Meet the Candidates for the 2025-2026 Board of Directors

We are delighted to announce the full list of candidates for this year's board elections!  Please see below for brief statements from each of our candidates.  

If you will be attending the NAPLA Conference in Richmond, you will have a chance to meet some of our candidates during the NAPLA Lunch on June 18 at the University of Richmond School of Law.

All current, regular members will receive a ballot and instructions by email when voting opens on June 18. If you would like to participate, make sure you are up to date on your dues by June 11! Voting concludes July 18, with results to be announced by August 1. Elected candidates will assume their roles with the start of the new board term on September 1.

Many thanks to all of our candidates for your willingness to support NAPLA and the pre-law advising community!

Executive Committee Positions (1 open position each, 1-year term)

• • Second Vice President: Illana Julius,  Associate Director of Career Advising, Yeshiva University
  • Treasurer: Bobby Hazelton (University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth)
  • Secretary: Tina Coco (Baruch College)
  • At-Large Board Positions (3 open positions with 2-year term & 1 open position with 1-year term)

Note: Additional at-large positions may come available after the election, should any current at-large board member advance to the executive board while in the middle of a two-year term.  In this event, candidates who do not win election to full two-year terms will be 

invited to serve out the remainder of any partial terms, beginning with the candidate who receives the highest number of votes.

Candidate Statements - Executive Committee

Illana Julius,  Associate Director of Career Advising, Yeshiva University

Second Vice President

Illana Julius is an experienced pre-law advisor and higher education professional with over 15 years of service in academic advising, career development, and law school admissions preparation. She currently serves as the Associate Director of Career Advising at Yeshiva University’s Shevet Glaubach Center for Career Strategy and Professional Development, where she leads pre-law initiatives and supports students pursuing legal and public service careers.

Previously, Illana was the Senior Academic and Pre-Law Advisor at Stern College for Women, where she developed individualized law school admissions strategies and coordinated annual pre-law events in partnership with top law schools and alumni. Her advising approach emphasizes access, clarity, and confidence, helping students from diverse backgrounds navigate complex pre-law pathways.

Illana has served on the Board of the Northeast Association of Pre-Law Advisors (NAPLA), contributing to regional programming and mentoring newer advisors. She brings to NAPLA a deep commitment to collaboration, advisor development, and ethical admissions guidance.

With training from the University of San Francisco and Baruch College (CUNY), Illana combines counseling expertise with a student-centered philosophy. She is eager to support NAPLA’s mission by amplifying advisor voices, promoting equity in pre-law access, and building stronger national networks.

Bobby Hazelton, Assistant Teaching Professor, University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

Treasurer

Bobby Hazelton is an Assistant Teaching Professor at the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth where he has been involved with Pre-Law Advising since January 2023.   In addition to helping students on their law school journey, Bobby also teaches Legal Frameworks in Business, Employment Law, Introduction to Legal Studies and Special Topics in Legal Studies.  He always gets excited when a student catches the "law bug" in one of his survey courses.   Bobby also is the faculty representative for the student managed Pre-Law Society and the competition Mock Trial Team.   He still practices part time, primarily in business transactions and intellectual property.   He has most recently been involved in training AI platforms for legal analysis and document preparation.  He is licensed to practice law in Arizona, Massachusetts and Washington, and is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the USPTO.    He looks forward to increasing his involvement in NAPLA, and asks for your support in his candidacy for treasurer.

Tina G. Coco, Esq., Pre-Law Advisor and Manager, Max Berger Pre-Law Program, Baruch College
Secretary

I joined Baruch College-CUNY in November 2011. I am a cum laude graduate of St. John’s University and St. John’s School of Law. After working for several years as a Staff Attorney for both the NYC Bar and CT Corporation System, I earned a certificate in Adult Career Planning & Development from New York University. I served as the Assistant Director of the Career Development Office at Pace University School of Law for over 6 years and as a Career Consultant at New York Law School. I was honored to receive the 2022 AALS Section on Pre-Law and Admission to Law School’s Excellence in Pre-Law Advising Award. In addition, I served as a NALPA Board Member At-Large for 4 years. I am a frequent speaker at APLA conferences and have assisted in organizing several NAPLA annual conferences. After serving as NAPLA Secretary for the past year, I am seeking re-election for the position of Secretary as I wish to continue in this role to further develop my skill sets and continue supporting pre-law advisors. Thank you!

Candidate Statements - At-Large Board Members

Melissa Bennett, Graduate & Pre-Professional School Advisor, Drexel University

I am excited about the opportunity to make a meaningful impact to NAPLA, so thank you for considering my nomination. I have over 10 years’ experience in higher education and believe that I have much to offer as a Board Member at Large. I am currently at Drexel University in the Steinbright Career Development Office and have been there for almost four years. I am confident that my experience and abilities as a pre-law advisor, as well as my previous experience working in non-profits, will allow me to contribute significantly to the organization's mission and growth.

I am the sole coordinator of the Philly Law Fair and have worked hard to make this event a success for both students and law schools. I am proud to have founded Drexel’s LSAT Fee Reimbursement program, which is going into its second year after its successful launch, providing grants to high achieving, high need students. I also believe that my knowledge of higher education enables me to understand the unique challenges and opportunities facing professionals in the field, and that will allow me to contribute informed perspectives to board discussions and decision-making processes. Prior to joining NAPLA, I was a contributing member of EACE, NACE, and GACE and I previously worked in pre-law advising at Georgia College and State University.

I am fully committed to fulfilling the responsibilities of a board member with dedication and enthusiasm.

Heather Frederick, Professor of Political Science and Prelaw Program Advisor, Slippery Rock University

Thank you for considering my candidacy for a Board Member position on NAPLA.  Dr. Heather Frederick is a full, tenured professor of Political Science at Slippery Rock University in Western Pennsylvania. She received her PhD in political science from West Virginia University and her BA from Hollins University.  Dr. Frederick also serves as the Prelaw Program Coordinator for the University and offers courses in Law and Courts, Civil Liberties and Civil Rights, and Constitutional Law.  She has taught at Slippery Rock University since 2005. Dr. Frederick also coaches the Debate Team and Law Society and enjoys working with prelaw students and spending time with her daughter and her two dogs, pit bull Landry and Rottweiler Willow. She has served on the executive board of the Northeast Association of Prelaw Advisors for many years and is the current treasurer.

Rebecca Corke, Assistant Director of Career Services and Pre-Law Advisor, Tufts University

I love working as a Pre-Law Advisor so that I can empower students and alums through meaningful programming and coaching sessions.  It is important to me to increase access and to help all who are interested to pursue a passion and profession in the legal field.  I am a former prosecutor from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office with nearly a decade of experience litigating cases in district and superior courts.  It was an honor to represent the Commonwealth in bench and jury trials and through complex Grand Jury investigations, specializing in domestic violence and sexual abuse cases.  Prior to law school, I competed in multiple National Mock Trial competitions.

In addition to my work as an attorney, I have experience running educational and community programming as well as serving as a Board member for non-profits, public and private schools.

Outside of work, you can find me biking on rail trails in the greater Boston area with my husband and our three kids, baking “magic squares” for the next block party, taking photos, relaxing at the beach or crafting with my kids.

Lorri Olan, JD, Senior Associate Director, Pre-Law and Engagement Initiatives Lead, Washington and Lee University

With 17 years’ experience as prelaw and law school career advisor, I am excited to serve the profession as a NAPLA Board member. I seek to contribute to NAPLA’s educational resources and programs, foster community, and help advisors prepare students to enter law school and understand the breadth of the legal profession. As a first-generation Northeastern Law grad, I support current and future efforts to diversify the profession and help ALL candidates interested in a legal career to thrive in law school and beyond.

At Washington and Lee University, a small private liberal arts college in Virginia, I mentor candidates throughout the application process, organize and lead educational programming and law school fairs, and maintain resources on all phases of the application process and professional opportunities available. As a law career advisor at W&L Law, I helped law students throughout their job search, managed OCI and the clerkship application process, chaired the public interest loan forgiveness program, and advised Latino law students.

I currently serve on LSAC’s Prelaw Advisory Council, recently completed a term as SAPLA’s Treasurer and previously Co-Chaired NALP’s State Court Clerkship Committee and served as Mid-Atlantic Regional Resource Representative. In addition to attending SAPLA, NALP, NAPLA, and PLANC conferences, and volunteering at LSAC’s Law School Forums, my conference planning experience includes SAPLA’s 2021 Diversity Law Symposium, and a NALP mini public service and national conference.

I enjoy engaging (and having fun) with new and old colleagues and look forward to giving back to the prelaw community.

Rita Ralston, Director of Pre-Law Advising, Boston University

Rita Ralston is the Director of Pre-Law Advising at Boston University where she advises hundreds of students each year on the path to law school, serves as the advisor to several pre-law student organizations, and has taught for the First Year Experience Program. Throughout her pre-law advising career, Rita has been an active member of NAPLA, regularly participating in and presenting at NAPLA and PLANC conferences. From 2016-2021, Rita served on the NAPLA Board. She served on the Conference Program Committee, the Ad-Hoc Committee on Connect Events (Chair), and the Nominating Committee. She also served as Conference Track Coordinator (Career Development) and on New Advisor Training Programs (Member). As 2nd Vice President, Rita co-chaired the NAPLA 2019 Conference in Boston, and as 1st Vice President she led the Board through its 2nd strategic planning process in the organization’s history. As NAPLA President (2020-2021), Rita guided the organization during the pandemic through a year of virtual programming to keep the membership engaged and informed. She also represented NAPLA as a Designated Member of PLANC (2019-2021). In 2021, Rita was selected by the PLANC Executive Board to take on the role of Program Chair for the PLANC 2024 Conference. She assumed this role in October 2021 and concluded her PLANC duties in September 2024. Rita aims to bring her experience, skills, institutional knowledge, and insights back to the Board at this critical time and would be a strong advocate for NAPLA, the pre-law advising profession, and the students pre-law advisors serve.