Diversity Scholar Recipients
Diversity Scholar Recipients
Encouraging diversity and inclusion within the field of ADR
INDIVIDUAL SCHOLARSHIPS
The Fund provides financial assistance of up to $2,000 to students or professionals. This support can be used towards:
· Degree program or fellowship in alternative dispute resolution
· Conference or training program in alternative dispute resolution
The goal is to empower diverse leaders and professionals in ADR by helping them access education and training opportunities that advance their careers and enhance inclusivity within the field.
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LAW STUDENTS AT HBCUs
The AAA-ICDR Foundation partners with law schools at two historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) – Howard University and North Carolina Central University – that offer certificates in dispute resolution. Key details include:
· $50,000 awarded annually to each law school.
· Scholarships specifically for second- and third-year law students pursuing certificates in dispute resolution.
· Recipients are selected each year in September by the respective law schools
Historically Black Colleges and University Scholarship Recipients
2023 Historically Black Colleges and University Scholarship Recipients
Historically Black Colleges and University Scholarship Recipients
Historically Black Colleges and University Scholarship Recipients
2023 Historically Black Colleges and University Scholarship Recipients
Historically Black Colleges and University Scholarship Recipients
Scholar Recipient
2023 Scholarship Recipients
2022 Scholarship Recipients
2021 Scholarship Recipients
2020 Scholarship Recipients
Scholar
Luis Heras
New York
SCHOOL
City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law
Luis Heras is a second-year full-time law student at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law. He is an aspiring litigator interested in employment litigation, white-collar defense and investigations, and alternative dispute resolution practices. At his law school, he is engaged in Moot Court, Law Review, the Latin American Law Students Association, and the Black Law Student Association. He is also a Teaching Assistant for Legal Writing and a member of the American Bar Association Litigation Section. He currently interns at Mintz Group, which is a due diligence and investigation firm. This past summer, he served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Judge Nelson S. Román of the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, in White Plains, New York. Before law school, he worked for three years at the Center for Court Innovation after graduating from the University at Albany, State University of New York, with a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Criminal Justice.
GRANT AMOUNT
$670
PROGRAM
AAA Diverse Student Summit
Scholar
Marco Graniel
Texas
SCHOOL
University of Houston Law Center
Marco Graniel was born in Los Angeles, California. He loved his formative years in Southeastern and Central Mexico and moved to Houston, Texas for high school and beyond. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in Spanish at the University of Houston - Downtown in 2010. He worked for the Drug Enforcement Agency and translated Houston Rockets online articles before becoming a 1st grade teacher at Crespo.
After nine years of teaching elementary and middle school students, Marco decided to pursue a law degree at the university of Houston Law Center with the purpose of advocating for underrepresented and underserved communities in Houston, with a focus on undocumented migrants. Working full-time as a middle school teacher while attending law school in the evenings allowed Marco to stay disciplined and focus on his purpose. During his summer breaks, he interned with Justice Gordon Goodman at the First District Court of Appeals in Houston and Judge Ignacio Torteya at the U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of Texas in Brownsville, Texas.
He recently started a position as a multilingual program specialist with the Houston Independent School District where he supports teachers and administrators at different campuses. His aim is to provide the tools and best practices necessary for emergent bilinguals’ English language acquisition and development. In addition to taking a full course load in the evenings, Marco is the Recent Developments Editor for the Journal of Consumer and Commercial Law and has recently joined UHLC’s ADR team. His goal is to work for a litigation boutique firm with a strong alternative dispute resolution side.
GRANT AMOUNT
$1,300
PROGRAM
AAA Diverse Student Summit
Scholar
Morenike Erinkitola
New Orleans
SCHOOL
Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Morenike Erinkitola is a 3L at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Prior to attending law school, the Chicago native enjoyed a successful career in hospitality. She later transitioned to working in state party politics after graduating from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Ms. Erinkitola currently serves as the ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section’s Law Student Vice Chair. She is the Student Bar Association’s Social Events Co-Chair, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Society’s Alumni and Events Chair, and a member of the PACE Environmental Law Moot Court team at Loyola. She is also a Rule XX student practitioner in the misdemeanor section of the Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic & Center for Social Justice. Ms. Erinkitola studied abroad in London this past summer while earning her Certificate in Global Arbitration: Law and Practice from Mitchell Hamline Law School. Outside of school, Ms. Erinkitola serves as the Judicial Independence Fellow for CourtWatch NOLA. In her free time, she enjoys being a mentor to first-year law students and cooking for her friends. Ms. Erinkitola hopes to become an arbitrator and settle international commercial disputes after graduation.
GRANT AMOUNT
$1,300
PROGRAM
AAA Diverse Student Summit
Scholar
Nermeen Karyaquos
Pennsylvania
SCHOOL
Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
I am a 3L at Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I am a first generation American whose family immigrated from Egypt. As the first in my family to go to graduate school and become an attorney, I hope that I can make a difference by using my diverse background and experiences to help others who find themselves in conflicts. After law school I will be working at a firm, but I am hopeful to eventually find my way in the world of mediation and arbitration.
GRANT AMOUNT
$1,300
PROGRAM
AAA Diverse Student Summit
Scholar
Nicholl Paulerio
Texas
SCHOOL
University of Houston Law Center
Nicholl Paulerio is a 3L at the University of Houston Law Center, graduating in Spring 2023. A Houston native, she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Religious Studies from the University of Houston. Nicholl is a first-generation law student. Her studies focus on corporate law and international Oil and Gas, complementing her employment as a specialist in Data Protection at Oceaneering, an energy services company in Houston. She also is an active member of the UHLC National Alternative Dispute Resolution Competition Team and was a 2022 finalist placing 2nd in South Texas College of Law’s Energy Law Negotiation Competition. She enjoys both litigation and transactional work. Post-graduation, Nicholl hopes to continue working in corporate law and aspires to standardize dispute resolution practices and skills into the corporate industry.
GRANT AMOUNT
$1,300
PROGRAM
AAA Diverse Student Summit
Scholar
Olivia Fortunato
New York
SCHOOL
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Olivia Fortunato is a student at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York. She serves as co-chair of the TV/film committee for the Entertainment Law Society and entertainment committee for the Intellectual Property Law Society. Olivia is a member of Cardozo’s ADR Competition Honor Society and recently competed in the FINRA Securities Dispute Resolution Triathlon. She has had the pleasure of interning with Sony Music Entertainment and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. Prior to law school, Olivia worked at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts as the Associate Producer of Public Programming. She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music where she studied music business and harp performance and continues to work professionally as a harpist.
GRANT AMOUNT
$670
PROGRAM
AAA Diverse Student Summit
Scholar
Sanzida Talukder
New York
SCHOOL
City University of the School of Law
Sanzida Talukder is a full-time 2L student at the City University of the School of Law. She is completing a dual degree program — a Masters in International Affairs and a Juris Doctorate. She was born and raised in the Bronx and has previously worked at the local community boards. She has a passion to improve the quality of life of individuals in struggling communities through the legal system. As a current research associate at Neville Peterson LLP, she has the opportunity to engage in mediation as a form of dispute resolution. She is eager to learn more about alternate dispute resolution and how she can advance her career in alternative dispute resolution. Sanzida hopes to use ADR as a tool to increase access to justice.
GRANT AMOUNT
$670
PROGRAM
AAA Diverse Student Summit
Scholar
Sylvia Elena Davila
Mexico
SCHOOL
Facultad Libre de Derecho de Monterrey
Sylvia is a Mexican Law Student at Facultad Libre de Derecho de Monterrey (“FLDM”). She is at the top of her class and will be graduating in December 2022. She is currently writing her final article of investigation in the effectiveness of Arbitration for Business and Human Rights disputes. She has worked at different law firms, and currently she is part of the legal staff of Hogan Lovells in its Monterrey Office. During her time in Law School, she has participated in different student associations. She was a member of the 2020 FLDM Student Council. She is an active member of Salinas Martinez Inn Chapter of Phi Delta Phi and served as Vice-Magister of such Chapter for the 2021-2022 term. Additionally, she is a member of the International Law Society at FLDM.
As a sign of her commitment with her community, she drafted a proposal to amend the General Law for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Mexico in order to expand the scope of education and labor rights. Sylvia has a strong passion for ADR. She has been involved in Moots regarding Arbitration, obtaining significant results and awards. Additionally, she is a member of the founding group of FLDM International Arbitration Association. Finally, she has a deep interest in public and private International Law and aspires to become a successful arbitrator and mediator.
GRANT AMOUNT
$1,300
PROGRAM
AAA Diverse Student Summit
Scholar
Tony Reed
Nebraska
SCHOOL
University of Nebraska College of Law
I am a second-year law student at the University of Nebraska College of Law. As a non-traditional student, I previously worked in human resource management and in media marketing. I have many career interests, but am especially passionate about civil rights on college campuses and thus have a strong interest in institutional equity and compliance in higher education. Specifically, I would like to glean how schools can design and bring to life alternative dispute systems to provide informal resolution for Title IX complaints. Secondly, I would like to offer ADR services to address the unique needs of the LGBTQ community in Nebraska.
GRANT AMOUNT
$1,300
PROGRAM
AAA Diverse Student Summit
Scholar
Xiaoyu Huang
New York
SCHOOL
Columbia Law School
Xiaoyu Huang (he/him) is a J.D. candidate at Columbia Law School, where he is the development editor of the American Review of International Arbitration and received the Vivian Wu Yen Fellowship in honor of Michael I. Sovern. He graduated with an A.B., with honors, from Brown University in 2021. Before law school, Xiaoyu was the co-founding vice president of Pansophy Education Institute, an education company based in Vancouver, Canada.
GRANT AMOUNT
$670
PROGRAM
AAA Diverse Student Summit
Scholar Recipient
2023 Scholarship Recipients
2022 Scholarship Recipients
2021 Scholarship Recipients
2020 Scholarship Recipients
Scholar
Gloria J. Medina
New York, NY
ABOUT
Gloria J. Medina is a Commercial Litigation Associate at Rivkin Radler, a mid-sized firm with offices in New York and New Jersey. There, she works primarily on commercial litigation and arbitration, with additional work in the fields of employment law, insurance defense, products liability, and professional liability.
Gloria graduated from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in May 2022, earning a J.D. and an Advanced Certificate in Dispute Resolution from the Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution.
While in law school – where Gloria matriculated after a previous career in public service – she served as the Editor-in-Chief of the ADR Competition Honor Society, an analogue of Moot Court focusing on the disciplines of arbitration, mediation, and negotiation. Gloria also worked as: an Alexander Fellow, serving as a full-time judicial intern for Magistrate Judge Sarah Cave in the S.D.N.Y.; a student mediator in Cardozo’s Divorce Mediation Clinic; and as a member of the Innocence Project Clinic.
Gloria speaks Spanish natively and Mandarin Chinese at a basic level after studying the language at Wellesley College, from which she holds a B.A. in Philosophy with a Psychology minor.
In her free time, Gloria enjoys board games, apartment-gardening, and playing with her Golden Retriever, Leo.
Grant Amount
$500
PROGRAM
Higginbotham Fellows Program
Scholar
Amanda L. Scheeser
Ohio
Grant Amount
$2,000
PROGRAM
Higginbotham Fellows Program
Scholar
Antonia Gia Sanchez
Providence, RI
ABOUT
Gia Sanchez is Bristol Community College's Title IX & Equity Compliance Officer. Before working at Bristol, she was a partner in Pittsburgh law firms for over fifteen years. Gia represented employers and individuals in civil litigation, with an emphasis on employment discrimination and civil rights. Her experience includes prevailing in jury trials and appeals before state and federal courts, including in cases of first impression.
From the inception of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania’s Alternative Dispute Resolution program, Gia has served as a neutral. She completed lengthy mediation and conflict resolution training programs. Gia has also served as a hearing officer for public school districts.
Gia is an accomplished speaker and writer. She has served as a presenter for continuing legal education and trainer for non-attorneys. She co-facilitated a roundtable discussion on transgender inclusivity for the Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA) East Coast Conference. The Public's Radio published her essay on gender identity which remains available online. On a lighter note, The New York Times published Gia's Tiny Love Story entitled "Living in the Light."
Gia is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she was a member of the law review.
Grant Amount
$2,000
PROGRAM
Higginbotham Fellows Program
Scholar
Stacey Cameron
New York, NY
ABOUT
A native and true Southerner at heart, born and raised in Memphis, TN. Stacey M. Cameron is an Attorney and Advocate of Social Justice.
As an attorney with sixteen years of experience in advocating for clients from all walks of life, and licensed in both Georgia and New York, Stacey is committed to representing clients in need through her law firm: S. M Cameron Law and Mediation, PLLC/ LLC. Stacey’ law firm focuses on assisting clients within Estate Planning, Probate Administration, Guardianship Law and Mediation/ Arbitration.
Furthermore, as an alumna of the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University with an undergraduate degree in Biology and having worked in both medical and chemical manufacturing laboratories as a scientist before law school, Stacey has a healthy dosage of curiosity for continued learning and growth. She is an enthusiastic leader with a passion and talent for motivating and empowering community through multiple levels and platforms. She has raised and is extremely proud of her two self-aware and outspoken young adult children, Nico and Jalyn.
Grant Amount
$2,000
PROGRAM
Higginbotham Fellows Program
Scholar
Nydia Shahjahan
New York, NY
ABOUT
Nydia Shahjahan is the Principal of Nydia Shahjahan, Esq. P.C., a business law practice focused on providing strategic and cost-effective counsel and civil litigation services for the business-minded client.
Ms. Shahjahan graduated from City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law in 2009, and Georgetown University in 2004 with an undergraduate degree in foreign service.
Ms. Shahjahan began her career litigating for the New York State Attorney General Office’s Civil Rights Bureau as an Assistant Attorney General. Thereafter, she associated with the firm Kelley Drye & Warren LLP in the New York office. Ms. Shahjahan represented corporate clients in connection with complex commercial litigation within the financial industry, along with pro bono matters. Building on her experience as a commercial litigator, Ms. Shahjahan formed her business law practice, efficiently providing legal risk management and outside general counsel services to a varied client base ranging from New York-based businesses to international corporations.
Ms. Shahjahan is a trained mediator and consistently advises clients to pursue a business resolution agreeable to the parties to avoid the monetary costs and emotional burden of litigation.
Grant Amount
$500
PROGRAM
Higginbotham Fellows Program
Scholar
Venky Venkatraman
Coppell, TX
ABOUT
A patent Attorney, mediator, and consultant with engineering and management experience, Mr. Vekatraman focused primarily on patent (Intellectual Property) law, business (corporate) law, international law, University Disciplinary Proceedings (Title IX Student Sexual Misconduct Defense), and family law in both transactional and litigation practice. He is currently providing IP related service by leveraging the resources of an established offshore IP Services firm, and is experienced in the areas of electrical engineering and software development on various platforms, mostly in a supervisory capacity.
His extensive management experience ranging from software project management to managing teams of several hundreds of people, both onsite and offshore, supports the Information Technology needs of large US corporations.
He is licensed to practice law in the State of New York and in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trade Office (USPTO). He is credentialed by the Texas Mediator Credentialling Association as an Advanced Mediator, having successfully mediated numerous disputes over several years.
Grant Amount
$2,000
PROGRAM
Higginbotham Fellows Program
Scholar
Alejandro Martinez Sanchez
New York, NY
School
Cardozo School of Law, New York, NY
Alejandro Martinez is a Spanish lawyer and an LL.M candidate in Dispute Resolution and Advocacy at Cardozo School of Law. With a strong passion for litigation and international arbitration, Alejandro is dedicated to expanding his knowledge and expertise in this field.
He started his studies at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, where he also did an exchange at Fudan University, in Shanghai. After, he started a double LLM at ESADE, in Barcelona, and as a result of his commitment to dispute resolution he is pursuing an LL.M in Dispute Resolution in New York. In the meantime, he has been actively engaged in courses offered by renowned institutions such as CIARB, ICC, and SIAC. He has practical experience as an arbitrator in moot court competitions and currently coaches the FDI Moot team at Christ University of Bangalore.
In his professional experience, Alejandro has worked in different jurisdictions and with clients from different nationalities, his solid international background and his fluency in different languages have helped him to successfully work in the international sphere. His experience is focused on litigation and international transactions.
Grant Amount
$2,000
PROGRAM
35th Annual ITA Workshop and Annual Meeting
Remedies in International Arbitration: Wielding Arbitral Power for Effective Redress
Scholar
Inigo Kwan Parsons
Australia, Aotearoa
School
LLM (International Arbitration) course at University of Miami School of Law
Inigo is an indigenous lawyer from Aotearoa New Zealand and currently works at Herbert Smith Freehills in Perth, Australia. His practice centers on the resolution of complex disputes in all key fora, with a particular focus on arbitration (both domestic and international). He is dual-qualified in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia, and is associated with leading arbitral institutions in both jurisdictions.
Inigo has a wide range of experience working in different sectors, with significant experience in resolving disputes in construction, infrastructure, oil and gas, and energy. He also has a particular interest in legal
issues regarding indigenous rights and climate change, and has authored several articles on arbitration- related issues, including the application of Māori indigenous law in arbitral proceedings.
Grant Amount
$2,000
Scholar
Hardik Jain
Geneva, Switzerland
ABOUT
Hardik is an India qualified lawyer, who has been admitted for a master’s course at the Geneva LL.M. in
International Dispute Settlement (“MIDS”). He completed his B.A.LL.B. (Hons.) in 2019 from the National Law Institute University, Bhopal, one of the leading law schools in India. He then worked with AZB & Partners and DSK Legal, two premier law firms in India as an associate in the dispute resolution teams. In these roles, he has handled several high-stake commercial arbitrations on shareholders and construction disputes. He has also represented clients in associated litigations before courts seeking appointment of arbitral tribunals, obtaining urgent interim reliefs, and challenging arbitral awards. He also has experience of representing clients in civil disputes, insolvency proceedings, and constitutional and testamentary matters.
Hardik co-founded and served as the content editor of the Indian Arbitration Law Review, a highly reputed and specialized periodical devoted to arbitration law. During his time as an undergraduate student, he represented his university at the 26th Vis moot competition in 2019 and was the part of the team which won the pre-moot held at Budapest. Hardik’s research paper on the 2015 amendments to
the Indian Arbitration Act and their retrospective applicability to certain pending court proceedings, was published in the Journal on Alternative Dispute Resolution.
By pursuing a master’s at the MIDS, he intends to build on his educational and professional experience in arbitration and gain the necessary skills to become an international arbitration practitioner. Upon graduation, Hardik plans to join the dispute resolution team in an international law firm and use the knowledge and skills he has gained to provide the best solutions for his clients both inside and outside the courtroom.
Grant Amount
$2,000
PROGRAM
Geneva LLM in International Dispute Resolution
Scholar
Eva Litina
Athens, Greece
School
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Virtual Diploma in International Maritime Arbitration
Dr. Eva Litina is a Legal Expert at the Hellenic Consumers’ Ombudsman, and an attorney-at law admitted to the Athens and New York bars. She completed her PhD thesis in International Maritime Arbitration at the Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport of the University of the Aegean whereshe is also teaching commercial law.
She studied law at the University of Athens and received her Master of Laws from New York University School of Law. For her research, Eva has been granted university-funded scholarships from the University of the Aegean. She has also been awarded the Comité Maritime International (yCMI) Essay Prize 2020, the International Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section Scholarship 2017, and scholarships from the Max Planck Institute Luxembourg for International, European and Regulatory Procedural Law in 2017 and the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law in Hamburg in 2018.
Her monograph entitled ‘Theory, Law and Practice of Maritime Arbitration: The Case of International Contracts for the Carriage of Goods by Sea’ was published with Kluwer Law International. Eva is also an LMAA Supporting Member and Vice Chair of the Community Building, Networking & Scholarship Committee of Racial Equality for Arbitration Lawyers (REAL).
Given her academic expertise in maritime arbitration and strong interest in a career as a maritime arbitrator, the CIArb Diploma in International Maritime Arbitration provides an opportunity for her to achieve Fellowship of CIArb. She aims to deepen her knowledge on legal principles, process, practice and procedure in international maritime arbitration, the processes followed by an arbitrator in defining the issues that have to be decided by an award, dealing with the submissions made by the parties, analyzing the applicable law, evaluating the evidence and award writing.
Grant Amount
$2,000