The Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts (WBA) held its Annual Meeting and Reception on March 14, 2024 at Suffolk University Law School. 

The WBA is pleased to welcome Alexandra Mitropoulos as the organization’s incoming President.   Allie is Senior Counsel at Hirsch Roberts Weinstein and Deputy General Counsel at Berklee College of Music.  She primarily represents and works with colleges and universities on a variety of matters, including: litigation, investigations, and general counseling work. Allie has specific experience in the areas of campus safety and security, Title IX, the Clery Act, state, federal and international data privacy regulations, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student affairs, faculty misconduct, and complex contracts. 
 
Allie has been active in the WBA since 2018, co-chairing the Law Student Committee from 2018 to 2023.  In 2019, Allie was elected to the WBA Board of Directors, and later served on the Executive Board as Treasurer and President-Elect.  In 2023, Allie was selected to participate in the Women’s Bar Association’s Women’s Leadership Initiative.  In addition to her WBA activities, Allie is also an active member of the Boston Bar Association’s College & University Steering Committee, of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, including serving for the past 8 years on their annual conference planning committee, and of the newly founded Arab American Bar Association of Massachusetts. 

Representative Brandy Fluker Oakley was the keynote speaker at the well-attended reception that followed. She spoke of her experiences and career, encouraging everyone in attendance to engage as an attorney throughout their career to leave the profession better than they found it.  Rep. Fluker Oakley emphasized the importance of taking care of oneself, citing the many demands on women and women attorneys, and to not be afraid to ask for help or support.  She looks forward to continued collaboration with the WBA in the future.    

At the annual meeting, the WBA also voted on a slate of officers and elected members of the Board of Directors.  The organization welcomes the following new and returning officers and directors for 2024-25.

WBA Officers

President: Alexandra Mitropoulos, Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP
President-Elect: Julie Dick, Bulkley Richarson & Gelinas LLP
Vice President of Membership & Statewide Outreach: Kim Donlon, Major, Lindsey & Africa
Vice President of Operations: Jenna Ventorino, WilmerHale
Treasurer: Jessica Caamano, Goulston & Storrs PC
Secretary: Emily Robey-Phillips, Holland and Knight LLP

WBA Immediate Past President
Jessica Babine, Cornetta Babine LLC

WBA Board of Directors

At-Large Directors

Margaret Caulfield, Mural Oncology
Martha Coakley, Foley Hoag
Nicole Forbes, G-P
Heather Gamache, Moriarty Bielan & Malloy LLC
Kate Isley, Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
Elizabeth Keeley, Butters Brazilian LLP
Gwen Nolan King, Nolan & King LLC
Kristy Lavigne, Office of Bar Counsel
Diana Li, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Stephanie Lin, WilmerHale
Emily Rothkin, Supreme Judicial Court
Jamie Sabino, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Amy Sennett, Karat
Angie von Pageler, Santander Bank, N.A.
Sarah Walsh, Robins Kaplan LLP
Kisha Montoya Wilson, Holland & Knight LLP

Regional Directors

Lesley A. Leonessa, Dell EMC (Greater Boston)
Ellen Sullivan, Cambridge Immigration Law, PC (Middlesex)

The dynamic new board brings a strong commitment to advocating on behalf of women in the legal community and on issues impacting women, as well as experience across a wide variety of practice areas in law firms, government, in-house legal departments and nonprofit organizations.

Incoming WBA President Alexandra Mitropoulos remarked, “I am excited to serve as the President of the Women’s Bar Association for the 2024-2025 year.  This organization has meant a great deal to me – building life-long friendships and companions through my professional journey – and am inspired by the incredible work we do for this Commonwealth.   I am humbled by this honor and look forward to working with all of our members in the year ahead to advocate for equal treatment of women, for access to reproductive care and medicine and for equality for our sisters of color in the health care system and in the workplace.  Let us continue to lift each other up, including to positions within the local, state, and federal governments and, importantly, to positions within the judiciary.” 

Outgoing WBA President Jessica Babine reflected, "It was an honor serving as President in the Women's Bar Association’s 45th year.  The WBA is an essential organization, and it accomplished much this year with its activism, professional programming, and networking.   The WBA is a steadfast actor in support of women’s rights, and I was grateful to have been a voice as the WBA pressed forward in its important legislative advocacy advancing the full and equal participation of women and a just society.  Congratulations to Allie Mitropoulos, our new WBA President, and our new Executive Board and Board of Directors, I look forward to continuing our important work with you all.”