Speakers

Dave Jones is Director of the Climate Risk Initiative at UC Berkeley School of Law’s Center on Law, Energy and Environment (CLEE).  Jones was Senior Director for Environmental Risk at The Nature Conservancy from January 2019 – June 2021 and a Distinguished Fellow with the ClimateWorks Foundation.  At The Nature Conservancy Jones led efforts to demonstrate successfully that insurance modeling is able to account for the risk reduction benefits of nature based mitigation of risk and loss and that insurance losses and pricing can benefit from nature based mitigation.  Jones served as California’s Insurance Commissioner from 2011 through 2018.  He founded and chaired the Sustainable Insurance Forum (SIF), an international network of insurance regulators developing climate risk regulatory best practices.  Jones was the first US financial regulator to require disclosure of investments in fossil fuel assets due to concerns about climate change related risk and the first to conduct climate risk scenario analysis of insurers’ investment portfolios.  Jones has testified before Congress, state legislatures, the G-20 Financial Stability Board, and numerous regulatory agencies, about the need for financial regulators to address climate change and the risks it poses to the financial system.  Jones is a graduate of DePauw University (B.A), Harvard Law School (J.D.), and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government (MPP). 

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Howard Belodoff began his career in 1978 with Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc. after receiving a Reginald Heber Smith Fellowship from Howard University. In 1995, he started a part-time private practice handling civil rights litigation, and he was lead counsel in Martin v. City of Boise on behalf of unhoused persons.  Howie’s advocacy has established case precedents of national significance involving discrimination and constitutional rights under the First, Fourth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments and the Fair Housing Act on behalf of unhoused persons, the LGBTQ+ community including transgender discrimination and same sex marriage, the privacy rights of persons with HIV, the rights of mentally ill children and adults, Native American religious and trust land rights, jail and prison conditions, and attorney fees.

Howie has successfully argued 14 appeals in the Ninth Circuit, and he currently is Idaho’s District Court Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit. He has received the 2021 Idaho State Bar Distinguished Lawyer Award, the NLADA 2019 Reginald Heber Smith Justice Award and the 2018 Idaho Trial Lawyers Association’s “Trial Lawyer of the Year” Award, and he has been recognized as a Mountain States “Super Lawyer” since 2010.

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Lara L. DeCaro prides herself on helping people and businesses solve problems in a creative, affordable way.

Lara is a full-service business counselor and third-party neutral with almost 25 years of experience in the areas of corporate governance, regulatory compliance, employment, intellectual property and brand protection, commercial transactions, and real property, and as a neutral in alternative dispute resolution. Her deep understanding of business and focus on innovative, forward movement make her an excellent problem-solver.

She is the partner in charge of both the Cannabis Law Group and the Trademark Group, and she co-founded the LPS Diversity Committee. She is licensed to practice law in California, Colorado, and New Mexico.

Her first year out of law school, a brief she authored was submitted to the Supreme Court of Colorado and made law in her client’s favor. She also successfully defended cannabis and other criminal charges there. Lara later took a position as in-house counsel for a premier risk evaluation software company and worked at a leading bio-pharmaceutical company in South San Francisco. Both positions served as important career mechanisms that further developed her regulatory compliance skills, intellectual property knowledge, business sense, and transactional experience.

Lara graduated with honors from both the University of Southern California, where she received a double Bachelor of Science, and Tulane Law School, where she received a certificate in mediation from the American Arbitration Association on top of her Juris Doctor. 

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Bradley Hamburger is a litigation partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. His practice focuses on class actions and complex litigation in both trial courts and on appeal.  Brad was part of the team that represented the City of Grants Pass before the U.S. Supreme Court in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson.  He has briefed dozens of appeals, including cases in the United States Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit, and the California Supreme Court, and has argued before the Ninth Circuit and the California Court of Appeal.  Brad graduated from Harvard Law School and served as a law clerk to the Honorable James V. Selna in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, and was ranked in the California Appellate Litigation category of the Chambers USA guide in 2023 and 2024.

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Dr. Sacha Joseph-Mathews is a writer, researcher, academic and business consultant.  For over 20 years she has been teaching students and training business professionals in DEI, customer service, strategic planning and marketing.  Dr. Joseph-Mathews or Dr. JM as her students call her, is the Inaugural Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of Stanislaus State where she serves as a member of the President’s cabinet, with strategic responsibility for promoting and enabling inclusive excellence for all students, faculty, and staff.   Prior to joining Stanislaus State, she served as the Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement in the Eberhardt School of Business at the University of the Pacific where she worked for 18 years.  

Dr. Mathews holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus.  She has a master’s in Hospitality Management and a PhD in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing; both from Florida State University.  Dr. Joseph-Mathews has published articles in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, services management, marketing, tourism and hospitality, ethical consumption, as well as social entrepreneurship. 

Born in Trinidad and Tobago, a small island republic in the Caribbean.  Dr. Joseph-Mathews sees herself as a global educator, having taught classes in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean.  She started her career in teaching in 1994 when she taught kindergarten and elementary school and since then has taught at every level from Middle and High School to Community College, College and Executive Ed. 

In addition to her academic work, Sacha is also the owner of Joseph-Mathews Consulting and has trained hundreds of business professionals across the United States in the fields of law, healthcare, academia, transit and law enforcement to name a few.  When she is not working at Stan State or training business professionals, she is travelling the world with her husband Noren and her 2 daughters Naeomi and Lailoni. 

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Nancy MacLean is the William H. Chafe Distinguished Professor of History and Public Policy at Duke University and the author of the award-winning, New York Times bestseller Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America (Penguin Books), which was updated with a new preface last year. The book was a finalist for the National Book Award and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Current Interest, among other honors.

Described by Publishers Weekly as “a thoroughly researched and gripping narrative,” Democracy in Chains examines how radical conservative movements have worked to reshape American government and limit democratic institutions. MacLean’s work has been widely recognized for its deep insights into today’s political divide.

Her articles and essays have appeared in major academic journals and media outlets, covering issues such as labor history, gender, and class. She is also a frequent guest on platforms like Democracy Now! and Real Time with Bill Maher, where she discusses the implications of her research for contemporary U.S. politics.

MacLean’s scholarship has earned numerous fellowships and awards, including support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Council of Learned Societies.

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Alison represents clients in intellectual property and corporate matters, advising on trademark prosecution and enforcement, IP portfolio strategy and management, IP licensing, manufacturing, social media and influencers, celebrity endorsements, copyright, and trade secrets. She also counsel’s clients on entity structuring and formation, fundraising, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and contract negotiation.

Alison has extensive experience advising on complex regulatory, business, and intellectual property issues for clients in highly regulated industries, including cannabis, hemp, and health and wellness, and has served as general outside counsel to many of these companies. She provides guidance on licensing, regulatory compliance, packaging and labeling, and marketing and advertising.

Alison teaches Cannabis Law and Policy at Santa Clara University School of Law, and regularly teaches CLE courses and speaks at industry events related to cannabis, hemp, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements. She has been interviewed and quoted by major media outlets including the BBC, KQED, LA Times, International Business Times, Huffington Post, ABC News,  and Rolling Stone, and received the National Law Journal Trailblazer Award for her work on celebrity IP licensing deals in the cannabis space.

When not busy representing her clients or teaching, Alison enjoys mountain biking, trail running, skiing, and hiking throughout Northern California.

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Lauren Mendelsohn is an activist at heart who enjoys helping individuals and businesses navigate regulatory regimes and the justice system. An East Coast native with roots in New York and New Jersey, Lauren was named a Northern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, and a “Lawyer of Distinction” in the area of Intellectual Property by Sonoma Magazine in 2021 and 2022.

Lauren focuses on cannabis permitting and licensing, regulatory compliance, business transactions, intellectual property, government affairs (including drafting local ordinances and citizen initiatives, lobbying decision-making bodies, and appearing for clients at administrative hearings), and post-conviction relief. She has spoken at numerous cannabis industry conferences and events, and has also taught several continuing legal education seminars in both live and virtual formats. She was selected as a judge for the 2022 and 2023 Emerald Cup competitions. 

For several years, Lauren has been involved in drug policy reform as well as other social justice efforts. She formerly chaired the Board of Directors of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, an international non-profit aimed at ending the counterproductive “War on Drugs.”  She also served a term on the Board of the International Cannabis Bar Association. Currently, Lauren sits on the Board of Directors of California NORML, the Sonoma County Growers Alliance, and Círculos Inc. She also volunteers as a chapter leader the Sonoma County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, and is a member of Americans for Safe Access’ California Advisory Committee.

Lauren earned her JD from the University of California, Irvine School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Maryland. She is a proud member and supporter of the California State Bar, the Sonoma County Bar Association, the International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA), Sonoma County Growers Alliance (SCGA), the Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) Alumni Association, California NORML, the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), Americans for Safe Access (ASA), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Sonoma County Regional Parks.

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Christine O’Hanlon is a lifetime California resident growing up in Vallejo, California. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of California, Santa Cruz. Ms. O’Hanlon attended and graduated with a J.D. from California Western School of Law in San Diego.

Since being admitted to the Bar in 1996, Ms. O’Hanlon has specialized in the defense of indigent individuals. She started her career in juvenile court in San Diego. In 1997, she returned to Northern California and worked in the Juvenile Division in the Solano County Public Defender’s Office. In January of 1999, Ms. O’Hanlon joined the Marin County Public Defender’s Office where she has remained.

Ms. O’Hanlon has extensive litigation experience in juvenile, misdemeanor, and felony cases taking a multitude of cases to trial. In addition to litigation, Ms. O’Hanlon places a premium on holistic representation and actively pursued starting Marin’s Mental Health Court, “STAR Court” to ensure Marin’s most vulnerable clients receive the services they need to live productive and law abiding lives. She brings this holistic approach to all Public Defender clients with the commitment clients better their lives making the community better for everyone.

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With more than 38 years in the financial services and mortgage industry, the last 16 exclusively in the Reverse Mortgage business, Homa brings extensive knowledge and expertise to her clients. Homa’s goal is to transform and provide peace of mind to the lives of her clients with the benefits of a Reverse Mortgage. She provides the education clients deserve so they can make wise and informed decisions. Whether they are looking to have more spending power by eliminating their monthly mortgage payments, extend a retirement portfolio or simply age in place, Homa makes recommendations that suit each client’s individual needs. “The best part about my job is seeing how a client’s Reverse Mortgage allows them security and a more enjoyable life.” Homa began her career at Wells Fargo Bank, where she received the designation of “Top Producer” for more than 10 of those years. She presently works for Mutual of Omaha Reverse Mortgage.

Homa has been the recipient of the prestigious “President’s Club” honor for the past 16 consecutive years. She is a board member for Financial Planners Association, San Francisco Chapter and is fully committed to helping her community. She gives back to the community as a Rotarian and is involved with Novato and San Rafael Chambers of Commerce, The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors for Marin and North Bay and is an exclusive affiliate with the Marin Bar Association. Homa is also actively engaged with The Marin Realtors, North Bay Realtors, Women Council of Realtors, CAL CPA, and Section on Aging just to name a few.

Homa holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management and Finance from Gannon University in Erie, PA. She spends much of her free time with her family, especially her three grandchildren, Sofia, age 14, Ellie 10 and Sebastian, 8 years old.

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Stacey Shuster, Ph.D. is a psychologist-mediator in private practice in the Bay Area. Trained as a couples, family and child therapist, she has taught Family Therapy at a number of local graduate programs, including the Department of Psychiatry at California Pacific Medical Center. She is a trained mediator, helping separating and divorcing families as a mediator, co-parent counselor and divorce coach. Stacey has presented at a number of national professional conferences on issues related to same-sex divorce, co-parenting challenges and Integrative Mediation, and provides consultation to attorneys and mental health professionals on these issues.

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Joshua Stein is a partner in the San Francisco office of Boies Schiller Flexner, where he has litigated some of the firm’s most recent high-profile tech matters, including leading the defense of a client against intellectual property claims in a landmark Section 230 case.  Josh recently served as Director of Litigation and Operations at Clipboard Health, where he was responsible for class action litigation, investigations, and crisis management. Prior to that he was in-house at Twitter, where he defended the company in a number of noteworthy content-related cases, including spearheading the work in Twitter’s successful cert petition to the U.S. Supreme Court in Taamneh v. Twitter.

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Scott Buell brings over three decades of legal experience to his role as a mediator, handling a wide range of civil cases, including personal injury, property disputes, class actions, and business or partnership disputes. His diverse background, which includes serving as a public defender in New York City and working as a civil defense trial attorney in the Bay Area, gives him a unique perspective and a deep understanding of the legal landscape.

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Morgan H. Daly is an MCBA Director and serves on several MCBA committees. Her San Rafael-based practice focuses on criminal defense, juvenile matters, restraining orders, and related civil litigation. Her fierce advocacy is backed by over a decade of courtroom experience and a background in legal scholarship, having served as a research attorney for the California Supreme Court and as adjunct faculty at USF School of Law. 

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Lucie Hollingsworth serves as the Director of Policy at Legal Aid of Marin, bringing over 20 years of experience as a nonprofit attorney to her role. Her career has spanned work in domestic violence, human trafficking, family and immigration law for victims of crime, eviction defense, and fines and fees. In her current role, Lucie works to advance policy and system changes to improve the lives of low-income residents in Marin County. In addition to her role at Legal Aid, she is an active member of the Novato Housing and Homeless Committee, North Marin Community Services Housing Committee, and the Marin County Bar Association, working collaboratively to address housing and social justice issues in the community.

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