Joseph Atchulo
Recruitment Programs Manager

jatchulo@american.edu

Joseph Atchulo serves as the Recruitment Programs Manager in the Office of Career & Professional Development. Before joining OCPD, he worked as the Program Coordinator for the Community Service-Learning Program (CSLP) at American University’s Center for Leadership and Community Engagement (CLCE). In this role, Joseph managed partnerships with local nonprofits, developed service-learning opportunities for students, and coordinated Community-Based projects that connected academic learning with civic engagement.

He also co-founded Sight for the Rural Child, a nonprofit dedicated to providing free eye screenings for children in underserved communities in Ghana.

With a wealth of experience in program development, strategic partnerships, and community engagement, Joseph is committed to driving impactful initiatives.

He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) in Nonprofit Management from American University in Washington, D.C., and an MSc in Economics from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana.

Rachel Janger

Career counselor

rjanger@wcl.american.edu

Rachel Janger joined the Office of Career & Professional Development as a Career Counselor in 2022. Prior to joining the OCPD team, Rachel practiced at O’Melveny & Myers’ DC office as a Senior Counsel in the Labor and Employment practice group. Rachel also worked as a Counsel at Crowell & Moring and clerked for the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Rachel brings to her role as Career Counselor a passion for mentoring and guiding students toward achieving their career goals.

Rachel received her Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania.

Sector-specific Counseling Specializations: Large Law Firms; Clerkships

Areas of Special Interest: Labor & Employment, Bankruptcy, Pro Bono Representation, Social Justice, LGBTQIA+, Diversity & Inclusion

Maruja Kiener

Career Advisor, LL.M. & International students

mkiener@wcl.american.edu

Maruja Kiener serves as the Career Advisor for LL.M. and International Students at American University Washington College of Law. Previously, she was the Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions, during which she traveled to various countries in Latin America and Europe. In this role, she connected with alumni and gained valuable insights into different educational systems and job markets as part of her recruitment efforts.

While on Optional Practical Training (OPT), Maruja worked as a Foreign Legal Consultant for a prestigious law firm in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining AUWCL in November 2022, she also assisted a boutique law firm with domestic litigation cases under Title III of the Helms-Burton Act.

Maruja holds an LL.B. in Spanish Law with a minor in Anglo-American Law from the University of Navarra, Spain. Additionally, she has earned an LL.M. in Intellectual Property from The George Washington University Law School and an LL.M. in International Arbitration and Business Law from AUWCL.

Sector-specific Counseling Specializations: Large Law firms; Small and Mid-size Law Firms; International Organizations; Non-Profit Organizations.

Areas of Special Interest: International Arbitration; Mediation; Promotion of Access to Higher Education; Diversity & Inclusion; Latin American Politics

Daniela Kraiem

Assistant Dean for Career and Professional Development

(202) 274-4249
kraiem@wcl.american.edu

Dean Kraiem joined the Washington College of Law in 2006.  She is the Assistant Dean for the Office of Career and Professional Development, collaborating with the staff and faculty of the Washington College of Law to connect students and alumni with professional development and employment opportunities across all legal sectors.  In addition, she holds a faculty appointment as a Practitioner-in-Residence. 

Prior to joining the Washington College of Law, Professor Kraiem represented unions and employees in labor and employment matters as an Associate with McCarthy, Johnson, and Miller in San Francisco.  As a staff attorney at the non-profit Child Care Law Center, she specialized in employment and workforce development.  She holds a BA in History from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a JD from the University of California, Davis, School of Law. 

Sector-specific Counseling Specializations: Non-profit; Small Firms

Areas of Special Interest: Women’s Rights, LGBTQ Rights, Labor & Employment, ERISA, Public Interest, Poverty Law, Human Rights, Law & Development, Public Policy

Ruth Schultz

Program Coordinator

rschultz@wcl.american.edu

As Program Coordinator for the Office of Career & Professional Development, Ruth manages OCPD's events, front desk operations, communications, and student workers. Ruth is the primary point of contact for students, visitors, and employers. Prior to joining OCPD, they served as the Administrative Assistant for WCL's Legal Rhetoric Program. Ruth received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics from Princeton University.

Raquel Skinner

assistant director for employer relations

(202) 274-4166
rskinner@wcl.american.edu

Raquel Skinner is the Assistant Director for Employer Relations for the Office of Career & Professional Development. In addition to career counseling, Raquel engages in strategic outreach to private- and public-sector legal employers to cultivate relationships and identify and develop new job opportunities for WCL students and alumni.

Raquel has accumulated significant experience within the private and public sectors. Prior to joining WCL, Raquel was an Adjunct Professor and Staff Attorney in the Harrison Institute for Affordable Housing Transactions at the Georgetown University Law Center and an Associate General Counsel at Fannie Mae. Raquel began her legal career serving on real estate and general corporate litigation and transaction matters at several major firms.

Raquel received her Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, from Spelman College and her Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.  

Sector-specific Counseling Specializations: Large Law Firms; Small, Mid-size & Boutique Law Firms; In-house Positions; JD Advantage Positions

Areas of Special Interest: Diversity, Inclusion & Affinity Career Development; Corporate & Real Estate Law

Jai Smith-Avery

Senior Data Manager & Professional Development Advisor

(202) 274-4453
jsavery@wcl.american.edu

Jai Smith-Avery is OCPD’s Senior Data Manager & Professional Development Advisor. Jai spent nearly 10 years in the non-profit sector as a researcher and analyst, focusing primarily on the participation and achievements of faculty and students from underrepresented groups (e.g., women, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). He also brings to the OCPD team his experience as a social media coordinator, podcast producer, internship program director, and teacher/school administrator. Jai graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

Sector-specific Counseling Specializations: Post-graduate Employment, JD Advantage Positions

Areas of Special Interest: Professional Skill Development, Job Search Strategy, Student Agency, Goal-setting

Emily sommers

Career Counselor

sommers@wcl.american.edu

Emily Sommers serves as a Career Counselor within the Office of Career & Professional Development. Prior to joining the Washington College of Law, Emily was part of the public interest career advising team at Duke University School of Law.

Emily’s legal career has focused primarily on public-interest litigation. After earning her law degree, Emily worked for several years at Earthjustice where she litigated environmental and public health cases, primarily before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Subsequently, Emily worked at the Federal Trade Commission where she brought consumer protection cases to shut down online and robocall scams. Emily is a graduate of Duke University School of Law and obtained her undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis, where she studied mathematics and computer science.
 

Sector-specific Counseling Specializations: Non-profits; Government; Plaintiff’s Firms; Criminal Law

Areas of Special Interest: Government & Public Interest Litigation; Environmental Law; Mental Health; Inclusivity in the Legal Profession

Kerry Stotler

Career counselor

kstotler@wcl.american.edu

Kerry Stotler joined the Office of Career & Professional Development as a Career Counselor in 2021. Kerry is a Washington College of Law Alumnus, receiving her Juris Doctor in 2009. Prior to joining the OCPD team, Kerry worked as the Program Manager for Fellowships at Equal Justice Works where she managed the nation’s largest post-graduate legal fellowship program. In her role at Equal Justice Works, she advised law students on their fellowship applications and Fellows on career and professional development. Throughout her legal career, Kerry worked as an associate for a number of DC law firms, specializing in Communications Law. This combination of experiences gives Kerry a strong background in both the public and private sectors.

In addition to her Juris Doctor from WCL, Kerry received her Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from Dickinson College and her Master of Science in Arts Administration from Shenandoah University.

Sector-specific Counseling Specializations: Public Interest, Non-profit, Mid-size & Boutique Law Firms

Areas of Special Interest: Social Justice, Women’s Rights, LGBTQ+ Rights, Mental Health Law, Voting Rights