Flinn Scholar Class of 1999
Will you share a little about your current role and what excites you most about your work?
On Jan. 7, 2025, President Biden appointed me to serve as a United States District Judge for the District of Arizona. In this role, I preside over both criminal and civil cases as a trial court judge based in the Sandra Day O’Connor courthouse in Phoenix. My criminal cases include charges for illegal reentry into the United States, drug and weapons trafficking, violent crimes, and financial crimes. My civil cases cover a wide range of disputes, including personal injury suits, securities class actions, and social security appeals (to name just a few categories). In addition to my caseload, I have the privilege of admitting immigrants as United States citizens at naturalization ceremonies, which are always beautiful events.
I love coming to the courthouse every morning. I get to work on a variety of challenging cases while working with committed public servants and mentoring younger lawyers who are passionate about the rule of law. Every day I learn something new about the law, the litigants and lawyers in my cases, and how to better serve people often experiencing the most challenging circumstances of their lives. While I can’t eliminate the stress civil litigants, criminal defendants, victims, and others experience while navigating our legal system, I do enjoy trying to make them feel as comfortable as possible. This is my dream job.
Before moving into public service, I worked in Honeywell International Inc.’s legal department for almost a decade in various roles, most recently as the Vice President and General Counsel for the company’s Integrated Supply Chain and Information Technology departments. Before joining Honeywell, I practiced commercial litigation and appellate law at Osborn Maledon, PA, a law firm in Phoenix. I’ve now had several different legal jobs and have both enjoyed and learned a tremendous amount from each.
How did being a Flinn Scholar shape your academic and/or career path?
Being a Flinn Scholar has shaped who I am, what I studied, and my career path, in three main ways. First, being a Scholar afforded me the opportunity to meet and engage with people with varying backgrounds, interests, and experiences. Being surrounded by brilliant and engaging peers allowed me to explore new passions, ultimately leading me to switch from being pre-med to pursuing a career in law. Second, and relatedly, the scholarship gave me the financial freedom to explore different interests and ultimately pursue my passion. Last, the scholarship’s focus on international travel experiences taught get comfortable with being uncomfortable, which has served me well each time I’ve taken on a new challenge in my career.
How do you stay connected with the Flinn community today?
I attend as many events as possible at the Flinn Foundation, which has helped me maintain connections with Flinn Scholars I knew while in school while also allowing me to make new connections. Recently, I have tried to serve as an informal coordinator for my class by encouraging attendance at Flinn reunions and events. My classmates have also done a great job scheduling virtual and in-person meet-ups, including one we held in early January — it was wonderful catching up!
Looking back, what’s one lesson from your time as a Flinn Scholar that has stayed with you?
The importance of developing and fostering a supportive, diverse, and interesting community of peers is a lesson that I learned as a Flinn Scholar and continue to employ each time I’m in a new environment. My Flinn class was diverse, and I treasured my friends’ insights and experiences, many of which differed significantly from my own and challenged my perceptions. When I went to law school, I was fortunate to create a similar community, and I have tried to do the same thing in each phase of life and step in my career.
What impact do you hope to make in your field or community in the coming years?
Beyond endeavoring to serve the litigants and lawyers in my courtroom with empathy, diligence, and integrity, I hope to bring fresh ideas and perspectives to the federal courts here in Arizona and more broadly. The technological environment has changed rapidly since I first started practicing law 20 years ago, and there are opportunities to employ new tools and approaches to manage our challenging caseloads. Generative artificial intelligence is already altering how lawyers and parties litigate their cases, and I am eager to explore the responsible use of that and other technologies in our work.
What’s one unexpected skill you picked up during college that you still use today?
During my Flinn Summer Seminar in 2000, I unexpectedly learned that I could eat absurd amounts of fried cheese without getting sick of it (or getting sick). Fried cheese was often the only vegetarian food available on our travels in Budapest and Romania. I recently adopted a keto diet and, once again, fried cheese is my only option when I eat at certain restaurants. And I still love it!
What’s the most surprising way your Flinn experience has popped up in your life post-college?
I’ve worked with Flinn alumni throughout my career, but joining Honeywell took it to a new level: My mentor in one of Honeywell’s development programs was Ben Driggs (’90), and when I was a general counsel in the Aerospace division Jen Nelson (’89) was my boss!