Staff List
Teresa serves as Assistant Dean for Mission Integration at Santa Clara University School of Law. As the School of Law’s dedicated mission officer, she supports the law school community by advancing the visibility and integration of Jesuit values across three primary strategic areas: co-curricular programming and dialogue, community engagement, and coalition building.
Teresa has worked in legal education and higher education for more than 15 years. She teaches Critical Lawyering Skills and has previously coached and mentored students competing in the INADR International Mediation Tournament. Her career in higher education administration began shortly after graduating from law school, motivated by a desire to contribute to meaningful change in legal education and to champion mission-driven and conciliatory approaches within the evolving landscape of higher education and the law school experience. Early in her career, Teresa was particularly inspired by the focus on access to justice and is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate across departments and disciplines to facilitate meaningful dialogue and support positive change.
Teresa’s professional journey is grounded in a deep commitment to mission integration at the intersection of faith, education, and community. She believes that meaningful dialogue across differences—beginning with a listening-first approach—can illuminate common ground and reveal shared values and principles that may not have been apparent at the outset. Her educational philosophy centers on lifelong, relational, and whole-person learning in pursuit of justice.
These core values, which originally inspired Teresa to join Santa Clara University, continue to guide her collaborative work within the School of Law and across the University.
In her free time, Teresa enjoys spending quality time with friends and family (especially her toddler!), and traveling to visit them across states and continents. She also enjoys taking walks, training Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and taking yoga classes.
B.A. Anthropology and Pre-Professional Studies, University of Notre Dame
Illinois State Bar (retired)
Jesuit Law Schools Mission & Values Partners