Lisa Sonia Taylor

Assistant Dean, Office of Inclusive Excellence and Leadership Development
taylorl@wcl.american.edu

Lisa Sonia Taylor serves as the Assistant Dean for the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Leadership Development at Washington College of Law, a role she has held since its inception in August 2019. Before joining Washington College of Law, Lisa held several leadership positions, including Managing Director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University School of Law; Instructor of Law and Director of Inclusion and Diversity Education at Saint Louis University School of Law; Director of Development at Ohio Northern University College of Law; and Assistant Dean for Admissions at Florida A&M University College of Law.

Dean Taylor's work emphasizes practical, sustainable strategies for developing leadership with dignity and creating inclusive environments where all individuals have opportunities to succeed and thrive. In recognition of her impact, Missouri Lawyers Media named Lisa one of 20 lawyers “significantly advancing diversity, inclusion, and the dignity of all people in Missouri’s legal profession and in communities where exceptional legal work impacts justice for all.”

Lisa earned her B.A. from the University of Toronto and her J.D. from Howard University School of Law.

Camille A. Thompson

Director of the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project
cthompson@wcl.american.edu 

Camille A. Thompson is the Director of the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project and adjunct faculty at American University Washington College of Law.

Professor Thompson is a member of the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Leadership Development where she manages all aspects of the national and international expansion efforts of the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project. Here she develops strategic and innovative programming that support the educational advancement of diverse students. She oversees the local Washington, D.C., Marshall-Brennan chapter and supervises the Fellows in their work in D.C. public high schools.

Professor Thompson has been a law school administrator for almost ten years. Most recently she served in the admissions department at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC Law) in multiple administrative roles, including 15 months as the Interim Dean of Admission. Throughout her career, Professor Thompson has demonstrated a commitment to serving and improving outcomes for students from diverse and underrepresented populations. She developed and led several successful pipeline initiatives, including Power Hour, a pre-law preparedness program at UDC and other local universities, and the Ambassador Program designed to cultivate leadership skills and opportunities for diverse students.  

Professor Thompson received her J.D. from Florida A&M University (FAMU) College of Law and her B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida. She is licensed to practice law in Florida and the District of Columbia, accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and a former member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). She is a trained mediator and volunteers with several civic organizations. 

Mariah Mendoza

Program Coordinator, Office of Inclusion Excellence and Leadership Development
mmendoza@wcl.american.edu

Mariah works as the Program Coordinator for the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Leadership Development at American University Washington College of Law. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Purdue University and recently obtained her master’s in higher education with a concentration in student affairs from Purdue University Global. Mariah worked as a program coordinator for the John Martinson Honors College at Purdue University. In this role, she managed programs, planned events, and worked with honors students. In the spring of 2024, Mariah won the Bravo Award for Moving the University Forward for the John Martinson Honors College. Now, she looks forward to serving the AUWCL community.