President, Bayliss Fiddiman: president@gwacbar.org

Bayliss Fiddiman is the Director of Educational Equity and Senior Counsel on the Education & Workplace Justice team at the National Women’s Law Center. In her role she advocates for policies that keep girls of color from being pushed out of school and for the rights of pregnant and parenting students. She previously worked as Associate Director on the K-12 Education team at the Center for American Progress where she advocated for state and federal policies that increase access to a high-quality education for all children She received her B.A. in legal studies from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with Commonwealth Honors College distinction, and her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law.

President- Elect, Keela Seales: presidentelect@gwacbar.org

Immediate Past President, Renee C. Mims

Having joined GWAC while she was a law student at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, Renee Mims’ previous GWAC roles include Historian, Law Student Affairs Chair, Program Planning Chair, and President-Elect. Additionally, Renee currently served as the Secretary of the GWAC Foundation, Inc. for three years. Renee is excited to serve as an inaugural Lawyer Mentor in the Bridge Builders Esq. National Mentorship Program for Aspiring Black Lawyers.

During her law school career, she was entrusted to fulfill several leadership roles including, President, Director of Communications, and Evening Student Representative for her school’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA). She was also served on the board of the Mid-Atlantic Black Law Students Association as Chief of Staff, Director of the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition, Moot Court Specialist. Renee is also a member of the National Bar Association and the Washington Council of Lawyers. She is a proud graduate of Howard University.

Currently, Renee practices family law and domestic violence law in the District of Columbia. Prior to practice, Renee worked at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia as a Judicial Law Clerk on a criminal calendar and a domestic violence calendar.

Treasurer, Natasha Hudgins: treasurer@gwacbar.org

Natasha Hudgins currently serves as an Attorney Advisor at the United States Department of Justice. In this role, she manages FOIA and Privacy Act requests and litigation. She has trained government personnel from around the country on conducting proper searches and the
importance of providing public access to federal records while protecting the personal privacy rights of individuals. Natasha also has experience at the US Department of Commerce and as a legal consultant, drafting D.C. legislation, and assisting non-profit organizations.

Natasha currently serves as the GWAC Treasurer. She also serves as the Vice Chair for the Washington Bar Association Young Lawyers Division.. She was the recipient of the YLD Chair Legacy Award for 2020-2021. For 2019-2020 she was the recipient of the NBA YLD Young
Lawyer Chairman’s Award and the WBA YLD Young Lawyer of the Year Award.

Natasha holds a Bachelors of Arts in Integrative Studies and Dance from George Mason University. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of the District of Columbia. During her time in law school, she was involved in a variety of activities, including the National Black
Law Students Association and the Student Bar Association. Additionally, she was the recipient of several prestigious scholarships.

Corresponding Secretary, Kimberlee Gee: info@gwacbar.org

Kimberlee Gee is the founder and managing member of Kimberlee Gee Legal, a legal outsourcing and consulting firm based in the Washington, D.C. Metro area.  Prior to starting her own business, Kimberlee worked in employment defense, leading a variety of Title VII litigation, government policy, regulatory enforcement and human resource matters.  She also conducted sensitive workplace investigations arising from reported sexual harassment or sexual misconduct incidents.  She is licensed to practice in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. In addition to serving as a Board member for GWAC she is also the Programs and CLE Subcommittee Chair for the Minority Trial Lawyers Committee of the American Bar Association.

Recording Secretary, Patricia-Joy Mpasi

Patricia-Joy Mpasi received her J.D. from William and Mary Law School. After that, she received her LL.M, from the Washington College of Law. She holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland. She is licensed to practice in Maryland and D.C.

Patricia-Joy has a passion for assisting disadvantaged people in the community. She is enthusiastic about protecting children who are abused and neglected. She previously clerked for the Honorable Charles B. Day, in the United States District Court for the District Court of Maryland. Before her clerkship, she served as an Assistant Attorney General, in the Child Protection Section, Family Services Division, for the Attorney General’s Office in Washington D.C. She represented the Child and Family Services Agency, in litigation proceedings involving child abuse and neglect cases. Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, she worked at Maryland Legal Aid, where she advocated for children who were abused or neglected, who had developmental disabilities, or who had behavioral issues. Patricia-Joy also worked for a social security disability law firm, where she represented claimants with physical and mental disabilities at the appellate level. She successfully advocated for claimants who were previously denied social security disability benefits.

Historian, Daraja Carroll: historian@gwacbar.org

Judicial Liaison, The Honorable Tanya Jones Bosier

Judge Tanya M. Jones Bosier was appointed magistrate judge by Chief Judge Robert E. Morin in January 2017.  She has presided in the Civil, Domestic Violence, and Probate Divisions and Family Court. She serves on several judicial committees.

Before joining the Superior Court bench, Judge Jones Bosier served as an Assistant General Counsel for DC Courts, where she handled complex employee relations matters.  Prior to her employment with DC Courts, she worked as an Assistant General Counsel, Assistant Attorney General, Attorney Advisor, and Section Chief for the DC Office of the Attorney General (OAG). While at OAG, Judge Jones Bosier gained extensive experience in administrative, child abuse and neglect, child support, domestic relations, domestic violence, public benefits, and procurement law, as well as in intervention proceedings. Judge Jones Bosier was instrumental in the growth of the Fathering Court Initiative and the formation of the Name Change Calendar, both within the Family Court. 

Judge Jones Bosier is committed to service and volunteers in various capacities within the legal and local community. Judge Jones Bosier has garnered a host of awards, scholarships, and recognitions for her service to the local community. Most recently, she received the 2018 American University Washington College of Law Hairston Alumni Award in recognition of her accomplishments in the field of law and commitment to the law school and the 2014-2015 Adjunct Professor of the Year for her dedication and service to law students.  Judge Jones Bosier continues to serve as an adjunct professor in the WCL externship program and to mentor young lawyers and students.

LaFonda Willis, Law Firm and Corporate Counsel Chair: lfcc@gwacbar.org

LaFonda Willis is the 2022-2023 Chair of GWAC’s Law Firm and Corporate Counsel Committee and an Executive Member of GWAC’s Judicial and Executive Appointments Committee, which she has served since 2019.  LaFonda is also a Federal Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Bernice Bouie Donald of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Before transitioning to Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, she clerked (for nearly two years) for the Honorable John T. Fowlkes, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.  

LaFonda is passionate about promoting women and diversity in the federal judiciary and legal profession, and since graduating law school in 2020, she has organized and moderated several forums in her capacities with the American Bar Association to that end.  LaFonda is excited about her appointment to GWAC’s Executive Board and engaging the GWAC Bar Association and lawyers across the nation in forums that promote African Americans in Big and Corporate Law.  LaFonda graduated cum laude from UDC Law, an HBCU Law School in Washington, D.C., and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Miami (FL) School of Business.

Judicial and Executive Appointments Chair, Tracey Jackson, PhD, JD: judicialappointments@gwacbar.org

Dr. Jackson received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Political Science from Fayetteville State University. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with her Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration and a concentration in Social Welfare Policy. Additionally, she earned a JD from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC Law) in 2018 and served as the Student Bar President.

Currently, Dr. Jackson is the Legislative Director for Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. Ward 8. In this position, she manages the legislative policy portfolio for 11 out of the 12 committees. Dr. Jackson drafted bills such as the Close Relative Pilot Program that was fast-tracked to becoming law and the Children and Youth Vision Screening Amendment Act of 2019. She also manages the legislative staff, analyzes District agencies budgets, meets with constituents, monitors legislation and issues pending before the Council, and serves as the resident legislative expert.

Dr. Jackson loves to travel and enjoys spending time with family, friends.

Community Outreach Chair, Vacant

Membership Chair, Racquell Perry, membership@gwacbar.org

Racquell Perry, Esq is a Florida barred attorney and the Statewide eGal Mentor Administrator (Florida) for the Extended Guardian ad Litem (eGAL) Volunteer Mentor Project. Serving as the subject-matter expert, Racquell provides guidance and technical assistance to eGALs regarding Extended Foster Care (EFC), Postsecondary Education Support Services (PESS), aftercare services and the Dept. of Children & Families’ Tuition and Fee Exemption.

Racquell began her career at Educate Tomorrow as a Graduate (policy) Fellow and has since served in various capacities, including the Statewide Outreach Director for the Florida Keys to Independence Program and the Program Associate for the Positive Pathways Program. With nearly two decades of experience in child welfare, Racquell’s extensive knowledge has afforded her the opportunity to be a featured blogger with the Florida College Access Network, co-author a Brief exploring Florida's policies, programs and practices to improve post-secondary education

for former foster youth, and present at conferences around the country. Racquell is a 2019 Congressional Shadow Week Delegate and has served on the Miami-Dade Community Based Care Alliance (System of Care, Chairperson), the Citizen Review Panel with Florida Foster Care Review (Miami), and as the President of the Our Kids Youth Advisory Council.

Racquell is a graduate of Florida A&M University (BS ’11) and Florida A&M University College of Law (JD ’15).

Employment and Professional Development Chair, Vacant

Charlotte E. Ray Awards Chair, Jeanine Howard: charlotteeray@gwacbar.org

Jeanine Howard, a native of Hartford, Connecticut, is a graduate of Temple University and Widener University – Delaware Law School. After graduating from Widener in 2014, Jeanine worked as a prosecutor at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office for three years. At the Philly DA’s Office, Jeanine prosecuted a vast variety of crimes – from misdemeanor trials and juvenile offenders to felony bench and jury trials. In 2018, Jeanine moved to Washington, DC where she was a Staff Attorney for the National District Attorneys Association where she provides resources and training to prosecutors nationwide. Currently, Jeanine works as an Assistant Attorney General for the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia where she continues to prosecute an array of crimes in the city. Jeanine has been heavily involved in the legal community since moving to the District, serving as the Raising the Bar Chair for the Washington Bar Association – Young Lawyers Division (WBA-YLD) from 2019-2021, the 2019-2020 Vice President for the then newly formed DC Chapter of the National Black Prosecutors Association and the 2020-2021 Eastern Regional Director for the National Black Prosecutors Association. Additionally, Jeanine was recognized as one of the 2019-2020 recipients of the WBA-YLD’s Chair’s Legacy Award and was also one of the 2020-2021 recipients of the WBA-YLD’s Kim Keenan Advocacy and Leadership Award. In her spare time, Jeanine enjoys volunteering in the DC community serving as a mentor for two local organizations and leading a ministry team at her church.

Law Student Affairs Chair, Lucille Blackburn: studentaffairs@gwacbar.org

Dinner Series Chair, Erinn Martin

Erinn D. Martin served on the 2020-2021 Board as the 31st GWAC President. Erinn currently serves as Policy Counsel at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, where she advocates for the advancement and protection of civil rights at the federal level and judicial integrity. Prior to joining the Lawyers’ Committee, she was a Staff Attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights. She has also served at the U.S. Department of Justice, where her work focused on consumer protection and appellate civil rights matters. While at DOJ, Erinn was part of a trial team that won a landmark telemarketing civil penalty. She began her legal career as a legal fellow for the National Center for Law and Economic Justice.

Erinn received her J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she was a Frank J. Guarini Leaders in Government Service Scholar and a student advocate in the Brennan Center for Justice Public Policy Advocacy Clinic. She holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland and a M.S. Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. She is licensed to practice in New York.

Program Planning Chair, Yvonne Burnley: programplanning@gwacbar.org