D.C. Bar Welcomes 27 Attorneys to 2026 Leadership Academy
April 15, 2026
On April 10 the D.C. Bar CLE Program welcomed the 12th class of the John Payton Leadership Academy, an interactive three-month training program designed to cultivate attorneys’ leadership skills for success in a dynamic and competitive marketplace.
Comprising 27 attorneys from a variety of professional settings, this year’s cohort will take part in exercises that will help them define their leadership style to better articulate their personal and professional values and enhance their ability to reach greater leadership potential. During the first session, participants were divided into work groups or “home teams” and participated in drills and activities to learn more about themselves and how to lead others through evolving environments and challenging times.
The Leadership Academy class of 2026 consists of the following attorneys:
Zach Adorno, Counsel, Kaiser PLLC
Sara Aguiñiga, Founder and Managing Attorney, The Law Office of Sara Aguiñiga
Cadene Russell Brooks, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, U.S. Department of Justice
Robert Dennis III, Regulatory Counsel, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Shirley Diaz, Founder and Managing Attorney, Diaz Vidales PLLC
Jason Dollar, Review and Analytics Associate, Redgrave LLP
Marissa Elder, Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Taylor Fontan, Associate, Sher Tremonte
Alexandra Gaintseva, Private Practitioner
Meryl Grenadier, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Consumer Protection, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
Joseph Hicks, Partner, Venable LLP
Stephanie Jones, Deputy General Counsel, Appalachian Regional Commission
Caroline Lannon, Program Attorney, D.C. Bar Communities Office
Robert Lewis, Founder, Robert Lewis Law LLC
David Martinez, General Counsel, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities
Jahvonta Mason, Associate, Kellogg Hansen
Courtney Murray, Senior Associate, WilmerHale
Brittany Sims Nwankwoala, Assistant General Counsel, Legal Services Corporation
Tolulope Olaniyan, Associate, McGuireWoods
Austin Ownbey, Partner, Akerman LLP
Moe Roberson, Associate, Faegre Drinker
Kaymi Ross, Section Chief, Employment and Civil Litigation, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
Jani Tillery, Chief Attorney, Montgomery County Office, Maryland Legal Aid
Sheily Virella Cosme, Pro Bono Manager, Christian Legal Aid of the District of Columbia
Matthew Westbrook, Senior Counsel, Proskauer Rose LLP
Lateefah Williams, Owner and Managing Attorney, Law Office of Lateefah S. Williams
Flavia Williamson, Attorney, Federal Government
This year’s academy is facilitated by Monique Steele, principal of Steele Consultant Group, and Darryl Spivey, vice president and CFO of Your Write Hand. The training program will include a field trip to the D.C. Court of Appeals for participants to watch an oral argument and to meet Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby. Participants will also have opportunities to engage with members of the D.C. Bar Board of Governors and experience providing volunteer services at a D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center clinic.
Spivey said many of those who enroll in the academy already have a mindset focused on continual improvement. “They may be familiar with some of the content of our program, but they’re also constantly on the lookout for what else is out there,” he said.
“Leadership has a theoretical perspective that people can get as they read it or hear somebody else talk about it, but the practical piece is really important,” Spivey added. “People have a way of doing things that are different, and managing those differences is really important from a leader’s perspective. People know this, theoretically, but to be able to do it takes a whole lot more, and that’s the calling for us, as facilitators — to help people to step into a space where they deal with the uncomfortable nature of leadership.”
Steele provided some additional details regarding the program’s goals. “We’re hoping that these leaders walk away with a greater sense of self and their leadership style … how they lead, how they impact their firms and the broader field of law,” she said. “We want them to … feel comfortable leading in constant disruption and change because that’s something that they are facing on a daily basis. We want them to know how they can show up and how they can lead the field through those changes.”
The academy’s broad array of participants provides another valuable opportunity, Steele noted. “The greatest value proposition is being in the room together. There’s a value in being able to come together and have a shared experience. There is a network they get to build that positively impacts them, their leadership, and their career trajectory,” Steele said.
Past cohorts of the program continue to meet in organized and informal gatherings, and a number of them take part in the committee involved in planning current and future course materials, providing valuable feedback on the elements that were most impactful during their experience.
Participants expressed a number of reasons for enrolling in the course. Marissa Elder recently relocated to the District of Columbia from her native Texas and saw the course as a valuable opportunity to meet others in the profession. Sara Aguiñiga recently launched her own firm and is interested in strengthening the leadership skills that her new role requires.
David Martinez said a former colleague recommended the program because their participation drew favorable notice at a job interview, though as a general counsel he has immediate uses for the academy’s training. “One of the challenges I face often is managing high-level attorneys, and that takes a certain kind of leadership. Learning to adapt your leadership depending on the audience and context is valuable,” Martinez said.
The Leadership Academy was established in 2013 and subsequently renamed in honor of the late John Payton, director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Widely regarded as one of the most influential civil rights attorneys of his generation, Payton served as president of the D.C. Bar from 2001 to 2002 and devoted much of his career to the training and mentorship of young attorneys.
The class of 2026 will graduate from the Leadership Academy on June 12.
