Leadership Board

Austin Gaines, Executive Vice President

Austin Gaines ’25 is from Bakersfield, California. He graduated as a Chancellor’s Scholar from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2022, where he studied Political Science and Religious Studies. 1L summer was spent with Rembolt Ludtke in Lincoln, Nebraska. Outside of the Federalist Society, Austin is an Assistant Development Editor on the Journal of Law and Politics, the President of UVA Law Republicans, and an avid softball player. 

Connor Fitzpatrick, Vice President for Speakers

Connor Fitzpatrick ’25 is from Arlington, Virginia. A proud Double-Hoo, Connor graduated in 2019 with a degree in Economics. Before law school, he worked in Financial Services in the D.C. area. Outside of the Federalist Society, Connor is involved with Moot Court, Virginia Law Families and Partners, Law Christian Fellowship, and doing research for a professor. Connor spent his 1L summer interning for the Honorable Trevor N. McFadden at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He currently serves on the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review. He will clerk for the Honorable Stephanos Bibas of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit after graduation.

Faith Chudkowski, Vice President for Communications

Faith Chudkowski ’25 grew up in Sayreville, New Jersey. She graduated summa cum laude in 2022 from Liberty University with dual degrees in History and Government. Faith spent her 1L summer interning for the Honorable Paul B. Matey of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and serving as a Research Assistant for Professor G. Mitu Gulati. Outside of the Federalist Society, she serves on the managing board of the Virginia Journal of International Law and is involved with Virginia Law Women, Common Law Grounds, and the National Security Law Forum. 

Rachel Thompson, Vice President for Special Events

Rachel Thompson ’25 is from San Antonio, Texas. She graduated from Texas A&M University in 2017, where she studied Political Science and Philosophy. Before law school, she worked for two Congressmen in the U.S. House of Representatives as a policy advisor for healthcare, education, tax, and immigration issues and assisted members on the House Appropriations Committee. She then transitioned to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims as a judicial assistant to Judge Eleni M. Roumel. During her 1L summer, she served as a Research Assistant for Professor Ruth Mason and returned to Judge Roumel’s Chambers as a legal intern. Outside of the Federalist Society, Rachel is an Assistant Articles Editor for the Journal of Law and Politics and a member of Virginia Law Women.

Ann Kreuscher, Vice President for Faculty Relations

Ann Kreuscher ’25 is from Atwater, California. She graduated from California State University Fresno in 2022, where she studied Political Science, History, and Philosophy. She spent her 1L summer interning for Judge Sean D. Jordan on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Outside of the Federalist Society, Ann is the Assistant Managing Editor for the Virginia Tax Review. She will clerk for the Honorable Michael J. Truncale of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in 2025 and the Honorable Kurt D. Engelhardt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in 2026.

David Reed, Vice President for Finances

David Reed ’25 is from Vienna, Virginia and Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from Harding University in 2022, where he studied Finance and Business Management. He spent his 1L summer as a Summer Associate with Kirkland & Ellis in Dallas, TX. Outside of the Federalist Society, David is the VP for Speakers of the Law Christian Fellowship, the VP of Research for Rivanna Investments, the Treasurer of the North Grounds Track Club, and a member of the Editorial Board for the Virginia Law & Business Review.

Kyle Ziemnick, Vice President for Membership

Kyle Ziemnick ’25 is from Purcellville, Virginia. He graduated summa cum laude from Patrick Henry College with a degree in journalism. Before law school, he worked for two years at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute in Wilmington, Delaware. Kyle spent his 1L summer interning for the Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He currently serves on the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review. He will clerk for the Honorable Amul R. Thapar on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit after graduation. Outside of law school, he is a husband, a father, and a devoted Detroit Lions fan.

Hunter Heck, Vice President for Professional Development

Hunter Heck ’24 is from Panhandle, TX. She graduated summa cum laude and as Highest-Ranking Graduate from Texas Tech University with a B.A. in Philosophy and Spanish. She spent her 1L summer at the Office of the Solicitor General of Texas in Austin, TX and her 2L summer at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Dallas, TX. Outside of the Federalist Society, Hunter is an Articles Development Editor for the Virginia Law Review, a finalist (competing November 2023) in the William Minor Lile Moot Court Competition, and a research assistant. After graduation, she will clerk for the Honorable Don R. Willett on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Honorable Evan A. Young on the Supreme Court of Texas. 

Ben Buell, Clerkships Chair

Ben Buell ’24 is from Richmond, Virginia. He graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia in 2019, where he studied history and national security policy. Ben spent his 1L summer with the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and his 2L summer with the Organized Crime and Gang Section of the U.S. Department of Justice. Outside of the Federalist Society, he is an Executive Editor for the Virginia Law Review, a research assistant for Professor Saikrishna Prakash, and a Guest Executive Editor for the Texas Review of Law & Politics. Following graduation, he will clerk for the Honorable Ryan D. Nelson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Honorable James Wesley Hendrix of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Jake Rinear, Organizational Outreach Chair

Jake Rinear ’24 grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended the University of Notre Dame, graduating magna cum laude in 2020.  For one year before law school, Jake worked at a law firm in Raleigh, North Carolina. At UVA, Jake is an Articles Editor for the Virginia Law Review and a competitor on the Extramural Moot Court team. Jake spent his 1L summer as an intern for the Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and he spent his 2L summer with Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C. After graduation, he will clerk for the Honorable Thomas M. Hardiman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Christopher Pavlinec, Mentorship Chair

Christopher Pavlinec ’24 is from Mendham, New Jersey. He graduated from College of Charleston in 2020, where he studied Political Science with a Concentration in Politics, Philosophy, and Law. He spent his 1L summer interning for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia in Savannah, GA, and his 2L summer at Gunster in Jacksonville, FL. Outside of the Federalist Society, Christopher is a Lead Articles Editor for the Journal of Law & Politics and loves to play guitar. After graduation, he hopes to work in the Southeast as a trial and appellate lawyer.

Audrey Payne, Alumni Relations Chair

Audrey Payne ’24 is from San Antonio, Texas. She graduated summa cum laude as a Chancellor’s Scholar and Honors Laureate from Texas Christian University with dual degrees in Political Science and Music. She spent her 1L summer as a Summer Associate with Vinson & Elkins LLP in Dallas, TX, and her 2L summer at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Washington, D.C. At UVA, she is an Articles Editor of the Virginia Law Review, Vice President of Communications for the St. Thomas More Society, and a finalist (competing November 2023) in the William Minor Lile Moot Court Competition. After graduation, she will clerk for the Honorable Andrew Oldham of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Honorable Trevor McFadden of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Trevor Hoogendoorn, Symposium Chair

Trevor Hoogendoorn ’25 is from Elmhurst, Illinois. He graduated summa cum laude from Baylor University in 2021, where he studied economics, finance, and mathematics. He spent his 1L summer interning for the Honorable Trevor N. McFadden on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Outside of the Federalist Society, Trevor is President of the Law Christian Fellowship, serves on the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review, and is a faithful member of his section’s softball team. He will clerk for the Honorable Julius N. Richardson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit after graduation.

Shannon Bader, Women’s Outreach Chair

Shannon Bader ’24 is from the Bronx, New York. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in 2016 where she majored in Accounting and Political Science. Before law school, she worked for Ernst & Young and PKF O’Connor Davies in New York doing financial services work.  She also earned a master’s degree in International Economics from Fordham University in 2020. Shannon spent her 1L summer as a judicial intern for the Honorable Chad F. Kenney on the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and her 2L summer working in the D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She is a Notes Editor for the Virginia Law Review and a member of Virginia Law Women. After graduation, she will clerk for the Honorable Daniel A. Bress of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Honorable Amul R. Thapar on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Rajan Vasisht, Scholarship Chair

Rajan Vasisht ’24 graduated from The George Washington University in 2019 with majors in Political Science and Economics. During college, he interned at the Federalist Society’s national headquarters, the Supreme Court Curator’s Office, and the House of Representatives. Before coming to law school, he worked as the Aide to Chambers for Justice Clarence Thomas at the Supreme Court. He is currently a Lead Executive Editor for the Journal of Law and Politics. During his 1L summer, he worked as a legal intern at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. He spent his 2L summer at Jones Day in Washington, D.C., and is currently serving as a Research Assistant to Professor Julia Mahoney. He will clerk for the Honorable Kevin Newsom of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in 2025 and the Honorable Kathryn Kimball Mizelle of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in 2026.