Leadership Team
Leadership Team

Leadership Team

 

Christopher P. Chapman

President and Chief Executive Officer

Christopher P. Chapman

Christopher P. Chapman has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of AccessLex Institute since January 2008 and joined its Board of Directors in 2012.

Immediately prior to joining AccessLex, Chris was the President and Chief Executive Officer of ALL Student Loan, a California-based nonprofit student loan provider, from 2001 to 2007. Earlier, he served as Vice President of Student Loan Funding Resources, a student loan originator and secondary market, and as Director of its joint venture loan servicing company. From 1999–2000, Chris practiced law as a Senior Attorney with Calfee, Halter & Griswold, LLP, working in its corporate, public finance, and higher education practice areas. His early career was spent in the policy arena, including acting as Special Assistant and Policy Counsel for two members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Chris has served on numerous nonprofit boards, committees, and task forces throughout his career, and regularly presents on matters relating to the financing of higher education, the state of legal education, and public policy matters.

Chris earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Xavier University, his post-baccalaureate certificate in finance and accounting from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Chris is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

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Cynthia Cassity

Senior Vice President — Strategic Engagement 
Chief Operating Officer — Helix Bar Review

Cynthia Cassity

Cynthia provides leadership and oversight for the Company’s Center for Education and Financial Capability®, ensuring the highest quality resources, service, events, and experience. She is also responsible for overall operations, development, and stakeholder engagement for Helix Bar Review by AccessLexSM.

Before joining AccessLex Institute in 2005, Cynthia held positions with Grey Advertising, the American College of Physicians, the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), and was principal of her own successful marketing and event planning company. Her 25-year career spans the association, corporate, and international markets.

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Cynthia earned her bachelor’s degree in communications with emphases in journalism and speech from Ithaca College, receiving a Scripps Howard Foundation scholarship for academic excellence and professional promise in the field of journalism. Throughout her career, Cynthia also achieved the Certified Meeting Professional designation and a certification in nonprofit board management.

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Debra C. Swartz

Senior Vice President — General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer

Debra C. Swartz

Debbie is responsible for AccessLex Institute’s legal, internal audit, and compliance functions. She joined the Company in 2013.

Before arriving at AccessLex, Debbie was Associate General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for AmerisourceBergen Corporation, a national pharmaceutical distributor; and in private practice as a complex commercial litigator. She speaks regularly on a variety of legal and compliance topics, including records and information management, e-discovery, and social media.

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Debbie has served in several not-for-profit board of director roles and is a member of the Greater Philadelphia Senior Executive Group and the Forum of Executive Women. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Swarthmore College with a Bachelor of Arts with distinction in history and received her Juris Doctor from University of Pennsylvania Law School.

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Aaron N. Taylor

Senior Vice President, Executive Director — AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence®

Aaron Taylor

Aaron provides leadership and oversight for the AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence®. He joined AccessLex Institute in June 2017 from Saint Louis University School of Law, where he served as a Professor of Law. Aaron also served as Director of the Law School Survey of Student Engagement, a national study that seeks to measure the effects of legal education on students.

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The primary function of the Center for Legal Education Excellence is to conduct and support research into questions pertaining to legal education and bar admission. Under Aaron’s leadership, the Center engaged in rigorous empirical inquiry into pressing issues, including conducting the first multi-institutional investigation into factors that help predict academic and bar exam performance. The Center also has launched LexPreLaw and LexPostBacc, two innovative diversity pathway initiatives designed to foster law school admission and success among aspiring students from underrepresented backgrounds. The Center has provided subject matter expertise and research support to bar admission reform efforts in California, Delaware, and South Dakota and is currently supporting a national review of legal education and bar admission led by the Conference of Chief Justices. 

Aaron has written extensively on topics commonly focused on the experiences of underrepresented people seeking entry into law school and the profession. His scholarly articles have appeared in journals published by American University, Howard University, Stanford University, and University of Notre Dame. His commentaries have appeared in numerous publications, including The Chronicle of Higher Education, Law360, and The National Jurist, which named Aaron sixth on its 2024 list of The 20 Most Influential People in Legal Education. He is also a frequent media commentator on education and diversity issues.

Aaron received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from North Carolina A&T State University, a Juris Doctor from Howard University, and a doctorate in higher education leadership and policy from Vanderbilt University. He is also an alumnus of the Harvard University Administrative Fellowship Program.

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James Cassity

Senior Vice President — Corporate Operations and Chief Information Officer

James Cassity

James is responsible for AccessLex Institute’s technology, security, facilities, project management, and private credit operations. He joined the Company in 2005 and has served in various information technology positions, including Vice President ― Information Technology.

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Prior to joining AccessLex, James worked at numerous Fortune 500 companies providing excellence in operations, technology, and security. He has held positions with DuPont, Accenture, Aveva, and United Van Lines. His career spans successful projects in domestic and international markets.

James received a Bachelor of Science in Business, Information Technology Management from Western Governors University. He holds certifications in multiple enterprise technologies, including cybersecurity, and is a member of the Society for Information Management.

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Samuel Greenhalgh, JR, CPA

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Samuel Greenhalgh, JR

Sam is responsible for AccessLex Institute’s accounting, tax, financial reporting and administrative functions. 

Prior to joining AccessLex in 2016, Sam excelled as a CPA serving in various roles within the public accounting sector. He planned, administered, and managed financial, compliance and operational auditing and accounting engagements for a diverse client base that encompassed a wide range of industries, including financial services, business and professional services, real estate, consumer products, health care, manufacturing, and employee benefit plan services.

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Sam has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Albright College. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Pennsylvania and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

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David Ramage

Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer

David Ramage

David is responsible for leading investment activities for AccessLex Institute, including investment strategy and asset allocation. In addition, David helps to develop and implement the Company’s corporate development activities. He joined AccessLex Institute in July 2014.

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Prior to joining AccessLex, David served as Managing Director of Evolution Capital, where he was a co-portfolio manager for the firm’s investment strategies. His prior experience includes portfolio management positions with StoneRidge Investment Partners, Emerald Advisors, and Advent Capital Management. David was also a manager with Ernst & Young Management Consulting’s financial advisory practice.

David has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

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Evneet Khurana

Vice President — Marketing and Communications

AccessLex Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Evneet Khurana

Evneet leads and provides oversight for the organization’s external communications, social media, integrated marketing, media relations, digital strategy, and creative services. She is responsible for leading the development and execution of AccessLex Institute’s multi-channel marketing and communications strategy to enhance reputation and further the goals of the organization.

Prior to joining AccessLex, Evneet worked as the Director of Marketing at Saint Joseph’s University and was responsible for developing and executing brand and marketing strategies to support brand reputation and enrollment at the University, with a focus on graduate, undergraduate, adult, and transfer student markets and programs. Prior to joining Saint Joseph’s University, she worked in strategic business development and marketing at The American College of Financial Services where she led the strategy, planning, and execution of both B2B and B2C marketing campaigns.

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Evneet earned her Bachelor of Science from Delhi University, India and Chartered Leadership Fellow (CLF)® designation from The American College of Financial Services. She also achieved Thrive Leadership Women of Influence program certification with emphases on executive leadership skills.

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Tiffane Cochran

Vice President — Research

Tiffane Cochran

Tiffane develops and guides research, evaluation, and data initiatives at AccessLex Institute. She conceptualizes, leads, and implements studies that further the organization’s strategic objectives to improve access, affordability, and the value of legal education. Her responsibilities include supervising development and production of research reports and legal education data tools, such as Analytix by AccessLex® and XploreJD by AccessLex®; cultivating and maintaining a repository of evidence and data relevant to our research priorities; and supporting capacity building of the AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence®.

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Tiffane previously served as a Research Analyst and Director of Research at AccessLex before assuming her current role. Prior to joining the Company, she worked as a research and policy analyst in the Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment at the University of Maryland, College Park and as a management consultant with the Monitor Group (now Monitor Deloitte). Tiffane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Northwestern University and a Master of Arts in Education Leadership and Policy Studies with a concentration in higher education from the University of Maryland, College Park.

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Valerie Young

Vice President — Human Resources

Valerie Young

Valerie oversees the HR department and its functions, such as hiring, compensation, benefits and wellness, training and development, employee relations, and legal compliance. She joined the Company in 2019.

Before joining AccessLex, Valerie held progressively responsible HR positions with international manufacturing, real estate, and financial companies. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in marketing from Temple University’s Fox School of Business.

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Valerie has been certified through the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) as a Senior Professional in Human Resources since 2018, has earned their Talent Acquisition credential, and recently became a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) through the Institute for Diversity Certification.

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