Meet the Staff
Career Services is staffed by five professionals, three of whom are attorneys.
María Jimena Rivera, Director
phone: 570-5324Maria received her JD from Harvard Law School, where she served on the Harvard International Law Journal and the Harvard Latino Law Review. She received her undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, in Political Science and International Studies from Texas A&M University.
Maria is admitted to practice in the state courts in Connecticut and the Federal District Court of Connecticut. After law school, she clerked with federal district court Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford, Connecticut, and practiced law at a large Connecticut law firm and at Yale University's Office of the General Counsel. Immediately prior to joining the Office of Career Services, Maria worked as the Associate Director of Admissions at Yale Law School.
Maria currently serves as President of the Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association and as an executive board member of the Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity. In 2004, she received the Connecticut Law Tribune New Leaders of the Law Award for her leadership efforts in the Connecticut bar. Maria is an active member of the National Association for Law Placement and the Connecticut Association of Legal Recruitment Administrators.
Michele Hoff, Assistant Director
phone: 570-5321Michele received her JD from the University of Connecticut School of Law, where she served as an Administrative Editor of the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal. She received her BS in Economics from York College of Pennsylvania.
Michele is admitted to practice before state courts in both Connecticut and Maryland. In addition to Michele's role as a career counselor for JD students, Michele coordinates the Law School's Mentor program, and serves as the Law School's Pro Bono Coordinator.
Michele is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association, the Maryland State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. She is an active member of the National Association of Law Placement, where she was elected and served as the 2002-2003 Northeast Regional Law School Coordinator, has served as a member of the Small and Medium Firm Committee and is currently serving as Vice-Chair of the Marketing and Outreach Committee. Michele is also a member of the Connecticut Association of Legal Recruitment Administrators, where she is serving as the Website Committee Chair. Further, Michele serves as a District Justice of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International.
Aimee Houghton, Director of International LLM Counseling
phone: 570-5043Aimee received her JD from the University of Connecticut School of Law. She has a BA in Fine Arts and Art History from the University of Connecticut. Aimee serves as the primary career counselor and program coordinator for the U.S. Legal Studies LLM students and alumni. In addition, Aimee also counsels JD students and alumni. She is an active member of the National Association for Law Placement and the Connecticut Association of Legal Recruitment Administrators.
Aimee worked with the Office of Career Services as program coordinator during her time as a law student. In addition, during her time at the law school, she has worked at the Unemployment Action Center in New York, the UConn Law Tax Clinic, the General Counsel's Office of Northeastern University, and the Connecticut Urban Legal Initiative. As a student, she was an officer in the Evening Law Student Association and a member of the Student Trial Lawyers Association.
Christina Mazur, Recruiting Coordinator
phone: 570-5318Chris comes to the Law School with over seventeen years of experience in the financial services field. She will be using her extensive background in sales and marketing to attract new programs and employers to the Law School's formal recruiting programs. Chris is a member of the National Association of Law Placement and the Connecticut Association of Legal Recruitment Administrators.
Peggy Shapiro, Career Counselor
phone: 570-5183Peggy retired from the position of Associate Director of Career Services in 1999, but has returned to assist with counseling students and alumni regarding resume writing and career development. Her previous experience included supervising the On-Campus Interview Program and administering student and alumni educational programs, as well as writing and editing office publications regarding recruitment and job search skills. She was a member of the National Association of Law Placement New Initiatives Task Force and treasurer of the Northeast Law Placement Consortium. Peggy is a graduate of Smith College and earned a Masters in Educational Administration from the University of Hartford. She served on the West Hartford Town Council and was a member of the Connecticut State University System Board of Trustees.