Award Winner Biographies 2024

WWCDA Awards Gala 2024 taking place at the Conrad Hotel on November 28

Congratulations to the 2024 WWCDA Award Honorees
Find their full biographies here.

The Honorable Valerie E. Caproni

Jake Phillips on behalf of GE Aerospace

Rachel Gonzalez on behalf of GE Vernova

Joanelle O'Cleirigh

WWCDA Champion Award

The Honorable Valerie E. Caproni

United States District Court Judge for the Southern District of New York

Valerie Caproni became a United States District Court Judge in the Southern District of New York on January 6, 2014.

Prior to becoming a District Court Judge, Ms. Caproni held a wide variety of positions in the private and public sectors. She began her legal career in Atlanta, Georgia, clerking for the Hon. Phyllis Kravitch, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Following her clerkship, she was a litigation associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, General Counsel and Senior Vice President of the New York State Urban Development Corp, Regional Director of the Pacific Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission, General Counsel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Deputy General Counsel (Litigation and Investigations) and Vice President of Northrop Grumman Corp.

Judge Caproni graduated from Newcomb College of Tulane University with a B.A., magna cum laude, in 1976 and received her J.D., summa cum laude, from University of Georgia School of Law in 1979. At University of Georgia she served as Research Editor for the Georgia Law Review and was inducted into Order of the Coif.

WWCDA Group Award

Phillips

Jake Phillips

Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

on behalf of GE Aerospace

Jake Phillips is Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of GE Aerospace. In this role, Jake leads the global legal, compliance, and security teams for the company. Prior to joining GE Aerospace in 2023, Jake served at the White House as Deputy Counsel to the President and Legal Advisor to the National Security Council (NSC). He previously spent 13 years at Boeing, most recently as Vice President, Corporate Secretary, and Assistant General Counsel, with responsibility for legal matters related to corporate governance, securities, and finance. Earlier in his career, Jake served in the U.S. Department of Justice, in private practice, and as a law clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge J. Michael Luttig of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Jake is a graduate of Duke University and the University of Chicago Law School. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, and previously served on the Board of Directors of the USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore.

Rachel Gonzalez

Group Vice President, General Counsel

on behalf of GE Vernova

Rachel Gonzalez is the Group Vice President and General Counsel at GE Vernova, where she leads the global law and policy organization, including government affairs, ethics, and compliance. She also serves as Corporate Secretary to GE Vernova’s Board of Directors and sits on the Board of the GE Vernova Foundation.

Rachel joined GE Vernova in 2023 from Starbucks Coffee Corporation, where she was EVP, Corporate Affairs, and General Counsel, overseeing legal, regulatory, and compliance functions, as well as global security and data privacy. She played an active role in shaping Starbucks’ growth strategy.

Before Starbucks, Rachel was Chief Administrative Officer at Sabre Corporation, leading HR, corporate communications, legal strategy, and regulatory affairs. She also served as EVP, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at Dean Foods.

Rachel spent 10 years as a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in New York and London. She serves on the board of Electronic Arts and advises PODER25, a Hispanic National Bar Association initiative. Rachel holds a Law degree and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

GE Aerospace

GE Verona

GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) is a global aerospace propulsion, services, and systems leader with an installed base of approximately 44,000 commercial and 26,000 military aircraft engines. With a global team of 52,000 employees building on more than a century of innovation and learning, GE Aerospace is committed to inventing the future of flight, lifting people up, and bringing them home safely. Learn more about how GE Aerospace and its partners are defining flight for today, tomorrow and the future at www.geaerospace.com. 

GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE: GEV) is a purpose-built global energy company that includes Power, Wind, and Electrification segments and is supported by its accelerator businesses. Building on over 130 years of experience tackling the world’s challenges, GE Vernova is uniquely positioned to help lead the energy transition by continuing to electrify the world while simultaneously working to decarbonize it. GE Vernova helps customers power economies and deliver electricity that is vital to health, safety, security, and improved quality of life. GE Vernova is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., with approximately 75,000 employees across 100+ countries around the world. Supported by the Company’s purpose, The Energy to Change the World, GE Vernova technology helps deliver a more affordable, reliable, sustainable, and secure energy future. Learn more: GE Vernova and LinkedIn.

Joanelle O'Cleirigh

Partner, Litigation, Disputes Resolution and Investigations

Arthur Cox, LLP

WWCDA Roles: Europe & Latin America Regions, Vice-Chair; Executive Committee, Member; Chapters Committee, Co-Chair; Diversity Committee, Member; Ireland Chapter, Chapter Leader

Joanelle O’Cleirigh is a partner in the Litigation, Dispute Resolution and Investigations Group and is co-head of the White Collar: Litigation and Investigations Group at Arthur Cox LLP in Ireland. Joanelle’s experience includes advising clients on: complex litigation; the conduct of investigations and inquiries; some of Ireland’s most significant Tribunals of Inquiry, Commissions of Investigation; and on some of the most complex and sensitive corporate investigations. She is known for her experience and expertise advising on criminal, fraud and asset recovery, regulatory and internal investigations, and on reporting obligations, protected disclosures (whistleblowing), and anti-bribery and anti-corruption regulations.

Joanelle is the Irish member of ICC Fraudnet, a founding member and Chapter Leader of the Ireland Chapter of the Women White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA), Co-chair of the European and Latin American Regions of the WWCDA and Chair of the Standards and Procedures Committee of FraudNet. In 2022, Joanelle was appointed by the Irish Government to represent the Business and Financial sectors on the newly established Advisory Council against Economic Crime and Corruption.

Wendy Wysong

Managing Partner of the Hong Kong Office and Co-Leader of the Investigations and White-Collar Defense Practice Group

Steptoe LLP

WWCDA Roles: Asia Pacific Region, Vice Chair; Diversity Committee, Member; Monitor/Receiver Committee, Member; Hong Kong Chapter, Co-Chair; Washington DC Chapter, Member

Wendy Wysong established our WWCDA chapter in Hong Kong over a decade ago, recognizing that women lawyers actually dominated the field of White Collar law in Hong Kong and China at the time. She has been based in Hong Kong for over 13 years, specializing in regulatory compliance and white-collar defense of international laws, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), US sanctions laws and regulations administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and US anti-boycott laws, as well as the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). She represents clients throughout the United States and Asia, particularly regarding issues arising from the various US government "blacklists," including the Department of Commerce Entity List and OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals List.

Ranked as a Band-1 practitioner by Chambers in its Asia Pacific and Global guides, clients report that Wendy "has unrivalled expertise in the investigations and regulatory space. Her experience in the US government and clout in the industry has been extremely valuable in helping us navigate the ever-changing regulatory landscape. She provides invaluable insights into the mindsets and policy directions of regulators, prosecutors and other investigative bodies, and is able to advise us based on the breadth of knowledge and experience over decades of her career."

Wendy opened Steptoe’s Hong Kong office and continues as the managing partner, as well as co-leading Steptoe’s global Investigations and White-Collar Defense practice group. Her extensive experience includes serving as an Assistant US Attorney in Washington and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement in the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS).

Wendy's influence extends beyond her professional achievements. She is a tireless advocate for women in the legal profession, dedicating time and effort to mentor and coach many women. Her leadership, support, and constructive feedback have been invaluable to those she mentors. Wendy is a firm believer in equality, treating everyone from paralegals to clients with kindness and respect. Her leadership style is one of empathy and authenticity; she supports others unwaveringly, even in the face of opposition. She consistently provides practical advice and is always ready to lend a helping hand, be it through business referrals, introductions, or cheering on others' successes. Through her actions and mentorship, Wendy illustrates how individuals can contribute to the advancement of their colleagues and the broader profession.

WWCDA Catherine M. O’Neil
Mentoring Award

Paulette M. Pagán
Partner

Price Benowitz LLP

WWCDA Roles: Washington DC Chapter, Member

Paulette M. Pagán is a Partner at Price Benowitz LLP. With her extensive experience, she represents clients facing a wide array of charges, from violent street offenses to complex white-collar investigations and charges. Her clients range from CEOs accused of major government contracting fraud to alleged leaders of international drug trafficking organizations. She takes great pride in establishing effective communication and rapport with her clients, recognizing the personal toll and stress associated with facing criminal charges.

Paulette has tried numerous jury and bench trials throughout her career. In one particularly complex white-collar major fraud jury trial, she meticulously reviewed millions of documents and tackled the intricate web of government contracting regulations. When one of her clients faced life imprisonment on multiple violent charges, her zealous and passionate representation led to a complete acquittal.

Before establishing herself in Washington, D.C., Paulette dedicated years of her career to serving the indigent community of St. Louis County, Missouri, as a Public Defender. Her exemplary work earned her the opportunity to guest lecture at the University of Missouri - St. Louis.

Paulette serves on the Board of Directors for My Little Patient, Inc., an international nonprofit that provides medical care to underdeveloped communities. She also enjoys judging mock trials for local undergraduate and law schools.

Paulette is of Puerto Rican descent and works seamlessly with clients in both Spanish and English. She has earned recognition as one of the Top 40 Under 40 trial lawyers in criminal defense by the National Trial Lawyers and has also been named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers.

WWCDA Justice Ginsburg
Law Student Award

Edith Leghorn

Candidate for Juris Doctor, 2025

Boston University School of Law

Edie was born and raised in the Boston area. She attended Bowdoin College in Maine, where she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in History in 2014. It was at Bowdoin, and through the Bowdoin Outing Club, that her passion for the outdoors began in earnest. Most weekends were spent exploring the woods and waters of Maine, gaining skills and certifications in backcountry navigation, wilderness medicine, kayaking guiding, and the like. Prior to law school, she spent almost a decade in Sitka, Alaska working for the Forest Service as a Wilderness Ranger and Forestry Technician. Through this work she traveled across Southeast Alaska, working and collaborating with nonprofits, community partners, tribal organizations, and small businesses.

Edie received a full tuition scholarship to Boston University School of Law and is expected to graduate in 2025. During her time in law school, Edie has worked internships at Alaska Legal Services Corporation, Earthjustice’s Alaska Office, and the Alaska Federal Public Defender’s Office. Edie is passionate about providing legal services to underserved rural communities and pursuing public interest work in Alaska. In her free time, Edie can be found hiking with her black lab Alpine, harvesting wild foods, and cooking with friends.

Master of Ceremonies

Karen Seymour
Partner, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

WWCDA Roles: New York Chapter, Member

Karen Patton Seymour is a partner of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and a member of the Firm’s Management Committee, and former co-managing partner of the Litigation Group. Her practice focuses on crisis management, complex commercial litigation, white-collar criminal defense and internal investigations.

Karen rejoined the Firm from Goldman Sachs, where she served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel and was a member of the Management Committee. She oversaw the firm’s strategy and served as a key advisor to the firm across a wide variety of legal, reputational and other matters.

From 2002 to 2004, Karen served as Chief of the Criminal Division for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, where she oversaw all criminal investigations and prosecutions in the district. From 1990 to 1996, she prosecuted a wide variety of cases and served as Chief of the General Crimes Unit in the Office.

About The WWCDA Awards

The prestigious WWCDA Awards recognize their tremendous contributions in support of women and diversity in the white collar field of law. Learn more about these distinguished awards, including prior recipients.

Interested in supporting the mission of WWCDA and our award winners? Learn how to become a sponsor today.