About Us

The purpose the San Diego Unity Bar is to create a space for diverse bar associations to collaborate regarding issues of concern and to support a more diverse judiciary, reflecting the County’s population.

Current Officers

Co-Chairs of Steering Committee

• Ted Holmquist 

• Veneeta Jaswal 

Co-Chairs of Endorsement Committee

• Arcelia Magaña

• Christina Elhaddad

Co-Chairs of Social Committee

• Vaani Chawla

• Jodi Cleesattle 

• Judge Vallera Johnson

Founders

Judge Vallera Johnson

Vaani Chawla

Ted Holmquist

Desirae Sanders

Jodi Cleesattle 

Brandon Kimura

Mikhak Ghorban

Ramesses Surban

Arcelia Magaña

Affinity Bar Associations

Arab American Bar Association

• President: Christina Elhaddad

• Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association

• President: Löan T. Shillinger

• Filipino American Lawyers of San Diego 

• President: Pauline Villanueva 

• Iranian American Bar Association of San Diego 

• President: Ava Sadeghi

• Japanese American Bar Association

• President: Colin M. Kawaguchi

• Korean American Bar Association of San Diego 

• President: Rosa Namgoog

• Lawyers Club of San Diego

• President: Mikhak Ghorban

• Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego 

• President: Eric Tran

• San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association

• President:  Marco Garcia

• South Asian Bar Association of San Diego 

• Co-president: Arwa Zakir Kakavand 

• Co-president: Pragya Sharma 

• Tom Homann LGBTQ+ Law Association 

• Co-president: Mark Simpliciano

• Co-president: Jodi Cleesattle

• Native American Bar Association 

• President: Angela Medrano

• San Diego Jewish Bar Association 

• President: Sarah Shekhter