New York, NY, Alumni/ae Reception and Program

Pivoting Like a Pro: Learn How to Navigate Career Transitions
A Brown Forum Program

September 27, 2023 | 6:00 to 8:30 PM, Hogan Lovells US LLP
390 Madison Avenue, 8^th Floor Atrium, New York, NY

Join us for a fun networking opportunity and Brown Forum program for all Northeastern Law graduates. This event will provide socializing and networking opportunities at the start of the evening and include an informative program on pivoting during your career. Food and beverages will be provided as well. Additionally, Dean Hackney will offer a welcome and brief update on the School’s latest accomplishments. We look forward to seeing you in the Big Apple!

Melissa was appointed to her current role after serving as director of attorney talent – Americas and global people lead for the Global Regulatory & IPMT practice group at Hogan Lovells . A lawyer by background, she has 20 years of experience in the legal industry working in international law firms including Schulte Roth & Zabel and Dewey & LeBoeuf. She holds a JD from Fordham University and received her BA from the University of Michigan. Melissa has presented at NALP and other legal industry conferences.

Kara Bellew ’04
Partner, Rower LLC

Kara has been a partner of Rower LLC since its start in 2017 and has been practicing exclusively in the field of matrimonial and family law since 2005. As both a seasoned litigator and a trained mediator, Kara is uniquely suited to help clients resolve their divorces in a way that is right for them.

Prior to joining Rower LLC, Kara was an associate at Miller Zeiderman Wiederkehr & Schwarz LLP, where she gained valuable litigation experience in both Westchester and Manhattan and deepened her understanding of complex financial cases. Kara began her legal career in family law at Sanctuary for Families, Center for Battered Women’s Legal Services. During her ten-year tenure there, Kara managed a high volume of contested matrimonial and family law cases that required her to appear before the judges of New York and Kings County on matters including orders of protection, custody/visitation, and contested divorce. Kara’s experience at Sanctuary for Families not only taught her about the complex nature of domestic violence, but also shaped her commitment to client-centered advocacy.

Kia Moore ’04
Impartial Hearing Officer, New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings

Kia's career began with her being equal parts adventurous and naive about working in a variety of industries in order to see what she liked. Her experiences range from being a maternal healthcare worker to a teacher in South America to a bartender in two major cities and of course to being an Attorney. As of May 2023, Kia began in her role as an impartial hearing officer for the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. In this role, she adjudicates cases under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Prior to joining OATH, Kia served as senior counsel in the NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice working on and representing the interests of the various criminal justice stakeholders in the areas of Case Processing, Parole Practicalities in light of Less Is More Legislation and Decarceration. Kia is a graduate of Suffolk University in Boston, Mass., where due to her being in the top 10% of Junior class she was selected to participate in the InterFuture program. In this program, she created and completed a cross cultural research project on Juvenile Delinquency and Detention in Ghana, West Africa, Boston and Hempstead, New York. Kia is a proud graduate of Northeastern University School of Law where she had the opportunity to intern with the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, The Honorable Isaac Borenstein, The United Auto Workers and Levy Ratner, due to the law school’s unique cooperative legal education program.

Nicole Robinson-Etienne ’96
Director of External Relations, LinkNYC

Nicole Robinson-Etienne is LinkNYC's Director of External Affairs. She joined the team in January 2022 bringing a passion for and expertise in strategic partnership development, community engagement and leading public advocacy campaigns. She endeavors to broaden Link’s reach to address tech equity and bridge the digital divide in historically under-served communities by engaging government, nonprofit and community stakeholders. Her life's motto is "It is through partnerships such as ours, the community benefits."

Prior to joining Intersection, Nicole spent the last 5 years at Institute for Community Living (ICL) as Vice President for Government and Community Affairs, and Director of the Clergy, Clinician, Community Collaboration (4C) for Mental Health Awareness designed to address and mitigate the stigma of mental health challenges in communities of color. Prior to ICL, Nicole worked in various roles in government and nonprofit sectors, including as Assistant Director of Community and Government Affairs at the New York Aquarium and Prospect Park Zoo, Senior Project Manager at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and Special Counsel to New York State Assemblymember Rhoda S. Jacobs.

A first-generation Caribbean-American, born and raised in Brooklyn, Nicole holds a BA in Political Science and Urban Studies from Fordham University, a JD from Northeastern University School of Law and Certification in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace from University of South Florida Muma College of Business.

Special thanks to Adrienne Ellman ’09, a partner with Hogan Lovells, for providing space for this event.