Conference Planning Committee
Amber Grayhorse
Senior Counsel, Employment
Snap Inc.
Amber M. Grayhorse has defended employers in California for nearly twenty years. She currently works as Senior Counsel of Employment for Snap, the camera company behind the Snapchat app. Amber partners with HR and business clients to reach creative, strategic, and pragmatic business solutions to complex employment issues. She has particular expertise in advising employers on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Prior to joining Snap, Amber worked with national and international firms in the U.S., and practiced international arbitration in Madrid, Spain.
Amber has had several leadership roles in CMCP, most recently serving as a Chair of the Ambassador’s Council.
Valerie Gallo
Associate
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Valerie Gallo helps businesses of all sizes navigate the challenges associated with running a successful workplace in a variety of industries such as healthcare, tourism, transportation, retail, and media. She has defended numerous companies against claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation, and also has experience in wage and hour and PAGA litigation. Valerie is also committed to providing advice to clients on how to make modifications in the workplace, which not only aim to reduce exposure to litigation, but also to improve the employee’s work environment. Valerie has several years of experience litigating matters in state and federal court, and various arbitration forums. She also is experienced with informal negotiations, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. She is currently with Davis Wright Tremaine in the employment practice group.
Kimberly Higgins
Counsel,
Employment Law
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Kim is an experienced attorney with practical HR experience. Solving problems with creativity and compassionate empathy is Kim’s superpower and helping companies develop better workplaces where employees feel “seen” is what she loves to do. Kim advises myriad clients from startups to multinational corporations on all aspects of employment including general counseling, conducting trainings, drafting policies, corporate due diligence and managing all phases of litigation. She is a part of Pillsbury’s COVID-19 Response Team advising clients on related matters since the onset of the pandemic. She is also a co-leader of the Black-Owned Startup Support (BOSS) Lab which assists Black founders in obtaining funding and building successful, scalable, high-growth companies. Kimberly has received numerous honors for her work, most recently being recognized by Best Lawyers®: Ones to Watch for 2021.
Jane Kespradit
Senior Counsel
LimNexus LLP
Jane Kespradit represents corporations and business owners in employment and commercial litigation throughout California in both state and federal courts. She has extensive experience defending companies and management in harassment, discrimination, failure to accommodate, wrongful discharge, and retaliation cases. She has successfully defended employers against misclassification and wage-and-hour disputes, and counsels clients in aspects of labor and employment law. Additionally, Ms. Kespradit maintains a commercial litigation practice, representing companies in complex tort actions, unfair business practices, and breach of contract. She has represented a wide array of clients, including utility companies, national retail companies, media corporations, and landlords. Ms. Kespradit earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and received her J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law.
Marie B. Maurice
Partner
Ivie McNeill Wyatt Purcell & Diggs
Marie Maurice is a trial attorney specializing in Labor & Employment and Transportation/Logistics. She has prosecuted and defended business disputes, employment disputes, general liability, trucking accidents, in both state and federal courts. Ms. Maurice has first-chaired criminal and civil jury trials to verdict.
Ms. Maurice’s work involves a heavy law and motion practice including motions for summary judgment and writs of mandamus. Recently, Ms. Maurice filed a writ on behalf of a commercial trucking company challenging the trial court’s good faith determination which barred the commercial trucking company’s claim against the other defendant. The Second District Court of Appeal reversed the trial court’s determination, finding the settlement agreement was void.
Ms. Maurice’s services include workplace investigations in employment matters and scene investigations in general liability matters.
Kristi Nevarez
Partner
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
Kristi is a Partner in the firm’s Santa Clara office. She joined Fragomen in 1999 where she gained experience in all areas of corporate business immigration, including nonimmigrant visas, labor certifications, and adjustments of status. Kristi serves as corporate immigration counsel to emerging and mid-size clients in a wide range of industries, including technology, consumer products, civil engineering, and legal service providers.
Kristi was the Congressional Assistant and Immigration Policy Advisor to Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren from 2010 to 2012 before rejoining the firm.
Hazel Ocampo
Senior Counsel
Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
Hazel Ocampo is a senior counsel in the San Diego office of Allen Matkins where she practices in the firm’s Land Use, Environmental & Natural Resources Practice Group. Hazel helps clients navigate the intricate system of federal, state, and local regulations to achieve their business objectives. Hazel regularly defends companies subject to enforcement actions by private citizens and governmental agencies, including the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the Department of Environmental Health, the Air Pollution Control District, and the Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, CEQA, Superfund, RCRA, and Proposition 65. Hazel also counsels clients on a variety of compliance matters, real estate due diligence (Phase I/Phase II), and Universal and Hazardous Waste regulations.
Hazel’s experience working for government agencies gives her a significant advantage when navigating the complex regulatory framework to overcome the unique challenges posed in agency actions. Hazel previously worked for the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) where she assisted with the implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Prior to that, she was selected for the prestigious Executive Fellowship in the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA). While with Cal/EPA, Hazel handled matters relating to water and soil contamination and automotive issues for the Schwarzenegger Administration.
Pamela Onyekaba
Corporate Counsel
Intuit Inc.
Pamela Onyekaba is Corporate Counsel at Intuit in the Transactions and Marketing Legal group. Pamela regularly advises Intuit’s business units on marketing and acquisition activities, and helps teams identify and resolve potential legal and business risks. In her role she also drafts and negotiates a variety of commercial agreements and end user terms of service. Prior to joining Intuit, Pamela worked at Wells Fargo in the Wholesale Banking Division. Her responsibilities included negotiating a variety of agreements with securities and foreign exchange clients and managing related legal, operational, and regulatory compliance matters. Pamela earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities and J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School.
Angela Reddock-Wright
Founder & Managing Partner
Reddock Law Group
A practicing attorney for nearly 25 years and named a “Best Lawyer in America” for employment and labor law, Angela Reddock-Wright is an employment and labor law mediator, arbitrator, workplace, and Title IX investigator, and the Founder & Managing Partner of the Reddock Law Group based in Los Angeles. In addition to her own firm, Angela is on the panel of mediators and arbitrators at Judicate West, a private dispute resolution firm. She also is on the mediation panel for the United States District Court, Central District.
Angela is a past president for the Southern California Mediation Association and a former Member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Board of Trustees. She has published and contributed to numerous legal articles in the course of her career and is a frequent speaker and commentator on employment and labor law topics.
In addition to her life as a lawyer, Angela is committed to public and community service and has served on numerous government and public agency boards, including the State of California Board of Barbering & Cosmetology, the Los Angeles County Small Business Commission & Local Government Oversight Commission, and the City of Los Angeles Transportation Commission. She also has served on numerous non-profit boards.
Angela considers herself a global citizen and travels abroad frequently in her personal life. She also has been fortunate to be a part of travel delegations as a German Marshall Fellow to Europe and the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles Fellowship to Israel.
Angela is passionate about using her skills as a mediator, arbitrator, and workplace investigator to help employers and employees create great and healthy workplaces.
Shahiedah Shabazz
Associate
Arent Fox LLP
Shahiedah is a cannabis attorney at Arent Fox LLP, where she advises businesses throughout California on compliance with local and state cannabis laws and supports deals involving the merger and acquisition of cannabis businesses. Before joining Arent Fox, Shahiedah worked at the Los Angeles County Counsel’s Office, where she helped to develop local cannabis policy, monitored developments in cannabis law and policy within federal, state and local government agencies, and prosecuted unlicensed dispensaries. Shahiedah has also worked as a deputy city attorney to several Southern California cities, where she focused on land use, the California Environmental Quality Act and litigation.
Shahiedah also is a land use attorney at Arent Fox, advising property owners and developers on zoning and facilitating entitlement of multi-family residential and commercial projects throughout California. She is a Chicago native and alumnus of Florida A&M University, Harvard Law School (JD), and Woodbury University (MBA).
Arlene R. Yang
Principal
Meyers Nave, P.C.
Arlene Yang is a Principal at Meyers Nave based in San Diego. Arlene advises companies on employment law issues, including wage and hour matters, leave issues, reasonable accommodations for disabilities, and employment policies. She conducts workplace investigations and provides strategic advice to human resources managers. She also specializes in litigation in state and federal court. Arlene is an experienced presenter on current employment laws, COVID-19, and issues relating to implicit bias, discrimination, and harassment. Arlene has a passion for supporting performing arts organizations and currently serves as Board President of transcenDANCE Youth Arts Project. https://www.meyersnave.com/attorney/arlene-yang/