Editor-In-Chief
Cassandra Cooper
Cassandra is a Brazilian-American from Tampa, Florida who speaks both Portuguese and Spanish. She earned her B.A.(IH) in International Relations with a minor in psychology through a joint degree program between the College of William and Mary in Virginia and the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Cassandra has participated in the Lawyering Peace Program in conjunction with the Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG) and an International Criminal Law Practicum working with the War Crimes Research Office. She is currently interning with the Department of Justice (DOJ) Criminal Division in their Office of International Affairs and will continue with the DOJ this fall within the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section. These experiences have inspired her to pursue a career in litigation relating to public international law. In her free time, you can find her exploring the outdoors with her dog, Mocha, rollerskating, or catching up with friends at a local coffee shop.
Managing Editor
Johnna Coffin
Johnna is a 3L from Connecticut and received her B.A. in International Relations and Arabic from Ohio State University. Her legal interests include international human rights, international trade, and civil rights. She speaks Arabic (modern-standard and Lebanese dialect) and some Russian. During law school, Johnna has worked for the New York Division of Human Rights, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Peace Corps Office of General Counsel. At WCL, Johnna is a member of the Human Rights Brief and the International Law Student Association and serves as a Classroom Dean's Fellow for the Legal Rhetoric program. Outside of law school, Johnna enjoys hiking, reading, and exploring new restaurants in D.C.
Executive Editor
Valeria Dabdoub
Valeria is a rising 3L who grew up in the small border town of Nogales, Arizona -Sonora, Mexico and studied history and legal studies at the University of San Francisco (’21). At WCL, she is a Dean’s Fellow for the War Crimes Research Office and a Student Attorney for American University’s International Human Rights Law Clinic. Valeria is interested in international law, especially human rights issues among migrant populations. She will spend her 2L summer in the Summer Law Program in The Hague and at the International Law Commission Summer Abroad Opportunity in Geneva with Professor Claudio Grossman. In her free time Valeria enjoys cooking, running, reading and watching movies.
Senior Note & Comment Editor
Alexis Mozeleski
Alexis was born and raised in Washington, DC, having attended the Washington International School for grade school, just a few blocks from WCL’s Tenley Campus. She earned a BA in International Relations and Religious Studies from Connecticut College, and returned to DC in 2019 to work as a paralegal at Covington & Burling LLP. Following the conclusion of her 2L year at WCL, Alexis worked as a Summer Associate at ArentFox Schiff LLP. Alexis joined ILR as a junior staffer in the Spring of her 1L year. Her Comment, “Democracy Dies in Broad Daylight: How the Philippines’ Halted Media Speech Despite Its Commitment to the ICCPR,” was published in ILR’s Volume 38, Issue 1. In her free time, Alexis enjoys running, cooking, and hanging out with her Chocolate Lab puppy, Millie.
Academy on Human Rights & Humanitarian Law Book Editor
Alejandra Ureta Melcon
Alejandra was born in Madrid, Spain, and went to boarding school in Switzerland for middle school and high school before she moved to the U.S. to attend undergrad at GW. Through her time living abroad she has become fluent in Spanish, English, and French. At GW she pursued her passion for foreign affairs and got a BA in international affairs and a double minor in business and sustainability. After graduating GW in 2020 she spent a year interning at UNHCR which fueled her interest in human rights and made the decision to apply to law school. At AU Alejandra is working towards a dual JD/MA degree in international affairs. In addition to serving as the HRA editor, this year she will be the director of WCL IRAP and a student attorney at the International Human Rights Clinic. This summer she will be going back to Switzerland to participate in the international humanitarian law program in Geneva. In the future Alejandra hopes to pursue a career in public policy and human rights advocacy, however, whether that will be here or in Europe is yet to be determined. Outside of law school, Alejandra is an avid scuba diver and cat mom to her pandemic baby Cleo. To unwind she enjoys baking, hiking, and organizing arts and crafts nights with her friends.
Symposium & Events Editor
Reganne Hardy
Reganne is from Tampa, Florida, and graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Corporate Finance. Reganne currently works in the technology/product development and hopes to continue to work on international emerging technologies legal issues after graduating. Her legal interests include privacy, intellectual property, and contract law within the technology field. In addition to serving as the Symposium & Events Editor, Reganne works as a research assistant for the Tech, Law, and Security Program. Additionally, Reganne will be a teaching fellow for the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project during the 2023-2024 academic year. In her free time, she enjoys exploring DC by visiting museums and trying new restaurants with friends.
Digital Articles Editor
Sierra Buehlman Barbeau
Sierra is from Wisconsin and received her bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin- Madison in International Studies, with a concentration on National Security and a minor in African Studies. She studied abroad in Fez, Morocco. After graduating, Sierra served in the Peace Corps in Armenia, where she lived with a grandmother in the village of Khot and taught English at the local school. After returning to the US, she worked as an elementary school teacher in Philadelphia. She is now a 3L at American University Washington College of Law and is working to obtain her Master's Degree in International Relations through AU's dual degree program, focusing on the intersection between conflict and climate change. She also does research on ESG and the UN Sustainability Goals using text mining. Sierra speaks French and Armenian and has studied Modern Standard Arabic for more than ten years (and may someday be fluent). She also reads and understands some Russian and Spanish. In her free time, Sierra enjoys running, painting, ceramics, creative writing, and reading.
Associate Digital Articles Editor
Zackary Luna
Zackary is a 3L from Park City, Utah. He graduated from the University of Utah in 2020 where he received a Bachelor of Science in Marketing Professional Sales & Business Development. During law school, Zackary has worked as a Summer 1L Intern at Kellogg Hansen, a trial and appellate advocacy firm in Washington D.C. and as a 2L Law Clerk at Kang Haggerty, a complex business litigation firm in Philadelphia, PA. He is a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Honor Society, the International Law Student Association, and The Federalist Society. Zackary’s legal interests are in real-estate/real-property, oil & gas/nuclear/water law, artificial intelligence, FCA whistleblower, and tax. Prior to law school, Zackary worked in mediation, leasing, and as a stand-up comedian, opening for two HBO Def Jam Comics. Outside of law school he enjoys skiing, golf, baseball, fishing, and a great plate of buffalo wings.
Senior Articles Editor
Mia Howard
Mia is a 3L from Alexandria, Virginia. She received a B.A. in history from the University of South Carolina where she also minored in criminal justice and classical studies. Mia's legal interests include international criminal law, humanitarian law, and international trade. Mia has worked in the Homicide Unit of the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office and at Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman & Klestadt LLP in downtown D.C. In her free time Mia enjoys sailing on the Potomac, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and traveling.
Associate Executive Editors
Leona Hill
Leona is a 3L evening student and is originally from the Seattle area. She attended Cal Poly Pomona for her undergraduate degree where she majored in Political Science with a minor in International Business. She currently works as a Paralegal with the Department of Justice in the Civil Rights Division and she predominantly focuses on cases involving sexual harassment in housing. Her previous work experience includes working for the Washington State Attorney General’s Office in the Consumer Protection Division, as well as being a Courtroom Clerk for the Arlington County Circuit Court. Prior to starting law school she joined the Peace Corps and served as a Rural Community Health volunteer in Benin, a small French-speaking country in West Africa. Next year she will be studying abroad in Rome through the WCL dual degree program and after graduating she hopes to work internationally. In her free time she enjoys cooking, hiking, and spending time with her 19-year old cat.
Lexi Kloiber
Lexi is a 3L Evening student pursuing civil and international human rights law, and as a second generation American, she is specifically interested in immigration law and how immigration impacts us all domestically and globally. Originally from Wisconsin, Lexi attended Loyola University Chicago for undergrad, earning Bachelor degrees in both Political Science and History, before earning a Master's degree in Paralegal Studies from George Washington University. Since 2019, Lexi has been an immigration paralegal, first at a business immigration firm in Chicago, and most recently with the Immigrant and Employee Rights section of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division. Outside of school and work, in her very rare free time, Lexi loves to spend time outdoors with her dogs (Roxxi and Kiara) either exploring the parks or finding local outdoor breweries, discovering new music and attending concerts, and watching various cooking shows and competitions only to meal prep the same four meals every other week.
Calista Somer