WMU-Cooley Tampa Bay campus Associate Dean Daniel Matthews has appointed Daniela Mendez to the role of campus director. Mendez joined the law school after serving as an assistant public defender for Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit.
As campus director, Mendez is responsible for term course schedules and will provide campus supervision and support in the areas of admissions, career and professional development, registration, financial aid, graduation, veterans’ benefits, and international student programs. She will also support student programs including orientation, student organization fairs, the distinguished and career-related speaker series, and honors convocation.
Mendez is a magna cum laude graduate of WMU-Cooley Law School and before serving as a public defender worked as a legal intern with the WMU-Cooley Innocence Project. She was a paralegal with Catania & Catania, PA and served as a legal assistant with Stolbert & Townsend, PA, both in Tampa, Florida.
“Daniela brings a wealth of knowledge regarding Tampa’s legal community,” said Matthews. “Her knowledge of the local community and the services law students require make her a great asset for our students, faculty and staff.”
Mendez has been involved as a volunteer with several Tampa area organizations including, Palabra De Vida Church Ministry, Everyday Blessings, Trinity Café-Dining with Dignity, and A Kid’s Place. In addition to her law degree from WMU-Cooley, Mendez earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of South Florida and a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Central Florida.
