CEO Selects Second Annual Class of Civil Rights Fellows

Dear friends,

It is with great joy that we introduce to you the 2023 class of CEO civil rights fellows. Between Monday, August 7 and Friday, August 11, 2023, fellows will participate in an intensive seminar-style program in Washington, D.C.

This fellowship is a first-of-its-kind program within which fellows will receive instruction and training in civil rights caselaw, enforcement practices, and public policy. For example, fellows will learn the history of passage of major civil rights laws, become familiar with major Supreme Court decisions in this area, and learn about current controversies surrounding civil rights law and enforcement.

The seminars will be led by law and policy experts, litigators, former government officials, and other thought leaders. Fellows will also receive media training on writing effective op-eds, engaging with the media, and making the most of interviews.

We are very pleased with the continued interest among law students in our program. Thank you to our friends and supporters for helping us to find this exceedingly talented and interesting group of fellows.

Warm regards,

Devon

Michael Billotto

George Mason University

Michael Billotto is a rising second year law student at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. Prior to law school, Michael earned a BA, magna cum laude, from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with minors in History and Philosophy. In his thesis, Michael focused on the Age of Enlightenment’s influence on U.S. founding principles, documents, and its governmental structure. Michael was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and is very excited to bring the skills and knowledge from the CEO fellowship to his public service goals and legal career.

Samantha Crane

University of Wisconsin

Samantha Crane is a rising second year law student at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Before going to law school, Samantha received her undergraduate degree in Political Science, Journalism, and Jewish Studies from the University of Wisconsin- Madison. During her time there, she interned for a local state representative and at The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. After graduation, Samantha moved to Miami to work for StandWithUs an Israel education organization helping to educate students on Israel and anti-Semitism. During Samantha’s first year of law school, she returned to The Brandeis Center as a JIGSAW Fellow and law clerk. Samantha is an active member of the Jewish Law Students Association and the newly elected Vice President of her Federalist Society Chapter. She also works as a teaching assistant for a course on critical thinking and expression. This summer, Samantha will be interning at the 19^th Judicial Circuit Court of Lake County.

Randy Fitzgerald

University of Miami

Randy Fitzgerald is a law student at the University of Miami. He is in his second year of his dual J.D. and M.A in Latin American Studies program. His B.A. was conferred with Honors from the University of Miami in May 2021, where he quad-majored in History, Political Science, Economics, and International Studies. Randy is a proud alumnus of the White House Internship Program (2019) and the Washington D.C. office of Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (2021). He has also interned at the Fla. 3d District Court of Appeal for Judge Bronwyn C. Miller (2022), and for S.D.-Fla. U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal (2023). Outside of the classroom, Randy is President of his law school’s chapter of the Federalist Society, Speaker of his Student Bar Association Senate, and active with the St. Thomas More Catholic Legal Society and OutLaw. He is an enthusiast of U.S. National Parks, last-minute cruise deals, and live theatre.

Guzi He

American University

Guzi He is a J.D. candidate at the American University Washington College of Law. He holds a B.A. in Government from the College of William and Mary and is a contributing writer for Merion West, a magazine on American politics. Guzi plays the banjo and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

Momina Imran

American University

Momina Imran is currently pursuing a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree at American University Washington College of Law (WCL), with a focus on Intellectual Property and Technology Law. She is the recipient of the Merit Scholarship from the Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property at WCL. Prior to attending WCL, Momina obtained her BA.LL.B (Honours) from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in Lahore, Pakistan during which time she co-authored a thesis on women’s roles in labour unions of Punjab. It was during this time she fostered a growing interest in civil rights and constitutional protections afforded to women and children in Pakistan. She now hopes to develop a deeper understanding of civil rights in the United States this summer as a CEO Civil Rights Fellow.

Sarah Johns

Brigham Young University

Sarah Johns is a rising third year law student at Brigham Young University Law where she serves as the LLM Advisor and the President of the Law Student Wellbeing Club. Sarah received her undergraduate degree at Utah State University in Law and Constitutional Studies with a minor in Criminal Justice. Sarah is passionate about building bridges between communities and is currently working to help bridge the gap between LGBTQ+ and religious communities. Sarah looks forward to spending this summer working at Obeidat Law in Amman, Jordan and is a passionate student of international law. In her free time, Sarah enjoys mountain biking and exploring Utah’s beautiful trails.

Qianda Rao

Arizona State University

Qianda Rao is a rising third year law student at Arizona State University Law School. Prior to law school, she worked in video production and documentary filmmaking for five years. While she had previously utilized visual arts as a means of expressing her observations of society, Qianda now firmly believes that the mechanisms for achieving social justice are deeply rooted in the law and in law enforcement institutions. As an international student from China, she is interested in gender and racial equality, cross-border disputes, and social justice. During her time at law school in Phoenix, she has externed in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, State Court, and District Court. Recently, she was selected to participate in the Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court in Vienna. Outside of her studies, Qianda enjoys street dancing and scuba diving.

Michael J. Strickland

Georgia State

Michael J. Strickland is a rising second year law student at Georgia State College of Law. Michael is from Atlanta, GA, and graduated from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business in 2019 and he worked as an Amazon Operations Manager until mid-2022. He has always been passionate about civil rights and has actively worked towards promoting equal opportunities for all. Michael is involved with the Black Law Students Association where he has served as the Director of Alumni Affairs and Pre-Law Engagement. He is also committed to offering free LSAT tutoring services for undergraduate students. Overall, Michael is driven to make a positive impact on his community and is enthusiastic about helping others.

William Wallace III

Southern University

William Wallace III is a rising 3rd year JD/MBA student at Southern University Law Center. Before attending law school, William received a Dual-Degree in Economics and Pan-African Studies from Clemson University where he graduated as a recipient of the Dr. Alan Schaffer Student Award. During his time at Clemson, William worked as a Peer Dialogue Facilitator and last summer, interned with the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project where he conducted research into the nature and extent of anti-civil rights violence in Louisiana during the 1960s. William currently works as a Strategic Partnership Fellow where he helps with expungement programs and other initiatives.

Bill Duckworth

Stetson University

Bill Duckworth is a rising 3rd year law student at Stetson University College of Law, where he is a member of the Environmental Law Society and Elder Law Society. Prior to law school, Bill attended Northern Michigan University where he earned an undergraduate degree in Hospitality Management. He has lived in multiple states across the US, as well as living and working for two years in Melbourne, Australia. Following his 1L year at Stetson Law, Bill worked as a law clerk in a private firm in Pennsylvania focusing on Family Law and Elder Law. This summer, Bill will be clerking in The Office of the Corporation Counsel in Hilo, Hawaii, which will broaden his exposure to different legal systems and deepen his knowledge of law practice. Outside of law school, Bill enjoys reading, swimming, and spending quality time with his wife, and son.