The Massachusetts Bar Association held a graduation ceremony for the 2024-25 class of the MBA Leadership Academy on Monday, March 10, at the John Adams Courthouse in Boston. The 20 graduating Fellows completed nearly six months of educational programming, with sessions focused on Rising to the Top, Mentorship, The Power of Play, and Principles of Effective Advocacy and Maintaining Credibility in the Courtroom.
The MBA established a Leadership Academy in the 2016-17 association year to address the lack of developmental opportunities in the legal profession and to prepare young attorneys to assume leadership roles at the bar, in their firms and organizations, and in government. Individuals selected for the program commit to active participation in all Leadership Academy activities, which are designed with the input of MBA officers and staff.
MBA President Victoria M. Santoro opened the ceremony with congratulatory remarks for the graduates before introducing this year's keynote speaker, Hon. Debra A. Squires-Lee, associate justice of the Suffolk County Superior Court. Joining Santoro at the event were MBA President-elect Michael H. Hayden, Vice President Samuel A. Segal, Treasurer Shayla Mombeleur, Secretary Marc A. Moccia, and Chief Legal Counsel and Chief Operating Officer Martin W. Healy. Following the presentation of diplomas, the graduation concluded with a networking reception.
Thank you to all our 2024-25 Leadership Academy Fellows for participating! We look forward to seeing our newly graduated Fellows in leadership roles around the MBA. Questions about the Leadership Academy? Email
leadacademy@massbar.org.
2024-25 Graduating Leadership Academy Fellows:
- David Armas, Norfolk County District Attorney's Office
- Megan Baker, Chartwell Law Offices
- Karen Bobadilla, De Novo
- Nancy Braman, DLA Piper US LLP
- Emily Butcher Repetto, Holland & Knight LLP
- Arthur Czugh, Massachusetts Trial Court Administrative Office
- Krista Ellis, Community Legal Aid
- Garrett Gee, Stoneman Chandler & Miller LLP
- Ginger Gibbs, Thornton Law Firm LLP
- Taylor Henley, Committee for Public Counsel Services, Youth Advocacy Division
- Korinna Locke, Fedele & Murray PC
- Christian Milde, U.S. District Court
- Ryan Paine, Conn Kavanaugh Rosenthal Peisch Ford LLP
- Allison Pash, Committee for Public Counsel Services
- Sarah Ruter, Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP
- Courtney Ryder, The Law Office of Merril S. Chin LLC
- Ana Schwarz, Rubin and Rudman LLP
- George Somi, Worcester County District Attorney's Office
- Monica Towle, Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete LLP
- Tyler Weber, Keches Law Group PC