21st Annual Diversity Symposium Dinner
Moderator
The Hon. Braxton Howard Cloutiér L'19 (he/him/his/él) is a trial attorney and immigration law practitioner from Chapel Hill, NC. An avid runner, he has always been invested in advocacy and community building, whether through fitness, arts, or the pursuit of justice. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Romance Languages (Spanish) at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC, he completed two years of AmeriCorps service. During his time at RWU Law, Braxton was President of the Student Bar Association, a CALI Award winner in Trial Advocacy, a member of the Trial Team, and the 2019 Public Interest Award recipient. Additionally, he was a student attorney at the Roger Williams University School of Law Criminal Defense Clinic and interned at several Public Defender offices.
Before joining BDV Solutions, Attorney Cloutiér honed his legal skills as a Public Defender in Colorado and as a staff attorney for the Immigrant Coalition of Rhode Island. Braxton focuses his practice on connecting folks from around the world with US-based employers who have hiring needs. He also represents asylum seekers and other folks on their journey to become lawful permanent residents or citizens of the US.
When Braxton is not in court, he volunteers with several organizations committed to uplifting and supporting the Black and Latino community, including Progreso Latino and YouthBuild Providence. Braxton has been serving as the President of the Barrington Town Council since December 2, 2024. In 2022, Braxton was elected to the Barrington Town Council for a 4-year term. He is the first Black elected official in Barrington, RI, where he lives with his husband Randy and their twin sons Seth and Jacob.
Panelists
Todd D. Amaral: Litigation Associate, Adler Pollock & Sheehan 
Todd D. Amaral is a litigation associate at Adler Pollock & Sheehan where he assists clients with energy, environmental, and maritime issues, along with financial and business disputes.
Previously, Todd interned with Judge Brian Stern of the Rhode Island Superior Court Business Calendar and in the offshore wind industry. He has written extensively on legal issues related to offshore wind, including project financing, permitting, maritime law, and the jurisdiction of disputes on the Outer Continental Shelf. In addition, he has written about and presented on sustainable finance and ESG issues.
During law school, Todd served as a Notes and Comments Editor for the Roger Williams University Law Review and as a Sea Grant Law Fellow for the Marine Affairs Institute. Todd also has an M.B.A. from Providence College and a B.A. in International Relations from Boston University.
Chris Gaynor: Climate Justice Specialist
Originally from South Florida, Chris is more than happy to call himself a “swamp child”. Prior to joining the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), Chris had served in the Peace Corps in Tanzania and served in AmeriCorps in Vermont. It was while serving with rural communities that Chris came to fully appreciate the importance of community resilience.
After living in communities both abroad and domestically, Chris has been dedicated to serve and thoughtfully participate in implementing effective, positive change within his communities. Away from the screen Chris is listening to podcasts, writing poetry, playing Dungeons and Dragons, or reenergizing outside eager to catch a glimpse of wildlife.
Chris is excited to explore RI, so please share any recommendations or favorite places in the state!
Maria I. Rice: Legal Counsel, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
Maria I. Rice (she/her/hers) is Legal Counsel for the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), where she advises and represents the agency in administrative and judicial proceedings related to environmental regulation enforcement.
A proud Rhode Island native, Maria has dedicated her legal career to serving the people of her home state. Prior to joining RIDEM, Maria served as a Staff Attorney at Rhode Island Legal Services, where she represented low-income clients in eviction proceedings and conducted educational presentations on tenant rights. During her time there, she worked closely with Roger Williams University (RWU) Law students at the Eviction Help Desk—a partnership between RWU Law, Rhode Island Legal Services, and the Center for Justice—providing critical legal assistance to tenants facing housing insecurity.
Maria earned her Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, with concentrations in Business Law and International Law. During law school, she studied Fundamental Rights in Europe and the United States under Retired Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy in Salzburg, Austria. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Resource Economics and Commerce from the University of Rhode Island.
Having grown up in Rhode Island, Maria is deeply committed to protecting the state’s natural resources and ensuring environmental justice for all its residents. She is honored to use her legal expertise to serve the people of Rhode Island and to help preserve its environment for future generations.
Dr. Taino J. Palermo 
For over 20 years, Dr. Taino J. Palermo has worked to affect change in policy and practice in the areas of nonprofit management, community and economic development, and education reform. Dr. Palermo is a founding faculty member of College Unbound and served as the Director for both the Community Development and Healthy Communities degree programs at Roger Williams University’s University College in Providence, Rhode Island where he founded the state’s first and only graduate program in Community Development. In 2022, Dr. Palermo completed his law degree at Roger Williams University School of Law where he co-founded the American Indian Law Student Association, and most recently, co-founded the Center for Indigenous Peoples Rights, the only pro bono legal services and policy center on the east coast. Dr. Palermo also teaches Federal Indian Law and Tribal Courts & Governments courses at Roger Williams University School of Law.
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Zachary Mandell is from Providence, Rhode Island and focuses his practice on complex personal injury litigation and a variety of mass tort litigation. He is a past president of the Rhode Island Association for Justice (RIAJ) and is on the organization’s Board of Governors. Mr. Mandell serves on the Board of Governors for the American Association for Justice and is on AAJ’s National Finance Council, Public Affairs Committee and Publications Committee. He was appointed by the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island to serve on the Court’s Advisory Council which advises the Court on a variety of Court related issues. He is the former Chairperson of the Rhode Island Bar Association Superior Court Bench Bar Committee (for 5 years) which oversees all Bench-Bar related issues for the trial court of Rhode Island. Mr. Mandell was also recently appointed by the Governor of Rhode Island to serve on the State’s Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline.