22 Sep IMLA Celebrates 2025 Awards Winners
On October 20th during our 90th Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, IMLA was able to announce and recognize our 2025 award winners. These award winners are IMLA members who have gone above and beyond the field of municipal law and were nominated by their colleagues to receive these awards.
The Charles S. Rhyne Lifetime Achievement In Municipal Law Award
The Lifetime Achievement in Municipal Law Award is the highest award given by IMLA. The award honors the recipient’s lifetime achievements in the field of municipal law and is a lasting commemorative to Charles S. Rhyne, the founder of IMLA and to his life’s work. The award is meant to recognize a truly uncommon individual. In the field of municipal law, the public service performed and the achievements of the recipient during his or her lifetime are truly outstanding, have benefitted municipal attorneys both locally and nationally, and are so significantly above and beyond the call of duty and expectations for performance in the positions held that no other award would be appropriate. Additionally, the services rendered by the recipient have helped move IMLA toward the goal and objectives established in its short and long-range plans.
Arthur L. Pertile, III
For almost 40 years, Art Pertile zealously represented countless public officials, cities, counties, special districts, and other local governmental entities across the State of Texas. After graduating in 1986 from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, he began his career as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Waco and then moved on to serve as an Assistant District Attorney for Harris County and as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Houston. In later years he served as City Attorney for the Cities of Waco, Katy, and Stafford. His expertise spanned numerous areas of municipal law, including annexation, zoning and land use, economic development, home-rule charters, eminent domain, ordinances, utility franchising, and municipal incorporation. He also served in leadership roles as President of IMLA, President of the Texas City Attorneys Association, and as an equity partner and “of counsel” with Olson & Olson, LLP.
In addition to being recognized as a leader in his profession, Art is well-known for his dedication to hundreds of youth as a passionate certified youth basketball coach within the National Youth Sport Coaches Association. He also leaves a lasting legacy of love and dedication to his family, friends, mentees, and his beloved alma mater, McMurry University, where he served as a Board Trustee, was a 2003 Hall of Honor inductee, received the 2018 Distinguished Alumnus Award, and helped to spearhead the endowment of the McMurry African American Alumni Student Scholarship Fund.
IMLA James H. Epps, III Award for Longevity of Service To A Community
IMLA established this award to honor the memory of James H. Epps, III, who represented Johnson City, Tennessee as its attorney for over 40 years. This award recognizes the significant achievement of attorneys having the political and legal skills necessary to represent the same community for at least 30 years and who have been active in IMLA during all or a part of that career.
Lori Grigg Bluhm
City Attorney – Troy, Michigan
Lori received her undergraduate degree from Albion College (Albion Michigan), and her Juris Doctorate Degree from Wayne State University (Detroit, Michigan). With 30 years of dedicated service to the City of Troy, Lori has built a legacy of integrity, excellence, and leadership in public service.
She began her career with the City of Troy in 1995 and has served as the City Attorney since 2001. As a seasoned attorney, she brings unmatched legal expertise, fearless advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to ethical practice in every aspect of her work. Lori’s dedication to upholding the highest standards of character makes her well-qualified to serve on the State Bar of Michigan’s Character and Fitness Standing Committee.
Lori’s legal acumen and sound judgment make her a trusted voice in the legal community. She has been designated as an IMLA Local Government Fellow since 2004, and currently serves on that Committee and several other IMLA committees. She has also been named an American Bar Association Fellow, an Oakland County Bar Association Fellow, and has been inducted in the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys Academy. She has been honored as a Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly Woman In the Law, Crain’s Detroit 40 Under 40 and Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly Hall of Fame. She is also a long- time member of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan.
A respected mentor and role model, she is known not only for her sharp legal mind but also for her deep investment in the growth and success of those around her. Lori has led in various positions, including, Past President of the International Municipal Lawyers Association; a current Council Member of the Government Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan (and Past Chair); a Past President of the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys and currently serves on its Legislative Committee; and a Past Chair of the Oakland County Bar Association’s Municipal Law Committee.
A true public servant, Lori has also held leadership positions on other non-profit boards, including the Kiwanis Club and the Troy Community Coalition, and her church.
Her steady guidance and principled leadership have shaped policy, protected the City’s interests, and inspired generations of public servants and legal professionals. In every challenge, Lori leads with courage, clarity, and a deep sense of duty—making her indispensable to the City of Troy.
Muriel Goode-Trufant
Corporation Counsel – New York City, New York
Muriel Goode-Trufant began her career at the Law Department in 1991 as an attorney in the General Litigation Division, where she held numerous roles including Assistant Chief of the Division. She later became the agency’s EEO Officer, and rose to the position of Chief in the Special Federal Litigation Division. Goode-Trufant became the Law Department’s Managing Attorney in 2015 and First Assistant Corporation Counsel in 2023. Prior to working for the City, she was an associate at the Philadelphia law firm Cohen, Shapiro, Polisher, Shiekman & Cohen. She has won numerous legal accolades and awards including the Law Department’s highest honor, the Corporation Counsel’s Award for Distinguished Legal Service in 2011. She is a graduate of Temple University School of Law and the University of Pennsylvania.
Adria Perkins Fields
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Civil Division – Franklin County, Ohio
Adria Perkins Fields is a career prosecutor and 1994 graduate of Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio. She began her legal journey in 1992 as a Labor Law Intern with the Columbus (OH) City Attorney’s Office and was later appointed as an Assistant City Attorney, trial staff prosecutor. Adria has devoted her entire legal practice to public service. In 1997, Adria joined the Franklin County (OH) Prosecutor’s office, where she has served in various division including on the Trial Litigation Staff, Driving Under the Influence Unit, Tax Unit and currently, the newly expanded Nuisance Abatement Unit. In this new unit Adria is part of an innovative team to address nuisances in neighborhoods through intertwining criminal activity and abating property nuisances thereby improving residential neighborhoods. Adria is proud to be the first African American Career prosecutor in Franklin County, Ohio, serving on the city/county level. A dedicated mentor, she has guided countless high school, college, and laws school students. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., where she serves as an International Leadership Fellow mentor. She currently sits on the Advisory Board of Brice Christian Academy. Adria is a committed public service volunteer providing countless hours to various organizations to assist the community. Adria is married to William Fields II, and they have two sons, William Fields III, and Tyler Fields.
Marvin J. Glink Private Practice Local Government Attorney Award
This award is established to honor the memory of Marvin J. Glink by recognizing a private practice practitioner who exhibits those qualities that made Marvin one of the truly remarkable lawyers working in the private sector on behalf of public clients. Marvin Glink was a founding member of the law firm Ancel, Glink, Diamond, Bush, DiCianni & Krafthefer, P.C. in Chicago, Illinois. He practiced municipal law for more than 50 years, serving as the general counsel and special counsel to many municipalities and local governments in Illinois, including the Villages of Skokie, Maywood and Bridgeview, the City of Naperville, and school districts, fire protection districts, and other Illinois specialty governments. In addition to the traditional qualities of excellence in the practice of law, the award seeks to recognize a private law practitioner who has provided outstanding service to the public and who possesses an exemplary reputation in the legal community, the highest of ethical standards, and who revels in maintaining a life that balances a passion for professional excellence with the joy of family and friends. In addition, the award seeks to recognize a person who exhibits qualities of openness and humility, coupled with a sincere concern for the interests of others, including the professional development of newer practitioners. The award is authorized by Article VI, Section 6 of the IMLA Bylaws.
Ira W. Bloom
Senior Partner – Berchem Moses P.C.
Ira W. Bloom is a senior partner in the Connecticut law firm Berchem Moses P.C. For 47 years he has practiced in the areas of land use and municipal law, and in the last 28 years Ira’s practice has been devoted primarily to municipal law. He was first appointed Town Attorney in his hometown of Westport, CT in January 1998, and he currently still holds that position through 4 administrations of both political parties. Over the years, he was further appointed as town counsel for the Connecticut towns of Easton, New Canaan, Wilton, Weston, and most recently Woodbridge. He has also served as Land Use Counsel for Madison and has represented several other Connecticut municipalities on special assignments. With the assistance of his superb colleagues, Ira has developed one of the largest municipal practices in the State of Connecticut. He takes particular pride in combining private practice legal work with public sector clients. It has been a great source of professional satisfaction. On bar association and personal level, Ira has served the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA) and his community extensively. In the CBA he has served on the House of Delegates and was President of the Planning and Zoning Section. Ira was President of the Westport Bar Association. He has served on th e Board of the Connecticut Association of Municipal Attorneys. He is a frequent speaker at bar association seminars and has written a number of articles for legal publications. In Westport he was elected twice to the Board of Education, serving as chair for 2 years. He was elected 4 times to the town’s legislative body. Ira has the highest Martindale rating, has regularly been named a Super Lawyer, and appears on the Best Lawyers list. Ira and his wife, Karen, have been married for 50 years. They have two children and six grandchildren, along with a labradoodle named Roger Dodger.
Daniel J. Curtin, Jr. Young Public Lawyer Award
This award is established to honor the memory of Daniel J. Curtin, Jr. by recognizing a new practitioner who exhibits those qualities that made Dan one of the truly remarkable lawyers working on behalf of public clients. In addition to the traditional qualities of excellence in the practice of law, the award seeks to recognize a public law practitioner who has provided outstanding service to the public and who possesses an exemplary reputation in the legal community, the highest of ethical standards and who revels in maintaining a life that balances a passion for professional excellence and the joy of family and friends. In addition, the award seeks to recognize a person who exhibits qualities of openness and humility coupled with a sincere concern for the interests of others, including the professional development of newer practitioners.
Jennifer M. Tengono
City Attorney – Lewiston, Idaho
Jennifer Tengono, 40, serves as the City Attorney for the City of Lewiston, Idaho, where she is proud to dedicate her legal career to public service and the well-being of her community. Admitted to practice in October 2020, she brings a broad legal background shaped by her prior service in the U.S. Army and a strong foundation in community-focused legal work.
Prior to joining the City of Lewiston as an Assistant City Attorney in November 2022, Jennifer worked in private practice handling real estate, small business formation, estate planning, probate, adult guardianships and conservatorships, and municipal law. She began her municipal law career as contract City Attorney for the small, rural communities of Troy and Deary, further deepening her experience in public service and local governance.
Her commitment to public work began early in her legal career, through internships with the Nez Perce Tribe, the Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office, and a veterans policy initiative in Washington, D.C. These experiences helped shape her dedication to using the law to serve the public interest.
Jennifer is also deeply committed to pro bono service and expanding access to justice. She was honored with the 2023 Denise O’Donnell Day Pro Bono Award by the Idaho State Bar for her ongoing efforts to provide legal assistance to underserved individuals and families. She believes in the importance of giving back through even modest contributions of time and expertise, and views pro bono work as a vital part of professional responsibility.
She currently serves as Treasurer of the Second District Bar Association and sits on the Board of the Idaho Military Legal Alliance, where she continues her support of veterans and military-connected individuals.
Jennifer lives in Lewiston with her family and remains actively engaged in her community, where she continues to serve with dedication, integrity, and a strong commitment to the public good.
Bruce A. Noble Award for a Distinguished Canadian Municipal Lawyer
The Bruce A. Noble award is named in honor of IMLA’s first Canadian President, whose outstanding achievements on behalf of IMLA and many other legal associations are only matched by his passion for the practice of law and knowledge of municipal law practice.
Lisa Shields
City Solicitor – Hamilton, Ontario
Lisa Shields has built a distinguished career of more than two decades in municipal law, serving as a trusted advisor and chief legal officer to Ontario municipalities as they navigate growth, change, and complex legal challenges. Currently City Solicitor for the City of Hamilton, where she leads a team of 80 professionals, she has led legal teams in Cambridge, Burlington, and Durham, providing guidance on governance, litigation, risk management, and public accountability. Throughout her career, Lisa has been at the forefront of innovative legal solutions, from spearheading groundbreaking bylaws and achieving precedent-setting court decisions; to helping municipalities navigate high-profile controversies and unprecedented emergencies. Widely respected for her collaborative leadership, practical problem-solving, and skill in bridging legal and political considerations, she has made a lasting impact on municipal governance and the communities she has served.
Outstanding State League Counsel Award
IMLA established this next award, the Outstanding State League Counsel Award, to honor those attorneys who serve as counsel to their state league of cities or association of counties, towns or other local government entities and who are recognized for their valued service to the members of their organizations and for their skills as attorneys. Like other IMLA awards, this award expects the recipient to exhibit the traditional qualities of excellence in the practice of law, but also seeks to recognize a practitioner who has provided outstanding service to local governments and who possesses an exemplary reputation in the legal community, the highest of ethical standards and who is devoted to improving local governments.
Becca D. McCuaig
Chief Legal Counsel – Accelerate Indiana Municipalities
Becca McCuaig is Chief Legal Counsel for Accelerate Indiana Municipalities (Aim), representing the association and providing technical assistance and education to municipal officials and attorneys in the State of Indiana. Aim serves to foster, promote and advocate for the success of Hoosier municipalities as laboratories of innovation, hubs of talent and the engines driving our state’s economy. Becca assists communities with numerous amicus briefs throughout the year and provides the most current information on new legislative changes, legal implications, and federal updates. McCuaig previously served as Education and Workforce Director and Deputy General Counsel forIndiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb. Before joining the State of Indiana, McCuaig served as the City Attorney for La Porte, Indiana and began her legal career as a deputy prosecutor at the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. McCuaig earned her double major bachelor’s degree at Indiana University – Bloomington and J.D. from Valparaiso University School of Law. She is a member of the Indiana Bar Association, Indianapolis Bar Association, and International Municipal Lawyer’s Association, and is admitted to practice law in the State of Indiana. McCuaig was appointed to serve in various roles at the state level including the Governor’sWorkforce Cabinet (voting member), Indiana Horseracing Commission (commissioner), and the Indiana Executive Council on Cybersecurity (voting member) where she also participates on the Indiana State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program committee. McCuaig volunteers with Girls on the Run Central Indiana and recently joined the board of the Noblesville Youth Assistance Program.
Brad D. Bailey Assistant City/County Attorney Award
The Brad D. Bailey Award is established to honor the memory of Brad D. Bailey by recognizing a public law practitioner who has provided outstanding service to the public and who possesses an exemplary reputation in the legal community, the highest of ethical standards and who revels in maintaining a life that balances a passion for professional excellence and the joy of family and friends.
Anne Marie Tosco
Senior Assistant City Attorney – Durham, North Carolina
Anne Marie Tosco is a Senior Assistant City Attorney for the City of Durham, where she is primarily responsible for advising the City’s Human Resources Department, advising on personnel issues throughout the City of Durham, and representing the City in employment litigation. She also advises the City’s Audit Services and Communications departments, and coordinates the City Attorney’s Office’s Intern-Extern Program.
Anne Marie earned undergraduate degrees in Political Science and History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she minored in Social and Economic Justice. She graduated from UNC School of Law in 2014. Prior to joining the Durham City Attorney’s Office in 2022, she served as a Staff Attorney with the Orange County, North Carolina Attorney’s Office for over seven years, where she advised staff on matters concerning animal control, housing and community development, human resources, non-discrimination, public health, and tax.
Anne Marie lives in Durham, North Carolina with her husband, Ryan; daughters, Niamh (5) and Kiera (2), and Keeshond, Gouda.
Burk E. (Buck) Delventhal Legal Advocacy Award
This award honors the life and legacy of Burk E. Delventhal, known to all as Buck. Buck served as a Deputy City Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco for almost 50 years from 1970 to 2019. He carried a legal library in his head and the history of San Francisco and its community in his heart. Buck was not just the oracle of the City Charter, a highly accomplished courtroom attorney, and the go-to person for tough legal questions. Buck was a beacon. He was a beacon of inspiration, trust, and boundless optimism. He was a legal lion and an even better person. His distinguished legal career is summarized in the award description on our website.
The award recognizes the work of an attorney of an IMLA member in legal advocacy and education who has demonstrated superior professional skills in advancing the interests of the nominee’s clients and of local government generally, and who, through litigation, legislative work, and educational efforts, has advanced the health, safety, and welfare of the community or communities the attorney has served.
Jesse Capin Smith
Chief Assistant City Attorney – San Francisco, California
Jesse Smith has been a commercial real estate attorney for over 35 years in the public, private, and non-profit sectors, including 25 years as the Chief Assistant City Attorney in San Francisco. Smith joined the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office in 1992 as a Deputy City Attorney on the Real Estate and Special Projects Team, and he later became the manager of that team. From 2000 to his retirement in 2025, Smith served as the Chief Assistant City Attorney for three successive City Attorneys. In that position he oversaw the Office’s advice and transactional divisions and guided all significant legal advice and opinions issued to City officials, departments, and commissions. Smith is the longest tenured Chief Assistant City Attorney in the Office’s nearly 125-year history.
Before joining the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, Smith was an associate in the real estate section of the law firm Morrison & Foerster and also worked as a lawyer for The Nature Conservancy. Smith earned his juris doctor from Stanford Law School.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award
IMLA is committed to supporting members who embrace diversity as part of their core values and we are excited to provide a way to recognize the people that are leading these efforts. Diversity covers the variety of cultures, experiences, expertise, and viewpoints that offer value in every community and are incorporated into the fabric of every community. Diversity encompasses age, education level, ethnicity and race, gender expression and identity, nationality, national origin, physical and mental ability, religious perspectives, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status and other human differences. By embracing diversity, municipalities and their law departments attract and retain skilled and talented employees dedicated to excellence in providing service to the community and to their clients. Nominations were accepted for an individual’s or a group’s efforts, initiatives or programs that promote diversity and inclusion values within their local government, office or community.
Heather Aubry
Assistant City Attorney – Los Angeles, California
Heather Aubry is an Assistant City Attorney with the Los Angeles City Attorney, where she has served as its first Equity Officer since 2020 and supervises the Equity and Inclusion Division, established by City Attorney Hydee Feldstein-Soto. She advises the Civil, Human Rights and Equity Department and the Department on Disability, among other City departments and commissions. Heather works closely with the Equity Panel, composed of committed volunteers throughout the City Attorney’s Office, to advance equity, inclusion and belonging, and ensure diverse voices ensure the Office’s policies and practices.
Heather began her career with the Office as a prosecutor in the Criminal Branch before moving to civil litigation and the Municipal Branch where, prior to her current role, she served as counsel to the Department of Cannabis Regulation and the Los Angeles Police Department. She is an LA native and a graduate of UC Berkeley and UCLA School of Law.
Wajiha Rizvi
Assistant City Attorney – Austin, Texas
Wajiha Rizvi is the daughter of Pakistani immigrants. She is an assistant city attorney for the City of Austin. Her practice focuses on advising the city on issues related to equity and inclusion, legislative and federal funding matters, and ethics compliance. Prior to joining the City, Wajiha worked for the Texas Civil Rights Project on Voting Rights matters. She has been mentoring young women since 2012 in the Austin community through Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Texas and GirlForward, an organization that provides safe spaces, community, academic support, and mentoring to teen girls who arrive in the U.S. as refugees. She also serves on GirlForward’s executive board.
Sacramento City Attorney’s Office
Sacramento, California
The City Attorney’s Office of the City of Sacramento is led by City Attorney Susana Alcala Wood. The office is made up of more than 60 dedicated employees, including attorneys, paralegals, and support staff. The City of Sacramento is the capital of the State of California and has a population of over half a million. The City Attorney’s Office is the legal counsel for Sacramento’s nine-member city council and 5,000 employees. The City of Sacramento is a member of the Governmental Alliance on Race and Equity. Within the City Attorney’s Office, the DEI efforts are led by its Racial Equity Core Team. The members of that team represent a cross-section of every part of the office. In August of 2024, the Sacramento City Attorney’s Office was awarded the Gold DEI Leadership Seal from the State Bar of California and is one of only two municipal law offices in the State to receive the award.
President’s Award
In 2001, the Board of Directors established two new awards. These recognize the achievements and contributions of first, an IMLA State Chair or Provincial chair, and second, an Associate Member over the course of the past year. The recipients are selected by the President with the advice and counsel of the IMLA Board and Executive Director.
Outstanding State/Provincial Chair
Christopher J. Petrini
Founding Principal – Petrini & Associates, P.C.
Christopher J. Petrini is founding principal of Petrini & Associates, P.C.. P&A has represented over 70 cities, towns, school districts and public agencies since 2004. Mr. Petrini served as Town Counsel and then City Solicitor for the City of Framingham, MA from 2001-2022. Mr. Petrini and P&A currently serves as full Town Counsel to several Massachusetts municipalities and presently serves or has served as special counsel representing dozens of local government entities in public construction litigation matters. Mr. Petrini has served as lead counsel in two major Massachusetts sewer infrastructure litigation cases that have resulted in over $50M in additional revenue or judgments for firm clients.
Mr. Petrini is a cum laude graduate of Georgetown University (A.B.) and a high honors graduate of Duke University School of Law (J.D.). After Law School, Mr. Petrini served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Theodore McMillian of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Mr. Petrini has served as a Regional Vice President of IMLA representing the First Circuit since 2013 and is a Past President of the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association. Mr. Petrini frequently speaks on construction topics at IMLA and other organizations. In 2023 Mr. Petrini was selected as “Lawyer of the Year” by Massachusetts Lawyer’s Weekly. In 2023 and 2025, Mr. Petrini was recognized as a “Go To Construction Lawyer” by Massachusetts Lawyer’s Weekly. Mr. Petrini also was selected as a top national construction lawyer by The American Lawyer. Mr. Petrini has been selected as a New England Super Lawyer 13 times (including the last 11 consecutive years) and as a Top 100 Lawyers in New England on three occasions. Mr. Petrini’s cases or comments have been featured in over 40 front page and other articles of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly since 2003.
In his spare time, Mr. Petrini pursues mountaineering, climbing and travel adventures, having trekked or climbed major mountains in Europe, Nepal, Tanzania, and Antarctica in recent years, along with many U.S. and Canadian destinations.
Donesia D. Turner Morrison
City Attorney – New Orleans, Louisiana
Donesia D. Turner Morrison currently serves as the City Attorney for the City of New Orleans. As City Attorney, she directs all legal affairs of the City of New Orleans. This work includes legal advice to the Mayor; the City Council; and all City departments, boards, and commissions. Additionally, she oversees the Law Department and its divisions, which include: Litigation, Contracts, In-House, Code Enforcement, and Municipal & Traffic. She is responsible for the daily management and supervision of complex legal matters and related interactions involving elected officials and other city leaders, corporate and community stakeholders, City employees, and the public. Just prior to her appointment as City Attorney, she served as Sr. Chief Deputy City Attorney for the City of New Orleans. She also serves as an Adjunct Teacher of Trial Advocacy at Loyola University College of Law and Tulane University School of Law.
Ms. Turner Morrison’s background in the law spans more than two decades and includes a distinguished track record of handling agency oversight; collaborating with legislative bodies, elected officials, law enforcement and community partners; and advancing policies that promote public safety as well as criminal justice reform.
She is a graduate of Loyola University and received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University College of Law. She is an active member of numerous professional organizations, including: the Louisiana Bar Association, American Bar Association, New Orleans Bar Association, National Bar Association, Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Society, A.P. Tureaud American Inn of Court, International Municipal Lawyers Association, and Louisiana City Attorneys Association.
Outstanding Associate Member
Ana D. Schwab
Partner and Director of Government Affairs – Best Best & Krieger LLP
Ana Schwab serves as Partner and Director of Government Affairs at Best Best and Krieger LLP. She represents local communities, special districts, and stakeholders on matters related to water, wastewater, environmental and infrastructure issues, as well as natural disaster mitigation, response, and recovery. Ana works closely with municipalities to navigate federal requirements for a variety of grant and loan programs.
Ana draws on her years of experience in government, advocacy, and law to partner with clients to work with a variety of federal agencies and to secure federal funding opportunities. Ana tracks, advances, and guides the development of legislative and regulatory language to build solutions for clients through proactive and strategic engagement. She also operates across the nexus of legal, policy, funding, and regulatory processes to advance and protect clients’ goals.
Accomplishments include playing an instrumental role in the passage of funding for local governments to address the COVID-19 pandemic, land transfer legislation and amendments to legislation regarding primary water and infrastructure funding and regulatory policy, as well as other pieces of legislation and amendments. Additionally, Ana secured federal funding for water, wastewater and recycling projects. She works with key stakeholders on developing funding and infrastructure solutions for cross-border water pollution.
Before joining Best Best & Krieger LLP, Ana served as a legislative coordinator and legislative assistant at two national law firms. She also served as professional staff for two members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Outside of work, Ana enjoys reading, cooking, baking, needlepointing, horseback riding, sailing, cruising, fishing, skiing, traveling, searching for rocks and fossils – especially Petoskey Stones, photography, and working on different land projects. Ana serves as a Trustee for the Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation, and a member of the Board of Directors for: Fraternity Sorority Action Fund, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, Pickerel-Crooked Lake Association, and Scenic Michigan.