Founder and Director

Julie Silverbrook

Julie Silverbrook graduated Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa (elected as a junior) from The George Washington University with a B.A. in Political Science.  Julie was awarded the GW Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Scholar Award, the highest academic award given to a student in the arts and sciences college. Julie was also awarded the John C. Morgan Prize by the Department of Political Science–an award given annually to an outstanding graduate pursuing a law degree after graduation. Before attending law school, Julie worked for the United States House of Representatives (congressional intern), the Attorney General for Washington D.C. (Civil Litigation), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the Constitutional Sources Project.

At the William & Mary Law School, Julie serves as President of the Women’s Law Society, as a Senior Articles Editor for the William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal, and as a Dean’s Associate.

Julie founded the Constitutional Conversations program is February 2010 and continues to serve as the program’s director.

Website Coordinator

Amelia Vance

Amelia Vance graduated Magna Cum Laude from McDaniel College with a B.A. Political Science (with a focus in Comparative Government) and a minor in Vocal Music. During college, Amelia took a semester off to work full time for the Obama campaign in Michigan and North Carolina. She also worked full time for the State Department during the summer of 2009, and interned for the U.S. House of Representatives in Fall 2009. Amelia also participated in Model European Union and was McDaniel College’s Head Delegate for Harvard’s National Model United Nations conference.

At William & Mary Law School, Amelia acts as the Secretary for the William & Mary Law American Constitution Society, an Advisory Editor for the Election Law Society Blog (www.stateofelections.com), and the Website Coordinator for the Women’s Law Society and Constitutional Conversations. She also serves as the President for the LGBT Equality Alliance, and founded their blog, The Equality Advocate (www.equalityadvocate.com). She plans to eventually work for the Federal Government or a non-profit.

 

Blog Editor

Kathleen Cornelsen

Kathleen Cornelsen graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. Political Science with a focus in International Affairs and a minor in Human Rights. At William & Mary Law School, Kathleen acts as the Treasurer for the William & Mary Law Women’s Law Society. She also serves as the Vice President for the LGBT Equality Alliance, and edits their blog, The Equality Advocate (www.equalityadvocate.com). She plans to eventually work in International Law.

 

Workshop Instructors

 

Alex Conser

Alex Conser graduated Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa (elected as a junior), and with Foundation Honors from Texas A&M University with a double major in History and Economics. As an undergraduate, Alex was an active member of the Wiley Lecture Series, a student run lecture series on politics and world events, and volunteered for the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation. Alex is currently a student at William & Mary School of Law, where he is an Institute of Bill of Rights Law Student Fellow and serves as an assistant coordinator for the Constitutional Conversations Program.

 

 

Marissa Goldberg

Marissa Goldberg graduated Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Connecticut with a M.A in Judaic Studies, a B.A. in Political Science, and a minor in History.  Marissa was awarded the Sylvia and Leo Dashefsky Award for Excellence in Judaic Studies in 2008 and 2010, the Frances and Irving Seliger Award for Excellence in Holocaust Studies in 2009, and the I. Ridgeway Davis Pre-Law Scholarship in 2010.  Marissa has interned at the Office of Congressman Joe Courtney and for the Connecticut Office of State Ethics.  At the William and Mary Law School, Marissa serves as the Secretary for the Human Securities Law organization and as a volunteer for Student Legal Services.  She is also a member of the International Law Society and the Northeast Law Society.

 

Anna Killius

Anna recently graduated Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Dallas with a B.A. in History and a concentration in Applied Mathematics.  As a Charles G. Koch Scholar, Anna had the opportunity to participate in student-faculty colloquia discussing principles of the American founding and the American political order.  At William and Mary, Anna is an assistant coordinator for the Constitutional Conversations program. She also serves as a member of the George Wythe Society, the Institute of Bill of Rights Law: Student Division, and the Multicultural Law Students Association.

 

 

Ryen Rasmus

Ryen Rasmus is a lifelong Virginian who grew up in the cities of Alexandria and Springfield.  In 2009, Ryen graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the College of William & Mary with a degree in English and Cultural Studies.  Ryen is a rising third year student at William & Mary Law School, where he specializes in Intellectual Property and small business-related issues and acts as the Executive Articles Editor for the William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal.

 

 

Alexa Roggenkamp

Alexa Roggenkamp graduated Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa (elected as a junior) from The College of Wooster with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in philosophy.  Alexa was awarded the David L. Carpenter Prize, and award given annually to a graduate pursuing a career in law, and the second prize for the William A. Galpin Award for general excellence in college work.  Before college, she worked as a Congressional page for the U.S. House of Representatives.  At William and Mary, Alexa is on the Moot Court team and a member of the Women’s Law Society, Students for the Innocence Project, and Phi Alpha Delta.

 

 

Constitutional News Editors

Kelci Block

Kelci Block went to University of Central Florida for undergrad, where she majored in political science and minored in middle eastern studies. Kelci has interned for the Sierra Club’s law office and for Great Sand Dunes National Park. Her first exposure to politics was through her aunt, who is a state representative in Pennsylvania. When she graduates, she would like to specialize in environmental law.

 

 

 

Amanda Lowther

Amanda Lowther is originally from Orlando, Florida, although she spent parts of her childhood in rural Alabama and living as an ex-pat in Ulsan, South Korea. She graduated in 2010 from University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, with a B.A. in history, minoring in mass communication and education. Amanda was a member of the University Chorus at American University (where she spent her freshman year) and sang for then-President Bush (and on national television) for TNT’s Christmas in Washington program. At UNF, Amanda was a charter sister and eventually president of the Gamma Chapter of Theta Alpha, a Christian sorority. Amanda was inspired to come to law school by her Media Law and Ethics professor at UNF, who sparked her interest in the First Amendment and other issues in the laws governing media outlets.