John “Mike” Callahan ’68
Devotion to Duty: After launching his career as a special agent with the US Naval Criminal Investigative Service, he joined the FBI in 1969 and served for thirty years. He was appointed chief division counsel in two FBI field offices, including Boston, where he also served as a special assistant US attorney, and taught criminal procedure at the FBI Academy. “The most rewarding part of that time in my career involved protecting the public by apprehending violent criminals involved in murder and armed robbery.” Second Act: After retiring from the FBI, he went to work for the Massachusetts Inspector General as deputy inspector general in charge of investigations. Pen to Paper: He is the author of two books—Lethal Force and the Objectively Reasonable Officer and Supervisory and Municipal Liability in Law Enforcement—and numerous articles on similar matters.
Lara Zaroulis Mattina ’05
Leading by Example: As a career prosecutor, she moved up the hierarchy of the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida and was selected as the first woman to serve as the director of circuit court. “Training the next generation of the leaders of the local bar was both an awesome responsibility and a true honor.” Communication Is Key: In 2022, she changed paths when asked to become the organizational strategic executive for the Jacksonville (Florida) Sheriff’s Office. Now, she advises the sheriff and executive staff members on strategic communication to the public. “I seek to effectively communicate the sheriff’s and the agency’s priorities and initiatives in innovative ways to increase transparency, foster public trust, and build community partnerships.”
Anusia Gillespie ’13
Igniting Potential: As chief strategy and growth officer at SkillBurst Interactive, she helps the eLearning company to expand into legal departments and partner with global brands. “We provide the upskilling and reskilling necessary to keep up with the accelerating pace of change.” Moving Forward: “The word innovation is problematic in legal. I prefer ‘new law’ to capture the idea that legal innovation is about trying new things to produce better results. We need to shift from only looking behind to precedent, to looking ahead and for where the puck is going. We need to commit to the implicit duty within the ABA Model Rules to seek improvement and to innovate when it comes to the law, the administration of justice, and the quality of legal services.”
Stephen Choi ’20
Family First: After one year with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, he joined the private sector and is now with the White Plains, New York, office of Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman. “With young children, it was difficult to maintain work-life balance as a prosecutor. I ultimately chose family, which led me to professional liability and data breach response.” Fact of the Matter: “Sometimes fact patterns are simple, but many are unique. The head scratchers are the most interesting part of my work.” Doors Wide Open: “Life has a way of taking you places you don’t anticipate. The ride is more enjoyable when you let go of what you think you want and open yourself up to what the world offers you.”
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