
VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF LAW
STUDENT BAR ASSOCIATION
senators & representatives

Myrabel Gbe
3L Senator
emn3yh@virginia.edu, she/her
Myrabel is originally from Silver Spring, MD. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020, and worked as a paralegal at a law firm in New York City before attending law school. She spent her 1L summer with Proskauer Rose LLP in NYC, and will spend her 2L summer with Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in NYC. As a 2L, she was a Peer Advisor, and served on the Executive Boards of both the Black Law Students Association and Women of Color. After graduation, she will be returning to a firm in NYC, where she will focus on transactional law.

Tim Patawaran
3L Senator
vyv9dq@virginia.edu, he/him
Tim is from Fort Collins, Colorado and attended Colorado State University. At the law school, he is actively involved in several organizations, including the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, the Virginia Law Ski and Snowboard Society, the Virginia Journal of Law and Technology, and the Virginia Law Games and Recreation Society.

Thomas W. Ross
3L Senator
Thomas ’26 is from Kernersville, North Carolina. He graduated magna cum laude from Duke University in 2023, where he studied Political Science and History and was the recipient of the Robert S. Rankin Award for Leadership and Academic Achievement. He spent his 1L summer at Consovoy McCarthy in Arlington, Virginia, and will spend his 2L summer at Weil, Gotshal & Manges in New York, New York. Thomas serves on the board of the Law Republicans, Federalist Society, Common Law Grounds, and the Rural Law Students Association. He also serves as an Online Editor for the Virginia Journal of International Law, and on the senior editorial board of the Virginia Tax Review. Thomas is also a research assistant for Professor Jason Johnston, and provides research support for the Virginia General Assembly’s Commission on Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia Tribes. After graduation, he will clerk for the Honorable James C. Dever III of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Outside of law school, Thomas enjoys running, hiking, and exploring Charlottesville.

Miller Bacon
3L Senator
aeh4eq@virginia.edu, he/him
Miller is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas before matriculating directly into the University of Virginia School of Law. The transition from Arkansas to Virginia marked a significant step, one Miller embraces with purpose and enthusiasm. Committed to fostering an inclusive and enriching academic environment, Miller endeavors to contribute meaningfully to the law school community.
Miller currently holds leadership positions as co-president of both the Lone Star Lawyers and the Rural Law Student Association. In addition to these roles, Miller is an active participant in the law school’s mock trial program and a dedicated member of SLAPS, consistently demonstrating a strong commitment to advocacy, community, and professional excellence.

Miles Cooper
3L Senator
ekv8cf@virginia.edu, he/him
Miles Cooper—known to many as Coop or Cooper—was raised primarily in New York City, with formative years also spent in California. Passionate about the outdoors, emerging technologies, and intellectual property, Coop has enjoyed immersing himself in Charlottesville’s vibrant culinary scene while pursuing his studies.
A proud West Coast Wahoo, Coop is an active and dedicated member of BLSA, APALSA, MLSA, Virginia Law Dems, and the Student Legal Forum. He is committed to serving in student government with the goal of strengthening the Class of 2026’s enduring connection to the University of Virginia School of Law—an institution he considers the finest in the nation.
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Asia Porter
2L Senator
dkj3ny@virginia.edu, she/her
Asia is a 2L Senator from Cincinnati, OH. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2022. She then moved to Nashville, TN where she worked at a public interest firm for two years prior to coming to UVA Law. In addition to serving as a 2L Senator, Asia is Education Chair of the Black Law Students Association, Vice President of Communications of the Health Law Association, and on the Virginia Journal of Law and Technology. During her 1L summer, she worked at McDermott Will & Emery in Chicago, IL.

Julia Calland
2L Senator
jcc5kz@virginia.edu, she/her
Julia is a rising 2L from Charlottesville, Virginia. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2022 with a B.A. in Psychology and English, and she is proud to officially be a 'Double Hoo' after returning to Grounds to study law. Before law school, she worked in legal operations in the D.C. area for two years. Soon after arriving at UVA Law, Julia was selected as her section’s First Year Council representative and elected as a 1L Senator to the Student Bar Association. She is honored to continue representing the Class of 2027 as a 2L Senator and remains committed to building community and advocating for her classmates. Outside of SBA, she serves as a Student Life Panelist, UVA Law Ambassador, and editorial board member of both the Journal of Law & Politics (JLP) and the Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law (VJSPL).

Akshay Mody
2L Senator
jcw6bm@virginia.edu, he/him
Akshay is a second-year student at the University of Virginia School of Law. He is actively engaged in the UVA Law community, serving as Co-Director of Communications for the American Constitution Society, a Tour Guide with Virginia Law Ambassadors, and a 2L Senator with the Student Bar Association. He also supports fellow students as a Peer Advisor and is involved in the Antitrust Law Forum and the South Asian Law Students Association.

Derek O. Collins
2L Senator
whc9ee@virginia.edu, he/him
Derek is a 2L Senator and President of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) at the University of Virginia School of Law. During his 1L year, he served as a 1L Senator on the First Year Council and BLSA Historian. Before law school, Derek worked in the White House as a Policy Advisor at the National Economic Council, supporting the implementation of key economic initiatives, including the CHIPS and Science Act. He also worked for the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis in the U.S. House of Representatives, contributing to congressional investigations into pandemic-era economic and health policies.
Originally from Mississippi, Derek graduated summa cum laude from Western Kentucky University (WKU) with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Legal Studies. At WKU, he was named the Outstanding Senior in Political Science, earned recognition as a U.S.-UK Fulbright Summer Institute Scholar at the University of Bristol, and became a six-time national champion in speech and debate.
Derek is committed to leveraging his experiences at the intersection of law, policy, and public service to drive equitable and inclusive change.

Elizabeth VanKammen
3L Senator
npk5zt@virginia.edu, she/her
Elizabeth is a 3L from Kenosha, Wisconsin. Before coming to UVA Law, she studied philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. At the Law School she is involved in VLW and ECVC; she was also designed the 41st Annual Virginia Law Softball Invitational Merchandise Chair. This past summer, she was a judicial intern in Puerto Rico.
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Tyler Stapleton
2L Senator
tns3qr@virginia.edu, he/him
Tyler is a 2L from Freeport, New York. He graduated from Georgetown University in 2021. Prior to law school, he worked as a litigation paralegal at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in New York City and as an investigative journalist and legal assistant for Georgetown University's "Making an Exoneree" program. He is currently a member of the Virginia Law Review editorial board, the Diversity and Inclusion Chair for the Virginia Law Wine Society, a Peer Advisor ad member of the Black Law Student Association.

Emmy Pilant
2L Senator
mep4daj@virginia.edu, she/her
Emmy is from New Orleans, Louisiana. She is the President of Virginia Law in Prison Project and Co-President of UVA’s National Lawyers Guild. She spent her 2025 summer doing immigration defense in New York City. Her hobbies include the NYT games, dissenting, and llama hikes.

Kevin Kissinger
UJC Representative
qbh7xp@virginia.edu, he/him
Kevin calls Spokane, Washington home. He graduated from Washington State University with a B.A. in Political Science. Before attending law school, he served as a court clerk in the county court system, where he handled evidence during trials. As a 3L, he stays involved with the American Constitution Society, the Virginia Journal of International Law, and the Libel Show. After he graduates, Kevin hopes to serve his community, primarily in state government and policymaking roles. Outside the world of policy and the law, Kevin enjoys (or at least, tries to enjoy) Seattle Mariners baseball, plays his saxophone, and takes part in trivia.

Cassidy Dufour
Honor Representative
cgd6hfu@virginia.edu, she/her
Cassidy is a member of the Class of 2026 from Amherst, New Hampshire. She graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a degree in International Studies and Modern Languages and Cultures and serves as one of the two Honor Committee Representatives from the Law School. She is thrilled to be apart of the deep-rooted tradition of Honor, which is central to the spirit of collegiality the Law School is known for. She is also a part of the National Security Law Forum, J.B. Moore International Law Society and serves as a Peer Advisor for Section D. Following graduation, she will serve as an Air Force JAG Officer.
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Stephney Tucker
Student Council Representative
slt2fx@virginia.edu, she/her
Stephney Tucker is a 2L who was raised in Norton, Massachusetts, and later moved to Danville, Virginia, where she lived through high school. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2022 and spent two years working in-house as a paralegal at a managed services company before returning to Charlottesville for law school. At the Law School, she serves as Treasurer of the Black Law Students Association and is a Barbri Representative. In her second term on Student Council, Stephney is focused on building on past efforts to create meaningful improvements in student life and fostering stronger collaboration between law students and the broader UVA community.

Kasey Michaud
Student Council Representative
mkp4ga@virginia.edu, he/him
Kasey Michaud is from Boca Raton, FL and graduated from the University of Miami in 2023. In his second term as Student Council Representative, he wants to continue advocating for the needs of law students and working with various parts of the University community to achieve tangible changes. In addition to SBA, Kasey is involved in the Virginia Journal of Law & Technology, the Virginia Law Review, and the Black Law Students Association. After graduation, Kasey hopes to start his career in DC.