Introducing Our Newest SVUDL Board Member, Carrie Williamson!

Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not. SVUDL’s newest board member Carrie Williamson understands this first hand.  She grew up in a small, rural town in Ohio and benefited immensely from two professors who changed her life in college by mentoring her and teaching her about critical thinking and public speaking. She is committed to similarly helping mentor students and developing opportunities so they can find career paths that they might not have known about otherwise.

As the Deputy Managing Partner for DLA Piper’s East Palo Alto office and a Partner in their patent litigation group, Carrie tries patent infringement cases. She first connected with SVUDL through her work as a member of the ChIPs Silicon Valley Advisory Board, a non-profit organization that connects and advances women in technology, law and policy. Carrie has led ChIPs Silicon Valley’s ALI (Advocacy, Leadership, Innovation) programs for female-identifying high school students to introduce them to different legal careers, areas of law, and other  women leaders. Carrie also created a three-week summer program in 2014 for the Boys & Girls Club in East Palo Alto where high school students argued contract interpretation issues in a courtroom.

Carrie’s career pathway is a shining example of innovative ways to support students to uncover and hone the power of their voices, so they can confidently step into their full potential as professional and community leaders.

Welcome, Carrie!