Meet the Team

Tiffany R. Wright is the Senior Vice President and General Counsel and previously served as Deputy General Counsel since coming to Johns Hopkins in May 2023. Prior to joining the university, Ms. Wright served as Associate Counsel to the President in the Office of the White House Counsel. In that position, she provided strategic and legal advice to the President, Vice President, and senior White House advisors on a wide array of legal issues, including Title IX, gender and LGBTQ+ equity, reproductive rights, clemency, and religious liberty.

Prior to her White House service, Ms. Wright directed the Civil Rights Clinic at the Howard University School of Law, and practiced in the Supreme Court and Appellate practices at two international law firms. She served as a law clerk to Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor on the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge David S. Tatel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Judge Royce C. Lamberth on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Ms. Wright earned her law degree, magna cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center, and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland at College Park. Ms. Wright’s life and work have been profiled by the Washington Post, C-SPAN, USA Today, Reuters, and national podcasts.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
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Star Shackelford
Executive Legal Specialist
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

DeAnna E. Evans joined the Office of the Senior Vice President and General Counsel as Deputy General Counsel in October 2025. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins University, Ms. Evans served as an Associate Counsel in the Office of the White House Counsel. Prior to that, she served as a Senior Counsel in the Office of Legal Policy at the Department of Justice. During her tenure in government, she advised senior White House, Justice Department, and other Cabinet-level principals on civil rights, international matters, criminal justice, reproductive rights, public safety, and other special projects.

Prior to her government service, Ms. Evans was a crisis management lawyer at WilmerHale in Washington, D.C., where she focused her practice on government-facing investigations, cybersecurity and national security events, and other sensitive matters.

Ms. Evans earned her J.D. from Duke Law School, M.Div. from Duke Divinity School, and B.A. from Wellesley College..

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

Star Shackelford
Executive Legal Specialist  
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

Dan Beck joined the Office of General Counsel as an Associate General Counsel in the Compliance Group in fall of 2022. Dan handles all aspects of legal advice related to public safety matters, including compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations related to public safety, and facilities and emergency management, and development of relevant University policies.

Prior to joining JHU, Dan served as the Chief Counsel for Pennsylvania State Police. In that position, his duties included advising the executive staff on all manner of legal matters, managing civil rights and tort litigation, handling labor disputes and employee disciplinary hearings, developing agency rules and regulations, and representing the department in complex federal litigation.

Prior to his appointment as Chief Counsel for Pennsylvania State Police, Dan served as Chief Counsel of the Police Legal Affairs Division of the Baltimore City Department of Law. In addition to his other responsibilities in that role, Dan worked directly with attorneys from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Monitoring Team, appointed by the U.S. District Court of Maryland, to implement the reforms mandated by the Consent Decree entered into between the City of Baltimore, the Baltimore Police Department and the Department of Justice.

Dan’s prior legal experience also includes serving as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City.

Dan received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Towson University and his Juris Doctorate from University of Baltimore School of Law.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

De’Asia Gillis
Sr. Administrative Coordinator
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

Marcy Berman joined the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel as an Associate General Counsel in the Litigation and Contested Matters Practice Group in June 2025. She also has a secondary appointment to the Compliance Practice Group. Marcy came from the U.S. Department of Justice, where she litigated complex, high-profile cases with public policy implications for over twenty years as a trial attorney, and then Assistant Director, in the Federal Programs Branch of the Civil Division. She supervised programmatic challenges to the Department of Education’s Title IV student loan program, as well as significant Government Information matters, and advised clients on an array of matters. As a trial attorney, Marcy had a diverse practice, handling cases ranging from national security to employment to regulatory challenges.

Prior to DOJ, Marcy practiced in Philadelphia, where she was a Divisional Deputy City Solicitor in the Philadelphia City Solicitor’s Office. Marcy represented the City and its officials in appellate litigation and civil rights litigation in federal district court. Marcy was also a litigation associate at Schnader, Harrison, Segal & Lewis in Philadelphia, and taught legal research and writing as an adjunct professor at Temple University Law School.

Marcy holds a B.S. in Finance and Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

Clyde Bernett Jr. serves as an Associate General Counsel in the of Office of General Counsel and practices as a member of the Business Transactions and Commercial Matters and Healthcare, Research and Faculty Matters practice groups. Clyde has a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law, a Masters of Science in Real Estate from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland University College. Clyde is a member of the Maryland Bar Association, Baltimore City Bar Association, and National Association of College and University Attorneys.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

Stephen Dee serves as Associate General Counsel and Deputy Chief Compliance Officer at Johns Hopkins University.  His practice supports the University’s compliance with laws, regulations, and policies, and he is a member of the Compliance Practice Group.

Stephen previously served as Associate Counsel in the White House, where he advised on a wide range of ethics and compliance matters.  Prior to the White House, Stephen worked for the U.S. Department of Transportation as Special Projects Manager in the Office of the Secretary and as Special Counsel for Oversight in the Office of the General Counsel.  He also previously worked in private practice where he represented corporate and individual clients in government investigations and commercial litigation.

Stephen received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and B.S. from Columbia University.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

De’Asia Gillis
Sr. Administrative Coordinator
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

William Desmond joined the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel in March 2025.  Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, William worked in the federal government as Senior Counsel in the Department of Education’s Office of the General Counsel and Associate Counsel in the Office of the White House Counsel. 

Prior to his federal service, William was a senior associate in the Washington, D.C. office of an international law firm.  While attending law school, he interned in the Economic Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and in the Educational Opportunities Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. 

William holds a B.A. in Political Science from Yale University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School where he was a Notes Editor on the Harvard Law Review

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

Rachel Chavis
Sr. Administrative Coordinator
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

Osasu Dorsey is a Senior Associate General Counsel and the Chief Compliance Officer at the Johns Hopkins University, where she leads the Compliance Practice Group and oversees the University’s compliance function and compliance risk management.

Previously, Osasu had a 15-year legal career in the federal government. She served as a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Associate Counsel at the White House, managing the ethics and compliance program. She was also the Chief Counsel for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), leading a team of over 40 legal professionals.

Previously, Osasu was a senior advisor and fellow in the Office of the National Cyber Director at the White House, recognized for her Meritorious Service. She also served as an Associate Deputy General Counsel in the Department of the Army, where she received multiple commendations for her work.

Her experience also includes attorney roles at the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics, the National Nuclear Security Administration in the Department of Energy—where she received an award for Legal Excellence—and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.

Osasu holds a B.A. in English and Philosophy from the University of Mary Washington, an M.A. in Journalism from Syracuse University, and a J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

De’Asia Gillis
Sr. Administrative Coordinator
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

Illyana Green joined the Office of the Senior Vice President and General Counsel as an Associate General Counsel in the Student Affairs and Employment Practice Group in October 2025. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins University, Ms. Green was a senior associate in the Washington, D.C. office of an international law firm, where her practice focused on Appellate and Supreme Court litigation.  She began her career clerking on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan.

Ms. Green earned her J.D. from Yale Law School, and her B.A. from Yale University.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

Rachel Chavis
Sr. Administrative Coordinator
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

Yasmine A. Jackson serves as Assistant General Counsel in the Business Transactions & Commercial Matters practice group. Ms. Jackson advises on substantive areas in real estate, with a focus on leasing, acquisition and development. Ms. Jackson also handles international business and compliance matters covering the University’s global activities.

Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, she was Senior General Counsel at the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency, where she worked on financing real estate transactions via tax-exempt bonds, low-income housing tax credits, and other financial tools and advised on matters related to ethics and regulatory compliance. She began her career in private practice working as a bond finance attorney.

Ms. Jackson earned her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and her B.A. from Howard University. She is an active member of Volunteer Legal Advocates, providing pro bono legal services to vulnerable children.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

Bernard Justis is a Senior Associate General Counsel for the University and Co-Leader of the Business Transactions & Corporate Matters Practice Group of the General Counsel’s Office. Bernard represents and advises the University primarily in real estate and business transactions, including gift transactions, construction, financing, and international business operations.

Bernard is an active alumnus of Loyola Blakefield and served on its Board of Trustees for six years (2013 – 2019).  He also volunteered as pro bono legal counsel for Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Central Maryland for over 20 years, until it merged into YMCA of Central Maryland in 2018. Prior to joining the University in 2005, Bernard was a senior assistant general counsel for The Rouse Company, a publicly traded real estate company. Prior to joining The Rouse Company, he practiced law as a member of the creditor’s rights and loan workout group of the law firm of Semmes, Bowen & Semmes.

Bernard is a 1984 graduate of the University of Rochester and a 1987 graduate of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, where he was a member of the Moot Court Board and the National Moot Court Team.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 (Fax)
[email protected]

Jaleesa Snyder
Sr. Administrative Coordinator
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

Carrie Kroll McMullan joined the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel as an Associate General Counsel in June 2019.  At Johns Hopkins, her practices focuses on international business and compliance matters within the Business Transactions and Commercial Matters practice group.  She advises clients on a wide range of U.S. and foreign legal matters affecting Johns Hopkins’ work in countries around the world.  This work includes advice regarding complex U.S. laws and regulations, such as import and export requirements and controls, economic sanctions, anti-corruption matters, and federal grant compliance and tax matters related to activity on prime and subcontracts outside of the United States.  Ms. McMullan works with stakeholders around the University to advise on foreign activities, registrations, travel, research, tax and employment matters, and related considerations for international corporate compliance, including non-U.S. entities and University partnerships.  Relatedly, Ms. McMullan advises on compliance with Section 117 of the Higher Education Act (“HEA”).

Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, Ms. McMullan was Counsel at the Venable LLP law firm in Washington, D.C., in the International Trade group, where she worked with U.S. and multinational nonprofit organizations, universities and companies on regulatory and compliance matters before regulatory authorities, including the U.S. Departments of Commerce, State, Treasury, Defense and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  She also regularly counseled clients in a lobbying capacity, leading briefings before relevant lawmakers, and represented clients in policy meetings with Executive Branch agency officials.  Ms. McMullan was actively involved in pro bono work, including NGO relief efforts in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake involving anti-corruption efforts and housing.  She also previously worked as a Senior Manager on International Compliance at Deloitte LLP, providing internal counsel to Deloitte in its international business activities.

Ms. McMullan received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia in 2001, her Juris Doctor from American University, Washington College of Law, in 2007 and a Masters in International Economics from the American University, School of International Service, in 2007.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

De’Asia Gillis
Sr. Administrative Coordinator
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

Nicole Picard is Senior Associate General Counsel, and Practice Group Leader of the Healthcare Practice Group.  Her practice supports the University’s research and healthcare enterprises.  Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, Nicole served as Associate General Counsel at Brown University and Senior Associate at Hogan Lovells US LLP.  She began her career clerking for the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Nicole has a JD summa cum laude from Catholic University and BA cum laude from Providence College.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

De’Asia Gillis
Sr. Administrative Coordinator
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

Phil Roberts is Senior Associate General Counsel at The Johns Hopkins University and Co-Leader of the Business Transactions & Commercial Matters Practice Group.  Prior to joining Johns Hopkins in January of 2005, Phil practiced as a civil litigator in the private and public sectors.

At Johns Hopkins, Phil focuses on contracts, business and commercial transactions, intellectual property (copyright, trademark, patent and trade secrets), and privacy and information security.  Phil earned his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College (1985) and his law degree from the University of Maryland (1988).

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

Jaleesa Snyder
Sr. Administrative Coordinator
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

Gerard St. Ours is Senior Counsel in the Office of the Johns Hopkins University Vice President and General Counsel. Gerard currently is the lead lawyer on labor and union matters, including collective bargaining, grievance and arbitration and labor relations advice. From 2015 through 2024, he served as the practice group leader for the Employment and Student Affairs practice group. In addition to labor matters, Gerard continues to advise on faculty, employment and student issues, including discrimination and harassment, disability law, legal regulation of the workplace, student and employment policy, student conduct matters, faculty employment, and employment contracts. Gerard also advises on lobbying and political law compliance.

Gerard has made numerous presentations on legal issues pertaining to higher education and employers, and he is an active member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA), where he has served on the continuing education and annual program committees. Gerard served on the NACUA Board of Directors from 2010-2013, and he was honored with NACUA’s Distinguished Service Award in 2019.

Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, Gerard was in private practice where he specialized in employment and labor law on behalf of management clients. Gerard earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Virginia.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

Rachel Chavis
Sr. Administrative Coordinator
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

Terri Turner is a Senior Associate General Counsel in the Office of the Johns Hopkins University Office of the Vice President and General Counsel.  She is the leader of the Litigation & Contested Matters Practice Group.

Terri received her B.A. (1978), M.A. (1980) and J.D. (1985) from the University of Michigan. She came to Baltimore in 1985 to work for the Venable law firm. She left the firm in 1988 to become an Assistant State’s Attorney in Montgomery County, Maryland. Then she returned to Venable in 1990, becoming a partner in 1995. From 2000 until 2003, Terri served as Executive Director of Citizens Planning and Housing Association, a Baltimore nonprofit organization. In February 2003 Terri accepted a position as Assistant General Counsel at Marriott International. In 2005 she added the duties of Corporate Secretary to her job responsibilities. She left Marriott in June 2007 to become Associate General Counsel at Johns Hopkins University.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

Jaleesa Snyder
Sr. Administrative Coordinator
(410) 516-8128
[email protected]

Nicholas Tymoczko joined the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel as an Associate General Counsel in January 2022. Nick is a member of the Business Transactions & Commercial Matters group. His practice focuses on intellectual property matters (patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets) and other commercial transactions.

Before joining Johns Hopkins, Nick was an associate at Paul Hastings LLP with a practice focusing on complex patent litigation and related intellectual property disputes. He also previously worked at Hogan Lovells US LLP as a general litigation and intellectual property associate.

Nick received his J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from the University of Minnesota Law School, and a B.A. in philosophy with general honors from the University of Chicago.

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]

Angela White joined the Office of General Counsel at The Johns Hopkins University as Associate General Counsel in the Healthcare and Research Practice Group in the fall of 2025. Ms. White supports clinical research, data governance, regulatory compliance, and strategic collaborations that advance innovation and scientific discovery.

Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, she was Counsel at Children’s Research Institute at Children’s National Hospital and served as Associate Counsel in the research practice group at the Cleveland Clinic. She began her legal career at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where she developed deep expertise in clinical research agreements, research compliance, and institutional partnerships.

Ms. White serves on the board of the Cincinnati Ballet and enjoys spending time with her daughter. She received her B.A in Political Science from the University of Louisville and J.D. from Northern Kentucky University Chase College of Law.  

113 Garland Hall
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-8128
(410) 516-5448 Fax
[email protected]