation for Common Cause, and Deputy Executive Director of the Campaign Legal Center. He is a graduate of UCLA Law School and the University of Montana.

 

 

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Michael Canning, Policy & Legislative Affairs Manager San Francisco Ethics Commission

Michael Canning is the Policy & Legislative Affairs Manager for the San Francisco Ethics Commission. Michael has been with the Commission since 2021. Prior to joining the Commission, Michael earned his Joint Master’s in Public Policy and Business Administration from Mills College, following early work on political campaigns and in the non-profit sector, where he worked on campaign finance and voter information issues.

 

 

 

 

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Dr. Jen Heerwig, Associate Professor of Sociology, SUNY - Stony Brook

Heerwig is an associate professor of sociology at SUNY-Stony Brook. She is a political sociologist who studies American politics and campaign finance using quantitative methods. Her current research projects examine the political contributions of American corporate leaders and the effects of new public financing initiatives on representation in local elections. She is the author of Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections in Seattle. She holds a Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. from New York University.

 

 

 

 

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Moderator

Ian Vandewalker, Senior Counsel, Brennan Center for Justice

Ian Vandewalker is senior counsel for the Brennan Center’s Elections and Government Program, where he works to address the influence of money in politics and foreign interference in U.S. elections. His work has been featured in press outlets across the nation, including the New York Times, Washington Post, National Public Radio, Newsweek, and the Los Angeles Times. He has also published academic articles on election law and civil liberties and testified before Congress and in state and local legislatures.

Panelists

Eric Eusebio, Developer Contribution Program Manager, L.A. City Ethics Commission

Eric Eusebio brings over a decade of experience in ethics and public administration to the panel. He has been with the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission since 2014. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a focus on Finance, Real Estate & Law from Cal Poly Pomona and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Arkansas State University. For the past 10 years, he has served with the Ethics Commission, contributing support and expertise to various departments including Audit, Campaign, Enforcement, and Lobbying. Currently, he serves as the Program Manager for the Developer Contribution Program.

 

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Jared DeMarinis, State Administrator of Elections, Maryland State Board of Elections

On September 1, 2023, Jared DeMarinis became Maryland’s State Administrator of Elections after the unanimous selection by the bipartisan 5-member State Board of Elections. Previously, he served for 18 years as the Director of Candidacy and Campaign Finance. In that position, he took a proactive approach to election administration in campaign finance making Maryland a model state for the use of new technologies by campaigns, campaign disclosure and enforcement.

 

 

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Paul Solis, Chief Ethics Officer, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)

Paul Solis is the Chief Ethics Officer at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). At Metro, he is responsible for an ethics and compliance program covering over 11,000 employees, contractors, and a Board of elected officials representing constituents throughout Los Angeles County, including the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Metro is the third largest transportation system in the country and currently has one of the largest public works agendas in North America, with roughly $20 billion in capital projects slated for completion in time for the 2028 Olympics and beyond. Paul was formerly the Deputy Chief Counsel at the Office of Congressional Ethics in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he managed and conducted investigations into potential violations of federal ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance laws.

 

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Olabisi “Bisi” Matthews, Director of Enforcement, San Francisco Ethics Commission

Olabisi “Bisi” Matthews joined the San Francisco Ethics Commission (“SF ETH”) as a Senior Investigator and Legal Analyst in 2021 and is currently the Director of Enforcement. Prior to joining SF ETH, Bisi served for over five years as a housing rights attorney with both Bay Area Legal Aid and the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, and previously in New York with Manhattan Legal Services. She has also served as a Senior Special Investigator with the Office of the Inspector General for the New York City Police Department (“OIG NYPD”) and volunteered for a year in the Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau with the New York State Attorney General, in Manhattan post law school. Before attending law school, she served as an Investigator for two years with the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board. Bisi earned her J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law. She also holds a B.A. in International Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and is licensed to practice law in the states of California, New York, and New Jersey.

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Moderator

Matthew Bobys, Counsel,  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Matthew Bobys is Counsel at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Washington, D.C. He advises business clients across numerous industries on political law issues relating to government affairs and government procurement at the federal, state, and local levels, particularly on campaign finance, pay-to-play, lobbying, government ethics, gifts and entertainment, and conflict of interest laws. He repeatedly has been selected for inclusion in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

Panelists

Dr. Michael Boda, Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Saskatchewan

Dr. Michael Boda has served as the Canadian province of Saskatchewan’s Chief Electoral Officer since 2012, conducting three general elections, many by-elections, and introducing both the province’s first permanent register of voters and a new election management system. Previously, Dr. Boda has served on the senior staff of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and has been a visiting research fellow at the Brookings Institute and the National Endowment for Democracy. He was COGEL’s President in 2023.

 

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Ben Hovland, Chair, US Election Assistance Commission

Ben Hovland was confirmed by unanimous consent of the United States Senate in 2019 to serve on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). He currently serves as the Chair of the EAC, a position he also held in 2020. Previously, he served as Acting Chief Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and Deputy General Counsel for the Missouri Secretary of State’s office.

 

 

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Rea Holmes, Director of Legal Affairs and Senior Counsel, Pew Charitable Trusts

Rea Holmes is a director of legal affairs and senior counsel at the Pew Charitable Trusts. She oversees legal services for Pew’s government performance program portfolio and its subsidiary, the Election Trust Initiative. In addition, she provides guidance on what constitutes lobbying under the Internal Revenue Code and in various jurisdictions. Rea earned her law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts.

 

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Moderator

Peg Perl, Chief Deputy Clerk & Recorder, Jefferson County, Colorado

Peg Perl is Chief Deputy Clerk and Recorder for Jefferson County, Colorado. For more than 20 years she has worked her way through all the COGEL disciplines as a local election administrator, nonprofit policy advocate, and counsel to both the Federal Election Commission and the U.S. House Ethics Committee. Peg also serves as Election Technical Committee Co-Chair for the CO County Clerks Association and on the Legislative Committee for the National Association of Election Officials (Election Center).

Panelists

Robert Sampson,General Counsel and Senior Director, Legal Services, Elections Canada

Robert Sampson is a Canadian lawyer trained in English and French, in civil law and common law at McGill University in Montreal. He is licensed in Ontario and New York and after leaving private practice has worked for the Canadian federal government since 2010 – at the Canadian Federal Court of Appeal, the Department of Justice, the Privy Council Office and now Elections Canada. He advises on all aspects of electoral administration in Canada and has been directly involved in Canada’s Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference.

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Bradley Eddison, Associate Director, Protecting Democracy Unit, Government of Canada

Bradley Eddison leads policy development for the Protecting Democracy Unit at the Government of Canada’s Privy Council Office, where he is responsible for coordinating measures to combat disinformation and safeguard democratic institutions. He also led Government of Canada efforts with Microsoft and the Alliance for Securing Democracy to prevent foreign interference through the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace. Previously, he worked in resource development and public administration, focusing on stakeholder engagement, especially with marginalized groups.

 

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Moderator

Shipra Verma, Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Manitoba

Shipra Verma has served as Chief Electoral Officer of Elections Manitoba since 2010. A Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant, Ms. Verma has over 20 years of election experience, having led Manitoba through transformational election modernization. Committed to ongoing education and professional development, Shipra is a former President of COGEL and recipient of the COGEL Outstanding Service Award.

Panelists

Alissa Guzman, Director of Marketing & Digital Communications, New York City Campaign Finance Board

Alissa Guzman leads the marketing and communications strategy for the NYC Campaign Finance Board and creates the strategy behind all public-facing materials that directly engage and serve the needs of five million New Yorkers in thirteen languages.

 

 

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Bill (William) Mast, Deputy Director of Elections, Arapahoe County Clerk & Recorder

Bill (William) Mast currently serves as the Deputy Director of Elections in Arapahoe County Colorado. Bill is a passionate servant leader who has spent many years working as a public servant in County Governments in Colorado and has dedicated his career to providing all eligible voters with transparent, accessible, and secure services in a non-partisan manner.

 

 

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Deborah Scroggin, Elections and Special Projects Manager, Portland City Elections

Deborah serves as manager of the City of Portland’s Elections Division, implementing a series of reforms in 2024, including a change to ranked-choice voting. The division also conducts voter education and enforces campaign finance and lobbying regulations. Deborah has over a dozen years of experience administering local and state elections. Recently, she served as delegate to two international election observation missions. Deborah holds an MPA from Portland State University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon.

 

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Peg Perl, Chief Deputy Clerk & Recorder, Jefferson County, Colorado

Peg Perl is Chief Deputy Clerk and Recorder for Jefferson County, Colorado. For more than 20 years she has worked her way through all the COGEL disciplines as a local election administrator, nonprofit policy advocate, and counsel to both the Federal Election Commission and the U.S. House Ethics Committee. Peg also serves as Election Technical Committee Co-Chair for the CO County Clerks Association and on the Legislative Committee for the National Association of Election Officials (Election Center).

 

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Tom Blake, Senior Vice President, Head of Advertising, Fenton

Tom has led many of Fenton's largest civic engagement campaigns. These include the coordinated 2020 census campaign involving LA County Government, the California Community Foundation, and over 100 community-based organizations; advertising strategy for the NY Campaign Finance Board as they deliver critical election information to millions of New Yorkers; media planning for the LA County Registrar and Recorder Clerk in efforts to educate voters and build trust in the election system as a whole.

 

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Michael Sanchez, Senior Public Information Specialist, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk

Michael Sanchez is a seasoned election communications expert with over a decade of service at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office, where he currently holds the position of Senior Public Information Specialist. Previously, he worked as a Public Information Officer and Communication Strategist. Michael also has nearly three years of experience as an Associate Producer at FOX Sports Radio in Sherman Oaks, where he developed his media production and storytelling skills. Michael leverages his diverse experience to lead effective public engagement and transparent voter communications.

 

 

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Moderator

Matthew Tate-Smith, Senior Manager, Campaign Legal Center

Matthew “Matty” Tate-Smith works with Campaign Legal Center’s communications team where he manages a public education campaign to instill trust in elections among persuadable voters. Prior to joining Campaign Legal Center, Matty served as Public Affairs Coordinator for the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault overseeing statewide communications response and acting as a legislative liaison. He began his career in LGBTQ+ advocacy, working with the group One Iowa as its Communications Director.

Panelists

Tammy Patrick, CEO,  Programs at the National Association of Election Officials

Chief Executive Officer for Programs at the Election Center, Tammy Patrick has been working in the election administration space since 2003--most recently as the Senior Advisor to the Elections Program at Democracy Fund. In 2013 she was selected by President Obama to serve as a commissioner on the Presidential Commission on Election Administration. She has testified on election administration policies multiple times in the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and in numerous state legislatures on behalf of members of both parties. She has been an active member of the Election Center’s Legislative and Postal Committees. She elevates the election official perspective in the media and by serving as a member of numerous boards of advisors and steering committees.

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Lalitha Flach, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Ontario

Working in the public service since 1991 – Lalitha has developed extensive knowledge of the foundational cornerstones of the election business at the municipal and provincial level in Ontario. For Elections Ontario, Lalitha has held a variety of roles since she joined the non-partisan agency in 2008. She currently holds the position of Deputy CEO and leads the Strategy, Communications and Innovation divisions at Elections Ontario.

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Chad Vickery, Vice President, Global Strategy and Technical Leadership,  International Foundation for Electoral Systems

Chad R. Vickery, vice president of global strategy and technical leadership at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), has extensive legal and international election administration experience emphasizing strengthening democracy and governance in transitioning societies. He manages IFES’s global applied research, technical leadership, and strategic innovation initiatives. Vickery holds a master’s degree in international relations from Georgetown University, a Juris Doctorate from the Catholic University of America, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Washington.

 

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Moderator

Shipra Verma, Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Manitoba

Shipra Verma has served as Chief Electoral Officer of Elections Manitoba since 2010. A Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant, Ms. Verma has over 20 years of election experience, having led Manitoba through transformational election modernization. Committed to ongoing education and professional development, Shipra is a former President of COGEL and recipient of the COGEL Outstanding Service Award.

Panelists

Chad Vickery, Vice President, Global Strategy and Technical Leadership,  IFES

Chad R. Vickery, vice president of global strategy and technical leadership at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), has extensive legal and international election administration experience emphasizing strengthening democracy and governance in transitioning societies. He manages IFES’s global applied research, technical leadership, and strategic innovation initiatives. Vickery holds a master’s degree in international relations from Georgetown University, a Juris Doctorate from the Catholic University of America, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Washington.

 

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Caleb Thornton, Legal, Policy, and Rulemaking Manager- Elections | Department of State, Global Strategy and Technical Leadership,  State of Colorado

Caleb Thornton is the Legal, Policy and Rulemaking Manager for the Elections Division at the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. In his position, he has worked with election officials to create rules, policies, trainings, and outreach efforts addressing some of the pressing challenges election officials have faced since 2016. Caleb is a graduate of Colorado State University and South Texas College of Law. He lives in Denver, Colorado along with his wife and two sons.

 

 

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Carmen Boucher, Deputy Commissioner, Operations,  Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections

Carmen Boucher is Deputy Commissioner, Operations at the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections (OCCE), reporting directly to the Commissioner of Canada Elections. Ms. Boucher provides strategic advice and expertise on enforcement issues and oversees all operational activities for complaints, reviews or investigations. Since joining the OCCE in 2023, Ms. Boucher has leveraged her more than 25 years of experience in various regulatory, security intelligence and enforcement roles to design and execute a number of transformation initiatives, including reinforcing OCCE partnerships, implementing a framework for classified intelligence, and working to facilitate the OCCE’s ability to enforce the Canada Elections Act as it relates to Foreign Interference.

 

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Moderator

Greg Essesnsa, Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Ontario

Greg Essensa was appointed Ontario’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) with the unanimous consent of the Legislature in June 2008. Mr. Essensa has over 30 years of municipal, provincial and international election experience. Over the years, he took on positions of increasing scope and responsibility, and prior to his appointment as CEO he served as the Director of Elections and Registry Services for the City of Toronto.

Panelists

Dawn Widman, Senior Investigator, Board of Ethics, City of Detroit

Dawn Widman is the first Investigator for the City of Detroit’s Board of Ethics. She has 40 years of multi-level law enforcement experience, having retired as a Deputy Special Agent in Charge from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, as one of the first of four women hired as a field agent in the Eastern District of Michigan. Educationally, she continues her ongoing investigative training to maintain her skills and knowledge and has a J.D., a M.S. in Clinical Psychology, a M.A. in Management, and a B.S. in Criminal Justice.

 

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Richard Barzaga, Senior Staff Attorney, City of Philadelphia Board of Ethics

Richard Barzaga is a Senior Staff Attorney for the Philadelphia Board of Ethics. As part of the Board’s Enforcement Staff, Richard investigates and resolves violations of the City’s Public Integrity Laws, which include its ethics, campaign finance, lobbying, and financial disclosure laws. Richard was previously a Deputy City Solicitor for Philadelphia’s Law Department, where he was a litigator. He has also been a Law Clerk for the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and a law firm associate. He is a proud graduate of Temple Law School.

 

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Thomas Jones, Government Ethics Consultant & Lecturer, UConn School of Public Policy

Thomas “TJ” Jones is a consultant on government ethics matters, and a lecturer at the UConn School of Public Policy. Until recently, TJ served on the Citizen’s Ethics Advisory Board for Connecticut. He was CT’s first Ethics Enforcement Office, serving 2006-19. As an attorney, he spent 30+ years investigating and litigating matters related to ethics, white collar crime, campaign finance, and political misconduct. TJ also served as Assistant AG in Connecticut, and as Executive Director of the California FPPC.

 

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Moderator

Kenneth Hardy, Director of Enforcement, Los Angeles City Ethics Commission

Kenneth leads the Enforcement Division of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, which investigates and administratively prosecutes suspected violations of City of Los Angeles law relating to governmental ethics, lobbying, and campaign financing. Kenneth has many years of experience providing legal advice to California counties and cities on ethics and open government laws, and in representing agencies in administrative proceedings and litigation.

Panelists

Amber Maltbie, Attorney, Nossaman LLP

 

 

 

 

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James Lindsay, Enforcement Chief, California FPPC

 

 

 

 

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Matthew Alvarez, Attorney, Rutan & Tucker, LLP

 

 

 

 

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Moderator

Kenneth Hardy, Director of Enforcement, Los Angeles City Ethics Commission

Kenneth leads the Enforcement Division of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, which investigates and administratively prosecutes suspected violations of City of Los Angeles law relating to governmental ethics, lobbying, and campaign financing. Kenneth has many years of experience providing legal advice to California counties and cities on ethics and open government laws, and in representing agencies in administrative proceedings and litigation.

Panelists

oline Twiss, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner

 

 

 

 

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Kenneth Hardy, Director of Enforcement, Los Angeles City Ethics Commission

Kenneth leads the Enforcement Division of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, which investigates and administratively prosecutes suspected violations of City of Los Angeles law relating to governmental ethics, lobbying, and campaign financing. Kenneth has many years of experience providing legal advice to California counties and cities on ethics and open government laws, and in representing agencies in administrative proceedings and litigation.

 

 

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Candies Pruitt, Deputy Director, Enforcement Division, Massachusetts State Ethics Commission

 

 

 

 

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Kim Bradford, Deputy Director, Washington Public Disclosure Commission

Kim Bradford is deputy director of the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission, which regulates campaign, lobbying and personal financial affairs disclosure. She joined the agency in 2017 after a 20-year career in newspaper journalism. As deputy director, she leads an enforcement team of 10 investigators and compliance specialists, oversees and supports the customer service team, and assists the executive director in managing operations and setting strategic direction for the agency.

 

 

 

 

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Moderator

Erin Lama, Partner, Politicom Law LLP

Erin Lama is a partner with Politicom Law LLP. Ms. Lama guides clients through federal, state and local lobby reporting, campaign finance, “pay-to-play,” governmental ethics and conflict of interest matters. Ms. Lama plays a key role on the Politicom Law team with the development and administration of comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional political compliance programs, including compliance with the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) as well as with the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (HLOGA).

Panelists

Danielle Caputo, Ethics Legal Counsel, Campaign Legal Center

Danielle Caputo is legal counsel for ethics at Campaign Legal Center, where she holds elected officials accountable for ethics violations and proposing stronger ethics laws and rules for every level of government. Prior to joining CLC, Danielle worked as the legislative and programs counsel at Issue One, where she advocated for ethics and money in politics reform, and on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

 

 

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Anton Boegman, Chief Elections Officer, Elections BC

Anton Boegman is the Chief Electoral Officer at Elections British Columbia. He has been with Elections BC since March 2004. Prior to joining Elections BC, Anton worked privately as a consultant, and for a variety of organizations including the Department of National Defence and Royal Roads University. He is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada, has an MBA, is a certified project management professional (PMP), and a former Treasurer of COGEL.

 

 

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James Lindsay, Enforcement Chief, California Fair Political Practices Commission

 

 

 

 

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Moderator

Sean Flynn, General Counsel, Public Disclosure Commission

Sean has worked at the PDC since 2018. Prior to joining the PDC, he served as nonpartisan legal counsel with the Washington State House of Representatives and appellate program manager at the Office of Public Defense. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Sean is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Notre Dame Law School, and he clerked at the Washington and New Mexico supreme courts.

Panelists

Kedric Payne, Kedric Payne, Campaign Legal Center

Kedric Payne is Senior Director of Ethics at Campaign Legal Center. Before joining CLC, Mr. Payne served as a Deputy General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Energy and as Deputy Chief Counsel of the Office of Congressional Ethics. Prior to OCE, Mr. Payne practiced political law at Skadden Arps and litigation at Cravath. He also served as a federal law clerk in S.D.N.Y. He earned his undergraduate degree from Yale and his JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

 

 

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Omar Ashmawy, Staff Director and Chief Counsel, Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE)

Mr. Ashmawy has been with the OCE since 2001, and previously served as Deputy Chief Counsel. Prior to that, he completed active-duty service in the United State Air Force, where he worked as a prosecutor and defense counsel representing both the United States government and military members in a wide range of matters, to include both high-profile and complex litigation. His final assignment on active duty was with the Office of the Chief Prosecutor, Office of Military Commissions where he prosecuted U.S. v. Hamdan, the first litigated U.S. war crimes tribunal since World War II.

 

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Lynn Tran, Senior Attorney Advisor, Board of Ethics and Government Accountability

 

 

 

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Moderator

Donald Sherman, Executive Director and Chief Counsel, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

Mr. Sherman has served in various oversight, ethics, and policy roles in the Executive Branch and Congress including the White House, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the House Ethics Committee, and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Panelists

Tom Albritton, Executive Director, Alabama Ethics Commission

Thomas B. Albritton became the Executive Director of the State of Alabama Ethics Commission in March of 2015. Before coming to Montgomery, Tom practiced law in his family law firm in Andalusia, Alabama for 23 years and generally represented public sector clients including elected officials, counties and municipalities. He was an Assistant District Attorney for the 22nd Judicial Circuit, and was a municipal court judge for 17 years, as well. He is a 1989 graduate of the University of Alabama, and a 1992 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law.

 

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Christina Sivret, Executive Director , Vermont State Ethics Commission

Christina Sivret is the Executive Director of the Vermont State Ethics Commission. A graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii, Ms. Sivret previously worked in the Office on Violence Against Women at the US DOJ and on human rights issues in Southeast Asia. Since her tenure began in 2021, Vermont has adopted a state code of ethics, a statewide municipal code of ethics, instituted mandatory ethics training requirements, and the Commission was granted investigatory and hearing powers.

 

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Jabu Sengova, Ethics Officer, City of Atlanta Ethics Office

Jabu M. Sengova is the Ethics Officer for the City of Atlanta Ethics Office. In this role, she provides leadership and direction in the areas of ethics advice and training, public education and outreach, financial disclosure filings, and enforcement of ethics cases. She brings her passion, experience, and commitment to building a strong ethical culture in city government and was instrumental in developing and producing the City’s pilot ethics e-learning course. She has over 22 years’ experience in the legal field, including criminal practice, ethics and government. She is a member of both local and national ethics and compliance organizations.

 

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Moderator

Kedric Payne, Kedric Payne, Campaign Legal Center

Kedric Payne is Senior Director of Ethics at Campaign Legal Center. Before joining CLC, Mr. Payne served as a Deputy General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Energy and as Deputy Chief Counsel of the Office of Congressional Ethics. Prior to OCE, Mr. Payne practiced political law at Skadden Arps and litigation at Cravath. He also served as a federal law clerk in S.D.N.Y. He earned his undergraduate degree from Yale and his JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Panelists

Paul Nick, Executive Director ,Ohio Ethics Commission

Paul M. Nick is currently the Executive Director of the Ohio Ethics Commission and has worked at the Commission in various roles since 1995. He has been a member of COGEL for 27 years and has served as President and Treasurer. He received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a B.S. in Forensic Accounting from Franklin University, and his J.D. from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

 

 

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Steve Berlin, Executive Director, Chicago’s Board of Ethics

Steve Berlin has been the Executive Director of Chicago’s Board of Ethics since December 2008, and began his government career as the Board’s Deputy Director in 1993. He is a Past President of COGEL. He received his B.A. in History from Amherst College in 1980, his J.D. from Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law in 1984, and his M.A. in Ethics from the University of Chicago’s Divinity School in 1991.

 

 

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Cathryn Motherwell , Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario

Cathryn Motherwell is deputy commissioner at the Office of the Integrity Commissioner in Ontario, Canada, and works in each of the Office's seven mandates. A former journalist, she was deputy editor of The Globe and Mail's Report on Business, managing investigative projects and digital news. Cathryn serves on the COGEL programming and nominating committees.

Panelists

Paul Nick, Executive Director ,Ohio Ethics Commission

Paul M. Nick is currently the Executive Director of the Ohio Ethics Commission and has worked at the Commission in various roles since 1995. He has been a member of COGEL for 27 years and has served as President and Treasurer. He received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a B.S. in Forensic Accounting from Franklin University, and his J.D. from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

 

 

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Steve Berlin, Executive Director, Chicago’s Board of Ethics

Steve Berlin has been the Executive Director of Chicago’s Board of Ethics since December 2008, and began his government career as the Board’s Deputy Director in 1993. He is a Past President of COGEL. He received his B.A. in History from Amherst College in 1980, his J.D. from Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law in 1984, and his M.A. in Ethics from the University of Chicago’s Divinity School in 1991.

 

 

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Cathryn Motherwell , Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario

Cathryn Motherwell is deputy commissioner at the Office of the Integrity Commissioner in Ontario, Canada, and works in each of the Office's seven mandates. A former journalist, she was deputy editor of The Globe and Mail's Report on Business, managing investigative projects and digital news. Cathryn serves on the COGEL programming and nominating committees.

 

 

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Moderator

Susan Willeke, Education and Communications Manager, Ohio Ethics Commission

Susan Willeke is an accomplished government-relations professional with more than 30 years’ experience in public affairs, communication, and public speaking. Susan joined the Ohio Ethics Commission in 2005 as the Education and Communications Manager. In that position, Susan presents approximately 200 speeches annually, develops information strategies regarding agency programs and represents the Ethics Commission to Ohio citizens, the media, and the Ohio legislature. Prior to joining the Commission, Susan served in the communications office at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and as a legislative aide in the Ohio House of Representatives.

Panelists

Jordana Greenwald, General Counsel, Philadelphia Board of Ethics

Jordana L. Greenwald is General Counsel to the City of Philadelphia Board of Ethics. Since joining the Board's staff in March 2019, she has also served as both Acting General Counsel and Associate General Counsel. Jordana and her team provide advice and on the City's ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance laws, develop regulations interpreting City law, and advise the Board. From July 2007 to March 2019, Jordana was a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Regional Solicitor in Philadelphia.

 

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Patrick Shepherd, Senior Instructor, Office of Government Ethics

Patrick Shepherd co-founded the Institute for Ethics in Government (IEG) at the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) in 2013. He currently serves the IEG as a senior instructor providing professional development opportunities for executive branch ethics officials. Patrick previously served as the Ethics Program Manager at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and as a Desk Officer in OGE's Program Services Division.

 

 

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Paul Solis, Chief Ethics Officer, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)

Paul Solis is the Chief Ethics Officer at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). At Metro, he is responsible for an ethics and compliance program covering over 11,000 employees, contractors, and a Board of elected officials representing constituents throughout Los Angeles County, including the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Metro is the third largest transportation system in the country and currently has one of the largest public works agendas in North America, with roughly $20 billion in capital projects slated for completion in time for the 2028 Olympics and beyond. Paul was formerly the Deputy Chief Counsel at the Office of Congressional Ethics in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he managed and conducted investigations into potential violations of federal ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance laws.

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Carlos Santiago, Deputy Ethics Officer, Atlanta Board of Ethics

Carlos R. Santiago serves as the Deputy Ethics Officer for the City of Atlanta. In this role, he oversees ethics investigations, represents the office in appellate matters before the Governing Board, manages the City's compliance hotline, oversees the ethics training program, provides advice to officials and employees, assists with the drafting of proposed changes to the Code of Ethics, assists with the City's mandatory annual disclosure filing requirements, and manages the financial disclosure enforcement process. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Texas A&M University and his Juris Doctor from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School. Mr. Santiago is a Member of the State Bar of Georgia and a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP).

 

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Delante Thomas, Chief Ethics Officer, City of Cleveland

Delanté Spencer Thomas was appointed by Mayor Justin Bibb to serve as the first-ever Chief Ethics Officer for the City of Cleveland. In his role, Delanté is charged with building a best-in-class ethics and compliance program that provides advice, counsel, training, and enforcement of Ohio Ethics Laws for a workforce of 8,000 public employees. He also assists in overseeing the City's police accountability and reform efforts through compliance with a federal consent decree. Delanté is a graduate of Syracuse University where he earned a Bachelor's degree in sport management and a Master's degree in public relations, before going to earn a Juris Doctor degree and Master’s of labor relations and human resources from Cleveland State University.

 

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Moderator

Danielle Gardner Wright, Chief Integrity Officer, City of Philadelphia

Danielle “Dani” Gardner Wright, Esq. was appointed Chief Integrity Officer for the City of Philadelphia by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker in February 2024. Dani's office is tasked with promoting honesty and integrity within the administrative and executive branches through guidance, education, and compliance. Prior to her current role, Dani worked for the Philadelphia Board of Ethics as a Staff Attorney and Director of Training and Outreach. Dani is a graduate of Spelman College (B.A.), Chestnut Hill College (M.Ed.), and Villanova University School of Law (J.D.).

Panelists

Jason Gramitt, Executive Director, Rhode Island Board of Ethics

Jason Gramitt is the Executive Director and Chief Prosecutor of the Rhode Island Ethics Commission, an independent and nonpartisan agency of state government that is responsible for enacting and enforcing a Code of Ethics for all state and municipal elected and appointed officials and public employees. Since 2001, Jason has been involved in investigating and prosecuting ethics complaints against sitting governors, legislators, city council members, and various other public officials and employees. He served on the RI Secretary of State’s Lobbying Task Force that helped to draft and implement the Rhode Island Lobbying Reform Act of 2016. Over many years Jason served as adjunct faculty at the University of Rhode Island and Johnson and Wales University, teaching courses in Business Ethics, Global Ethics, and Family Law. He has served on COGEL’s Steering Committee and is a Past-President of the organization.

 

 

 

 

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Omar Ashmawy, Staff Director and Chief Counsel, Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE)

Mr. Ashmawy has been with the OCE since 2001, and previously served as Deputy Chief Counsel. Prior to that, he completed active-duty service in the United State Air Force, where he worked as a prosecutor and defense counsel representing both the United States government and military members in a wide range of matters, to include both high-profile and complex litigation. His final assignment on active duty was with the Office of the Chief Prosecutor, Office of Military Commissions where he prosecuted U.S. v. Hamdan, the first litigated U.S. war crimes tribunal since World War II.

 

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Melissa L. Miles, Counsel, Political Law Compliance and Investigations, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Having practiced political law for more than 20 years at Skadden, Ms. Miles advises clients on anti-corruption, campaign finance, pay-to-play, lobbying, ethics and conflict-of-interest laws. She also counsels clients on establishing and maintaining comprehensive policies and systems to ensure compliance with those laws. Ms. Miles also represents clients facing investigations, government enforcement actions and audits before lobby, ethics and elections commissions, including the Federal Election Commission, and is routinely chosen to perform internal political law audits for clients and to provide counsel and recommendations based on the audit findings.

 

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Moderator

Kedric Payne, Kedric Payne, Campaign Legal Center

Kedric Payne is Senior Director of Ethics at Campaign Legal Center. Before joining CLC, Mr. Payne served as a Deputy General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Energy and as Deputy Chief Counsel of the Office of Congressional Ethics. Prior to OCE, Mr. Payne practiced political law at Skadden Arps and litigation at Cravath. He also served as a federal law clerk in S.D.N.Y. He earned his undergraduate degree from Yale and his JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Panelists

HongDao Nguyen , Partner, Best Best & Krieger LLP

HongDao Nguyen is a partner in the Municipal Law practice group of Best Best & Krieger LLP and assists public clients in transactional and litigation matters concerning municipal government. Recognizing that every city has its own political and cultural landscape, she helps municipalities navigate through a variety of legal issues that typically arise in the course of running a public agency, such as the Brown Act and the California Public Records Act. HongDao serves as city attorney to the cities of Artesia and Stanton, and assistant city attorney to the cities of Aliso Viejo, Lake Forest and Signal Hill.

 

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Tamara Smith, Assistant Attorney General, Assistant Attorney General

Tamara Smith is the Division Chief for the Open Records Division at the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. Ms. Smith has been with the division since 2008 where she previously worked as a drafting attorney and Education and Coordinator. Ms. Smith received her B.A. and J.D. from The University of Texas at Austin in 2002 and 2005 respectively.

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Ellen Jaquette, Senior Policy Analyst, Minnesota Department of Administration, Data Practices Office

Ellen Jaquette is a senior policy analyst at the Data Practices Office at the Minnesota Department of Administration. In this role she provides guidance to both members of the public and government on Minnesota's public records and open meeting laws. Before joining this office, Ms. Jaquette was a librarian specializing in legal information as well as government records. She holds both a J.D. and an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

 

 

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Moderator

Thomas E. Klemm, Senior Staff Attorney, City of Philadelphia Board of Ethics

Thomas E. Klemm is a Senior Staff Attorney at the City of Philadelphia Board of Ethics. He joined the Board in November 2015 and his work includes providing advice to requestors regarding the City ethics laws, serving as the open records officer for RTK requests, providing ethics training to City employees, officers and lobbyists, and developing ethics-related educational documents and resources. Before joining the Board’s staff, he was a litigation associate at White and Williams, LLP specializing in reinsurance and insurance-related disputes. He is a native of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and is a graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland (B.A. 1999) and the George Washington University Law School (J.D. 2002).

Panelists

Marissa Krupat, Licensed Marriage and Family

Marissa Krupat is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California with a passion for supporting adults through life's transitions, including relationship challenges, prenatal/postpartum issues, grief and loss, and feelings of anxiety and depression. She is dedicated to creating a compassionate, nonjudgmental space where clients can explore their thoughts and emotions and gain insight into how early life experiences shape current patterns and beliefs. Prior to becoming a therapist, Marissa worked at the Los Angeles Unified School District, providing training and development for classified staff and serving as an ethics advisor to help build the public’s trust in public education. She holds master’s degrees in Social-Organizational Psychology from Columbia University and Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. For more information, visit www.marissakrupat.com.

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Laurie Beyer-Kropuenske, Chief Data Practices Compliance Officer and Data Access and Privacy Office Director, University of Minnesota

In May 2020, Laurie took on a new position as the University of Minnesota’s Chief Data Practices Compliance Officer and Data Access and Privacy Office Director. She provides overall management of the office and focuses primarily on data practices compliance, education, and leadership. Laurie has more than 25 years of state government and legal experience with the Government Data Practices Act. Prior to joining the University, Laurie served as the MN Department of Administration’s General Counsel and Director of the Community Services Division, which comprises six diverse programs including the Data Practices Office, the State Demographic Center, and the Office of Grants Management. In addition, Laurie brings expertise in the Minnesota Health Records Act and HIPAA through her past work with the Minnesota Department of Health’s eHealth Advisory Committee. She also served as the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s General Counsel and as Assistant General Counsel of the Prairie Island Indian Community. She earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota and her J.D. from the University of South Dakota.

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Moderator

Danielle L. McGee, Staff Attorney, Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission

Danielle L. McGee is a Staff Attorney at the Connecticut Freedom of information Commission, an independent agency that adjudicates disputes and issues binding decisions regarding public access to government records and meetings. In that role, Ms. McGee serves as a hearing officer, mediator, and appellate counsel. Prior to her time at the Commission, Ms. McGee represented parents of children with special needs in education matters, including in administrative hearings, in Connecticut and New York.

Panelists

Michael Karanicolas, Executive Director, UCLA Institute for Technology Law & Policy

Michael Karanicolas is the Executive Director of the UCLA Institute for Technology Law & Policy and, as of January 1 2025, will be an associate professor and the James S. Palmer Chair in Law and Public Policy at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. Previously, he was the Wikimedia Fellow at Yale Information Society Project, where he remains an affiliated fellow. Prior to his academic career, Michael spent a decade as a human rights advocate, where he worked to develop legal frameworks supporting foundational rights for democracy. His research encompasses a number of thematic areas, but generally revolves around the application of human rights standards in an online context. Michael has a B.A. (Hons.) from Queen's University (Dean's List), an LL.B. from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University (Dean's List), and an LL.M. from the University of Toronto.

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Susan Seager, Adjunct Professor of Law and Head of the Press Freedom and Transparency practice, UCI Law

Susan Seager is an Adjunct Professor of Law and head of the Press Freedom and Transparency practice at the Intellectual Property, Arts and Technology Clinic at UC Irvine School of Law, and veteran media law litigator at Davis Wright Tremaine in Los Angeles, defending journalists from lawsuits and unsealing court records and government records. Before attending law school, she worked as a journalist and was awarded the Freedom of Information Award in 2004 by the Los Angeles Chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists. She earned her law degree from Yale Law School.

 

 

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Christina Koningisor, Associate Professor, UC Law SF

Christina Koningisor is an Associate Professor of Law at U.C. Law San Francisco (formerly U.C. Hastings). Her scholarship focuses on constitutional law, media law, and the law of information access and government transparency. Her articles have appeared or are forthcoming in the Columbia Law Review, Northwestern University Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Virginia Law Review, and Yale Law Journal. She is a graduate of Yale Law School and Brown University.

 

 

 

 

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Moderator

Lisa Thornton, Lisa Thornton, University of Oregon

Lisa Thornton is the Public Records Officer for the University of Oregon, where she oversees response to public records requests made to the University. Prior to joining the University in 2011, Lisa worked as a Records Specialist for the Eugene Police Department, where she, in part, responded to public records requests for law enforcement records.

Panelists

Nick Smarra, Staff Attorney, Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission

Nicholas A. Smarra is a Staff Attorney at the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission, an independent agency that adjudicates disputes and issues binding decisions regarding public access to government records and meetings. In that role, Mr. Smarra serves as a hearing officer, mediator, and appellate counsel. Prior to his time at the Commission, Mr. Smarra represented school district and municipal clients in New York, advising them on many issues including access to public records and open meetings.

 

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David Goodis, Partner,  INQ Law

David Goodis is a partner at INQ Law, specializing in privacy and access. For over 30 years, David was a senior information and privacy lawyer with Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner. Most recently he held the role of assistant commissioner. He is an experienced litigator, having appeared at all levels of court in Ontario.

 

 

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Margaret Kwoka, Lawrence Herman Professor in Law, Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

Margaret Kwoka is the Lawrence Herman Professor in Law at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. Her research centers on freedom of information laws and access to government information. Her articles have been widely published in leading law journals and her book, Saving the Freedom of Information Act, was published by Cambridge University Press. She has testified before Congress on government transparency and twice served on the Federal FOIA Advisory Committee at the National Archives and Records Administration. In the 2022-2023 academic year, Professor Kwoka completed research on independent oversight of transparency laws in México under a Fulbright-García Robles grant. She graduated from Brown University and Northeastern University School of Law.

Moderators

Colleen M. Murphy, Executive Director and General Counsel, Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission

Colleen M. Murphy is the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission, an independent agency that adjudicates disputes and issues binding decisions regarding public access to government records and meetings. Ms. Murphy is a frequent speaker at national, state and provincial programs on government transparency, privacy and data protections, and electronic information issues. She has served on the COGEL Steering Committee and was the proud recipient of COGEL’s Outstanding Service Award in 2018.

 

Paula Pearlman, Managing Director and Associate General Counsel, Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission

Paula Pearlman is the Managing Director and Associate General Counsel for the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission. Ms. Pearlman has worked at the Commission since March of 2008 and has served as a hearing officer, mediator, appellate counsel, and legislative director. In September of 2023, Ms. Pearlman was awarded the Champion of Open Government Award by the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information for her work with legislation regarding access to freedom of information. She graduated from Boston College in 1996 and Northeastern School of Law in 2000.

Panelists

Carol C. Quinn, Director of Lobbying, NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government

 

 

 

 

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Guy Giorno, Partner, Fasken

Guy Giorno leads the Political Law practice of Fasken. He is co-author of the legal text Lobbying in Canada and a former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister. He is an adjunct professor at Carleton University, teaching “Ethics in Political Management,” and on a part-time basis is the appointed "integrity commissioner" of several Ontario municipalities.

 

 

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Rea L. Holmes, Director, Legal Affairs and Associate General Counsel, The Pew Charitable Trusts

 

 

 

 

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Moderator

Erin Christine Lama, Partner, Politicom Law LLP

Erin Lama is a partner with Politicom Law LLP. Ms. Lama guides clients through federal, state and local lobby reporting, campaign finance, “pay-to-play,” governmental ethics and conflict of interest matters. Ms. Lama plays a key role on the Politicom Law team with the development and administration of comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional political compliance programs, including compliance with the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) as well as with the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (HLOGA).

Panelists

Teddy Grodek, Associate, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

Theodore Grodek, an associate in Skadden’s political law group, advises clients on lobbying, campaign finance, gift, and conflicts of interest issues at the federal, state, and local levels. He assists with internal investigations and audits and analyzes and advises clients on complying with new political law legislation. Teddy also co-edits the annual editions of the Lobbying Bluebook for COGEL and the Corporate Political Activities Deskbook for PLI.

 

 

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Nancy Bélanger, Commissioner of Lobbying, Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada

Nancy Bélanger was appointed Commissioner of Lobbying in late 2017. Prior to her appointment, she was Deputy Commissioner, Legal Services and Public Affairs with the Office of the Information Commissioner, and she also spent six years as General Counsel with the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

 

 

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Charles Murray, Commissioner, New Brunswick Office of the Integrity Commissioner

On January 1, 2020, Charles Murray was appointed Integrity Commissioner for the Province of New Brunswick for a seven-year term. He was appointed as the Ombud for New Brunswick in 2013. Charles is a graduate of Queen’s University in Kingston, ON, and Dalhousie Law School in Halifax, NS. He started his career as a private practice lawyer in New Brunswick in the late 1980s. Over the years he has served the provincial and federal governments through various roles. He was the Executive Director of the Electoral Boundaries Commission and Policy Manager of Legislation and Professional Regulation for the New Brunswick Department of Health.

 

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Guy Giorno, Partner, Fasken

Guy Giorno leads the Political Law practice of Fasken. He is co-author of the legal text Lobbying in Canada and a former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister. He is an adjunct professor at Carleton University, teaching “Ethics in Political Management,” and on a part-time basis is the appointed "integrity commissioner" of several Ontario municipalities.

 

 

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Moderator

Matthew Bobys, Counsel, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

Matthew Bobys is Counsel at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Washington, D.C. He advises business clients across numerous industries on political law issues relating to government affairs and government procurement at the federal, state, and local levels, particularly on campaign finance, pay-to-play, lobbying, government ethics, gifts and entertainment, and conflict of interest laws. He repeatedly has been selected for inclusion in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

Panelists

Brian Hamilton, General Counsel, Missouri Ethics Commission

Brian Hamilton is the General Counsel for the Missouri Ethics Commission. Mr. Hamilton oversees the planning, direction, and coordination of the Commission’s legal actions. He also provides legal representation as well as legal advice to the Commission.

 

 

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Wayne Barnett, Executive Director, Seattle Ethics & Elections Commission

Wayne Barnett has served for nearly 20 years as Executive Director of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Prior to joining Seattle’s Ethics and Elections Commission, Barnett was a staff counsel at the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission for three years and an associate at a Boston law firm for several years. He received a B.A. in Economics from Georgetown University in 1990, and graduated with honors from New York University Law School in 1996.

 

 

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Stephen Littlejohn, Counsel, Inquiries and Investigations, Toronto Lobbyist Registrar’s Office

Mr. Littlejohn, is the Inquiries & Investigations Counsel for the Toronto Lobbyist Registrar’s Office (the TLR) and is responsible for providing advice on compliance issues, conducting inquiries and investigations and developing policies and procedures to support the inquiries and investigations process for the largest municipal lobbyist registry system in Canada. He has a keen interest in administrative law with a particular focus on administrative investigations and prosecutions. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 2000 and is a long-standing member of the Canadian Bar Association's Administrative Law Section, Law of Lobbying and Ethics Committee and was most recently a Member-at-large of the National Executive Committee of the CBA Administrative Law Section.

 

 

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Jeff Sigurdson, Executive Director, Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board

Jeff Sigurdson is the executive director of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public disclosure Board. He has no formal education on training, but none the less has found himself conducting training sessions for the regulated community, train the trainer sessions, and training for elected officials on policy issues. Regardless of the audience, he has found that successful training must be approachable, available, and the basis for an ongoing relationship with the audience. Now, how do we that on a skimpy budget?

 

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Moderator

Wesley Bizzell, Senior Assistant General Counsel, Governmental and External Affairs, and Managing Director of Political Law & Ethics Programs, Altria Client Services LLC

Wesley Bizzell serves as ALCS’s Senior Assistant General Counsel, Governmental and External Affairs, and Managing Director of Political Law & Ethics Programs. He is past member of COGEL’s board of directors and is a 2018 recipient of the COGEL Award. Wesley is extremely active in promoting diversity and inclusion within the legal and corporate communities and is the past president of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association and serves on the American Bar Association’s Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.

Panelists

Zachary Bartscherer, Senior Officer, Pew Charitable Trusts

Zach Bartscherer focuses on connecting state and federal policymaking processes on disaster resilience, energy modernization, and climate adaptation at The Pew Charitable Trusts. He builds lobbying and advocacy campaigns in dozens of states in the U.S. and in Europe. Before joining Pew, Bartscherer worked with corporate and nonprofit clients to build advocacy and business development strategies around international technology, environmental, and health care priorities. Bartscherer holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from American University and lives in Washington, DC with his family.

 

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Quyen Tu, Legal Director, Bolder Advocacy, Alliance for Justice

Quyen is Legal Director for the Bolder Advocacy program at Alliance for Justice and is based in Southern California. She was in private practice before joining AFJ with a focus on advising social enterprises and benefit corporations, a legal status mix between nonprofit and for-profit. Quyen is one of the founding hosts on BA’s Rules of the Game podcast. Outside of work, Quyen is always looking for her next Habitat for Humanity build. When she is not hammering or mixing mortar, she bikes and practices yoga to maintain her sanity and compensate for her love of ice cream.

 

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Erika Boyd, Senior Commission Counsel, Fair Political Practices Commission

Erika Boyd is Senior Counsel with the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). She advises candidates, committees, members of the public, and practitioners on the California Political Reform Act and Commission Regulations. Prior to joining the FPPC, Erika worked in private practice, providing counsel in the areas of state and federal campaign reporting, as well as everyone’s favorite – lobbying! Back in her younger days, she worked on candidate and ballot measure campaigns at both the state and federal levels.

 

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Moderator

Sean Flynn, General Counsel, Washington Public Disclosure Commission

Sean has worked at the PDC since 2018. Prior to joining the PDC, he served as nonpartisan legal counsel with the Washington State House of Representatives and appellate program manager at the Office of Public Defense. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Sean is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Notre Dame Law School, and he clerked at the Washington and New Mexico supreme courts.

Panelists

Michael O'Connell, Training Specialist, Detroit Board of Ethics

Michael is the first Training Specialist for the City of Detroit Board of Ethics, where he focuses on data-driven solutions and the use of technology to implement outreach programs and engaging training. With a background in program development and education, he works to implement cutting-edge solutions to meet training needs for the benefit of the City of Detroit and the community at large.

 

 

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Alex Kipp, Director of Education & Engagement, New York City Conflicts of Interest Board

Alex Kipp is Director of Education & Engagement at the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board where he leads a team that teaches classes, creates videos, print, social media, and eLearning content and conducts lots and lots of webinars for New York City’s 325,000+ public servants. His work has been described by at least one elected official as “impeccably deranged,” which, Alex hopes, is supposed to be a compliment.

 

 

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Moderator

Susan Willeke, Education and Communications Manager, Ohio Ethics Commission

Susan Willeke is an accomplished government-relations professional with more than 30 years’ experience in public affairs, communication, and public speaking. Susan joined the Ohio Ethics Commission in 2005 as the Education and Communications Manager. In that position, Susan presents approximately 200 speeches annually, develops information strategies regarding agency programs and represents the Ethics Commission to Ohio citizens, the media, and the Ohio legislature. Prior to joining the Commission, Susan served in the communications office at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and as a legislative aide in the Ohio House of Representatives.

Panelists

Mike Sullivan, Former Director, Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance

 

 

 

 

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Rita Looney, Former Commissioner & General Counsel, Arkansas Ethics Commission

 

 

 

 

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Ken Gross, Senior Political Law Counsel and Consultant, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Ken Gross is a nationally recognized expert in campaign finance, lobby disclosure, and gift compliance. Formerly, he was the Associate General Counsel of the Federal Election Commission, where he headed enforcement.

 

 

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Moderator

Bob Stern, Ethics Commissioner, City of Los Angeles

 

 

Panelists

Jeff Sigurdson, Executive Director, Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board

Jeff Sigurdson is the executive director of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public disclosure Board. He has no formal education on training, but none the less has found himself conducting training sessions for the regulated community, train the trainer sessions, and training for elected officials on policy issues. Regardless of the audience, he has found that successful training must be approachable, available, and the basis for an ongoing relationship with the audience. Now, how do we that on a skimpy budget?

 

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Kim Fearney, Associate Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, University of Connecticut

Kim serves as the Associate Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer for the University of Connecticut and UConn Health. Kim is responsible for providing oversight and coordination of the University’s compliance program, including directing the day-to day operation of the Office of University Compliance. Kim also serves as the University’s Ethics Liaison to Connecticut’s Office of State Ethics. Kim has over 27 years of experience at the University of Connecticut, previously working in the Department of Human Resources and the Office of Audit, Compliance and Ethics.

 

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Karen E. Shepherd, Integrity Commissioner, City of Ottawa

Karen Shepherd has more than 30 years of experience with the federal Public Service, more than half of which was spent in the ethics field. In June 2009, she was appointed as Canada’s first Lobbying Commissioner. Later, she joined Health Canada, first as Executive Advisor to the Deputy Minister, then as Ombudsman. Karen now serves as Integrity Commissioner for the City of Ottawa. In 2010, she received the Bissett Alumni Award from Carleton University for Distinctive Contributions to the Public Sector.

 

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Moderator

Nancy Bélanger, Commissioner of Lobbying, Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada

Nancy Bélanger was appointed Commissioner of Lobbying in late 2017. Prior to her appointment, she was Deputy Commissioner, Legal Services and Public Affairs with the Office of the Information Commissioner, and she also spent six years as General Counsel with the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

Panelists

Kavita K. Bhatt, Deputy General Counsel, NYS Commission on Ethics & Lobbying in Government

Kavita K. Bhatt currently serves as the Deputy General Counsel at the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government. She originally joined the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, COELIG’s predecessor agency, in July 2018 as an Associate Attorney in the Advice & Guidance Unit, where she provided guidance related to the State ethics and lobbying laws, drafted formal Advisory Opinions for Commission issuance, and was the lead attorney on several high-profile investigative matters. Prior to her time at the Commission, Kavita worked in the Office of General Counsel for the MTA-New York City Transit Authority, where she represented the Transit Authority in all aspects of labor and employment litigation.

 

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Max Huntsman, Inspector General, Office of Inspector General, County of Los Angeles

In 2013, Max Huntsman, a seasoned public corruption prosecutor, was appointed Los Angeles County’s first Inspector General. Since starting his public service career in 1991 with the District Attorney’s Office, he has tackled political corruption and police misconduct. Huntsman, known for his commitment to transparency and accountability, has led efforts to address secret gang-like influences in the Sheriff’s Department. Under his leadership, the Office of Inspector General has issued over 170 reports on policing, conditions in jails, and reforms for modern policing.

 

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Ashley Cooks, Director of the Office of Government Ethics, D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability

Ashley Cooks is the Director of the Office of Government at the D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability and she has served at the agency in various roles since 2015. Ms. Cooks manages a team of 17 employees. The office specializes in providing ethics trainings, advice, and enforcement for 37,000 government employees and regulates the District government’s financial disclosure statement and lobbying programs. Ms. Cooks is a member of the District of Columbia Bar, the Greater Washington Area Chapter of the National Bar Association, the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics, and the National Association of Black Compliance & Risk Management Professionals, Inc. She received her Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law.

 

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Moderator

Peter Lewandowski, Executive Director, Connecticut State Office of Ethics

Peter has been the Executive Director of the CT Office of State Ethics for just over five years. He was tapped to serve in the top role in 2019 following 13 years of legal compliance work for the agency. Peter earned his juris doctorate from Indiana University Bloomington and has an extensive education background in ethics, philosophy, and religion.

Panelists

Donald Sherman, Executive Vice President and Chief Counsel, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

Donald K. Sherman serves as the executive director and chief counsel of Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington (CREW). He has served in various oversight, ethics, and policy roles in the Executive Branch and Congress including the White House, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the House Ethics Committee, and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

 

 

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Justin Levitt, Professor of Law, Gerald T. McLaughlin Fellow, LMU Loyola Law School

Professor Justin Levitt, at LMU Loyola Law School, is an expert on the law of democracy, with experience at civil rights nonprofits and presidential campaigns. He served at the White House from 2021-22 as the inaugural Senior Policy Advisor for Democracy and Voting Rights; from 2015-17, he helped lead the work of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division on voting rights and employment discrimination. Levitt has published widely and has testified before federal and state legislative entities, administrative bodies, and courts.

 

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Dean Logan, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Los Angeles County, California

Dean Logan is the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk for Los Angeles County, California -- the nation’s largest, most diverse local election jurisdiction serving more than 5.7 million registered voters. He holds degrees in Organizational Leadership (BSOL) and Public Administration (MPA). Logan is President of the County Recorders Association of California and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Election Center and as Vice President for the United States with the American Conference of Subnational Electoral Organizations for Electoral Transparency.

 

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Anna Massoglia, Independent Advisor

Anna Massoglia is an independent advisor with over a decade of experience in government accountability, political finance, and investigations. She worked at OpenSecrets between 2015 and 2024, most recently as Editorial and Investigations Manager. She holds degrees in political science and psychology from North Carolina State University and a J.D. from the University of the District of Columbia School of Law.

 

 

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Moderator

Wesley Bizzell, Senior Assistant General Counsel, Governmental and External Affairs, and Managing Director of Political Law & Ethics Programs, Altria Client Services LLC

Wesley Bizzell serves as ALCS’s Senior Assistant General Counsel, Governmental and External Affairs, and Managing Director of Political Law & Ethics Programs. He is past member of COGEL’s board of directors and is a 2018 recipient of the COGEL Award. Wesley is extremely active in promoting diversity and inclusion within the legal and corporate communities and is the past president of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association and serves on the American Bar Association’s Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.

Panelists

Sharon Spivak, Executive Director, San Diego Ethics Commission

Sharon Spivak is Executive Director of the San Diego Ethics Commission. She previously served as principal elections, ethics, and redistricting attorney in the San Diego City Attorney’s Office. Earlier, Sharon spent eight years as a litigation attorney with Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich (now DLA Piper). Before practicing law, she was an award-winning newspaper reporter, covering local, state, and national politics. Sharon’s reporting for the San Diego Union-Tribune featured coverage of U.S. presidential campaigns, California elections, and the California Legislature.

 

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Jesse J. Quenga, Executive Director, Guam Ethics Commission

Jesse John Quenga is the Executive Director of the Guam Ethics Commission, where he established key procedures and advocated for legislative changes to ensure the commission's independence. He also serves as a part-time faculty member at the University of Guam, teaching courses in Personnel Administration, Public Policy, and Government Finance. Actively involved in the community, Jesse served as chairman of the Guam Academy Charter School Council and is a past president of the Rotary Club of Pago Bay Guam.

 

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Christal Phillips, Executive Director, Board of Ethics for the City of Detroit

Christal Phillips was appointed Executive Director of the City of Detroit Board of Ethics in 2022. Ms. Phillips leads a team of three staff and seven volunteer Board members. Prior to joining the Board of Ethics, Ms. Phillips was an Assistant Director of Employee Relations at the Detroit Public Schools and an Investigator for the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia University.

 

 

 

 

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Moderator

Renata Ramsini, Chief Ethics Officer / Campaign Finance Administrator, City of Columbus

Renata Ramsini is the Chief Ethics Officer and Campaign Finance Administrator for the City of Columbus, Ohio. Her office is charged with providing guidance and counsel to all City of Columbus elected officials, municipal candidates, candidate committees and all City of Columbus employees on matters relating to ethics, standards of conduct, conflicts of interest and campaign finance. Prior to joining the City, Ms. Ramsini held a variety of roles in all three branches of Ohio government at the state and local level. She also represented a range of private and public clients in legal, compliance and policy matters.

Panelists

Mia Watson-Good, Chief Compliance Officer, Office of Ethics and Compliance, County of San Diego

Mia Watson-Good has been with the County for over a year. Previously, she was at AMN Healthcare as the lead Compliance Regulatory Analyst, specifically tracking COVID-19 federal and state regulatory changes, and coordinating licensure requirements and training for FEMA-East vaccination events. She is a retired Naval Intelligence Officer and a certified ethics and compliance professional. A graduate of Santa Clara University School of Law with a Master of Legal Studies in Corporate Compliance.

 

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Tianna Kalogerakis, Director of Professional Development, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Philadelphia City Law Department

 

 

 

 

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Moderator

Jennifer Ferentz, Associate Counsel, New York City Campaign Finance Board

Jennifer Ferentz is an associate counsel at the New York City Campaign Finance Board, where she brings enforcement actions against campaigns and independent spenders for violations of municipal campaign finance law, and supports the General Counsel in areas such as rulemaking, procurement, and New York Freedom of Information Law. Prior to her time at the CFB, she clerked for the Hon. John A. Kazen, United States District Court in the Southern District of Texas. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from the Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. from Fordham Law School.

Panelists

Bryan McHale, Director of Compliance and Administration, Philadelphia Board of Ethics

Bryan McHale is the Director of Compliance and Administration at the City of Philadelphia Board of Ethics, working with filers of campaign finance, lobbying, and financial disclosure forms. He has previously worked with the US Census Bureau and the Internal Revenue Service.

 

 

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Jose Guzman, Senior Auditor, LA City Ethics Commission

Jose Guzman is a Senior Auditor at the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, where he is part of the leadership team for the division that audits committees that are controlled by city candidates and officeholders to ensure compliance with state and city campaign financing laws. Jose began his tenure with the Ethics Commission as a Communications Analyst, where he led the design and development of public-facing dashboards, web applications, and data visualizations to promote transparency and education efforts. Prior to joining the Ethics Commission, Jose worked in the non-profit sector as a Data Analyst and Research Coordinator for the Houston Food Bank. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Houston and a Master’s degree in Global Policy Studies from the University of Texas at Austin.

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Tyler Field, Senior IS Engineer, City and County of San Francisco Ethics Commission

 

 

 

 

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Moderator

Renata Ramsini, Chief Ethics Officer / Campaign Finance Administrator, City of Columbus

Renata Ramsini is the Chief Ethics Officer and Campaign Finance Administrator for the City of Columbus, Ohio. Her office is charged with providing guidance and counsel to all City of Columbus elected officials, municipal candidates, candidate committees and all City of Columbus employees on matters relating to ethics, standards of conduct, conflicts of interest and campaign finance. Prior to joining the City, Ms. Ramsini held a variety of roles in all three branches of Ohio government at the state and local level. She also represented a range of private and public clients in legal, compliance and policy matters.

Panelists

Alex Kipp, Director of Education & Engagement, New York City Conflicts of Interest Board

Alex Kipp oversees curriculum and instruction for a classroom training program that delivers hundreds of classes per year, and serves as Producer of all video, print and social media projects. Alex has taught at the Practising Law Institute, the Asian American Bar Association of New York, the International Development Law Organization’s Cairo Office, Hunter College, Wharton, and the University of Kansas. In 2016 he was awarded the Powell Pierpoint Award for Outstanding Service to the Conflicts of Interest Board. In 2024 he received the Sloan Public Service Award.

 

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Rashee Raj, General Counsel, Board of Ethics and Government Accountability

Rashee Raj is the General Counsel for the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her J.D. from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. She has been working as a DC agency counsel for 8 years, and 4 of those years with BEGA. She has one dog and one son, both with giant piles of curly black hair.

Panelists

Cathryn Motherwell, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario

Cathryn Motherwell is deputy commissioner at the Office of the Integrity Commissioner in Ontario, Canada, and works in each of the Office's seven mandates including ethics, conflict of interest, lobbyist registration, disclosure of wrongdoing and expense review. A former journalist, she was deputy editor of The Globe and Mail's Report on Business, managing investigative projects and digital news. Cathryn has served on the COGEL programming and nominating committees.

 

 

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Kirann Nesbit, Chief EEO & DEI Officer, New York City Campaign Finance Board

Kirann Nesbit has served as the NYC CFB’s Chief Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer since April 2022. Prior to that, she served as an EEO Officer for the NYC Health and Hospitals system and before that, as an EEO/DEI Coordinator with the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunication (now known as OTI). Kirann has spent the entirety of her career as a civil servant for the City of New York, predominantly focusing on internal misconduct and discrimination investigations. Kirann holds an M.S.Ed in Bilingual School Counseling from LIU Brooklyn, where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA and graduated from Brooklyn College in 2016, where she double majored in Psychology and Linguistics. Kirann is honored to serve as one of the first Pakistani-Muslim Americans on the executive team of the NYC Campaign Finance Board and enjoys spending her down time reading about racial group dynamics and group theory in addition to spending time with her family and friends

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Sharon Spivak, Executive Director, San Diego Ethics Commission

Sharon Spivak is Executive Director of the San Diego Ethics Commission. She previously served as principal elections, ethics, and redistricting attorney in the San Diego City Attorney’s Office. Earlier, Sharon spent eight years as a litigation attorney with Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich (now DLA Piper). Before practicing law, she was an award-winning newspaper reporter, covering local, state, and national politics. Sharon’s reporting for the San Diego Union-Tribune featured coverage of U.S. presidential campaigns, California elections, and the California Legislature.

 

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Moderator

Galena West, Executive Director, California Fair Political Practices Commission

Galena West is the Executive Director of the California Fair Political Practices Commission. Prior to her appointment, she served as the Chief of Enforcement, Senior Commission Counsel for the Enforcement Division, and Commission Counsel for the Legal Division. She has been with the agency for over 20 years.

Panelists

Susan Willeke, Education and Communications Manager, Ohio Ethics Commission

Susan Willeke is an accomplished government-relations professional with more than 30 years’ experience in public affairs, communication, and public speaking. Susan joined the Ohio Ethics Commission in 2005 as the Education and Communications Manager. In that position, Susan presents approximately 200 speeches annually, develops information strategies regarding agency programs and represents the Ethics Commission to Ohio citizens, the media, and the Ohio legislature. Prior to joining the Commission, Susan served in the communications office at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and as a legislative aide in the Ohio House of Representatives.

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Dave Bainbridge, General Counsel, California Fair Political Practices Commission

David Bainbridge is the General Counsel for the California Fair Political Practices Commission. Prior to heading the Legal Division, he worked in the FPPC’s Enforcement Division for six years as Assistant Chief and Commission Counsel.

 

 

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Darrin Lim, Co-Founder and Partner, Politicom Law LLP

Darrin Lim is Co-Founder and Partner of Politicom Law, a political compliance firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. He is Co-Chair of this year’s COGEL Conference and received the organization’s Outstanding Service Award in 2021.

 

 

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Moderator

Lindsey Nakano, Senior Legislative Counsel, California Fair Political Practices Commission

Lindsey Nakano (she/her) is Senior Legislative Counsel with the California Fair Political Practices Commission, which administers and enforces state law on campaign finance, financial conflicts of interest, lobbying regulation, and governmental ethics. Lindsey serves as the Commission’s legislative advocate and point of contact on legislative matters. She received her B.A. in Philosophy and Government From California State University, Sacramento, and her J.D. from UC Law San Francisco.