Board of Advisors
The Leadership Academy Board of Advisors is comprised of chief legal officers from a broad array of companies and organizations across the National Capital Region. They are deeply committed to helping advance the next generation of in-house leaders.
Our Board of Advisors interfaces directly with the Academy Faculty to ensure that each session delivers the tools and insights critical to in-house counsel leadership. Members of the Board of Advisors will also participate in various Academy events.
"Success as in-house counsel depends just as much on "soft skills" such as effectiveness as a communicator, advocate and coach as it does on the "hard skills" of substantive legal knowledge. Focused leadership development training can be an effective way to improve areas like these to help position an in-house lawyer for a leadership role."
Dean A. Manson
Academy Board of Advisors
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
EchoStar Corporation
Elizabeth A. Abdoo
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Host Hotels & Resorts, L.P.
Robert Falk
General Counsel
The Truth Initiative
Stephanie J. Gilliard
Vice President, Legal Affairs/General Counsel – Virginia
Colonial Downs Group, LLC
Jerald S. Howe, Jr.
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Leidos
Julie Jacobs
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Verizon Media
Nancy Laben
Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer
Booz Allen Hamilton
Maryanne Lavan
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Curtis Lu
General Counsel
FTI Consulting, Inc.
Paul Mamalian
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
HMSHost Corporation
Dean A. Manson
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
EchoStar Corporation
James G. McMillan
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Alicia S. Myara
Senior Vice President & Principal Deputy General Counsel
Freddie Mac
Ama Romaine
General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer
G6 Hospitality LLC
Leslie T. Thornton
Member, Board of Directors
Southwest Gas Holdings; Career Education Corporation
Past members of the Board of Advisors:
- Brian Brooks, former Executive VP, General Counsel and Secretary, Fannie Mae
- Ona Alston Dosunmu, former VP and General Counsel, The Brookings Institution
- Mary E. Kennard, former VP and General Counsel, American University
- Leonard Kennedy, former Senior VP, General Counsel and Secretary, NeuStar, Inc.
- Cindy Lewin, former Executive VP and General Counsel, AARP
- Eric Margolin, Executive VP, General Counsel, and Secretary, CarMax Superstores
- Ed Ryan, former Executive VP and General Counsel, Marriott International, Inc.
