Commitment to Clients and Communities

I receive the greatest satisfaction using my experience working in federal, state, and local government to assist clients whose missions align with my desire to increase access to opportunity and have a positive impact in the communities they serve.

Career Overview

Current Focus: I joined Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen in 2023. My practice focuses on affordable housing and community development transactions, representing for profit and non-profit clients on projects financed through Low Income Housing Tax Credits, New Market Tax Credits, and other federal, state, and local community development programs.

Prior to joining Applegate, I spent time in Michigan working in private practice, and in government, having served as Governor Whitmer’s Special Counsel for COVID-19 and as a Special Assistant Attorney General on a number of other matters.

Earlier in my career, I served as General Counsel and Assistant City Treasurer in the Office of the City of Chicago Treasurer. In that capacity I served as the chief legal officer for a citywide elected official tasked with investing more than $7 billion of public funds and oversaw compliance with federal, state and local laws related to investment and management of city funds, government ethics, employment, procurement, FOIA, the Open Meetings Act, development of local economic development initiatives, and other matters related to the Treasurer’s positions on local pension funds and the Chicago Infrastructure Trust.

I also served in the White House Counsel’s office, where I was part of the West Wing team responsible for advising President Barack Obama, White House senior officials and federal agencies on litigation, development of legislative and administrative proposals, as well as investigations and presidential nominations; on the 2008 Obama for America Presidential Campaign as a Special Assistant to Mrs. Michelle Obama; and before that as Personal Aide to then-Senator Obama on the United States Senate staff.