Four of the twelve 2020 Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy Fellowships in public service have been awarded to Boston College Law School students. The prestigious Rappaport Fellows program places students from Boston area law schools at the highest levels of state and local government in Massachusetts.
This year’s BC Law Rappaport Fellows, all 1Ls, are Vannessa Lawrence, Kris Phipps, Kristen Rosa, and Julia Sauve ( shown above, left to right).
Rappaport Fellows are provided the opportunity to explore and expand on their diverse interests in public policy by working with top policymakers throughout the summer. Each Fellow also receives extraordinary mentorship from Rappaport Center Advisory Board members, prior Rappaport Fellows, and notable civic leaders in the public sector. Fellows further gain experiential learning by exploring the intersection of law and public policy through conversations with high level government officials, including members from the executive, judiciary, and/or legislative branches. In light of COVID-19, the center will continue to work closely with our partners in state and local government to ensure the success of this summer’s Fellowship Program.
The Fellows were selected this year from a competitive applicant pool of students from Boston College Law School, Boston University School of Law, Harvard Law School, Northeastern University School of Law, Suffolk University Law School, New England School of Law, University of Massachusetts School of Law, and Western New England Law School.
“Each year, I’m amazed at the caliber of students who apply to be Rappaport Fellows and marvel at their exuberance for working in the public sector,” said Rappaport Center Executive Director Elisabeth “Lissy” J. Medvedow. “Our incoming 2020 Rappaport Fellows are no exception; they are a cohort of 12 incredible law students who will contribute their talents and passion to state and local government offices this summer.”
Here are the biographies of all twelve 2020 Rappaport Fellows.
Linette Duluc, a 1L at Suffolk University Law School, graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2015 with a BS in Biology where, through her service work, she discovered a passion for community health She obtained a Master of Public Health degree at Boston University School of Public Health in 2018 with a concentration in monitoring and evaluation and was inducted into the Delta Omega National Honor Society. Her interest in healthcare grew in graduate school when she completed her practicum in Morelos, Mexico. There, she assessed the rate of linkage to care in patients with diabetes and additionally provided sexual education workshops to middle and high school students. After obtaining her masters, Duluc worked as a research associate in the pharmaceutical consulting field. She is passionate about improving health outcomes and access to healthcare for underserved communities. This summer, Duluc is excited to combine her interests in public health, law, and policy, while interning at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services.
Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, Robert Gipson, a 1L at Boston University School of Law, recently moved to Massachusetts to pursue his legal education at Boston University School of Law, where he is a 1L. Prior to law school, he followed a nontraditional path to complete his undergraduate degree, starting at a community college, moving to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and finishing at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) with a BA in Criminal Justice and a minor in Communication Studies.
During his studies at UNLV, Gipson created an organization to improve public discourse on controversial topics. Further, the occurrence of the mass shooting in Las Vegas ultimately led to his work for the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada at the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center. There, Gipson was a legal victim advocate for shooting survivors and other violent crime victims, providing service on various legal matters, on the navigation of victim compensation programs and critical resources, and on access to healthcare. Gipson is deeply passionate about civil rights, policy around gun violence, and access to justice. This summer, he looks forward to interning with Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu, a former Rappaport Fellow.
Vannessa Lawrence, a 1L at Boston College Law School, graduated from Colgate University in 2019, majoring in Sociology with a minor in Educational Studies, cum laude. While there, she discovered her passion for studying the intersections of race, socio-economic status, gender, and education through extensive qualitative and quantitative research. She put her interests to work abroad when she met with organizers of a social movement for the decolonization of education. This summer, as a Legal Intern at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, Lawrence looks forward to learning more about the effects of institutionalized oppression on the local community and ways to make those citizens’ voices heard in the legal profession.
Catherine “Cate” McAnulty is a 1L at Harvard Law School and a 2016 graduate of Boston College, where she majored in Studio Art with a minor in Medical Humanities, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. Prior to law school, Cate worked at the Massachusetts State House as the chief of staff for State Representative James O’Day. There, she developed an interest in health policy solutions to complex issues like opioid addiction and maternal mental health, which spurred her decision to attend law school. Born and raised in Oregon, McAnulty enjoys spending her spare time hiking, crafting, and generally being around trees. This summer, she will be interning at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office in the Health Care Division.
Chris McDonough, who is a 2L at Northeastern University School of Law, graduated in 2011 from Hampshire College where he studied comparative literature. Prior to law school, he held many positions in technology, including as a project and product manager on software development teams. McDonough is currently pursuing a JD. at Northeastern University School of Law. He has completed internships in the office of State Senator Jamie Eldridge and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. A lifelong Massachusetts resident, McDonough is proud to have been selected as a Rappaport Fellow and looks forward to his internship at the City of Boston Law Department this summer.
Kristopher “Kris” Phipps, a 1L at Boston College Law School, is a 2016 graduate of Temple University, where he double-majored in Political Science and Strategic Communication with a focus in Rhetoric and Public Advocacy. Prior to law school, he served as policy director for Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus Chair, Representative Joanna McClinton. Working for the constituents of West and Southwest Philadelphia, Phipps filled a number of roles, primarily working on legislation addressing criminal justice and prison reform. He is particularly interested in the intersection of poverty and the law and hopes to pursue a legal career helping those affected by it. This summer, Phipps will be interning at the Massachusetts Inspector General’s Office.
Kristen Rosa is a graduate of Smith College and a first-year law student at Boston College Law School, as well as a dual degree candidate for an MEd at the Lynch School of Education. She began her career as a Teach for America corps member as a guest on Sicangu Lakota land, on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. On Rosebud, she taught high school English language arts and psychology for three years. She was also the English Department chair and freshmen grade leader, as well as a proud member of the teachers union. Following her time in the classroom, Rosa became a data facilitator and school coach at New Visions for Public Schools in New York City. She worked exclusively with transfer schools, alternative public high schools for over-age and under-credited students. Rosa is thrilled to bring her deep belief in the power of public education to this fellowship and to her work at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education this summer.
Julia Sauve is a 2014 graduate of Boston College where she earned a BA in Economics. Prior to enrolling at Boston College Law School, where she is a 1L, she worked with orphanages and underprivileged youth in Tanzania, Vietnam, and Tijuana, Mexico. She spent nine months in Southeast Asia, two-and-a-half years in Tijuana, and time in both Africa and Central America. In Tijuana, Sauve opened a shelter for orphaned and vulnerable children. She collaborated with Mexican authorities to help protect youth who were victims of exploitation and abuse. In furtherance of her efforts in Tijuana, she founded Agape Kids, Inc., a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Sauve also worked for two Boston area firms: one specializing in family law, and the other specializing in personal injury. Her experiences have instilled within her a deep sense of duty to help victims of violence and abuse, and a desire for justice on their behalf. She hopes to use her legal education and career to promote opportunities, resources, and support for at-risk youth. This summer, Sauve will be interning at the Committee for Public Counsel Services in the Youth Advocacy Division.
Jaime Watson, a 2L at Northeastern University School of Law, is a 2012 graduate of Arizona State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Women and Gender studies. She is currently a second-year Public Interest Law Scholar at Northeastern Law. Her studies and work have focused on achieving gender equity. Watson worked extensively in providing direct support to survivors of sexual and domestic violence as a legal advocate with Sojourner Center, a domestic violence shelter in Phoenix and as a Teaching Assistant with the Legal Assistance to Victims Project at the Domestic Violence Institute of NUSL. Watson led statewide advocacy efforts and drafted successful legislative initiatives as the public information officer/legislative liaison at the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission and the Public Policy Advocate at the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. Watson looks forward to bringing her passion for advocacy to the office of former Rappaport Fellow, State Representative Natalie Higgins.
Caitlin Whitman is a graduate of Lesley University, where she earned a BS in Counseling Psychology. She is currently a 1L at New England Law | Boston, where she plans to focus on civil rights and public interest work. Prior to law school, Whitman was a supervisor at Franciscan Children’s Community Based Acute Treatment unit, a short-term residential program for children and adolescents experiencing behavioral and emotional difficulties. She also worked at a large immigration law firm and in a solo practitioner’s office concentrating on employee-side employment and discrimination law. Whitman has a strong interest in social justice and in fighting for all forms of equity. This summer, she is excited to be working at the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) in the General Counsel’s Office.
Rachael Wyant is currently a 1L Public Interest Law Scholar at Northeastern University School of Law. She graduated from Boston University with a BA in Political Science and later received an MA in International Development from The New School, where she studied international human rights law and labor protections for undocumented migrant workers. Prior to law school, Wyant spent time in New York City working in policy advocacy at the UN with a focus on gender equity and economic development. Most recently, she worked at a social justice nonprofit supporting city and state agencies that integrate racial equity into legislation and institutional change processes. Wyant is interested in furthering community leadership and engagement in local government and looks forward to continuing her policy advocacy work from a legal perspective through the Rappaport Fellows Program. Wyant will be spending her Rappaport Fellowship summer in the Office of State Senator Joan Lovely.
Adam Zwetchkenbaum is a graduate of Framingham State University, where he earned his BA in Psychology and had his work published in the Framingham State Journal of Behavioral Sciences. He is currently a first-year law student at the University of Massachusetts School of Law. Prior to law school, he worked as a manager at small trade companies before deciding to change careers. Zwetchkenbaum’s goal in the legal field is to have a positive impact on the lives of vulnerable individuals and groups, and to be a resource in helping others lead self-directed, fulfilling lives. He is interested in philosophy, particularly Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Existentialism, and believes that philosophy is a valuable tool in developing an ethically minded and inquisitive approach to work and life. His placement this summer will be at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, where he hopes to contribute to the effort to make education more accessible to marginalized students.