Meet the Spring 2012 Candidates!
***PRESIDENT***
Mike Koulianos
Hey ladies and gents!
First off I would like to thank all of you that are taking an interest in FSU SBA and taking the time to read this in the midst of Finals Season (yes, it is the season and yes, it is upon us) BUT DON’T STOP READING!
My name is Mike Koulianos and I will be running for your SBA President. I am a transfer student and over the past semester I have had the opportunity to be your 2L transfer representative. While serving on the SBA Board I learned the ins and outs of the position I will be running for in these elections.
"President: [...] The President often serves as a representative for the College of Law as well. The President sets the agenda and tone for the SBA and it is their job to ensure that all members are treated fairly and with the utmost respect."
Those words are the most important to me as I think of my potential service to our law school. Leadership is about service, and service to our school begins with motivated representatives. Being a representative of the College of Law includes representing of each of you; our student body. We have goals to achieve, both while attending FSU Law, and after graduation. Our goals can be met when we optimize our time here and play to our strengths. I believe I am a natural leader, and in using that strength I feel that I can represent each of us and our law school in a way that will help us all reach our goals.
The tone for SBA should be one of respect, awareness, and motivation. Respect for our fellow students, faculty, and university; Awareness of our student body’s needs and interests; Motivation to bring students, faculty, and alumni together to meet the needs of our student body.
A few of the ideas I plan to implement include the following: building a relationship with the main campus and SGA to get our voice heard, engage our student organizations, spread awareness about our law school, and provide benefits to our students; better initiatives to join SBA; continuing the Distinguished Spear Series to continue building knowledge of, and exposure to, hiring professionals in our community; continue to give back to our community through volunteering and monetary contributions; improve our café (hours, food, AND coffee); address parking concerns to find a better solution; assist our transfer students in being acclimated to life at FSU Law (providing them with counseling on courses that need to be taken); allowing 2L transfers to register for mandatory courses to better suit their existing schedule; build a stronger representative voice to our faculty concerning the student body’s needs; and most of all, to continue the great job that our past SBA Board members have done in creating a welcoming, fun, and engaging environment here at FSU Law.
Over the past year I have been blessed to serve as your Transfer Representative, and admittedly, that position does not lend itself well to making substantial changes to our school. But I assure you that your voice was heard and your concerns were addressed. As President, I plan to continue my service to YOU, and to give SBA, the greatest organization on our campus, the tools it needs to be successful as a service provider to our student body.
Thank you for the opportunity to campaign,
Mike N. Koulianos
Raiza Leal
As a new student at FSU Law, I became involved in Student Organization leadership and collaboration right away. At the beginning of 1L year, I was elected to serve as President of Lawtinos, and have continued to serve throughout my 2L year. Running a student organization for two years has provided me with invaluable experience to draw from if elected President of our Student Bar Association.
Getting more people involved in SBA and increasing the amount of discretionary funds available would be a priority of mine if elected President. SBA can reach its full potential by maximizing student involvement and revenue. As President of Lawtinos, I brought about unprecedented growth in this area. Dues paying membership is now seven times larger than at the beginning of my term. Discretionary funds are twelve times higher. My experience of increasing membership and funding for a student organization will allow me to make that goal a reality for SBA.
Collaboration with other student organizations will be another important goal of mine if elected President of SBA. During my terms as President of Lawtinos, collaboration with other student organizations increased tremendously. I have arranged socials, fundraisers, charity events, and speaker events with groups such as the Student Bar Association, Women’s Law Symposium, Asian-Pacific Law Student Association, Advocates for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Muslim Law Students Association, International Law Students Association, and Entertainment, Art and Sports Law Society. Not only does this show my dedication to the student body as a whole, but the experience and connections made with many different student organizations will allow me to serve the student body as a whole if elected.
This is not my SBA. It is yours. This is why my utmost important goal if elected President will be to make your experience better. I welcome and encourage feedback and will strive to give members the best experience possible. This includes, but is in no way limited to, a wider variety of social events, locations, and days, and availability of coffee during finals. My experience encouraging feedback as a president of a student organization, and turning that feedback into action, will be directly applicable to achieving this goal for SBA.
Lastly, I am a well-rounded and dedicated person. As an Articles and Notes Editor for the Journal of Transnational Law & Policy and a Teaching Assistant for Legal Research and Writing classes, I’ve shown that I can manage my time efficiently, always get the job done, accept and provide constructive feedback, and work well with others. I also know how to have fun, and attend many of the SBA socials and events as well as events put on by other student organizations.
I believe that with SBA, the sky is the limit. Next year, let us reach for the stars. Thank your for your consideration.
Lindsey Scott
Hey there fellow law students! Thanks to each of you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to learn a little bit about the candidates for the 2012-2013 Student Bar Association executive board! Since I realize we’re all crazy busy this time of year, I’ll try to keep this short and to the point.
My name is Lindsey Scott and I am running for the office of President. I’m a 2L from Monticello, which is a really tiny town about 45 minutes East of Tallahassee, and I attended FSU for undergrad. I have been a member of the SBA executive board since my 1L year where I served as one of the 1L representatives, and I served as your secretary this past year. Having served on the board since my 1L year, I have had the benefit of experiencing two very different SBA boards, each with their own individual strengths and weaknesses. These experiences are what make me the most qualified candidate to serve as your president.
I plan to build upon the constructive changes that were implemented by the board this year such as the distinguished speaker series and community outreach opportunities, but I would also really like to hear more from the student body about other changes you’d like to see, or new opportunities and activities you all would like for the SBA to provide. I’d also like to reinstitute the 1L representatives "project" which I was told about my 1L year but which never really came to fruition. In years past, the 1L representatives have been responsible for gathering the opinions of their fellow students and completing a small project to put these ideas into action; projects in the past have been things such as adding recycling containers throughout the school or other similar things. (After being on crutches or a scooter for the past 2 months, I’d personally like the law school to become more handicap friendly, but that’s a bit more than a small project; maybe we’ll have some really ambitious 1L reps next year?)
In closing, I’d just like to point out that one of the most important aspects of serving on the executive board of the SBA is to remember that you are serving the interests of the student body as a whole, and what you want isn’t always what best serves the interests of those you represent. One of the main complaints I’ve heard over the past two years from students is that they don’t really feel that their opinions are listened to by the board. I’d like to change this in the upcoming year, and I believe I have the leadership skills to make certain that it happens. We all paid to be members of this organization, and as such, each of our opinions are important and deserve to be heard. I’d like the opportunity to be in charge of making sure this happens next year, and I would really appreciate your vote for President. I’m now going to keep my first campaign promise (to keep this short and sweet) and simply tell you that I look forward to making the 2012-2013 SBA Board the best one yet!
Chris Fennell
Chris Fennell was born and raised in Florida. He grew up an athlete and played football throughout his high school career. He was named Lee County Rotary South All-Star Scholar Athlete and graduated from the International Baccalaureate Program in 2001. He proceeded to attend the University of Florida where he received a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering. After college Chris went on to become a high school math and science teacher. He instructed AP Calculus and Physics as well as developing a personal and social development curriculum for at-risk students. Now, Chris has come full circle and returned from being the teacher to find himself back on the student’s side of education. He is enamored at the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing community at FSU Law and would love to utilize his outgoing nature, joyous approach to life and extensive real-world experience to represent Florida State Law as SBA President.
***VICE PRESIDENT***
Brittany Fox
My name is Brittany Fox and I am thrilled to be running for SBA Vice President! I would first like to thank the 1L class for allowing me to represent them this past year. As 1L Representative, I have had the amazing opportunity to be involved with the social and charitable work of SBA. I would be honored to continue this work next year as VP.
To make next year great, I will work with the President and the Executive Board to get more employers on campus...let’s face it; we are here to get jobs (i.e. money!). Additionally, I want to expand our socials to include more "day" socials like the Battle of the Classes flag football game this past semester and other new ventures like SundayFunday beach days and ‘Croquet on the Green’.
As a member of the SBA Socials Committee, I have the experience and contacts necessary to plan and promote events. I also worked on the Speaker’s Bureau to bring in politicians like Senate President Mike Haridopolos and Senator Jeremy Ring. Networking is obviously key, so more events like this are a must for next year.
In addition to being 1L Rep, I am also Treasurer for Phi Delta Phi Legal Honors Society. Right now, we are planning a 5k race for Coach Fisher’s Kidz1stFund. I would love to see SBA take on athletic philanthropic events like this next year in order to have a stronger presence in the Tallahassee community.
A little background...I am from Tallahassee, graduated from UF (Go Gators!/Sorry?), and fill my time running, boating, and (occasionally) reading law books.
Overall, I really want to make next year FUN. Having an experienced 2L already familiar with SBA as VP alongside a 3L President will ensure that the classes are better represented. Since I already have a great working relationship with the SBA board, it would be a seamless transition from this year to next.
Please feel free to come to me with any questions, comments, concerns...but most of all, I would love to implement your ideas!
So, just vote for me. Thanks!
***SECRETARY***
Jacquie Thomas
My name is Jacquie Thomas, and I am a 1L running for SBA Secretary for the 2012-2013 school year. I grew up in Michigan and moved to Tallahassee in 2006 to attend undergrad at FSU. I loved my time here so much that I ended up staying for law school, too. This past school year I have had the opportunity to serve the 1L class as an SBA Representative, and it has been a wonderful and rewarding experience. For this reason, I would like to continue to serve on SBA next year and to represent the law school as a whole as Secretary. I feel like I would excel in this position because I enjoy writing, organizing, and helping out in regards to other administrative tasks. Most importantly, though, I enjoy helping out my fellow classmates in any way that I can. I hope that I have done a good job of being accessible and friendly this past year, and that you all will give me the opportunity to continue to represent FSU Law next year through SBA.
***TREASURER***
Elizabeth Munro
My name is Elizabeth (Liz) Munro and I am a rising 3L. I was born and raised in Fenton, Michigan and have a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Michigan State University. My hobbies are: riding horses, croquet, long walks on the beach at sunset and lastly, I enjoy anything to do with numbers. I am currently a member of our Law School Council, which allocates funds to various law school organizations. Aside from my experience with LSC, I am also an ambassador. As an ambassador, I am frequently bragging to potential 1Ls about how wonderful FSU Law is and how amazing and good looking all of the students are. I am also great with numbers, as I was given a "B" in federal taxation. For the aforementioned reasons, I believe that I will be a perfect candidate for SBA treasurer. VOTE MUNRO 2012!!!
***FLORIDA BAR REP***
Jeffery Sampson
Hello! My name is Jeffery Sampson, and I am a rising 2L here at FSU Law. I am from Gibsland, LA and graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA in Political Science. I am currently one of the 1L Representatives on the SBA Exec. Board. I now wish to run for the Florida Bar Representative position on the SBA Exec. Board. Besides the fact that I already have a year of experience on the board, I am a great candidate for this position because I love to interact with people. I am a very social person and easy to get along with. If elected as the Florida Bar Representative, I will continue to voice student ideas and opinions to the SBA Exec. Board.
***A.B.A. JR. REP***
Lee Lovett
Lee is from Lake Placid, FL (no not the one where the alligator movie was made), and went to Florida State for undergrad where he majored in civil engineering. In his free time he swims laps at the Leach Center and enjoys all the great golf courses Tallahassee has to offer. Lee thinks that one day he wants to practice IP Law but is just as likely to give up everything and open a dive shop in Key Largo. I feel like I would represent the school well with the ABA since I found I way to balance the academic with the fun side of law school fairly well (sometimes the scales being tipped toward the extra-circular activities a little more than they should).
***3L REPS***
Kelly Dunn
I transferred to FSU as a 2L, so I haven’t had the opportunity to get to know all of you yet. I really love it here at FSU, which is why I want to contribute to the student body by being a part of SBA exec board. Transferring has limited me a little bit on what I’ve been able to get involved with, so I want to take this opportunity to do so. I have a lot of leadership experience from my time at FSU as an undergrad. I held positions on the campus wide board that planned Dance Marathon, which is a year-long fundraiser that benefits the Children’s Miracle Network that involved coordinating over 900 volunteers and 40 organizations. Each year we raised over $450,000, which took a lot of team work, dedication, and innovation. I also held several leadership positions in my sorority where I had to get creative with planning events and be the liaison between several different organizations. I think I could contribute to the overall goals of the executive board of representing you and being the help you need here at FSU Law. I know what it takes to be a part of a productive, effective executive board and I know I can contribute to the success of SBA.
As far as being a 3L Representative: I’m very outgoing and I am not afraid to question the status quo. I don’t have a problem speaking up to represent your interests, even if they conflict with those of the board. I promise to be available to you. I plan to make an online group that will allow you to contact your 3L reps through email and create discussion boards to address anything that you would like to see represented to the board. I also plan to compile all the information that we get every day from the school and send the 3Ls the information that is relevant to us on a weekly basis so that you never miss out on any opportunities. Our major concern as 3Ls is the bar exam, and I have some really great resources at my disposal for Bar prep. My mom has a program at another law school that helps students studying for the bar with test anxiety and mental preparation. I would share the information she gives me with you all to do my part in helping all of us pass the bar next year.
If you elect me 3L rep, I assure you that you WILL hear from me, you WILL be heard, and you WILL see changes that will benefit the 3L class. If you have any questions for me before you cast your vote, feel free to email me () or call me (904) 716-1325. GO VOTE!
Adrian Mood
Adrian Mood is a 2L from Lancaster, South Carolina. He attended Howard University where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry. Adrian proudly served as a 2L representative for SBA during the 2011-2012 school year. He was recently elected Mock Trial Team President and served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the National Black Law Students Association. He is also a distinguished member of and quarterback for the Learned Hands intramural flag football team.
Adrian is very enthusiastic about his time on the SBA Executive Board and hopes to continue serving his fellow classmates as a class representative.
Courtney Oakes
I love SBA! I feel that SBA is at the heart of FSU Law and I would love the opportunity to help make this organization even better by representing the 3L class. I am open to any new ideas and will see to it that your ideas are presented at meetings. It’s out last year to be law students so we have to make it count. I want to ensure that events as simple as socials and as extravagant as Barrister’s Ball are the best yet. Furthermore, as a 3L representative, I would be sure to provide any necessary information to our class about life as a 3L. For example, if there is a career networking nosh that you cannot attend, I would do my best to attend and let you know the pertinent things that were addressed. Furthermore, I would ensure that all 3Ls are aware of everything they need to complete before graduation. You would be able to come to me with any questions about anything from closing interviews for financial aid to ordering your cap and gown.
Currently, I am Vice President of LitiGATORS and have had opportunities to not only organize events solely for Gators but have also sponsored other events, along with SBA, for the entire law school. For example, LitiGATORS is in charge of running Rivalry Week, including the Mr. FSU Pageant Social as well as the Girl’s Powderpuff Game. Because I have experience planning various events, I know I would be a great 3L Representative. Coordinating events with various student organizations is something I hope to continue and to help plan.
Finally, because I have attended the majority of SBA functions, I know which socials and events are most likely to be successful and how to improve the events that are not. I also plan on attending as many SBA events next year as possible, that way, I will be able to gain everyone’s feedback at the event and hear the 3L classes’ ideas on what you liked, didn’t like, and any other ideas you may have.
In conclusion, I would love nothing more than to be your SBA 3L Representative next year. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to an amazing 3L year!
***2L REPS***
Stefani Alexander
My name is Stefani Alexander, and I want to be one of your 2L reps! I’m from Tampa, and I’m proud to be a FSU grad! I’m running because this past year, as we’ve all gotten a feel for how fast our time in law school is going, we’ve talked about ideas for how to make the most of our time at FSU Law. I think that by being a 2L rep, I will be in a position to make those ideas become reality. If elected, I will represent our class to the best of my ability, and make sure that everybody’s voice is heard. As 2L rep, I do not want to be just a liaison between our class and the executive board, I want to be a friend who is there to listen, and do my part to make our next 2 years here amazing!
Benjamin Bedrava
I’m Benjamin Bedrava and I am running to be a representative for the 2L’s next year on the SBA board. I grew up in Naples Florida, often traveling between there and Miami hunting down delicious Cuban food. Afterwards I came up here to FSU to obtain my undergraduate degree in Political Science and Psychology (cleverly arranging my majors to skirt doing a language requirement). I just fell in love with the brick work and unique local culture, if you know where to find it, that I simply couldn’t leave yet.
While in my undergrad I sat on the board for my Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity as our brotherhood chair. It was my responsibility to organize weekly dinners, plan and run socials, and make arrangements for each semester’s weekend retreat.
I would like to be on the board for SBA so that I can make sure that the needs of 2L’s are addressed and we get an equal say for how the year should be run. One major place that I see improvement could be made for next year is that I would like to have more diversity among the activities we host. While going to the bar every week is fun, if we take the time to plan out all of the socials at the beginning of each semester, we can likely get better deals on venues, have more places available for us to choose from (as opposed to setting up the social only a week in advance), and we can get more input from SBA members as to what they would like to do.
In SBA a large part of what we do is set the scene for us to bond with our fellow classmates. By having most of our socials at bars there is a significant portion of our members that are excluded from participating. Don’t get me wrong, I love drinking as much as the next guy, but sometimes I and especially others (who may not drink or prefer not to) would find socials to be more rewarding if they were not all centered around alcohol. It portrays a bad image of FSU and SBA to say that our only big socials are based on alcohol. I would like to do things like have weekend retreats each semester. Possibly go camping at the beach or rent out some log houses for the weekend. Also I think it would be fun to organize trips to places like Bear Paw, we can float down the river, get some sun, forget about case law for an afternoon, and if you want to get smashed on a floatie.
Essentially I would just love to be a 2L rep so that we can make SBA what it has the potential to be so long as we get organized and make a plan for the year.
Elizabeth Beck
About me:
I was born in Jacksonville, FL and moved to Tallahassee in 2008 to attend the Florida State University. I graduated from FSU in 2011 with a Degree in both English Literature and History. As an undergraduate, I served as the Vice President of Records and Vice President of Membership for the National Residence Hall Honorary, the Secretary for Lambda Iota Tau English Honorary, and a Leadership Team Member for Phi Eta Sigma, so I have plenty of leadership experience! I was also a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Garnet and Gold Key, and Phi Beta Kappa. Currently, I am serving on the Women’s Law Symposium’s new executive board and would love to join the Student Bar Association executive board as well! I like watching movies, FSU football, crafting, socializing, and meeting new people. I dislike fighting and waking up early (8:00 AM classes - not for me!)
Why I want to be SBA 2L Representative:
I want to join the executive board of SBA as 2L Representative because, plainly put, I love SBA and what the organization does for law students. As a 1L looking to make friends within the law school, SBA provided great opportunities to meet people and I would love to be able to provide the same experience in return. I feel that SBA creates unity within the law school and not only allows students to socialize with friends but also allows them to meet people they may not have otherwise met. Also, SBA has provided me with opportunities to network with other lawyers within Tallahassee through events such as the Habitat for Humanity build with law firm Hopping Green & Sams, which I was able to participate in. Overall, I feel that I have gained a lot through these experiences and would love nothing more than to be able to provide the same experiences to other law students! I love planning, so I would enjoy actively planning and coordinating these events put on by SBA. In addition to wanting to be more involved with SBA, I would also love to be able to represent the 2L class of 2014. As rising 2L’s, our primary concerns next year will involve finding summer employment, finding internships, and becoming more involved in the law school. As 2L Representative, I will make these concerns known and plan events and activities catering to these needs. I care about our 2L class and I will make sure that everyone has an opportunity to succeed in such a crucial time in our law school careers. I believe that I will go above and beyond to serve the students here at FSU College of Law and hope that you feel the same and vote for me for 2L Representative. Thank you very much for your time and consideration!
Lindsay Kushner
My name is Lindsay Kushner and I’m running for 2L rep for the Student Bar Association. I am from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and graduated from FSU in 2011 (GO NOLES!). I majored in accounting and finance. During college, I was a baton twirler at the football games -yes, I can twirl fire batons - and was a Student Senator. I was also a member of Phi Mu and Garnet & Gold Key Leadership Honorary. However, my true claim to fame was that I was known as FSU Segway Girl for riding my Segway around campus. Go "like" my fb fan page! I now serve as the Deputy Clerk of Court for the Judicial Branch of SGA and am on the Law School Council. I enjoy playing Catch Phrase, Just Dance, Draw Something and darts, using emojis, getting points on LexisNexis and eating free food. I dislike dark chocolate, 8am classes, and the Airline Deregulation Act.
This year, I have attended many of the SBA socials, Distinguished Speaker lunches, participated in the Battle of the Classes flag football game, and Habitat for Humanity Day. I’ve enjoyed all the activities SBA has offered but would like to help in any way I can and make next year’s events even better! Considering we will be the best class at FSU Law next year, I would love input from the 2L class to make our year memorable and enjoyable (Refrigerator, anyone?). I would be honored to represent the Class of 2014, if you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me through text, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, Google+, email, Facetime, gchat… or call me, maybe?