Prior to joining the Executive Office of the Mayor as the Deputy Director and General Counsel of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, Charisma X. Howell was a Visiting Professor and Clinic Co-Director at Georgetown University Law Center.
She has conducted research in the areas of education policy, accountability, assessment and best practices. Mrs. Howell is a practicing lawyer and is a successful trial attorney.
Mrs. Howell amassed numerous academic and trial skills related awards. Mrs. Howell participated in the Institute for Criminal Defense Advocacys Trial Skills Academy. Although the only student among 75 trial attorneys, Mrs. Howell was named "Best Advocate." She won a not guilty verdict in her first criminal jury trial as a Post Bar Clerk for the San Diego County Public Defender’s Office. Ms. Howell has worked for the Honorable Judge John A. Houston of the United States District Court, Southern District of California and also interned at the California Innocence project which seeks the release of wrongfully convicted prisoners in California.
Mrs. Howell attended Arizona State University achieving a Bachelor of Science in Business Management with an emphasis in Small Business and Entrepreneurship. She obtained her law degree from California Western School of Law and her Master of Laws in Advocacy from Georgetown University Law Center.
Andrea Mayer is the Academic Director of the National Security & Intelligence, Law, and American Politics Academies.
Andrea Mayer currently serves as the Director of Illinois in Washington, the Washington, DC academic program for the University of Illinois, and teaches a variety of political science courses. She is also the Academic Director for Georgetown University’s summer programs offered through the School of Continuing Studies –the National Security and Intelligence Academy, Law I Academy, Law II Academy and American Politics Academy. Since 2011, she has taught a number of undergraduate courses at Georgetown University and several other universities and programs in Washington, DC, and Colorado.
Prior to her work in academia, Dr. Mayer served as a trial attorney for nine years representing the federal government in several capacities, including Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, receivership counsel and agency counsel. Her work focused on employment law, fraud, venture capital and investment law, regulatory enforcement and governmental privileges. In addition, she worked as part of the legal staff of the U.S. Bankruptcy Review Commission and the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
Dr. Mayer received her J.D. from George Washington University and her Ph.D. in Government from Georgetown University, after completing Ph.D. coursework at Georgetown and Harvard Universities. Her research and teaching interests center on the intersection between constitutional law, political behavior and social change.
