Dean's Student Advisory Board
The purpose of the Dean's Advisory Board is to assist the Dean of the George Washington Law School and the Dean's suite in an effort to build stronger relationships with the student body. The Advisory Board serves the law school by representing diverse views amongst the student population in monthly meetings with the Dean. The Board serves as an unelected independent body that advises the Dean on the issues and concerns of the students. The matters range from, but are not limited to, pedagogy, academic policy, racial equity, and social justice on campus. The Board bridges the aperture between the Dean and students by providing a communal environment where student and administrative perspectives are shared.
Members
Sawyer McDuffie, Chair
Sawyer McDuffie is a 3L at The George Washington University Law School concentrating in Government Procurement Law. He is originally from Little River, South Carolina, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of South Carolina in 2022 with a BA in Political Science. Sawyer serves as a Dean’s Fellow co-instructor for the Fundamentals of Lawyering program, and is a member of Lambda Law, the Government Contracts Student Association. Sawyer has also externed at three federal agencies in government procurement law roles.
Victoriana Smith, Vice-Chair
Victoriana is a 2L at the George Washington University Law School concentrating in International and Comparative Law. She is originally from Columbia, SC and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Clemson University. After her time in Clemson, she worked at a Boutique Employment and Education Law firm in Columbia, SC. While at GW, she has worked as a Research Assistant for Professor’s Robert Tuttle and Arturo Carrillo, externed with the DC Office of Human Rights, participated in the GW-Oxford Summer Program in International Human Rights Law, and served as student advisor for the Ginsburg Inns of Court.
Anthony Brown
Anthony Brown, Jr. is a 4L evening student at the George Washington University Law School. He is from Charlotte, NC, and a graduate of Howard University, where he studied Journalism. For the last 8 years he has worked in the US Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, where he is a Communications Specialist focused on congressional and public affairs, internal communications and policy. Anthony is a former White House Correspondent Scholar, an Urban Health Media Fellow, and a recent graduate of the Congressional Black Caucus Institute. He is married to his partner, Tiffany. They are parents of two young children, a son and daughter.
Arnelle Jean-Jacques
Arnelle Jean-Jacques is a 1L at The George Washington University Law School from Long Island, New York. She is a magna cum laude graduate of the University at Albany, SUNY with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a dual concentration in Information Systems/Business Analytics and Entrepreneurship. Before law school, she worked as a legal assistant at a large law firm, where she specialized in Capital Markets, Investment Funds, Labor & Employment, and ERISA Litigation. At GW Law, she is a member of the Black Law Students Association and serves as a 1L Representative for the Corporate and Business Law Society. In her spare time, Arnelle enjoys journaling, trying new fitness classes, and supporting the New York Mets.
Cordell Campbell
Cordell Campbell is a 3L with an interest in Private Client and Corporate & Business Law. In 2019, he graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas with a BA in Politics. Cordell was a Miller Center Service Scholar, served as Hendrix’s Pre-Law Society President, interned at the U.S. House of Representatives, and participated in Model United Nations, Mock Trial, and Student Congress. After his time at Hendrix, Cordell worked as a legal assistant for a real estate development company and as an administrative clerk for the Arkansas Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. At GW Law, Cordell served as a Dean’s Fellow, currently serves as an academic tutor, and is a proud member of Brandeis Inn, GW’s Moot Court Board, the Small Business and Community Economic Development Clinic, and the Business and Finance Law Review. He spent his 2L summer with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and will be returning to the firm upon graduation. In his free time, Cordell enjoys cooking, running, reading, and traveling with his wife and dog, Charlie. He enjoys being a voice for his fellow students on the Dean’s Student Advisory Board.
Fatma Nur Calisici
With a distinguished background in transnational legal frameworks and regulatory compliance, Fatma Nur brings a wealth of global experience across multiple jurisdictions. Currently an LLM candidate in National Security and U.S. Foreign Relations Law at The George Washington University Law School, she has developed a deep engagement with both civil and common law traditions.Her legal foundation was established at Université Libre de Bruxelles, where she studied Belgian law, gaining a profound understanding of codified legal systems. She then earned her LLB Honors at Swansea University, acquiring expertise in common law at one of the world’s most respected institutions. Further refining her specialization, she completed an LLM in International Maritime and Commercial Law at the International Institute of Shipping and Trade Law, Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law, Swansea University. During her time in the UK, she volunteered with BAWSO, supporting black and ethnic minority communities affected by abuse and violence working alongside government agencies and civil society in Wales. Selected for a Criminal Justice and Counter-Terrorism Internship at the University of Central Oklahoma, she conducted hands-on legal research, engaged in crime scene investigations, and gained exposure to FBI Oklahoma, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Oklahoma Supreme Court in the office of the Chief Justice. She later pursued Turkish legal studies at Galatasaray University, Türkiye’s premier law school, as a conversion candidate, attending full-time for two years before transitioning to remote completion. Beyond academia, she has played a critical role in legal and corporate leadership. She has structured legal frameworks for maritime and trade industries, advised multinational corporations, and contributed to high-profile defense contracts. Renowned for her ethical discretion, she is entrusted with sensitive financial and defense-related matters. She currently serves as Chairwoman of Lotus Construction Chemicals and Head of Compliance & Mergers at Greywolf Industries, managing strategic partnerships and high-level negotiations across global markets. Committed to legal scholarship, policy development, and business innovation, she actively contributes to national security, global commerce, and international legal discourse.
Huba Zaman
Huba Zaman is a 2L at The George Washington University Law School from Karachi, Pakistan. She graduated with honors from Bard College with a joint Bachelors degree in English Literature and Human Rights. At GW Law, Huba is a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Board and the Muslim Law Student Association executive board. She is a legal research assistant for the GW Milken Institute amicus brief team and during her first summer at law school, she was a legal intern at Rising for Justice on their Expungement and Respondent Representation teams. She went on to extern at Whitman Walker Health and is currently externing at the Department of Health and Human Services with the Office of General Counsel, CMS Division. Huba will be joining the DC office of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston as a 2025 summer associate and loves long walks, kayaking, and exploring new cafes.
Madison Medley
Madison Medley is a 1L from Maryland. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Maryland, College Park in December 2023 with a BS in Information Science and a minor in Law and Society. She also received the University Honors Citation from the University of Maryland Honors College. Before law school, she worked at the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office. While at GW, she has accepted an invitation to join the Alternative Dispute Resolution Board and has served as the Vice Justice for GW’s Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. In her spare time, Madison enjoys watching musical theatre and rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Rachel Mathers
Rachel Mathers is a 1L from Raleigh, North Carolina. In May 2024, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from East Carolina University, earning a BS in Political Science, with a concentration in Pre-Law and double minor in Philosophy and Criminal Law and Legal Process. While at GW Law, she has earned a spot on the Alternative Dispute Advisory Board and has also joined the Christian Legal Society, First-Gen Professionals, Student Bar Association, Law Association for Women, and Student Ambassadors. In her spare time, Rachel enjoys weightlifting, traveling, attending concerts and exploring new restaurants with her fiancé. Rachel is for the opportunity on the Dean’s Student Advisory Board to advocate for her fellow 1L and GW Law colleagues.
Shray Tapiawala
Shray Tapiawala is a 3L at the George Washington University Law School focused on Energy Law and is currently externing at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin double majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering and History in 2021. He is originally from Plano, TX. Prior to law school, Shray worked as an International Engineer at Invenergy developing solar and battery storage projects in Texas, Midwest, Israel, Greece, and Mexico. Fun fact: he has climbed wind turbines on multiple occasions. In the summer after his 1L, he interned at Rath, Young, and Pignatelli as an Energy Summer Associate working on renewable project transactions and last summer Shray was an energy legal associate at D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments. At GW, Shray is a part of the South Asian Law Student Association, a Senior Projects Editor of the George Washington Journal of Energy & Environmental Law, and a Teaching Assistant for Climate Change and Policy. In his free time, Shray enjoys baking, kayaking, and dabbling in the world of airline points and miles.
Victoriana Smith
Victoriana Smith is a 1L at the George Washington University Law School. She is from Columbia, SC and graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. After graduation, she received a post-graduate certification in paralegal studies and worked as a paralegal for a law firm specializing in employment and education law. At GW Law, Victoriana is a member of the Black Law Student Association (BLSA), the GW Lawmakers and American Civil Liberties Union of the George Washington University Law School. She is excited to advocate for her peers on the Dean’s Student Advisory Board.
Zack Minsk
Zack Minsk is a 2L from Atlanta, Georgia. In 2015, he graduated from Miami University (Ohio), where he majored in Sports Management with a minor in History. After graduation, he owned and operated a small ice hockey training facility in Northern Virginia. He earned a master’s degree in history from Tufts University and graduated in 2022. His MA degree specifically focused on US-Mexico relations during the 1960s and more broadly on Latin America during the Cold War. Zack is a member of Lambda, Latin American Legal Students Association (LALSA), and served as Jackson Inn’s 1L Representative for Street Law. In his spare time, Zack enjoys playing the guitar, practicing his Spanish, and walking his dog, Louie.