New York, NY, Alumni/ae Reception and Program

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

June 8, 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!

Schedule:

6:00–6:30 Mingling
6:30–7:00 PM Program
7:00–8:15 Networking

Moderator: 

Melissa Gellert Neulander
Chief Legal Talent Officer, Americas for Hogan Lovells

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.

Speakers:

Amy Carlin ’00
Director, In-House Counsel Recruiting, Major, Lindsey & Africa; 2023 Women in the Law Conference Co-Chair

Amy Carlin is a Boston-based director on Major, Lindsey & Africa’s In-House Counsel Recruiting team, working with legal departments to build better legal teams. Amy’s nearly two decades of experience as an employment lawyer and litigator makes her an effective and trusted partner to clients looking to add best-fit legal talent. Working across a variety of industries, she understands the importance of taking the time to understand the client’s operations and culture to identify a successful match in skills and personality. 

Amy lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with her husband and her two middle-school aged daughters. She has a deep love of music, and whenever there is an opportunity to dance, she will take it (at times to the embarrassment of her daughters)! Early career days spent in the restaurant industry infused her with a passion for food and restaurants, and she loves the dining out experience. She also enjoys cooking, playing tennis and listening to podcasts while on a good walk. A few of her favorite podcasts are Brene Brown’s Unlocking Us, Layla Saad’s Good Ancestor Podcast, Broken Record with Rick Rubin and The New Yorker Fiction Podcast. 

Trecia Pessoa
Vice President & Senior Managing Counsel, Consumer Solutions at Mastercard

Trecia oversees global legal strategy and advice for Mastercard’s consumer products across the digital, credit, debit and prepaid businesses, the development of digital platforms to enable these solutions, and is accountable for delivering on Mastercard's commitment to financial inclusion and sustainability, including the commercialization of the company’s ESG strategy. In her previous roles, Trecia served as the lead attorney, North America and Latin America, providing transactional, legal and regulatory support for Mastercard Payment Gateway Services, Mastercard’s global omni-channel digital payment technology for the processing of payment transactions, and served as Senior Counsel, North America, providing legal and regulatory support for Mastercard’s merchants and non-bank customers. Prior to joining Mastercard, Trecia held roles as in-house counsel in the financial services, technology and hospitality industries and began her career as an associate at national law firms where her practice focused on corporate and financing transactions. Trecia is passionate about mentoring and for several years, led a team of volunteer mentors and provided internship opportunities for female high school students at Mastercard. She is also a proud member of the Board of Trustees of Bigs & Littles NYC, a non-profit organization that provides mentoring and support services to children and families in New York City. Trecia is also a member of the Tufts President’s Council, the national board of the Tufts Lawyers Association (TLA) and co-chair of TLA’s NY chapter.

Dana Sussman ’08 
Acting Executive Director, Pregnancy Justice

Dana (she/her/hers) joined Pregnancy Justice in 2021 as deputy executive director and is currently serving as acting executive director. Dana previously served as deputy commissioner of policy and intergovernmental affairs at the NYC Commission on Human Rights and as a senior staff attorney with Safe Horizon's Anti-Trafficking Program. Dana was formerly an associate at Outten & Golden, representing employees in wage and hour cases and gender, pregnancy, disability and LGBTQ+ discrimination matters. After graduating from Northeastern University School of Law, Dana served as a legal fellow at the Center for Reproductive Rights and clerked for federal Magistrate Judge James Orenstein in the Eastern District of New York. Dana also holds a BA and an MPH from Tufts University.

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