Jennifer L. Rosato
What do NIU College of Law Dean Jennifer L. Rosato and pop star Selena Gomez have in common?
Both are on the 2013 HispanicBusiness 50 Influentials list. which showcases the diversity that characterizes the American socioeconomic landscape.
Hispanics now make up 17 percent of the U.S. population, or 53 million in all, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, yet they have even greater reach than their numbers might suggest. The mark they make in society has become just as large.
The 50 people highlighted on this list offer a glimpse at the great heights Hispanics can obtain.
The fields of accomplishment showcased here are just as diverse as the nation. The list features senior executives at Fortune 500 companies, judges and attorneys, athletes and musicians, key members of government, and advocates and educators.
The geographic disbursement is diverse as well, from California to New York, from Montana to Florida. Although 75 percent of the U.S. Hispanic population resides in just eight states, there is no boundary when it comes to the important roles that our Influentials play.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White
and NIU College of Law Dean Jennifer Rosato
Rosato, an expert on family law, bioethics, civil procedure and legal ethics, became only the second female Hispanic law school dean in the nation in July 2009 when she arrived at NIU.
She previously had served as acting dean for Drexel University Earle Mack School of Law during its inaugural year and then as senior associate dean for student affairs and professor of law.
A member of the Association of American Law Schools, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the American Law Institute, she earned juris doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Rosato began her legal career as a clerk for Thomas N. O’Neill Jr. of the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, before becoming an associate with Hangley, Connolly, Epstein, Chicco, Foxman & Ewing in Philadelphia.
Just last month, she was presented with the Distinguished Leadership Award from Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. The honor, which came during the Illinois Secretary of State’s 2013 National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration, recognized her career in law and in legal education, her legacy as a professor and scholar and her many leadership roles.
In April, she was honored with a 2013 Vanguard Award from the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois.
