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Seattle University School of Law Online MLS in Compliance and Risk Management
Seattle University School of Law is home to an outstanding faculty of committed teacher-scholars. Our professors do not choose between scholarship and teaching, but rather are experts in their fields who are drawn to share their knowledge with students. Our online programs are no different. With faculty committed to the success of our students and founded on Jesuit tradition, our educators challenge students to think clearly, think for themselves, and encourage them to test commonly accepted knowledge. Our faculty believes academic curiosity becomes a lifelong habit, and we build our programs on this belief. The strength and dedication of our faculty is one of our strongest assets. Each and every course and program at Seattle University is designed with the strongest academic team, whether on campus or online.
Academic Program Team
Graduate Law Programs Administration
Kelli Rodriguez is the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of the Sports Law Program at Seattle University School of Law, where she oversees the Flex JD program as well as the Master of Legal Studies (MLS) programs. Kelli teaches sports law, and she has taught many courses throughout the Seattle University community, including business law, sport management and organizational structures, ethical and leadership considerations in sport, and legal issues in arts and entertainment management. Her research interests include the student-athlete experience, NCAA compliance, collective bargaining and employment considerations, and she has published on topics including Title IX, NCAA eligibility, and the use of cannabinoids in sport medicine.
Ms. Rodriguez is Chicana and a first-generation college student and law student. She earned her Juris Doctor from Seattle University School of Law, her Master of Sports Administration and Leadership from Seattle University, and her Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from California University of Pennsylvania.
Kay Rollins is Admissions Consultant for Graduate Law Programs at Seattle University School of Law. In this role, she provides communication with prospective students for the Master of Legal Studies in Compliance and Risk Management program. She joined the team in July 2019.
Prior to joining Seattle University School of Law, Dr. Rollins taught onsite at Missouri Southern StateUniversity and online at Western Governor’s University and University of Arizona Global Campus. In addition, she previously served as a member of the non-teaching faculty at Kansas State University, information manager at University College of the University of Denver, registrar during the early development of Western Governors University, and manager of academic integrity at University of the Rockies.
Dr. Rollins holds an EdD in Instructional Leadership. Her dissertation focused on “Information Literacy: Exploring Faculty Perceptions of Student Competencies Using the Parameters of the ACRL Standards and Bloom’s Taxonomy.”
Rose Kaser is a leadership-driven higher education professional, educator, and advocate for student-centered learning experiences. She works closely with students in both hybrid and online graduate programs, supporting their academic journeys while fostering meaningful connection, engagement, and a strong sense of belonging.
She is passionate about creating academic experiences that meet the needs of a wide range of learners, informed in part by her own educational journey across traditional and alternative learning environments in two countries. Her work centers on building inclusive and supportive communities, with an emphasis on accessibility, connection, thoughtful program design, and student success.
Rose brings a diverse cultural background and two decades of professional experience in higher education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a specialization in Mass Media from Universidad Iberoamericana and a Master of Fine Arts from Seattle University. Her people-first approach shapes how she supports students, develops programs, and creates opportunities for learners to feel connected, engaged, and empowered throughout their academic experience.
Program Faculty/Subject Matter Experts
Christian Kennedy currently leads Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) at Wolfspeed, a global semiconductor company based in Durham, North Carolina. Serving as the Director of GRC for the Information Security organization, she is responsible for the development, implementation, and forward growth of the GRC program.
Christian has been a trusted communications, compliance, and risk management advisor across multiple regulated business areas, including semi-conductor, information technology, data governance, entertainment, and maritime, with extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries.
While completing her MLS in Compliance and Risk Management degree in 2022, Christian was awarded the Compliance With A Conscience Medal by the Seattle University School of Law. Christian completed her undergraduate studies at the Edward R. Murrow College of Communications at Washington State University and, in 2021, earned her Medical Device Regulation (MDR) certification from the British Standards Institution (BSI).
Christian and her husband are longtime supporters of The Special Olympics. She served on the Board of Directors for Dawg Squad, a canine rescue based in Inglewood, California, specializing in rehabilitating and adopting out medically challenged and hard-to-place breeds. Christian is also an active member of the Women’s Initiative and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) collectives at Wolfspeed.
Cynthia Scott is Senior Vice President and Internal Audit Manager at Seattle Bank, where she is committed to ensuring the integrity of their financial operations. She joined the team in 2020 to oversee the objective assessment of risk management activities and regulatory compliance, playing a crucial role in maintaining the bank’s reputation. With more than 25 years of industry expertise, Cindy brings valuable insights to her position, having most recently served as Vice President and Compliance Monitoring Officer for Heritage Bank. Her extensive experience encompasses not only streamlining quality control processes but also performing compliance monitoring and auditing, as well as managing home mortgage underwriting.
A dedicated professional, Cindy graduated with a B.A. in English from the University of Washington, and she further enhanced her qualifications by earning her Master of Legal Studies in Compliance and Risk Management from Seattle University School of Law.
David Chen has over a decade of experience as a General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. David began his legal career in civil litigation representing employees and citizens in employment discrimination and police misconduct claims. After moving into a role as corporate counsel for a multi-national not-for-profit organization, David designed and implemented the organization’s compliance and ethics program, which covers more than 2,000 employees across 27 countries. He is passionate about social justice and serves on the boards of the Greater Seattle YMCA, Compass Housing Alliance, and the Seattle Sounders RAVE Foundation.
David lives in Shoreline, WA with his family including his three children. David volunteers his time with King County Legal Clinics and serves as pro-bono counsel to several not-for-profit organizations.
David received his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law. Read Faculty Spotlight Blog.
David Figueroa is the Executive Director, Enterprise Policy & Awareness, for the Ethics and Compliance program at Kaiser Permanente. David is the accountable executive for the Enterprise, National, and Regional policy services teams, Learning and Awareness activities, and the Ethics and Compliance Professional Development Program. His work centers around supporting the Kaiser Permanente community through effective policy process management, learning experiences, tools and consulting. His goal is to empower employees to be confident in their understanding of their roles, feel the psychological safety to speak up, and to create an ethical, authentic, and inclusive culture that fosters trust.
Prior to his role at Kaiser Permanente, David spent 6 years as a litigator handling both civil and criminal matters in California. David holds Juris Doctor and Master in Business Administration degrees from Temple University. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.
Frank DiMarino has served as an adjunct professor in law and legal studies for 22 years, with 14 years developing and teaching online graduate courses. At the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, he taught the investigation and prosecution of economic crimes.
He served as an Assistant United States Attorney for 18 years presenting cases before U.S. District and Appeals Courts prosecuting corporations and individuals for such crimes as wire and bank fraud, money laundering, embezzlement, and tax evasion. He also oversaw corporate compliance programs as part of criminal sentences under the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
While in the military, he served as an Army Judge Advocate General prosecutor. He also was a trial attorney at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission enforcing antifraud regulations against brokers and corporations.
As a government lawyer, he has litigated over 350 cases according to Westlaw Analytics. He has coauthored textbooks among which include An Introduction to Corporate and White Collar Crime.
Frank earned his LL.M. from George Washington University, his Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve School of Law, and his Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University.
An avid boater with his U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license, he teaches harbor and open water boat maneuvering. Read Faculty Spotlight Blog.
Julie DiMauro is the Director of Compliance Programs and Training at Compliance Week with experience in the financial services regulatory compliance arena and as a creator of compliance training courses. She is a contributing editor for the FCPA Blog, co-chair of the corporate governance committee of the Financial Women’s Association, and a lecturer on third-party risk management at Pace University’s Lubin School of Business. She is the co-author of a textbook chapter on white-collar crime and a licensed attorney. She lives in New York City and is an avid runner and spin instructor. Read Faculty Spotlight Blog.
Melissa Racki teaches Introduction to the American Legal System at Seattle University School of Law. She specializes in legal writing and analysis, and has worked as an Assistant Dean, Adjunct Professor, and Advisor in 14 years as a legal educator. She practiced as a plaintiff’s attorney in Florida, representing clients with Social Security Disability, ERISA, personal injury, and workers’ compensation claims. She specialized in Social Security and ERISA administrative hearings and appeals, and assisted in the preparation of the ERISA course outline and materials taught at Stetson University College of Law. She also worked as a Social Security law clerk for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, drafting orders, and reports and recommendations for eight U.S. magistrates. She graduated cum laude from Stetson University College of Law and earned her Bachelor’s degree from University of Maryland – European Division. Melissa owns and operates a small online business selling hand knits and hand-spun yarns.
Steven Reid is Senior Vice President and Internal Audit Manager at Seattle Bank, where she is committed to ensuring the integrity of their financial operations. She joined the team in 2020 to oversee the objective assessment of risk management activities and regulatory compliance, playing a crucial role in maintaining the bank’s reputation. With more than 25 years of industry expertise, Cindy brings valuable insights to her position, having most recently served as Vice President and Compliance Monitoring Officer for Heritage Bank. Her extensive experience encompasses not only streamlining quality control processes but also performing compliance monitoring and auditing, as well as managing home mortgage underwriting.
A dedicated professional, Cindy graduated with a B.A. in English from the University of Washington, and she further enhanced her qualifications by earning her Master of Legal Studies in Compliance and Risk Management from Seattle University School of Law.