The 2012 Board of Directors


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Member Name
Roxanne K. Song Ong was appointed as the Chief Presiding Judge of the Phoenix Municipal Court in November of 2005 and is the first woman and first ethnic minority to hold the position. She has served as a judge for the Phoenix Municipal Court since 1991, was appointed as the Assistant Presiding Judge in October 2000 and was a judge for the Scottsdale City Court from 1986-1991. Judge Song Ong also serves as Chair to the Arizona Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Education and Training, the Chair of the Arizona Supreme Court's Commission on Minorities, the Arizona Supreme Court Publications Committee, and is an officer with the Arizona Minority Judges' Caucus. Hon. Roxanne K. Song Ong, President - was appointed as the Chief Presiding Judge of the Phoenix Municipal Court in November of 2005 and is the first woman and first ethnic minority to hold the position. She has served as a judge for the Phoenix Municipal Court since 1991, was appointed as the Assistant Presiding Judge in October 2000 and was a judge for the Scottsdale City Court from 1986-1991. Judge Song Ong also serves as Chair to the Arizona Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Education and Training, the Chair of the Arizona Supreme Court's Commission on Minorities, the Arizona Supreme Court Publications Committee, and is an officer with the Arizona Minority Judges' Caucus.
Todd F. Lang Todd F. Lang, President Elect - is the Executive Director of the Citizens Clean Elections Commission, a state agency that administers the Citizens Clean Elections Act (ACT). In his role, Todd is charged with leading a team to continue the progress that has been established since the Act's inception in 1998. Mr. Lang has direct experience with state campaign finance and election laws and programs as well as federal campaign finance laws and the U.S. Constitution. Previously, Todd served as Chief Counsel for the Consumer Litigation Unit at the Office of the Arizona Attorney General. Prior to that, he spent 2003-2004 as a Visiting Clinical Professor at the Arizona State University School of Law. Mr. Lang's previous experience includes three years as an election law attorney serving as the counsel for the Arizona Clean Elections Commission. In that position, Todd successfully argued before the Arizona Supreme Court in defense of the Clean Elections Act. Mr. Lang spent the first seven years of this legal career as a legal services attorney and litigated against slumlords and on behalf of victims of consumer fraud. Todd currently serves on the Board of Directors of Community Legal Services. He also has taught several CLE programs on consumer finance fraud, landlord/tenant law, and election law. Additionally, he is past chair of the State Bar Legal Services Committee and Co-President of the Lorna Lockwood Inn of Court, and a past Co-Chair of the State Bar Convention Committee and past-Chair of the State Bar Public Lawyers Committee. He was named by the Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP) as the "Tenant Rights Advocate of the Year" in 2005. He was also named by the State Bar Foundation for Legal Services and Education as one of the "Top Pro-Bono lawyers of the Year" in 2005 and 2006. Todd graduated from the Cornell University College of Law in 1993.

Tom Giallanza is Assistant Superintendent for the State of Arizona Department of Financial Institutions. Prior to moving to Arizona, he served as general counsel for a national real estate developer and later as manager of a national business unit for a major title company. Tom earned his B.S. and J.D. from Loyola University of Chicago and is admitted to the Illinois bar. He is a member of the St. Thomas More Society of Phoenix.Tom Giallanza, Vice President - is Deputy Receiver for the Maricopa County Superior Court Receivership of Landmarc Capital and Investment Company. Tom was formerly Assistant Superintendent for the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions. Prior to moving to Arizona, he served as general counsel for a national real estate developer and later as manager of a national business unit for a major title insurance company. Tom earned his B.S. and J.D. from Loyola University of Chicago and is admitted to the Illinois bar. He is a member of the St. Thomas More Society of Phoenix.
Matthew FischerMatthew Fischer, Secretary
(Bio Pending)
Christina Urias was appointed Director of the Arizona Department of Insurance by Governor Napolitano in November, 2003. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Urias was a partner at the law firm of DeConcini McDonald Yetwin & Lacy, P.C. Before becoming an attorney, Ms. Urias worked in the insurance industry as a property and casualty claims representative. A member of a seventh generation Tucson pioneer family, she is also fluent in Spanish. She received her B.A in philosophy (With Distinction) from the University of Arizona and graduated Cum Laude from the University of Arizona College of Law (1988). Ms. Urias clerked for then Chief Justice Frank X. Gordon, Jr., of the Arizona Supreme Court from 1988-1989. Christina Urias, Past President - was appointed Director of the Arizona Department of Insurance by Governor Napolitano in November, 2003. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Urias was a partner at the law firm of DeConcini McDonald Yetwin & Lacy, P.C. Before becoming an attorney, Ms. Urias worked in the insurance industry as a property and casualty claims representative. A member of a seventh generation Tucson pioneer family, she is also fluent in Spanish. She received her B.A in philosophy (With Distinction) from the University of Arizona and graduated Cum Laude from the University of Arizona College of Law (1988). Ms. Urias clerked for then Chief Justice Frank X. Gordon, Jr., of the Arizona Supreme Court from 1988-1989.
Randall Papetti is an AV-rated lawyer and the Chair of the firm's Commercial Litigation Group. He clerked for the Honorable Robert C. Broomfield of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona from 1992-94. He is the Chair of the Antitrust Section of the State Bar of Arizona. Mr. Papetti is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of StandUp for Kids. StandUp for Kids is a national organization dedicated to helping homeless and street kids. Randall Papetti, Treasurer - is an AV-rated lawyer and the Chair of the firm's Commercial Litigation Group. He clerked for the Honorable Robert C. Broomfield of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona from 1992-94. He is the Chair of the Antitrust Section of the State Bar of Arizona. Mr. Papetti is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of StandUp for Kids. StandUp for Kids is a national organization dedicated to helping homeless and street kids.
Hon. Thomas J. Berning is the City Court Magistrate for the City of Tucson. Judge Berning has been practicing law for almost 30 years and has been devoted to public service, primarily providing legal services to low income people and persons with disabilities. He has worked with urban, rural, Native American and immigrant communities. Prior to becoming city court magistrate in 2006, he served as Executive Director for Southern Arizona Legal Aid. He also served on the board for the Arizona Center for Disability Law. He currently contributes content for the AZLawHelp.org website and is a volunteer for Casa Maria. He graduated in 1975 from Arizona State University and in 1978 from University of Arizona. Hon. Thomas J. Berning is the City Court Magistrate for the City of Tucson. Judge Berning has been practicing law for almost 30 years and has been devoted to public service, primarily providing legal services to low income people and persons with disabilities. He has worked with urban, rural, Native American and immigrant communities. Prior to becoming city court magistrate in 2006, he served as Executive Director for Southern Arizona Legal Aid. He also served on the board for the Arizona Center for Disability Law. He currently contributes content for the AZLawHelp.org website and is a volunteer for Casa Maria. He graduated in 1975 from Arizona State University and in 1978 from University of Arizona.
Damon BoydDamon Boyd is a partner at Snell & Wilmer where his practice is concentrated in intellectual property and technology related law. Since 2001, Damon has counseled the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education on a wide variety of legal issues, including intellectual property issues, social media issues, and general legal questions relating to technology. Over the years, Damon has counseled the Foundation with respect to numerous intellectual property issues as they arise, and has provided a variety of training seminars to the Foundation and its members relating to intellectual property and social media. Most recently, Damon has provided counsel on intellectual property issues relating to an oral history portion of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Centennial website project. Damon has also served as an adjunct professor at the Phoenix School of Law.

In addition to his service to the Foundation, Damon is and has been involved in the community, including working with the Arizona Celtic Bar Association, the Sudanese for Sudanese Foundation, and counseling numerous non-profit organizations with respect to their intellectual property needs.

Jeffrey BrodinJeffrey Brodin is Director of HR Business Partners at Arizona Public Service Company ("APS"), Arizona's principal electric energy supplier. APS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, a Fortune 500 diversified energy company with 7,200 employees, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to his current HR management role, Mr. Brodin was a Senior Attorney at Pinnacle West, responsible for the areas of labor, employment, and benefits. He has more than 20 years of employment law experience in both law firm and in-house law practice.

Mr. Brodin is very involved in community activities, including serving as Vice-Chair of the Employment Committee of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Brodin is presently serving on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education, and has served as Board Chair for the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS.

Mr. Brodin completed the Stanford Executive Program at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2008. He earned his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law and his B.A., magna cum laude, from North Park University in Chicago, Illinois.

Scott Evans is a litigation & bankruptcy support specialist and a licensed CPA in Arizona and California. Scott has extensive experience in calculating lost profit damages, forensic accounting investigations and bankruptcy consulting, among other areas. Scott also has expert witness testimony experience. Scott is an Associate Director with Navigant Consulting Inc. and has worked for two of the 'Big 4' accounting firms in the audit and dispute and investigation departments. Scott Evans is a litigation & bankruptcy support specialist and a licensed CPA in Arizona and California. Scott has extensive experience in calculating lost profit damages, forensic accounting investigations and bankruptcy consulting, among other areas. Scott also has expert witness testimony experience. Scott is Managing Director at Simon Consulting, LLC and has worked for two of the "Big 4" accounting firms in the audit and dispute and investigation departments.
Brad Gazaway is the Vice President and Corporate Counsel for The Dial Corporation, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Prior to joining Dial in 2003, Brad was a Corporate and Securities attorney with the law firm of Snell & Wilmer LLP from 1998-2003. Brad graduated in 1992 from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, and in 1998 from the University of Iowa Law School, Iowa City, IA. Brad Gazaway is the Vice President and Corporate Counsel for The Dial Corporation, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Prior to joining Dial in 2003, Brad was a Corporate and Securities attorney with the law firm of Snell & Wilmer LLP from 1998-2003. Brad graduated in 1992 from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, and in 1998 from the University of Iowa Law School, Iowa City, IA.
Rodney GlassmanRodney Glassman is the City of Tucson Ward 2 Council Member and is a graduate of The University of Arizona five times over. He earned his undergraduate degree in Agricultural Economics, his Masters of Business Administration as well as his Masters of Public Administration from the Eller College of Management. In 2005 Rodney completed his PhD in Arid Land Resource Science from The University of Arizona. He has published award-winning research both nationally and internationally in the area of agricultural education and hands-on learning. Just weeks after his election to the Tucson City Council in 2007, Rodney graduated with his J.D. from the James E. Rogers College of Law at The University of Arizona. Rodney joined the Arizona Bar in the summer of 2008.

Professionally, Rodney currently works as a financial advisor at Wachovia Securities, which is owned by Wells Fargo Bank. He has experience in small business and also holds an Arizona Real Estate license. He has consulted in the area of community development, relationship building, and charitable giving for companies in Tucson, and previously served on the Advisory Board for the Bank of Tucson. Rodney served from 2002-2006 as a legislative aide for Congressman Raúl Grijalva, focusing on business and agriculture in the Washington, D.C. and Tucson congressional offices.
Faith KlepperFaith C. Klepper practices civil litigation at Calderón Law Offices in Phoenix. Prior to joining Calderón Law Offices, she served as a deputy county attorney with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office from 2001-2004 and a deputy public defender with the Maricopa County Public Defender from 1998-2001. Faith currently serves as Editorial Chair of the Arizona Attorney magazine and previously served on the board of directors for DNA-People's Legal Services and the Maricopa County Bar Association. She earned her undergraduate degree from Brown University and her law degree from Arizona State University.
Joseph KreamerHon. Joseph Kreamer is judge at the Superior Court. He was previously a trial attorney at the law firm of Hopkins & Kreamer in Phoenix, where he practiced mainly in the areas of personal injury and commercial litigation. Joe also worked with the firm of Snell & Wilmer. Joe has been involved in access to justice issues in Arizona for many years, having chaired the State Bar Legal Services Committee, the Maricopa County Bar Foundation Board of Directors, President of the Board for the Foundation, John P. Frank for Justice awardee, Top 50 Pro Bono Attorney and Volunteer of the Year.

Patrick McWhortor has worked as the state director and national access director at Libraries for the Future and worked on education and environmental issues at the Arizona legislature. He's also taught public policy, political science and computer courses at ASU and Maricopa County Community Colleges. McWhortor has served on various nonprofit boards, including Kids Voting Arizona and the Organization for Nonprofit Executives (ONE), among others. He is a Valley Leadership graduate and holds a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in public administration from ASU. Patrick McWhortor has worked as the state director and national access director at Libraries for the Future and worked on education and environmental issues at the Arizona legislature. He's also taught public policy, political science and computer courses at ASU and Maricopa County Community Colleges. McWhortor has served on various nonprofit boards, including Kids Voting Arizona and the Organization for Nonprofit Executives (ONE), among others. He is a Valley Leadership graduate and holds a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in public administration from ASU.
Robin R. Mitchell is an attorney for the Arizona Commission Corporation. She has been a practicing attorney for almost 25 years and her major areas of law practice are utility, labor, employment and employee benefits. Ms. Mitchell is admitted to practice in Arizona, Florida and Texas. She has been involved in the Volunteer Lawyers Program and has also served as a counselor for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. She graduated with honors from the University of Tennessee with a B.A. in history and received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University. Robin R. Mitchell is an attorney for the Arizona Commission Corporation. She has been a practicing attorney for almost 25 years and her major areas of law practice are utility, labor, employment and employee benefits. Ms. Mitchell is admitted to practice in Arizona, Florida and Texas. She has been involved in the Volunteer Lawyers Program and has also served as a counselor for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. She graduated with honors from the University of Tennessee with a B.A. in history and received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University.

Meredith Peabody Meredith Peabody has had her own consulting business for the past seven years working with various companies and specializing in strategic planning, cultural change management, leadership and organizational development. Some of her most notable clients are: Cerberus Capital Management L.P.; BAWAG/PSK Bank, Vienna, Austria; Kearny Alliance Foundation, and Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Prior to starting her consulting business, Ms. Peabody was the Managing Director of the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS). She held responsibility for all aspects of operation and strategic planning for the DBS Retail Distribution network in five Asian Countries. Her responsibilities included leveraging of Consumer Banking capabilities across the region to achieve DBS's regional objectives as well as improve performance of the flagship Retail Bank in Singapore through the integration and expansion of their Distribution channels locally.

Ms. Peabody spent over 20 years in retail banking. She began with the Arizona Bank, introducing a sales and service culture to all levels of the Retail Bank. She progressed through management positions with the Arizona Bank, Security Pacific Bank and Bank of America, where she spent nine years managing a district. Ms. Peabody was in Hong Kong from 1997-1999 with Bank of America's Asia Retail Banking Group, where her responsibilities included the development and implementation of division-wide sales and service strategies to create consistency in products, sales and service delivery across five countries in Asia.

Prior to banking, Ms. Peabody spent 10 years in the consumer products industry, most notably as National Sales and Marketing Manager for the J.M. Smucker Company.

She has served on many charity boards, including: Bank of America Community Service Board, Valley Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Valley Leadership, and the Arizona Governor's Council. In 2005 she began mentoring an Artemis fellow, a woman entrepreneur from Afghanistan. She is on the Governor's Task Force against Methamphetamine in Yavapai County. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Thunderbird, the School of Global Management. Most recently she was appointed as a public member to the Board of Governors for the State Bar of Arizona, and is a founding member of the Board for "The World Academy for the Future of Women" which is a leadership training and development program for young women in emerging economies. Meredith also serves as an Adjunct Faculty member of Ashford University.

In addition to holding an MBA in International Management from Thunderbird, she is a graduate of the Bank Marketing School of the University of Colorado.
Richard PlattRichard T. Platt is the Chief Criminal Deputy County Attorney for the Pinal County Attorney’s Office. He has been with the County Attorney’s Office since 1996. From 1984 to 1996, he was in private practice in the firm of Platt & Jenson, P.C. in Coolidge, Ariz. His practice focused on criminal law, domestic relations, real property and probate matters. In 1987, he was the President of the Pinal County Bar Association. He has served on the State Bar Board of Governors for the last 10 years (Secretary-Treasurer 2010-2011; 2nd VP 2011-2012), representing rural Arizona and public lawyers.
Helen PurcellHelen Purcell was recently elected to her sixth term as Maricopa County Recorder. She is responsible for recording and maintaining for permanent public record 5,000 to 8,000 documents per day and maintaining voter registration rolls for over 1,700,000 registered voters. She is responsible for administering the Elections Department which conducts all national, state and countywide elections and provides support for cities, towns, school districts, special districts and other jurisdictions. Ms. Purcell is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Counties (NACo), Kids Voting-Arizona and a board member of Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, serving as its Secretary. At NACo she chairs the Member Programs and Services Committee. She serves as a member of the Advisory Board to the U.S.Elections Assistance Commission (EAC) and the Technical Guidlines Development Committee which recommends guidelines for future Election systems in the United States. Ms. Purcell was appointed by Governor Napalitano to the Electronic Recording Commission, serving as chair with members from the Recorders' Association, the Arizona Bar Association and the Ttitle Insurance Community. Her office has received numerous awards including the National Kids Voting Excellence Award, "Best Practice" award from the National Association of Recorders, Election Officials and Clerks and after nomination by Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Computer Corp. the departments' Vote by Mail Technology became part of the 2000 Computerworld Smithsonian collection at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. The office has processed over 1,000,000 every year since 1999, reaching over one and one/half million in 2004.
Domingos R. SantosDomingos Santos formed Santos Law Office, P.L.L.C. in November 2010 to provide individuals and businesses with quality and cost-effective legal representation in state and local tax matters. Prior to forming Santos Law Office, P.L.L.C., Domingos was a member of Snell & Wilmer's Commercial Litigation Practice Group, where he focused his practice on commercial litigation and state and local tax matters. While at Snell & Wilmer, Domingos advised small and large businesses facing transaction privilege tax audits from local taxing jurisdictions and represented small and large businesses, banking institutions, and exempt organizations appealing real property tax valuation and classification determinations to county assessors, county and state boards of equalization, and the Arizona Tax Court.

Prior to joining Snell & Wilmer, Domingos was a Deputy County Attorney with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, where he acted as lead counsel in hundreds of contested property tax appeals involving master planned communities and subdivision projects, and agricultural, commercial, and residential real property.

Christine ThompsonChristine M. Thompson is the Assistant Vice President for Government Relations for the Arizona Board of Regents. In that capacity, Ms. Thompson serves as the liaison to the executive and legislative branches of state government on government and legislative affairs, and advocates for priorities of the University system. Ms. Thompson is active in several community boards, including the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education, Kids Voting Arizona, and Soroptimist International of Phoenix. Ms. Thompson was honored in 2007 by the University of Arizona Alumni Association with the Outstanding Young Alumni Volunteer Award, and was named in 2003 as one of the Arizona Republic's "20 in their 20's." In 1999, Governor Hull appointed Ms. Thompson to a one-year term on the Arizona Board of Regents. Ms. Thompson received her BA in 1996 and her JD in 2001 from the University of Arizona.
Kevin S. Ruegg Kevin S. Ruegg, Ph.D., Ex officio - has over twenty years with working with nonprofit organizations serving those most marginalized in our society. Currently she serves as the CEO/Executive Director for the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education, Inc. In addition to her administration of nonprofit agencies, she has lent her expertise to mentoring numerous small nonprofit organizations to build their capacity; increase volunteer involvement; and create quality assurance processes. She has been recognized for building collaborative efforts and has presented at National Conferences regarding both statewide cadres and University & Community partnership programs which she assisted in developing. Kevin has a doctoral degree in Applied Management and Decision Sciences. Her Masters is in Human Resource Development and she holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration with a Minor in Theology.
John Phelps John F. Phelps, Ex officio - CEO/Executive Director, State Bar of Arizona

•Chief of Staff of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in Washington, D.C.
•Chief Operating Officer of the Grand Canyon Chapter of the American Red Cross in Phoenix, Arizona.
•Deputy Director of the Arizona Office of Homeland Security in the Office of the Governor of Arizona.
•Retired from active duty after nearly 25 years as a Colonel in the Judge Advocate General's Corps in 2003.

Areas of expertise include government ethics and policy, administrative and constitutional law, homeland security, and executive leadership.

John graduated magna cum laude from St. John's University in Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in Government.  He holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona College of Law, and Master of Laws degrees from the Judge Advocate General's School and the University of Virginia School of Law.  John has been a member of the Arizona Bar since 1986.


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