Class Notes

Brandi Pikes, JD ’18, was named as states counsel for President Joe Biden’s campaign. Pikes is providing legal advice and guidance on employment, contracts, campaign finance and other matters. Previously, Pikes worked as an associate attorney at Winston & Strawn and served as a federal law clerk for Vanessa D. Gilmore, then a U.S. district judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Kaiwen Ku, MArch ’18, MLArch ’18, was promoted to associate at CO Architects in Los Angeles. She has worked on projects at UCI Health and Wichita State University.

Karen Hinkley, JD ’18, joined Davis Hartman Wright as a partner in the firm’s litigation and appellate practice groups. In December 2023, Hinkley was admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina and certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. She was named to the 2024 North Carolina Rising Stars list in the business litigation practice area and honored as Business North Carolina’s 2024 Legal Elite for her appellate law practice.

Christine Montero, MSW ’17, is currently working at an abortion fund in the South and has been interviewed by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal about Florida’s six-week abortion ban.

Ophelia Yuting Ji, MArch ’17, MLArch ’17, was promoted toassociate at CO Architects in Los Angeles. Since joining the firm in 2018, she has worked on complex projects for Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser Permanente, LAUSD and UCLA.

Miquela Ibrao, MPH ’17, MSW ’17, graduated with a PhD in public health from the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa in December 2023. His dissertation was titled “Age-Friendly Health Systems and Cultural Relevancy: Exploring the Geriatrics 4Ms Model with Native Hawaiian Elders.”

Kyle Brandt-Lubart, MSW ’15, has a new public art installation titled “Remnants, Shadows & Pathways” in Dutchtown, St. Louis’ new VAL Pocket Park. The installation’s aim is to honor the community’s heart, soul and grit through visual storytelling. The piece utilizes discarded objects all found within the Dutchtown footprint to create an assemblage sculpture inspired by the neighborhood’s history and nuanced identity.

Garrett Allen, MBA ’15, was named senior vice president of business development at HCA Midwest Health in Kansas City. He will lead efforts to develop the HCA Midwest Health network and partner with administrators and physicians to drive growth in volume, market share and earnings. Previously, Allen was executive director of physician integration and strategy at Missouri Baptist Medical Center and helped develop and deploy the initial phases of a multimillion-dollar strategic campus plan.

Diane Hemphill, MA ’13, is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer of North Macedonia, having served from 2016 to 2018. Returned Peace Corps Volunteers keep serving throughout their lives.

Sarah L. Nirenberg, JD ’13, attorney and shareholder at Butzel, was named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Go To Lawyers for Employment Law.” The program honors leading lawyers in a particular field of law as nominated by their peers. Nirenberg specializes in representing employers for litigation in all areas of employment law, including statutory claims under federal and state law for discrimination, harassment, retaliation and payment of wages.