Jason Eliaser, Presidente

Jason Eliaser es mediador y gestor de programas de formación para el gobierno federal. Antes de su servicio federal, Jason dirigía su propio bufete de abogados, centrado en litigios sobre derechos civiles, ejecuciones hipotecarias indebidas, vivienda y abusos en la financiación al consumo. Jason también ha asesorado a organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro en materia de constitución, cumplimiento de la normativa, prevención de riesgos y responsabilidades, negociación de contratos, transacciones y propiedad intelectual. Jason trabajó durante tres años en la junta de una organización sin ánimo de lucro dedicada a las artes literarias, fue voluntario durante dos años en una clínica jurídica que ofrecía asistencia a personas sin hogar y actualmente es voluntario activo de Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington. Jason vive en Alexandria con su pareja, Monica, y su gato, The Honorable Ruth Bader Ginspurr.

Runako Kumbula Allsop, Vice Chair

Runako is an attorney who has primarily worked for the District of Columbia and federal government in the areas of legislative, regulatory, criminal, employment, Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act law. Runako was also previously a felony prosecutor and judicial law clerk at both the state appellate and trial court levels in New Orleans, Louisiana. Currently, she serves as a member of the Maryland Open Meeting Compliance Board and is a very active parent volunteer at the schools her children attend. Runako lives in Maryland with her husband, daughter and son. 

Chris Kohler, Treasurer

Christine (Chris) Kohler has been a dedicated legal research professional since 2000. She began her legal research journey working with global law firms as an account manager at LexisNexis and later for Thomson Reuters. Currently, she is a Research and Knowledge Services Analyst at Eversheds Sutherland, a large global law firm.

Throughout her early career, Chris worked for grassroots not-for-profits, serving in various capacities such as Global Campaign Coordinator and Managing Director. Her commitment to these roles highlights her dedication to making a positive impact in the community.

Chris earned a BA from the University of Maryland in Graphic Communications with a Minor in Business Administration. 

Masai McDougall

Masai McDougall is an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, where he teaches Contracts, Business Organizations, and Critical Race Theory. He has also taught Legal Writing as a Dean Louis Westerfield Fellow (’20-’21) at Loyola University New Orleans School of Law. 

With experience from constitutional and commercial litigation to international transactions, Professor McDougall’s courses on Contracts and Business Organizations focus on the practical skills needed to effectively represent clients from small businesses to multinational corporations as well as the theoretical approaches to understand the structures of both law and society.            

Professor McDougall is a 2008 graduate of Howard University School of Law. After practicing as a commercial litigator in D.C. and Los Angeles, he expanded his practice into civil rights litigation concerning police brutality and the rights of incarcerated people.

Professor McDougall’s research focuses on the effects of legal procedures on the individual rights of American citizens, a field he experienced first-hand while operating a solo practice for three years. Inspired by the opportunity to help change lives and create a framework to change the legal procedures we rely on for those opportunities, he focuses his efforts on the study of procedure’s impacts on political minorities and avenues for the advancement in American procedural law presented by an analysis of those impacts. 

Shavonne Hedgepeth

Shavonne N. Hedgepeth is an enthusiastic advocate for authentic community building and actively participating in efforts that facilitate equitable access to information for marginalized communities. She is currently enrolled in an Executive Master’s in Public Administration Program at the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy at Cornell University. Early in her journey into public service, she served as a board member on a D.C. based non-profit that mentors young women between the ages of 11-18 in Southeast. While earning her bachelor’s, she served as a student advisory member for a Montgomery County Councilmember, allowing her to strategize tangible solutions to the disparities in access to mental health resources, equitable housing options, and other public interest-based efforts for his constituents.While earning her master’s in Library and Information Sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park, she collaborated with researchers and archaeologists at Anne Arundel County on The Lost Towns Project, supported efforts to update the Maryland Historical Trust records, and worked on the ‘Black Housing Project.’ Her experiences while earning her library and information sciences master’s also include serving as a fellow at the National Agriculture Library and previously serving on the Advisory Board for the 1856 Project at the University of Maryland, College Park. She earned her undergraduate degree in History from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and will continue her valuable career in public service. In her spare time she enjoys adding to her constantly expanding book collection, listening to Beyoncé, traveling, and sustaining her shopping addiction.