The purpose of the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington is to represent the concerns and goals of Latino attorneys and the Latino people of Washington State.
The Latina/o Bar Association of Washington’s (LBAW) mission is to promote, support, and serve both Washington’s current and future Latina/o legal professionals and, the broader Latina/o community by:
Offering professional development opportunities to grow members’ expertise and networks for career advancement;
Leveraging legal and advocacy skills to assist community members and issues which impact the Latina/o community; and
Providing opportunities to promote mentorship, scholarship assistance, enhanced connectedness, and cultural celebration.
LBAW approaches its mission through a lens of service, compassion, and selflessness.
Board of Directors
Andre Dayani
President
(president@lbaw.org)
Andre Dayani serves as the Managing Partner for Dayani Law Firm. Originally from Topanga Canyon in California, Andre moved to the Pacific Northwest to attend the Seattle University School of Law. After graduation from law school, Andre began his legal service at the King County Department of Public Defense as a public defender. Andre continues the public defense mission in private practice, where he devotes a majority of his practice to serving Spanish speaking clients in personal injury and criminal defense matters.
Andre served as the Vice President of Events for the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington from 2019-2022, and volunteers at the bilingual LBAW legal clinic.
Andre explores the world with his wife Lauren, and their two dogs, Baloo and Nino. During his free time, he practices film photography, collects records, and competes in Jiu Jitsu. He likes chatting about the universe, life passions, and love.
Zaida Rivera
President Elect
(president-elect@lbaw.org)
Zaida Carolina Rivera is the proud daughter of hardworking Mexican immigrants and an immigrant herself. Zaida serves as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Law and the Director of the Immigrant Justice Clinic (IJC) at Seattle University School of Law where she teaches the Immigrant Justice Clinic and supervises law students representing clients in various immigration matters. Professor Rivera has been practicing immigration law for over eleven years, primarily representing clients in immigration proceedings and humanitarian relief for various immigration legal services providers in Washington State, New York, and New Jersey.
Professor Rivera is passionate about access to justice initiatives and enjoys coordinating and volunteering for legal clinics. She also enjoys participating in law school pipeline programs to encourage underrepresented students to pursue a legal education. Si se puede!
Professor Rivera is a member of the ATJ Delivery Systems’ Undocumented Communities Subcommittee, the Labor Based Deferred Action Coalition, and a fellow for the Washington Leadership Institute Class of 2023. In her free time Professor Rivera enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Zulen Pantoja-Ortega
VP of Communication
(info@lbaw.org)
Zulen Pantoja-Ortega is a lifelong Washingtonian, born and raised in Mount Vernon, Washington. She is the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants. Zulen is a recent graduate of Seattle University School of Law.
Zulen is a public defender with the King County Department of Public Defense
In her free time, Zulen loves traveling with her husband, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her best friends -- her nieces and nephews.
Stephanie Perez-Cortez
Co-VP of Judicial Evaluations
(jec2@lbaw.org)
COMING SOON.
Sergio A. Garcidueñas-Sease
Co-VP of Judicial Evaluations
(jec@lbaw.org)
With over ten years of experience as a personal injury attorney, Sergio is passionate about helping survivors receive justice and holding individuals, corporations, and governments accountable. He fiercely advocates for his clients who have suffered harm stemming from serious personal injury; wrongful death; and crimes like sexual assault and harassment.
As a proud Mexican American, Sergio speaks Spanish fluently, allowing him to connect with the marginalized Latino/a community. Since law school, Sergio has volunteered countless hours fighting for the Latino/a community at legal clinics, speaking at community events and protests, and participating in workshops teaching individuals about their legal rights.
During his free time, Sergio loves playing guitar, dabbling in art, birding, listening to Mexican ballad/ranchera music, cooking, and traveling.
Maria Isabel Gonzalez
VP of Events
(events@lbaw.org)
Bringing over a decade of legal expertise in Corporate and Business Law, I am a dedicated attorney committed to shaping and fortifying corporate structures. My journey began at the "Universidad Panamericana" in Guadalajara, Mexico, where I earned my Law degree in 2010, followed by a Postgraduate degree in Corporate and Business Law in 2012.
With a passion for crafting robust corporate governance frameworks, I specialize in designing company constitutions, drafting bylaws, and negotiating partners' agreements while ensuring strict compliance with legal regulations. Throughout my career, I have played a pivotal role in facilitating multilateral transactions, navigating sponsorship agreements, and orchestrating mergers and acquisitions.
Deeply immersed in the vibrant UW community at the Medical Center where I leverage my legal expertise to bridge gaps in healthcare accessibility for minorities, advocating for equitable access to quality services; as a proud member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Committee, I am committed to spearheading initiatives that foster new opportunities for staff, patients, and the broader Washington community, reflecting my unwavering dedication to equity and justice.
Paula Arno Martinez
Secretary
(secretary@lbaw.org)
Paula is originally from Houston, Texas. Before starting her own law firm, Arno Martinez Law, PLLC, Paula worked for non-profit organizations and small private law firms. Paula’s practice focuses on family-based immigration.
Paula served as a Commissioner on the Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs, as a Latina/o Bar Association of Washington board member, and as the National President for Kappa Delta Chi, Sorority, Inc. in the past. Paula currently serves on the Wenatchee Pride Board, the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center Board of Trustees, the Wenatchee Valley College Board of Trustees, and the board of the state Association for College Trustees.
Paula enjoys traveling, especially with her wife, Vanessa, and her two dogs, Estrella and Luna. She is passionate about a balanced life, and her agility and scent work dog classes keep her busy.
Sandra Garcia Heredia
Co-VP of Clinics
(clinics@lbaw.org)
Sandra Garcia Heredia is a Legal Advocate at Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) in Seattle, helping unaccompanied children with their immigration cases.
Sandra earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in International Business from Seattle University in 2015. Sandra later attended Mitchell Hamline School of Law where she earned a Juris Doctor degree and a Certificate in Health Care Compliance in 2022. She is actively Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) by the Compliance Certification Board (CCB). Sandra recently completed a Global Master in International Sports Law from the Instituto Superior de Derecho y Economía (ISDE) out of Madrid, Spain, and is expected to graduate in July of 2024.
During law school, Sandra was recognized by the Minnesota Justice Foundation for completing the Law School Public Service Program (LSPSP) by having completed 50+ hours of pro bono/public interest work.
Before joining LBAW, Sandra had been volunteering at El Centro De La Raza, primarily helping during LBAW's legal clinic by doing intakes and interpretations.
In her free time, Sandra likes to hike, travel, try new restaurants, watch/attend soccer matches and relax at home.
Abi Hernandez
VP of Membership
(membership@lbaw.org)
Abi Hernandez is an Associate Attorney at the Redmond office of Wong Fleming. Her practice focuses on civil matters including commercial/corporate litigation, immigration, and family law matters.
During law school Abi externed with in-house counsel for both Nestle U.S.A. and Flyhomes Inc. Additionally, Abi worked as a Legal Intern for the Northwest Immigrants Rights Project in the Violence Against Women division.
When Abi is not in the office she enjoys traveling and outdoor activities such as snowboarding and running 5ks. In addition, Abi also helps run her husband's Mexican restaurant located in Bonney Lake, WA.
Abi is passionate about helping her community and has been involved with local latino resource centers such as El Centro de La Raza since she was in high school. Abi wishes to continue serving her community through her services at LBAW.
Gloria Domingos
Co-VP of Clinics
(clinics2@lbaw.org)
Gloria Domingos is an immigrant who devotes her practice to immigration and humanitarian law as the founder and Principal Attorney of Domingos Law Firm. Gloria and her team serve clients from more than 25 countries, and they speak 10+ languages combined. She speaks in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French and holds a Master of Laws degree from University of Washington.
Her goal as the Co-VP of Clinics at LBAW is to offer pro bono legal assistance to a wider range of marginalized communities throughout Washington state. Continuing her volunteer work commitments, Domingos is now also on the Board of Directors of another non-profit organization that focuses on bettering the lives of immigrants and refugees named “Partner in Employment”.
In her personal time, Gloria Domingos enjoys exploring the world through travel and has a passion for scuba diving. She finds joy in immersing herself in diverse cultures and discovering the wonders beneath the ocean's surface.
Omar Cojulun
Treasurer
(treasurer@lbaw.org)
Omar is in-house counsel at Microsoft on the trademark team. Before joining Microsoft, he worked at Perkins Coie in the Trademark, Copyright, Internet & Advertising practice group. He received his JD from UW Law and his BA from UCLA. Omar is originally from Southern California but has been living in Washington for almost eight years. He is passionate about soccer, eating, and traveling.
Vanessa Arno Martinez
Co-VP of Eastern Washington
(eastern-wa@lbaw.org)
Vanessa Arno Martinez has practiced immigration law since 2014, She is based in Wenatchee. Vanessa earned her Juris Doctor from the Seattle University School of Law. She is a Washington Leadership Institute (WLI) Fellow, class of 2018. She previously served on the LBAW board as secretary, VP of Eastern Washington, and president. Vanessa enjoys travelling, construction projects, and spending time with her wife and dogs.
Leslie Veloz
VP of Development
(development@lbaw.org)
Leslie Veloz is an Associate at Hintze Law PLLC. Leslie focuses on the intersection of privacy, security, and data ethics. Leslie represents companies exclusively on privacy issues. She advises clients in identifying, evaluating, and managing complex global privacy and compliance issues. Leslie has experience with drafting privacy policies, regulatory enforcement actions and investigations, privacy by design counseling, and benchmarking projects. Substantive areas of expertise include, the FTC Act, California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA), Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI), Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), ad tech, and data security compliance.
Prior to joining Hintze Law, Leslie was the first-ever Privacy Intern for T-Mobile where she gained valuable experience implementing state, federal, and global privacy and compliance laws.
During law school, Leslie held positions as a law clerk for the Honorable John Michael Vazquez, U.S.D.J. She also served as the Chair of the Northeast Region of the National Black Law Student Association, President of her local Latin American Law Students Association, and member of the Interscholastic Moot Court Board. In addition, Leslie has received several honors and awards, including the Seton Hall Law Women’s Leadership Award and Pro Bono Honors.
Sonia Rodriguez True
Co-VP of Eastern Washington
(eastern-wa2@lbaw.org)
Judge Sonia Rodriguez True is the first judge of color elected in Yakima County. She serves on the Yakima County Superior Court. Judge Rodriguez True received a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy in 1997 from the University of Washington. She then attended the University of Washington School of Law, earning her JD in 2000. In 2000, she moved to Yakima, where she began her law practice focusing in family law. Judge Rodriguez True has been very active in the Yakima community for the past 23 years. She was the first Latino member of the Yakima City Council in 2009. She has been a member of several boards including Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, Yakima Federal Savings and Loan Association, YMCA, YWCA, and United Way of Central Washington where she served as chair. She is currently a board member for Downtown Yakima Rotary and OIC of Washington. Awards she has received are many: the Governors Award of Excellence, the City of Yakima Distinguished Service Award, YWCA Citizen of the Year award, Volunteer Attorney Services volunteer of the year, Southeast Yakima Community Center Make a Difference Award, MLK Spirit of the Dream Award, University of Washington School of Law Recent Graduate Award, Senator Dan Newhouse’s Angel in Adoption Award, the Latino Professional Association Meritorious Award, and in 2023 she received the Casey Program Excellence for Children Leadership Award. Before she was appointed to the Superior Court in 2022, Judge Rodriguez True served as Court Commissioner. Judge Rodriguez True and her husband Patrick, a local attorney, reside in Yakima, where they have opened their home to more than 20 trauma affected children over the past 10 years. Judge Rodriguez True credits her success to being raised with a strong value for education and her grandmother’s powerful influence and support, a strong Latina matriarch who spent her early life laboring in the orange groves of California and the cotton fields of Texas.
Past Presidents
2023 | Tyler Quillin
2022 | Favian Valencia
2021 | Andres Munoz
2020 | Vanessa Arno Martinez
2019 | Debbie Akhbari
2018 | Veronica Quinonez
2017 | Aimee Sutton
2016 | David Perez
2015 | Chach Duarte White
2014 | David Mendoza
2013 | Emily Gonzalez
2012 | Jennifer Sheffield
2011 | Fe Lopez
2010 | Patricia Lally
2009 | Nicole McGrath
2008 | Ciarelle Valdez
2007 | M. Lorena Gonzalez
2006 | Brenda Williams
2005 | Cristobal J. Alex
2004 | Cristobal J. Alex
2003 | Fred Rivera
2002 | Hector Steele Rojas
2001 | Lisa Castanon