7 Hoosier Banker July 2016 The month of May was special for me. I completed law school, started my career at the Indiana Bankers Association, and became engaged to my future husband. It happened in that order, but let me begin with the IBA. On May 8, I joined the Association as assistant vice president-government relations. I was hired to help analyze political/ regulatory issues, review existing and proposed legislation, build relationships with the members of the Indiana General Assembly, and assist IBA members in their grassroots lobbying. Additionally, I’ll be doing some legal work for the Association. When I heard about this opening, it sounded perfect for my background and interests. I most recently was employed as deputy legislative director for the Family and Social Services Administration. Prior to that, I served the Indiana House of Representatives as legislative intern director and senior legislative assistant. While working for the Indiana House of Representatives, I got to know Amber Van Til and Dax Denton from the IBA Government Relations Team. They were both so kind, professional and hardworking. I admired how they had built outstanding reputations as advocates for the banking industry. Like many lobbyists, I hadn’t always planned to pursue advocacy. I started college studies at Indiana University as a business major, but then switched to English and political science. Later I found that I could satisfy all of my interests by studying business law, so I enrolled at the I.U. Robert H. McKinney School of Law. I’ve always enjoyed school. While I was an undergraduate, one of my favorite experiences was serving for three years on the Indiana University Union Board. It’s the largest student programming board on the I.U. Bloomington campus, bringing in large-scale lectures, concerts and other events. My student peers and I coordinated locations, negotiated contracts and executed event planning. We were in charge of a $200,000 budget, so it was a large responsibility, but we had excellent guidance from advisers and professors. My Union Board experience helped me hit the ground running when I started my first job. After college, my first legal experience was serving as an intern with a federal judge. The internship mostly involved research and writing, which helped me learn more about the law. During my second year of law school, I decided to join the Indiana House Republican Caucus as a legislative assistant, where I could learn about state government and work in a more social environment. As a legislative assistant, I worked directly with an assigned group of representatives. I researched legislative questions, drafted responses to constituents, tracked bills and prepared committee reports. I enjoyed learning about policy and the legislative process firsthand from legislators, staffers and lobbyists. I knew after working on staff that I had been bitten by the “session bug” and wanted to continue my career working with the Indiana General Assembly. Now, my next step is to take the bar examination later this month. In preparation I am taking a formal bar study class that meets every evening, Monday through Friday, plus some Saturdays. That schedule is similar to when I was working full-time by day, and going to law school at night. In general I like to keep busy. I enjoy running, yoga and recreational sports like volleyball and softball. I also enjoy being involved in the community. Currently I am a member of the Greater Indianapolis Republican Women’s Club, and I’m also a precinct committeeman in Center Township. My fiancé, Adam, is my best friend and biggest supporter. He’s from my hometown of Avon, but we didn’t meet until we were both undergraduates at Indiana University. Go Hoosiers! Adam also studied law, finishing up his degree one year ago with a combined JD-MBA. He now works for a large law firm in downtown Indianapolis. I’m enjoying making plans with him for our wedding in 2017. May certainly was an exciting month for me. It was the end of four long years of law school and the start of two major milestones: my work here at the IBA, and my life’s journey with Adam. Thank you to everyone I have met from the Indiana banking community. You have all been so welcoming to me, and I’m very happy to be on your team. Staff Selections Erika L. Hall, JD,Assistant Vice President-Government Relations Indiana Bankers Association FEATURE Three bankers from member banks of the Indiana Bankers Association have completed the three-year Barret Graduate School of Banking in Memphis, Tennessee. The final session of the coursework took place in May. Congratulations to: Tanya M. Burton and Miranda Howard, Alliance Bank, Francesville; and Mark A. Cowen, Farmers State Bank, LaGrange. t IBA Members Complete Barret Graduate School of Banking
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