2017-2018 LALSA Board

President
Shabel Castro

Hometown: Bronx, NY
Undergrad Institution: Macaulay Honors at Lehman College, CUNY
1L Summer Internship: Center for Appellate Litigation
Favorite food to eat: Rice, beans, with pollo guisado and also, mangu with salami.
If you had one super power, what would it be and why?  My super power would be a combination of the Flash’s super speed, Professor X’s telepathic abilities, and Supergirl’s super strength.

Shabel is from the “boogie-down” Bronx, home of the NY Yankees. She is currently a second-year student and a Toll Scholar at Penn Law.  Additionally, she is pursuing a Master of Science in Social Policy at the School of Policy & Practice. Prior to law school, Shabel worked as a Legal Advocate at Part of the Solution (POTS). As an advocate, Shabel worked diligently to help restore her clients’ access to public benefits and assisted in preventing housing evictions for numerous families. As the first in her family to pursue a graduate degree, Shabel hopes to use her law degree to implement grassroots and community oriented social change. Shabel loves making other people smile, volunteering, Disney movies, board games, listening to superhero film scores, and traveling to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, where her extended family resides.

Social Chair
Anthony Tan

Hometown: New Orleans, LA
Undergrad Institution: LSU
1L Summer Internship: District Attorney’s Office Domestic Homicide Unit; Kean Miller LLP
Favorite food to eat: Beans, Rice, and Chicken (together as one unit)
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? The ability to manipulate time and space because it would allow me to possess any type of super power.
 
I am a harbinger of big ideas, a writer who believes that words are more powerful than bullets, a just man in an unjust world. I believe that greatness is not reserved for the special among us and that through hard work, belief, and planning anything is possible. I believe that everyone should live their lives as if they were the superheroes in their own movies. Hi, I’m Anthony, and I don’t like small talk.






Secretary
Sabrina Ruchelli

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Undergrad Institution: University of Delaware
1L Summer Internship: United States Attorneys’ Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania 
Favorite food to eat: Turkey Reuben from Hershel’s Deli 
If you had one super power, what would it be and why?  ​Time travel, so that I actually had time to be a law student.
 
Sabrina grew up just outside of Philadelphia, went to school in the city, and then went to exotic Newark, Delaware where she studied History at the University of Delaware. Following graduation, she spent the year living in other people’s homes and looking after their dogs. Here at Penn, in addition to her involvement with LALSA, Sabrina also serves as the Co-director of Admissions for Lambda. She spent her 1L summer with the United States Attorneys’ Office E.D.Pa., continuing her quest to never have to actually move away from the Philadelphia area.











1L LALSA Representative
Trinny Terrazas

Hometown: Suffern, NY
Undergrad Institution: University at Albany SUNY
Favorite food to eat: Skirt Steak
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? Freezing time, like Piper is Charmed.
 
Hey! My name is Trinny Alves Terrazas, I am a first generation Brazilian/Bolivian American. I graduated from SUNY Albany with a BA in Political Science and Sociology. I came straight through from undergrad and became a member of Penn Law’s class of 2020.

Vice-President
José Valenzuela

Hometown: Indio, CA
Undergrad Institution: UCLA
1L Summer Internship: Office of the General Counsel Willis Towers Watson
Favorite food to eat: Chile Relleno with some good beans and rice. 
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? Fly like Superman. would make it easier to explore new places.
 
Jose is Southern California native who abides by Spider-Man’s maxim that with great power, comes great responsibility. Although he may not be able to shoot webs or scale buildings, he believes that we must use our talents to continually better our communities. He is the son of immigrant parents from Sinaloa, Mexico who not only showed him the importance of following through on your goals, but also instilled a love for banda, mariscos, and having a good carne asada with friends and family.











Academic and Mentoring Chair
Nathalie Sosa

Hometown: Miami, Florida
Undergrad Institution: University of Florida
1L Summer Internship: Stearns Weaver
Favorite food to eat: dark chocolate
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? Being in two places at once because there’s always so much I want to do!
 
Nathalie was born and raised in Miami and looks forward to returning home after law school. After graduating from the University of Florida, she spent eight years working in public education in Phoenix and Denver. She held various roles, including: Teacher, Director of Human Capital, and Assistant Principal. Nathalie is married and has two daughters, Isabel, who is three, and Elena, who is two. She also has two dogs, Jewely and Milo. Her family loves hiking, traveling, eating, and playing at the beach together.






1L LALSA Representative
Domenic Powell

Hometown: Huntersville, NC
Undergrad Institution: University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill 
Favorite food to eat: Pho 
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? The power to write emails in my sleep. Maybe then I’d get to bed earlier.  

 I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2010. After college, I became a community organizer and media strategist fighting deportations, conducting Know Your Rights trainings, and campaigning for immigration reform and the DREAM Act. Starting in 2013, I campaigned for state-level pro-immigrant and pro-refugee laws as a policy strategist with the national office of the American Civil Liberties Union until I started law school in 2017. 

















1L LALSA Representative
Karimah Munem

Hometown: Kinnelon, NJ
Undergrad Institution: Rutgers University
Favorite food to eat: Platanos, rice & beans, and bistec empanizado
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? I would want to have an enhanced eidetic memory so I could do away with all notes and iphone calender
reminders.

After completing her undergraduate studies, Karimah spent two years working in healthcare and advancing women's rights.  While at Penn, Karimah is particularly interested in learning about several areas of law, including healthcare, real estate, and international human rights. Karimah participates in an array of other activities, including the Wharton v. Penn Law Fight Night Committee, a pro bono project, and the Public Speaking Society.  A born and raised Jersey gal, Karimah is excited to be exploring Philadelphia and what life has to offer outside of the Garden State.  Accompanying this enthusiasm, she finds city life, particularly the flexibility to walk to almost any destination, far more convenient compared to semi-rural life in her hometown, where driving is more convenient.





1L LALSA Representative
Fernando Guardazzi

Hometown: Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela/ Miami, FL
Undergrad Institution: Babson College
Favorite food to eat: Homemade cappelletti
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? Controlling time, so I can finally stop running to class.

Fernando was born in Venezuela and moved to the United States when he was eight years old. He grew up and spent most of his life in Miami, FL. He studied Business Administration with a concentration in Finance at Babson college, and after enduring four Massachusetts winters, hopes Philadelphia weather won’t be so hard on him. Before coming to Penn Fernando spent a year working at a law firm in Miami and hopes to return to South Florida after graduation.

Treasurer
Alberto Gomez

Hometown: Valencia, Venezuela/ Miami, Florida
Undergrad Institution: University of Florida
1L Summer Internship: Pennsylvania Office of General Counsel Main Office
Favorite food to eat: Ice Cream
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? Teleportation; so that I can stop giving Uber/Lyft all of my money.
 
Over 2,000 miles north of his birthplace of Venezuela, Alberto is a rising 2L who can often be found bemoaning about the “artic” Philly weather. Prior to arriving to this northern tundra, Alberto attended the University of Florida, where he studied Finance and was a member of the Delta Chi fraternity. Post-graduation, Alberto participated in Teach For America here in Philadelphia, teaching K-8th grade students science, math and Spanish. After 5 years in education and with much of his hairline lost, he decided to come to Penn Law. At the school, Alberto is the treasurer of the Latino/a Law Students Association and is involved with the Youth Advocacy Project. In his free time, Alberto enjoys complaining to his classmates about the public-school system, snow, and the effects of aging.
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Community Outreach & Pro Bono Chair
Stefanie Ramirez

Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Undergrad Institution: St. Mary’s University
1L Summer Internship: Bizchut, The Israel Human Rights Center for People with Disabilities in Jerusalem, Israel
Favorite food to eat: Asian food
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? Cat attraction. So all of the cats would come to me and I would be surrounded by cats always and forever. I love cats.
 
I was born and raised in Texas; spent most of my life in San Antonio. After undergrad, I taught for 2 years in San Antonio with Teach for America. Teaching was the greatest experience of my life because I walked away with names and faces as the reason for continuing to push to reform the current education system in the United States. My focus and passion lies with ensuring our children get the best life possible and are able to be productive members and leaders of our future. My 1L summer was spent in Israel with Bizchut doing comparative research regarding inclusive education.

1L LALSA Representative
Elysa Desa

Hometown: Princeton, NJ
Undergrad Institution: University of Delaware
Favorite food to eat: Hagendaaz ice cream (chocolate!)
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? To fly. Imagine how freeing it would be! I was a flyer in cheerleading for most of my life and loved it! I also like to rock climb. I guess I have a thing for being up high - flying seems like the ultimate thrill. It would also be a convenient mode of transportation.

Elysa grew up in Princeton NJ and attended the University of Delaware, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Conservation. She spent 5 years out of undergrad before heading to Penn Law. Upon completion of her undergraduate degree, Elysa headed west to the hills of California. She spent her time freelancing which provided her a unique opportunity to engage in various work experiences. Some of her experience included: working at Enrich LA - a non-profit that brings gardens and food education to students in Los Angeles; working in tv and film as a production assistant; working at a rock climbing gym; and instructing yoga in Los Angeles. Though these experiences differ greatly from the study of the law, Elysa is excited to embark on a new chapter as 1L at Penn.




1L LALSA Representative
Michelle M. Mlacker

Hometown: Miami, Florida
Undergrad Institution: University of Miami
Favorite food to eat: Ceviche 
If you had one superpower, what would it be and why? Telekinesis. I like the idea of having some power over the things around me.

I am a "real Miamian." And by real I mean, I speak in Spanglish most of the time, wear chancletas, and never carry an umbrella with me (despite the torrential downpours most days during the summer months). Of course, now that I'm living in Philadelphia, many of those things have changed but the fundamental aspects of myself remain the same: a passion for social justice; a heart for human rights; and an understanding of what it takes to live this life with dignity.
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