“Growing up, I wanted to be a lawyer. But I’d never seen anyone who was a lawyer and looked like me – a blind black woman. I didn’t know what anyone could do who looked like me, but no one knew it too. For me this was an opportunity to see what was possible and what is possible. I look forward to joining LSAC and inspiring people everywhere to get a legal education. I want to help them grow their spirit open, open their eyes, and open doors to opportunities that they may never have imagined for themselves or for others. “
Winfield, attorney, mentor, motivational speaker, writer and disability rights advocate, has dedicated her life’s work to ensuring equal access and opportunities for all. She is currently Associate Vice President of Inclusion and Workforce Diversity at Cornell University and as an attorney with Barclay Damon, LLP, specializing in work and employment and higher education.
She is deeply committed to community service and brings experience from her roles on various boards including the YMCA and United Way, as well as legal aid, accessible transportation, and performing arts organizations.
Think about what makes Angela fit in with LSAC, President and CEO. Kellye Y. Testssaid: “Angela has impressed all of us – the board of directors, the search committee and our employees. She inspires people with her history, her successes and her experience. She knows the importance of DEI because she has lived it with an intimacy that only few people have. ” Advances in justice are vital to justice and justice, and we cannot wait to welcome Angela and learn from her guidance. “
Although Winfield was declared legally blind at age ten and shared her struggles with major depression before going completely blind at age 20, she graduated from high school at the top of her class and earned her BA in Political Science and Human Rights from Barnard College, Columbia University and her JD out Cornell University, became a practicing lawyer, published author, community leader, and successful entrepreneur – all before he was 30 years old. You can find out more about Winfield’s personal story here.
“Angela has achieved a lot in her career and we are excited to see what she can achieve at LSAC,” said the co-chair of the LSAC CDO Search Committee Marcilynn Burke. “Angela rose to the top of a very impressive pool of candidates for the CDO position.” Co-chair Michael states added, “In addition to her exceptional personal, academic and professional strengths, Angela brings a proven track record of building relationships, solving problems and motivating people to take action. She is exactly what LSAC needs at this point in time.”
LSAC’s search for the next CDO began last summer when Testy named Burke and States to co-chair a nine-member search advisory committee comprised of respected legal executives. LSAC discontinued Ben Reese Conduct seven listening sessions, including one specially designed for HBCU institutions and hosted by him Lynell Cadray to learn more about the interests of various stakeholders in hiring the CDAC from LSAC. The listening sessions were attended by more than 100 people including deans of law faculty, admissions officers, adjudicators, faculties, members of the LSAC board and committee, and LSAC staff. LSAC then hired the national search company Isaacson Miller (IM) to carry out the search. IM reached more than 250 potential candidates. The search committee conducted interviews early on February 2021 and recommended three finalists for the LSAC Board, DEI Committee, senior LSAC staff and the CEO for interview.
Testy, along with the LSAC Board Chair Kevin Washburn and Chairman of the DEI Committee Kristin Theis-Alvarez, thanked the committee and community for their involvement in efforts to identify the next LSAC CDO. In the letter you wrote: “The core values of diversity, justice and inclusion are at the center of the work of LSAC, especially at a time in our world where the imperatives of anti-racism and inclusion are more important than ever. Our community is working to to strengthen and highlight the importance of lawyers as leaders in our society, and our ability to come together even (and especially) in the most difficult times to build a just and prosperous world in which everyone can prosper. “
They also thanked Camille deJorna for her leadership role in designing and managing the CDO search process, as well as for serving as interim CDO of LSAC while maintaining her role as Assistant Legal Education. deJorna will continue to serve as our interim CDO until Winfield moves to LSAC in May. At this point, deJorna will return to her role as deputy for legal training.
Via the Law School Admission Council
The Law School Admission Council is a not-for-profit organization committed to promoting quality, access, and equity in law and education worldwide by supporting individual enrollment journeys and providing outstanding assessment, data, and technology services. For more information on LSAC, visit LSAC.org.
SOURCE Law School Admissions Council
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