Navigating Federal Executive Orders: Legal and Research Implications (A/A & OGC)

Speaker Bio

Denise Barton

Denise Barton is the Chief Deputy General Counsel for the University of Massachusetts and has worked for the University since 2012. Denise has practiced law since 1994 and her prior position includes being a partner in a litigation firm, specializing in complex commercial litigation. 

Denise holds a JD from University of Akron School of Law and a BA from Bates College.

Tejal Patel

Tejal Patel serves as the Associate Counsel, Immigration for the UMass President’s Office. She has worked for the University since March of 2022. Her prior positions include:

• Assistant Director of Career Services at New England Law | Boston
• Associate Attorney at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
• Associate Attorney at McCarter & English LLP.

Tejal holds a J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law and a B.A from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 

Julia Low

Julia Low is Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to the General Counsel in the Office of General Counsel. She joined the President’s Office about a year ago. Her prior positions include: 

• Civil litigation and clerked for Justice Gaziano at the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts.

Julia received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Connecticut, a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs from Boston College, and a JD from New England Law | Boston.  

Nefertiti A. Walker

Nefertiti A. Walker serves as the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Equity at the Presidents Office. Her prior positions include:

• Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion at the UMass Amherst campus,
• Associate dean for an inclusive organization in the university’s Isenberg School of Management.

She is a tenured Professor at Isenberg, teaching leadership, organizational behavior, sport development, and DEI in business. She serves on the Healey-Driscoll Advisory Council to Advance Representation in Education and is a research fellow with the North American Society for Sport Management.

Walker earned her Ph.D. from the University of Florida. She received her bachelor’s and master’s (MBA) degrees from Stetson University.

Andrew Karberg

Andrew Karberg is currently an Associate Counsel and Director of Compliance in the Office of General Counsel at University of Massachusetts. He has over 20 years of experience working in higher education focusing on research and compliance.  

Andrew has a master’s degree in philosophy with a concentration in ethics. When he’s not working, you’ll find him coaching sports, enjoying his family, and minding the barbeque pit..

Dr. Gabriela C. Weaver

Dr. Gabriela C. Weaver serves as the Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs and Research for the UMass President’s Office. She has worked in the field of higher education for more than three decades. Her prior positions include:

• Vice Provost for Faculty Development at University of Massachusetts Amherst.
• Assistant Dean for Student Success at University of Massachusetts Amherst.
• Professor of Chemistry at University of Massachusetts Amherst

Dr. Weaver holds a Doctorate in Chemical Physics from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena.  

Dr. Weaver’s commitment to education extends beyond the university setting. She has been actively involved in national organizations and professional associations, serving on study committees for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and as a counselor for the Chemical Education Division of the American Chemical Society.   

Sheree M. Ohen

Sheree M. Ohen, J.D. is the inaugural Assistant Vice President of Equity and Access at the UMass President’s Office, where she leads systemwide efforts to advance equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Her previous position include: 

• Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at Amherst College
• Associate Dean at Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences
• Chief Officer of Diversity and Inclusion at Clark University
• Campus Diversity Officer at the University of California, Santa Cruz
• Diversity and Inclusion Program manager at the University of California, San Francisco
• Attorney specializing in criminal and employment law and civil rights litigation.

Sheree holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law. She is also a frequent guest lecturer and keynote speaker on inclusive excellence.