Alumni Council

The Northern Illinois University College of Law Alumni Council is comprised of alumni interested in maintaining a strong connection between the College of Law and its alumni. Members serve two-year terms. The council meets three times per year. If you are interested in serving on the Alumni Council please contact Melody Mitchell, Chief of Staff, Assistant Dean of Strategic Communications, Alumni Engagement and Diversity Initiatives, at mmitchell@niu.edu.

Current Alumni Council Members

Omar Salguero ’12, President
Attorney, Latino Immigration and Legal Center, PC
Aurora, IL

Jay Wiegman ’92, First Vice President
Office of State Appellate Defender, Third District
Ottawa, IL

Rachel Hernandez ’05, Second Vice President
Founder, Bruckner Hernandez Legal Solutions, LLC
St. Charles & Sycamore, IL

Lawrence A. Stein ’93, Immediate Past President
Lawrence A. Stein, LLC


Nick Atwood ’16
Illinois Appellate Prosecutor's Office, 3rd District
Ottawa, IL

Brandon Ayers ’11
Vanek, Larson & Kolb, LLC
St. Charles, IL

Katie Haskins Becker ’11
Haskins Becker, P.C.
Wheaton, IL.

Brooke Benoit '20

Jason Blumenthal '19
Policy and Program Manager
DuPage County

Nichole Cain ‘06
The Law Offices of Nichole T. Cain, LLC
Chicago, IL

Michael Cortina ‘98
Partner, SmithAmundsen LLC
Crystal Lake, IL

Blake Cosentino ’03
Cosentino Law Firm
DeKalb, IL

Alejandro Cuautli ’17

Brent R. Eames ’09
Eames Law Group
Chicago, IL

Diane Elliott ‘05
Law Office of Diane E. Elliott
DeKalb, IL

Robert W. Fioretti ’78
Roth Fioretti LLC
Chicago, IL

Mariam Hafezi ’10
Partner, Kaiser Hafezi Law
Bensenville, IL

Rene’ Hernandez ’90
Law Offices of Rene Hernandez, P.C.
Rockford, IL.

Toi Hutchinson ’14
Special Advisor to the Governor
Chicago, IL

Christine Janis ‘16
Associate Attorney, Mulyk Laho Law
Glen Ellyn, IL

Kenya Jenkins-Wright '03
General Council, Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission
Chicago, IL

Lisa Knauf '13
Knauf Law
Addison, IL

Andrew Lothson ’08
Partner, Swanson, Martin and Bell, LLP
Chicago, IL

Kellie Martial '10

Kellie Martial ‘10
Assistant Dean and Director of Admissions, NIU College of Law
DeKalb, IL

Kate G. McCabe ’01
Judicial Law Clerk, Illinois Appellate Court
Diamond, IL

Neil Michling ‘18
Asst. State’s Attorney, DeKalb County State’s Attorney
Sycamore, IL

William Obuchowski ‘13
Attorney
Chicago, IL

Khristian Parker '10

Khristian Parker ’10
General Counsel, Teamsters Local Union No. 705
Chicago, IL

Margie Komes Putzler ‘15
Attorney, Turner Law Offices
Sycamore, IL

Melinda Rosales-Byerly '03,
Assistant Public Defender, Office of Cook County Public Defender
Rolling Meadows, IL

Nick Valadez ’89
Law Offices of Nick Valadez
Oak Forest, IL

Heather Wier Vaught ‘05
President, Heather Wier Vaught P.C.
Springfield, IL

Karen Wilkerson ’97
Supervisory Regional Counsel, Department of Children and Family Services
Woodstock, IL

Victor Zamora ‘19
Reno & Zahm LLP
Rockford, IL