Meet the International Legal Studies Program Staff
Associate Professor David Hunter
Director of the International Legal Studies Program
Professor of Law
Room 340
David Hunter is associate professor and director of the Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law at American University, Washington College of Law. He is also the director of the Washington Summer Session on Environmental Law. He is the former executive director of the Center for International Environmental Law and was previously an Associate with the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide-US, EarthRights International, the Project on Government Oversight, the Bank Information Center, and Greenpeace-US.
For appointments, contact Christina Dinh at 202-274-4112 or dinh@wcl.american.edu.
Cathy Schenker
Associate Director of the International Legal Studies Program
Room 345
Phone: 202-274-4314
E-mail: schenker@wcl.american.edu
Cathy Schenker is the Associate Director of the International Legal Studies Program (ILSP) and the Director of the Legal English Program at the American University Washington College of Law (WCL) in Washington DC. In her capacity with the ILSP, she works as the academic advisor to the students in the ILSP LLM program, oversees the daily operations of the ILSP LLM program and teaches Legal Research and Writing to the LLM students. As Director of the Legal English Program, Cathy organizes and teaches in a three week summer institute and a week long winter program for global legal practitioners. Cathy is interested in issues related to English for Specific Purposes and content-based language education as well as academic support programs for international law students. Prior to teaching at WCL, Cathy worked as a corporate associate at Hogan & Hartson LLP. She received her BA, cum laude, from Yale University in History and International Studies, a JD from New York University School of Law, and a TESOL certificate from American University. Cathy speaks Polish, French, and basic Italian.
Bill Churma
Assistant Director of Admissions
Room 309-A
Phone: 202-274-4114
E-mail: wchurma@wcl.american.edu
Bill Churma works with all new and incoming students throughout the admission process. He is the point of contact for all applicants to the ILSP and newly-admitted students, as well as for individuals inquiring about the ILSP program. In addition, Bill works with all ILSP students as the contact for financial aid, scholarships, sponsoring programs, and the Certificate Exchange Program. A native from Pittsburgh, Bill received a BA from Washington & Jefferson College in International Studies and French and a MA in International Training and Education from American University. He has spent time abroad studying and working in France and speaks English and French.
Gina Evers
Alumni Coordinator & English Tutor
Room 343
Phone: 202-274-4113
E-mail: gevers@wcl.american.edu
Gina is both the Alumni Coordinator and English Tutor for the International Legal Studies Program. She coordinates with alumni liaisons to create communication and networking opportunities for alumni in their home countries through the establishment and maintenance of alumni clubs, and helps alumni keep in touch after they leave. Gina is the editor of the biannual Global Network, the ILSP's own alumni magazine, and manages the ILSP alumni listserv. Gina also works with current LLMs to help improve their written and spoken English. She meets with students on a one-on-one basis in order to discuss writing in English. She holds a BA in writing from Ithaca College and a MFA in creative writing from American University. She speaks English and Italian.
John Wischmeyer
Resources Coordinator
Room 309
Phone: 202-274-4110
E-mail: jwisch@wcl.american.edu
John Wischmeyer is one of the main contacts for students when they apply to the program. In addition, he assists the department with various events throughout the year. He manages the ILSP website and social media sites, creates graphics and marketing materials, and most importantly, acts as a resource for the students. He received a Bachelor of Urban Planning from the College of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning at the University of Cincinnati. He also received certificates in Global Studies and Geographic Information Systems. John studied abroad in Brazil where he worked with a city Planning Department to create a sustainable rehabilitation plan for a street vending market in preparation for the 2014 World Cup. He also organized and participated in student-led international development trips to Mexico, El Salvador and Cameroon. John plans on pursuing a graduate degree at American University's School of International Service. He speaks English, Spanish and basic German.
Christina Dinh
Assistant to the Director of the International Legal Studies Program
Room 338
Phone: 202-274-4112
E-mail: dinh@wcl.american.edu
Christina Dinh helps LLM students by assisting them with their questions regarding the ILSP program and writing the weekly ILSP newsletter. She also works with the ILSP staff in coordinating logistics for various events held throughout the year such as orientation, international week, and graduation. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Northeastern University where she triple majored in International Affairs; Languages, Literatures and Cultures; and Asian Studies. Christina comes from a Chinese-Vietnamese background and spent time studying abroad in France and China. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs at American University's School of International Service. She speaks English, French, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Chao'zhao Chinese.
Adriana Vito
Adjunct Professor & Assistant Director, International Career Programs
Room 122
Phone: 202-274-4097
E-mail: avito@wcl.american.edu
Adriana Vito is the Assistant Director for International Career Programs in the Office of Career & Professional Development at American University Washington College of Law. She specializes in advising foreign ILSP students and alumni on issues unique to foreign lawyers entering the job market in the United States. Through workshops and individual sessions, Adriana counsels foreign lawyers in all areas
of career development, including developing strategies to secure jobs and internships in the United States during and after their Optional Practical Training (OPT). Adriana leads WCL's efforts in creating employment opportunities for ILSP foreign lawyers. In this capacity, she liaises with law firms and multilateral international institutions. She created the "ILSP Career Connection", a bi-weekly publication she edits listing jobs and internships for foreign ILSP students.
Adriana is a licensed Brazilian attorney who holds an LL.B. from Mackenzie University in Sao Paulo and an LL.M. from the University of Florida. Prior to joining WCL, Adriana worked for the international trade law practice groups of two law firms in Washington, DC. She also worked for the Trade Policy Division of the Brazilian Embassy in Washington and the Trade Section of the Delegation of the European Commission in Washington. Prior to moving to the United States, Adriana worked for the Brazilian Federal Prosecution in Sao Paulo. Adriana has published articles about U.S. trade remedy laws and the impact of U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings on Brazilian exports to the United States. She has also worked on a study about the impact of European and North-American agricultural subsidies on Brazilian corn exports.
Adriana also serves at WCL as an Adjunct Professor, teaching two international trade law courses per year. This semester she is co-teaching the Regional Trade Agreements Seminar. Adriana speaks Portuguese, English, Spanish and basic French.
Melanija Radnovic
International Programs Coordinator
Room: 4910 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 16
Phone: 202-274-4391
E-mail: mradnovic@wcl.american.edu
Melanija Radnovic is the International Programs Coordinator. She manages the International Visiting Scholars Program and is the Assistant Coordinator for the Humphrey Fellowship Program. She received her LLB/JD degree from the University of Novi Sad Law School, Serbia, and her LLM degree in International Legal Studies with two specializations: International Business Law and International Environmental Law from AU WCL. Melanija has worked in the areas of business, trade, contract, labor, real estate and property law. She has successfully represented individuals and corporate clients, and was involved in a number of research projects related to international environmental law issues, investment, and trade with various NGOs in the DC area. She speaks Serbian, Croatian, and basic Macedonian, Slovenian, and German.
Macarena Saez
Fellow in International Legal Studies
Room: 356
Phone: 202-274-4388
Email: msaez@wcl.american.edu
Macarena Sáez is a Fellow in the International Legal Studies Program and teaches at WCL in the areas of Comparative Law and Comparative Family Law. Her main areas of research are gender discrimination in Latin America, and comparative family law. Since 2008 Macarena coordinates the Network of Latin American Scholars on Gender, Sexuality and Legal Education ALAS, providing trainings and publications to law professors in Latin America on mainstreaming gender and sexuality perspectives in legal education. In July 2010 she acted as the general reporter on the topic of same sex marriage for the International Congress of the International Academy of Comparative Law. She is also the Director of WCL's Summer Law Program in Chile.
Until May 2010, Professor Sáez was WCL's International Programs Coordinator. Among other tasks, in that capacity she was responsible of implementing and directing WCL's international JD dual degree programs, and negotiating and drafting memoranda of agreement with foreign law schools. Before coming to WCL Macarena was a faculty member at the University of Chile Law School where she taught jurisprudence and worked actively in law school's curriculum reform. She has also taught feminist jurisprudence at the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, as well as in other institutions in Latin America. She is often invited by the Supreme Court of Mexico's gender unit to lecture on women's rights.
