About Volume 29
Denise Dantzler, Editor-in-Chief
Ariel Rhines, Managing Editor
Ariel Rhines is a 3L from Shawnee, Kansas. After graduating from the University of Kansas in 2014 with double majors in history and French, Ariel worked at the National World War I Museum and Memorial and was a substitute teacher. In addition to her duties on Journal, Ariel is the legal extern for KU’s Spencer Museum of Art and works at Koprince Law as a law clerk. When Ariel is not busy with Journal, she likes to run and go to the dog park with her three-toed Rottweiler, Maximus.
Tara Mollhagen Shepherd, Business Manager
Tara A. Mollhagen Shepherd is from Wichita, Kansas. She graduated from Wichita State University’s accounting program and worked in public accounting for three formative years. In addition to her duties on Journal, Tara puts her nose to the grindstone for classes and participates in an Elder Law Field Placement Clinic helping Kansas’s elderly with a myriad if issues.
Braden Lefler, Publication Editor
Braden is a 3L from Wichita, KS.
Jaden Scott, Publication Editor
Jaden Scott is from Louisburg, KS. She graduated in 2017 from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism (strategic communication emphasis). Jaden spent this past summer working at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., a Colgate-Palmolive company, which was a perfect fit because she’s a huge animal lover. She will graduate from law school in May 2020 and hopes to start her career in the Kansas City area.
Madison Wendt, Publication Editor
I’m a 3L Publication Editor for the Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy. I’m from Plano, Texas and earned a degree in Environmental, Soil, and Water Science from the University of Arkansas. I’ve been working as a law clerk for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment since my 1L summer and I’m interested in pursuing a career in environmental law.
Blair Bohm, Executive Articles Editor
Blair Bohm is a 3L from Wichita, Kansas. Before attending KU Law, Blair graduated from Baylor University in 2016 with a degree in Journalism. This past summer, she worked as a Summer Associate for Hinkle Law Firm LLC in Wichita, and she will return to Hinkle to work full time after she graduates in May.
Hannah Lustman, Executive Staff Articles Editor
Hannah Lustman is a 3L from St. Louis, Missouri (as the great rapper Nelly would say, she’s from the ‘Lou and she’s proud!). Hannah holds a bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis where she majored in psychology and history. Outside her work on the Journal, Hannah is a member of the KU Moot Court Council and a Lawyering Skills teaching assistant. In her free time she enjoys running, cooking with her fiancé, and listening to podcasts (she recommends Keep It! for pop culture, Up First for quick news bites, and the Bill Simmons Podcast for sports).
Abbey Lee, Symposium Editor
Abbey Lee is a 3L who hails from Western Colorado. After earning a BSBA from the University of Denver, Abbey went to work for a Fortune 500 company and was inspired to pursue a legal career. Aside from working for KU’s Journal of Law and public policy, she is a law clerk for a firm in Overland Park and is an active member of KU’s moot court council. When Abbey is not busy with law school, she enjoys competing in races and spending time with family.
Carlie Dickinson, Articles Editor
Zack Royle, Articles Editor
Greg Gietzen, Staff Articles Editor
Greg Gietzen is a 3L from Wichita, Kansas. Before coming to KU law, Greg double majored in philosophy and economics at Wichita State University. Greg works as a research assistant for Professor Hopkins and is an intern in the KU Legal Services for Students Office.
Marissa Hotujac, Staff Articles Editor
Zachary Beach, Staff Editor
Zach Beach is a 2L from Manhattan, Kansas. After graduating from Kansas State University in 2017 with a degree in Business Administration, Zach was the General Manager of a local Jimmy John’s. In addition to working on Journal, Zach is an SBA 2L Representative and involved in KU’s Outlaws and Allies. In his free time, Zach likes to go hiking in the Flint Hills and get caught up on Madam Secretary.
Vince Becraft, Staff Editor
Sidney Billings, Staff Editor
Robert Curtis, Staff Editor
I am from Olathe, Kansas and went to the University of Kansas for undergraduate. I graduated in 2018 with degrees in Political science, Psychology, and an English minor. My favorite experience in undergraduate was going to Washington D.C. for an internship because Washington D.C. is essentially Hollywood for nerds. I had a great experience whether I was sitting in the most boring congressional hearing or exploring Smithsonian museums. With my limited free time, I like to play tabletop role-playing games with my friends and watch Marvel movies.
Kirstyn Dvorak, Staff Editor
Delaney Hiegert, Staff Editor
I’m Delaney Hiegert, a 2L from Topeka, KS. I attended Newman University in Wichita, KS to study communication, journalism, and criminal justice and to play softball. Though I’m not sure what area of law I’m going into, I do know that I’ll always want to have an aspect of my practice involve LGBT+ advocacy. I spent my 1L summer as a law clerk at the National Center for Lesbian Rights in San Francisco, manning NCLR’s national legal helpline and assisting NCLR’s impact litigation attorneys. When I’m not in Green Hall, you can find me listening to Johnny Cash or heelying around Lawrence.
Saber Hossinei, Staff Editor
Jared Jevons, Staff Editor
Hello! I’m Jared Jevons. I grew up in Manhattan, KS, and then attended the University of Kansas for undergrad. In May 2007 I graduated with a B.S. in General Geology and commissioned into the United States Navy. After 11 years in the Navy, I decided to begin a new career by attending law school at KU. One of my legal interests is aviation law, which comes from my time 2000+ hours as an F/A-18F Weapon Systems Officer. I was fortunate enough during my 1L summer to gain experience in that practice area, and many others, as a clerk with Martin Pringle, LLP in Wichita, KS. In my free time I drill with the Naval Reserves, and enjoy civil aviation flying.
Zachary Kelsey, Staff Editor
Hunter Lindquist, Staff Editor
Hunter Lindquist is a 2L from the rural farming community of Brookville, Kansas. In 2018, she graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.A. in English; her thesis argued the importance of narrative training for doctors treating patients with invisible illnesses like fibromyalgia. Hunter is currently a volunteer with Douglas County CASA and an intern at the District of Kansas Federal Public Defender office. She intends to pursue a career in appellate public defense work post-graduation.
Anna Meyer, Staff Editor
Anna Meyer is in her second year of law school at the University of Kansas. She grew up in Overland Park, Kansas but currently resides in Lawrence. Anna earned her undergraduate degrees in journalism and history from the University of Kansas in 2018. This last summer, she had the opportunity to intern with both Riordan, Fincher & Beckerman and Payne & Jones. Anna plans to graduate from law school in Spring 2021. Rock Chalk!
Connor Nybo, Staff Editor
Connor Nybo is a 2L from Highlands Ranch, Colorado. He graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2017 where he majored in Sports Media. This past summer, he clerked for Judge Mahoney in Wyandotte County, Kansas.
Reiley Pankratz, Staff Editor
Reiley Pankratz is a 2L who grew up in Wichita, Kansas. After high school she left Wichita to attend Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. She studied dietetics and competed on the ASU road cycling team. After graduating she moved to Salt Lake City, Utah where she worked at a large outdoor company as a buyer for cycling apparel. In addition to her involvement in Journal, Reiley is an intern with Kansas City University Venture Fund, a student-run venture capital fund.
Blaine Smith, Staff Editor
My name is Blaine Smith and I’m a 2L at KU Law from Overland Park, KS. After graduating with a degree in Political Science from KU in 2017, I worked for Douglas County’s Adult Probation Department, where I got a lot of hands-on experience with the criminal justice system. In the summer of 2019, I interned at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Topeka and confirmed by desire to work in the field of criminal law after graduation.
Lewis Walton, Staff Editor
Daniel Wells, Staff Editor
Daniel Wells is from Wichita. In 2018, he completed a bachelor of the arts degree in philosophy with a minor in history at Wichita State University. He is unsure exactly what he wants to do but is interested in employment law, family law, and juvenile law. After 1L year he worked for Judge Melgren who is a federal district court judge for the district of Kansas in Wichita. This experience made him a better writer and sparked his interest in employment law.
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