Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2:00 – 3:00 PM ET/1:00 PM– 2:00 PM CT/12:00 PM – 1:00 PM MT/11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT
Section on Institutional Advancement
Join us for a panel to learn more about trends in revenue, financial aid, admissions, advancement, communications, and operations (to name a few). Our goal is to have everyone gain a peer colleague with whom to discuss trends and procedures affecting schools across the country.
Judy Asbury, Associate Dean of Communications and Development, Lewis and Clark Law School
Judy Asbury oversees the law school’s communications as well as the development efforts at Lewis & Clark Law School. She manages the development activities including annual fund, stewardship, alumni relations and advancement communications as well as website, social media and admissions communications.
Prior to her position at Lewis & Clark, she served as an organizational and communications consultant for higher education at institutions including Caltech and the University of La Verne. She led Smith Asbury Inc. for 20+ years, an award-winning communications agency, and was recognized for her counsel and creative campaigns for a variety of clients in higher education, healthcare, financial, law, business, and nonprofits.
Judy is a skilled presenter and facilitator. She has served as a guest lecturer at the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University and at Woodbury University. She is an accredited Public Relations professional, by the Public Relations Society of America, and a member of the PRSA College of Fellows, one of the industry’s highest honors.
Stephen Brown, Assistant Dean of Enrollment, Fordham University School of Law
Stephen Brown serves as the Assistant Dean of Enrollment at Fordham University School of Law, where he leverages over two decades of experience to oversee admissions and financial aid. A recognized leader in legal education, Dean Brown is a frequent speaker on federal aid policy and a dedicated advocate for student financial literacy, drawing on his unique foundational background in mental health counseling to support students navigating the complexities of legal education. He holds degrees from Fordham University and Teachers College, Columbia University, and previously held leadership roles at NYU Law.
David Kirschner, Associate Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, University of Southern California, Gould School of Law
David Kirschner is the associate dean of admissions, financial aid, and innovation at the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law. Kirschner earned his BA in film production cum laude from the University of Southern California and his JD cum laude from California Western School of Law. Kirschner began his career in law school admissions as an alumni recruiter at California Western School of Law before becoming assistant and then associate director of admissions at Loyola Law School, Loyola Marymount University.
In his current position at USC, Kirschner is responsible for the setting and implementation of strategic goals and targets for each admission cycle. Throughout his career, Kirschner has been at the forefront of using technology and data to refine enrollment management practices and craft more effective recruitment and outreach strategies. Kirschner has extensive experience with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and other professional organizations related to legal education. Currently, Kirschner chairs LSAC’s New Admissions Professionals Workshop and led a re-imagining of the program (2023-2025). Kirschner previously served consecutive terms on the LSAC Board of Trustees as the inaugural Chair of LSAC’s Emerging Markets & Innovation Committee (2019-2023). He has also served on LSAC’s Services and Programs Committee, Test Development & Research, and Finance & Legal Affairs Committee. Kirschner has also served on the Information Support Division Advisory Group and assisting in planning the first ever UNITE preconference in 2022.
Outside of LSAC, Kirschner currently serves on the AI Advisory Council for Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL); the Advisory Board for the J. Serra High School Law Magnet; and the Alumni Association Board of Directors for California Western School of Law. Previously, Kirschner served as chair of the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) Section on PreLegal Education and Admission to Law School and has been a member of American Bar Association (ABA) accreditation site visit teams. He also co-teaches a summer seminar to incoming law students entitled “Lawyers and Leadership” with Professor Robert Rasmussen.
Heather Rappaport, Senior Director of Development, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law
Heather Rappaport, Ph.D., is the Senior Director of Development and Alumni Relations at the William S. Boyd School of Law. She is dedicated to creating pathways for the community to support legal education. In her role, she oversees special events, communications and marketing, alumni engagement, and fundraising efforts. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, ice skating, and spending time with her two children.
Rebecca Scheller, Chief Administrative Officer and Associate Dean for Admissions & Financial Aid, University of Wisconsin Law School
Rebecca L. Scheller joined the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2008, and leads JD Admissions & Financial Aid, Graduate Programs, and the business services team as the Chief Administrative Officer and Associate Dean for Admissions & Financial Aid. Dean Scheller previously practiced at DeWitt LLP in Madison.
Ray Sykes, Associate Dean for Finance and Operations, University of Oregon School of Law
Ray Sykes holds an MBA as well as an MA in education. He brings a wealth of experience from higher education and the private sector. He is the Associate Dean for Finance and Operations for the School of Law at the University of Oregon. He serves as the school’s principal business officer, managing finance, human resources, facilities, and operations for the school. This role is charged with authority to accomplish broad goals and objectives set by the dean and/or central administration.
Ray has worked in two other senior positions at the University of Oregon (UO). In his role as Assistant Vice Provost and Chief Operating Officer for the Division of Undergraduate Education and Student Success (UESS), he oversaw strategic planning, finance, human resources, and facilities while being the division’s key liaison for information technologies and communications. Leading this function in a division directly supporting undergraduate students fueled his passion for higher education and putting students first.
As the Associate Dean for Administration and Finance for the School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC), Ray served in a near identical role in an accredited, professional school as his current role in the School of Law.
Previously to UO, Ray was a member of the senior team for the vice president of Human Resources at the University of New Mexico (UNM). In this role, he oversaw HR’s communication unit and coordinated special projects such as policy development, emergency preparedness, the HR Agents, and HR’s Performance Excellence Journey. He also worked for UNM Information Technologies, where he received his ITIL certification. Prior to working at UNM, Ray was an implementation project manager at US Bank’s Corporate Headquarters, managing multimillion-dollar card program implementations. His experience with strategic planning, project management, process improvements, and professional development are key assets in this role.
