Navigating Federal Executive Orders: Legal and Research Implications
The "Navigating Federal Executive Orders: Legal and Research Implications" session is organized by the University of Massachusetts President's Office. This event is part of the UMPO Senior and Middle Manager Development series, focusing on the impact of federal actions on higher education institutions.
The session will address the effects of evolving federal actions, including executive orders, litigation, agency implementation, and legislative activity. Key topics include significant ongoing litigation, implications for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives, impacts of shifting immigration priorities and policies, and how these actions influence research activities.
The event features a lineup of notable speakers: Dr. Nefertiti Walker, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Equity; Denise Barton, Chief Deputy General Counsel; Julia Low, Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to the General Counsel; Sheree Ohen, Assistant Vice President of Equity and Access; Tejal Patel, Associate Counsel for Immigration; Andrew Karberg, Associate Counsel and Director of Compliance; and Dr. Gabriela Weaver, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research. A final Q&A session will engage participants and clarify points discussed.
This session is ideal for senior and middle managers in higher education seeking to understand and navigate the legal and research implications of federal executive orders. Attendees will gain valuable insights into adapting to evolving federal directives and their impact on university operations.
Speakers(7)
Andrew Karberg
Associate Counsel and Director of Compliance at University of Massachusetts Office of General Counsel
Andrew Karberg is currently an Associate Counsel and Director of Compliance in the Office of General Counsel at the University of Massachusetts. He has over 20 years of experience working in higher education focusing on research and compliance. Andrew has a master’s degree in philosophy with a concentration in ethics.
Denise Barton
Chief Deputy General Counsel at University of Massachusetts
Denise Barton has been the Chief Deputy General Counsel for the University of Massachusetts since 2012. She has practiced law since 1994, previously serving as a partner in a litigation firm specializing in complex commercial litigation. Denise holds a JD from the University of Akron School of Law and a BA from Bates College.
Dr. Gabriela C. Weaver
Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs and Research at University of Massachusetts President’s Office
Dr. Gabriela C. Weaver serves as the Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs and Research for the UMass President’s Office. She has worked in the field of higher education for more than three decades. Her prior positions include Vice Provost for Faculty Development at University of Massachusetts Amherst, Assistant Dean for Student Success at University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Professor of Chemistry at University of Massachusetts Amherst. Dr. Weaver holds a Doctorate in Chemical Physics from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena.
Julia Low
Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to the General Counsel at University of Massachusetts President’s Office
Julia Low is Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to the General Counsel in the Office of General Counsel. She joined the President’s Office about a year ago. Her prior positions include civil litigation and clerking for Justice Gaziano at the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. Julia received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Connecticut, a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs from Boston College, and a JD from New England Law | Boston.
Nefertiti A. Walker
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Equity at University of Massachusetts President’s Office
Nefertiti A. Walker serves as the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Equity at the President’s Office. Her prior positions include Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion at the UMass Amherst campus and Associate Dean for an inclusive organization in the university’s Isenberg School of Management. She is a tenured Professor at Isenberg, teaching leadership, organizational behavior, sport development, and DEI in business. Walker earned her Ph.D. from the University of Florida and received her bachelor’s and master’s (MBA) degrees from Stetson University.
Sheree M. Ohen
Assistant Vice President of Equity and Access at University of Massachusetts President’s Office
Sheree M. Ohen, J.D. is the inaugural Assistant Vice President of Equity and Access at the UMass President’s Office, where she leads systemwide efforts to advance equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Her previous positions include Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at Amherst College, Associate Dean at Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Chief Officer of Diversity and Inclusion at Clark University, Campus Diversity Officer at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Diversity and Inclusion Program manager at the University of California, San Francisco, and Attorney specializing in criminal and employment law and civil rights litigation. Sheree holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law.
Tejal Patel
Associate Counsel, Immigration at University of Massachusetts President’s Office
Tejal Patel has served as the Associate Counsel, Immigration for the UMass President’s Office since March 2022. Her prior positions include Assistant Director of Career Services at New England Law | Boston, and Associate Attorney roles at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, and McCarter & English LLP. Tejal holds a JD from the University of Connecticut School of Law and a BA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Event Details
- Date
- May 21, 2025
- Location
- 🇺🇸 Westborough, United States
- Commonwealth Room, 50 Washington Street
- Audience
- Senior and middle managers in higher education