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SLAA Awards
SLAA RECOGNIZES ALUMNI FOR SERVICE AND DEDICATION
The Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association (SLAA) presented awards on June 18, 2020, to six individuals who have made a positive impact in the community and supported Stetson University College of Law.
Outstanding Alumni Representative Award
Lori Baggett, J.D. ’02, received this award, which is designed to recognize dedication and service to the Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association through involvement in local alumni activities, for her membership on the SLAA Board, hosting many alumni events, serving on the BLSA Reunion planning committee, and establishing the Baggett Family Scholarship Endowment.
Distinguished Service Award
This award is presented to a non-alumnus in recognition of their significant, meritorious and continuing contributions to support Stetson Law. To honor the life and memory of her late daughter, Meredith E. Level, a 1994 graduate of the College of Law, June Level established the Meredith E. Level Endowed Scholarship that provides financial resources to a second-or third-year female student at Stetson.
Ben Willard Award
This award recognizes an alumnus who expends that extra effort to prevail for the benefit of the citizens of Florida and whose humanitarian achievements have brought distinction to themselves and Stetson. Joseph W. Landers, Jr., B.A. ’64, J.D. ’70, spent an early part of his legal career serving as aide to Florida Secretary of State Tom Adams and then chief Cabinet aide and principal environmental adviser for Gov. Reubin Askew. In 1974, he was appointed executive director of the Internal Improvement Fund (the state land management agency), and then first secretary of the newly established Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. Later, Landers agreed to serve as interim executive director of the Florida Department of Natural Resources. He left government in 1979 to join a Tallahassee law firm before co-founding his own firm, Landers and Parsons. He resigned from his law practice to create a niche patient finance company, USMed. Ten years later, JPMorgan Chase purchased the company and named Landers CEO of ChaseHealthAdvance. He retired in 2007.
Paul M. May Meritorious Service Award
This award recognizes an alumnus for showing continued support for Stetson through the contribution of both time and gifts. Seymour Gordon, J.D. ’60, taught classes at Stetson Law as an adjunct professor and served as an alumni mentor for 1L students. He helped organize a joint 50-year reunion for the Classes of 1959 and 1960. Gordon and his wife have established an endowed scholarship. He practices in the area of real estate, commercial law and estate planning.
Distinguished Alumnus Award
This award goes to an alumnus who is recognized as being outstanding in his chosen profession and for his service to humanity, which has brought honor to himself and Stetson. State Rep. Chris Sprowls, J.D. ’09, was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2014. In his first session, he passed legislation to assist craft breweries and reform the Public Service Commission, and a bill to protect property owners from losing their homes at the hands of out-of-state corporations. He was re-elected in 2016 and is the first Stetson Law alumnus to serve as the Speaker of the House.
President’s Award
This award is presented to the outgoing president of the SLAA in recognition of their term of service. During Amy Rigdon’s, B.A. ’05, J.D. ’08, term as president, she led the board through a time of unprecedented change, including welcoming a new dean and the transition from classroom instruction to online learning in response to COVID-19. She also led the board in developing new fundraising initiatives and created a series of events to encourage student leaders to remain involved following graduation. Rigdon is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Latham & Watkins.
MEET THE BOARD OF OVERSEERS
The purpose of the Stetson University College of Law Board of Overseers is to counsel, advise, and assist the dean of the College of Law and the president of the University in developing the program of legal education and of financial and other resources. The current active members are:
Hon. Tangela Hopkins Barrie
Decatur, Georgia Superior Court of DeKalb County J.D., Stetson University ’97
Gregory W. Coleman
Chair of the Board, Executive Committee West Palm Beach, Florida Critton Luttier and Coleman, LLP B.B.A., Stetson University ’85 J.D., Stetson University ’89
Michael P. Connelly
Malvern, Pennsylvania Crown Castle B.A., Stetson University ’93 J.D., Stetson University ’96 M.B.A., The Wharton School of Business
Robert E. Doyle Jr.
Naples, Florida Doyle Conflict Resolution, Inc. B.A., George Washington University J.D., Stetson University ’75
Grace E. Dunlap
Tampa, Florida Bryant Miller Olive, P.A. B.A., George Mason University J.D., Stetson University ’86
Wil H. Florin
Palm Harbor, Florida Florin Roebig B.A., Ball State University J.D., Stetson University ’80
Leo J. Govoni
Clearwater, Florida Founding Partner and President, Boston Asset Management, Inc. B.A., Framingham State College
Tracy Raffles Gunn
Tampa, Florida Gunn Appellate Practice, P.A. B.A., University of South Florida J.D., Stetson University ’93
Mark E. Haranzo
New York, New York Holland & Knight B.A., University of South Florida J.D., Stetson University ’85
Richard A. Harrison
Executive Committee Tampa, Florida Richard A. Harrison, P.A. A.A., Miami-Dade Community College B.A., Stetson University ’83 J.D., Stetson University ’86
Benjamin H. Hill, IV
Tampa, Florida Hill Ward Henderson J.D., Stetson University ’97
Jenay E. Iurato
Secretary of the Board, Executive Committee Tampa, Florida Iurato Law Firm, P.L. B.S., B.A., Pepperdine University J.D./MBA, Stetson University ’00
Joseph W. Landers, Jr.
Tallahassee, Florida B.A., Stetson University ’64 J.D., Stetson University ’70
Charles S. Liberis
Pensacola, Florida Liberis Law Firm, P.A. B.S., Stetson University J.D., Stetson University ’67
Joshua Magidson
Clearwater, Florida Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen, P.A. B.A., Boston University; University of Maryland M.A., University of Connecticut J.D., Stetson University ’80
Michael E. Marder
Orlando, Florida Greenspoon Marder Law B.A., University of South Florida J.D. Stetson University ’77
Simone Marstiller
Tallahassee, Florida Florida Department of Juvenile Justice B.B.A., Stetson University ’88 J.D., Stetson University ’96
Timothy P. McFadden
St. Petersburg, Florida B.S., United States Military Academy at West Point J.D., Stetson University ’90
Steven D. Overly
Amelia Island, Florida Rogers Towers B.A., Gettysburg College M.P.A., Pennsylvania State University J.D., Stetson University College of Law ’82 LL.M., Georgetown University Law Center
James M. Papantonio
Pensacola, Florida Levin Papantonio B.A., University of Florida J.D., Samford University, Cumberland School of Law
Hon. Peggy A. Quince
Tallahassee, Florida Retired Justice, Supreme Court of Florida B.S., Howard University J.D., Catholic University of America LL.D., (Hon.) Stetson University ’99
Robert G. Riegel Jr.
Jacksonville, Florida Rogers Towers B.A., Stetson University ’78 J.D., Stetson University ’81
Amy R. Rigdon
Washington, D.C. Latham & Watkins, LLP B.A., Stetson University ’05 J.D., Stetson University ’08
Arturo R. Rios
St. Petersburg, Florida Arturo Rios, P.A. B.A., Eckerd College J.D., Stetson University ’06 LL.M., Temple University
Scott Stevenson
New York, New York B.S., Wharton School of Business B.A., University of Pennsylvania J.D., Stetson University ’12
Matthew A. Towery
Executive Committee Atlanta, Georgia M.Phil., University of Cambridge, England J.D., Stetson University ’87
Jason L. Turner
Nashville, Tennessee Keller Turner Andrews & Ghanem, PLLC B.B.A., Belmont University J.D., Stetson University ’04
Aaron Watson
Pensacola, Florida The Watson Law Firm, PLLC B.A., Florida State University J.D., Stetson University ’09
Roger W. Yoerges
Executive Committee Washington, D.C. Capital Talent Agency, LLC B.A., University of Florida J.D., Stetson University ’85
ALUMNI GROUP HAS NEW DIRECTOR
Alphonce J. Brown Jr. stepped into the role of director of Development and Alumni Relations in January 2020. He is a senior executive with 35 years of experience in higher education, nonprofits, development strategic planning, and capital campaign feasibility studies. Brown has a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin. He has achieved many development successes during his career, including conducting research and targeting major donors for UCLA, leading to media mogul David Geffen donating $200 million.
Brown has been recognized as one of 110 Advanced Certified Fundraising Executives (ACFRE) and is one of 94 certified Master Trainers within AFP. He was named Top 14 Most Influential Fundraisers in USA in 2009 by NonProfit Times. Brown was recently named an AFP 2021 Distinguished Fellow, a national recognition for individuals who have made significant leadership contributions to philanthropy and the fundraising profession.
Annual Campaigns
We have many opportunities for alumni to help shape who we are and what we’ll become, including the Law Firm Challenge and the We Are Stetson Giving Challenge. Both play a critical role in our continuing efforts for excellence and national prominence in providing student financial aid, faculty research, clinical education, and academic programs. The We Are Stetson Giving Challenge is a three-day campaign in April in which alumni, faculty, students and friends have an opportunity to show their support for the College of Law. This year, alumnus Jeffery A. Smith, J.D. ’73, agreed to donate $100,000 if 300 alumni gave to the campaign, and it was a resounding success. The Law Firm Challenge runs November-January and is a friendly competition where law firms with multiple Stetson Law graduates vie for the highest percentage of alumni giving. You can also support the new Dick and Joan Jacobs Public Interest Environmental Law Clinic fund if environmental policy is important to you. Of course, you don’t need to wait for a campaign to provide support. Graduates can give back to any Stetson Law fund at any time and in any amount. If you have questions, contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at alumni@law.stetson.edu or 727-562-7818.
Janet Caramello, Major Gifts Officer Caramello joined Stetson in 2021 and will connect donors and potential major donors with opportunities to advance the College of Law through financial contributions and volunteer leadership.
Mike Casey, Associate Director of Alumni Relations Casey helps to establish and grow local and nationwide alumni chapters. He is also responsible for planning many of Stetson’s signature events, including the Hall of Fame Banquet.
Tomeka Jackson, Administrative Support Jackson provides administrative support for the entire department and works closely in helping to prepare Stetson’s many events and compiling Class Notes.
Karen Ryals, Development Officer Ryals joined Stetson in 2020 and oversees new annual giving programs and manages existing campaigns, including the Law Firm Challenge and Student Emergency Fund.
Patricia Stone, Database Administration Specialist Stone provides support through gift accounting and processes, database management and reporting tools, and donor stewardship, as well as provides administrative support to staff.
Patricia Toups, Associate Director of Development Toups brings a broad breadth and knowledge to the development team that includes historical timelines, practices and procedures, and fiscal management.
