2018-2019 LALSA Board

Treasurer
Fernando Guardazzi

Hometown: Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela/ Miami, FL
Undergraduate Institution: Babson College
1L Summer Internship: Judicial Intern for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida 
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 Caracas, 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. Fernando is the Treasurer of LALSA and is also involved with as a Teacher’s Assistant at the Wharton School. Having spent this past summer in Miami, working for a judge, Fernando hopes to return to South Florida after graduation. In his spare time, Fernando enjoys cooking, bar review, and shamelessly plugging the Penn Law Bowling League. 

Academic and Mentoring Co-Chair
Brianna Messina

Hometown: Manalapan, New Jersey
Undergraduate Institution: Lafayette College
1L Summer Internship: Judicial Intern in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania 
Favorite food to eat: Eggplant Parm
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? I would have the power to teleport anywhere instantly because I am always running late!

I am originally from Manalapan, New Jersey and attended Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania where I studied Psychology and International Affairs. I have always hoped to pursue a career in litigation, and this past summer I worked in the chambers of a federal judge in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania where I learned about the practice of litigation from the other side of the bench. In my free time, I enjoy practicing the piano, attending theatre productions, and playing Quizzo.

LL.M Representative
Amanda Barelli

Hometown: Brazil
Undergraduate Institution: University of São Paulo Law School
Favorite food to eat: Barbecue
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? I wish I could fly. This super power would allow me to travel around the world and to be close to my beloved ones anytime I wish.

Amanda Fabbri Barelli is a lawyer on Barbosa Müssnich & Aragão’s antitrust team, since earning her Bachelor of Law at the University of São Paulo-USP in 2012. During her time at BMA, she has played a crucial role on influential and award-winning M&A transactions. Amanda has also published articles in international legal journals regarding public law issues. In 2015, Amanda earned her Master in Public Law at USP, with a thesis on the applicability of the disregard doctrine to antitrust procedures. Her work was well-received and endorsed for publication.

Social Chair
Gustavo Cardona

Hometown: Stamford, CT/Miami, FL
​Undergraduate Institution: Tuskegee University
1L Summer Internship: Ballard Spahr
Favorite food to eat: Pizza with Pineapple and Ham
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? Super speed. So much to do, so little time!

Hailing from el pueblo of Cartago, Colombia, Gustavo immigrated to the U.S. at the age of seven. Gustavo lived in Connecticut, Florida and Alabama before moving to Pennsylvania. Prior to law school Gustavo worked in several industries including construction, golf and banking. Gustavo can occasionally be found eating at Latin American restaurants, dancing salsa or cumbia, and speaking Spanglish. As a 1L Gustavo was part of the Council for Student Representatives, and is now LALSA’s Social Chair. Gustavo believes in community building, and looks forward to using his position to bring together the broader Penn family.

Community Outreach & Pro Bono Chair
Veronica Sanchez

Hometown: Miami, FL
Undergraduate Institution: Vanderbilt University
1L Summer Internship: Miami-Dade County Attorney’s Office
Favorite food to eat: Chocolate
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? Teleportation, so I can travel!

Veronica was born and raised in Miami, FL. She left to study English Literature in Nashville at Vanderbilt University before coming to Philadelphia and Penn Law. Even though she slowly made her way up the East Coast, she plans on returning to Miami after law school. She loves scrapbooking, playing board games, and discussing fiction. 

1L LALSA Representative
Yericca Morales

Hometown: Bronx, NY
Undergraduate Institution: Tufts University
Favorite food to eat: Burritos
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? Telekinesis (the ability to move things with your mind) so I wouldn't have to get up to get things from across the room.

Yericca was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to New York with her family when she was four years old.  She grew up in the Bronx; attended St. Paul's School in New Hampshire for high school; and Tufts University in Massachusetts where she was an International Relations and German Studies double major. After graduating college, she spent four years working as a paralegal in New York, most recently in the legal department at a large bank. In her free time, Yericca loves to cook (everything from mangú to frenched rack of lamb), bake bread, pretend she still plays rugby, and play the guitar.

1L LALSA Representative
Ashley Suarez

Hometown: Miami, FL
Undergraduate Institution: University of Florida
Favorite food to eat: Pizza
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? The power to teleport so that I can travel the world for free!

Ashley was born and raised in Miami, FL prior to pursing her undergraduate education in English and History at the University of Florida, where she graduated summa cum laude. As the daughter of two Cuban immigrants, she takes pride in her Latin identity and considers her roots to be a central part of who she is. While at Penn Law, Ashley plans to integrate her Hispanic background within her study of the law by serving as a pro bono Spanish interpreter as well as taking an active role in LALSA.

Academic and Mentoring Co-Chair
Elysa Desa

Hometown: Princeton, NJ
Undergraduate Institution: University of Delaware
1L Summer Internship: McCusker, Anselmi, Rosen, Carvelli, P.C.
Favorite food to eat: French fries and ice cream - not necessarily together, and not necessarily in that order
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? Flying - it's a no-brainer.

Elysa grew up in Princeton NJ and attended the University of Delaware, where she let her inner-nature nerd shine and earned a degree in Wildlife Conservation. She became a yoga instructor immediately after graduating college and taught for 5 years before trading in her mat for over-priced casebooks and late nights in the law library. Though attending law school is very different from teaching yoga, she has a passion for the law and loves being at Penn. In addition to her participation in LALSA, she is on the board of Penn's Entertainment and Sports Law Society, and is a member of First Generation Professionals at Penn. When she's not studying (or napping) in Biddle, you can find her biking around the streets of Philly, most likely listening to music and pretending she's on a Nimbus 2000 instead of a bike.

LL.M Representative
Gabriel Silva

Hometown: São Paulo, Brazil 
Undergraduate Institution: University of São Paulo 
Favorite food to eat: Japanese food 
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? To be invisible

Gabriel Silva has extensive legal experience on complex commercial disputes. He has conducted high-profile domestic and cross-border litigation and arbitration as well as advised Brazilian and foreign clients on contractual and commercial issues. He obtained his Law Degree from the University of São Paulo (USP) and his postgraduate degree in Corporate Law from Fundação Getúlio Vargas. During law school, he attended to the International Commercial Law exchange program at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. He also coached the USP team for the Vis Moot international commercial arbitration competition, in both Vienna and Hong Kong.

1L LALSA Representative
Ana Jarquin

Hometown: Houston, TX
Undergraduate Institution: Texas Tech University
Favorite food to eat: Italian
If you had one super power, what would it be and why? I would like the power to ease pain because I hate seeing others suffer.

Ana Jarquin is a graduate of Texas Tech University, where she studied Political Science and Spanish. After graduation, Ana spent six years working in education as a classroom teacher and instructional coach for new educators. During this time, she led programming for educators in northern New Jersey wanting to expand their practice to foster an inclusive and affirming environment for children in high-needs schools, including spaces for Latinx educators. Ana is a Toll Public Interest Scholar and after law school hopes to work in the public sector to support education reform.