Career Services Staff

Victoria Ryan, Director of Career Services
vwryan@avemarialaw.edu
(239) 687-5351
Ms. Ryan provides one-on-one counseling to both first-year and upper-level students, and alumni advising them on topics ranging from career options to strategies for seeking specific employment in particular practice areas or geographic locations. Ms. Ryan oversees all efforts to broaden relationships with employers and all of the school's recruiting programs. She is responsible for designing and implementing the employment related services for students and alumni. These services include sponsoring career related workshops and programs, providing employment related resources and generating public interest opportunities. Ms. Ryan earned her law degree from the University of Cincinnati and an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Indiana University. Prior to joining the staff at Ave Maria in January 2006, she was a litigation associate with a large insurance defense firm in Detroit, served as house counsel for an insurance company, and worked as a sole practitioner specializing in probate and estate planning. She is licensed in Michigan.

Norell Cefalu Albanis, Associate Director of Career Services
ncefalu@avemarialaw.edu
(239) 687-5352
Ms. Albanis joined the Career Services Staff in September 2009. She provides one-on-one counseling for students and alumni, markets the school and its students to employers, researches employment opportunities and assists with CSO programming. Ms. Albanis earned a Law degree and a Master’s in Human Resources from Loyola University in Chicago. She has an undergraduate degree in English Literature and Journalism from the University of Wisconsin. Prior to joining Ave Maria School of Law, Ms. Albanis worked as a labor and employment attorney for the City of Chicago’s Law Department. She also has experience in the field of sales and marketing. Ms. Albanis is licensed to practice law in Florida and Illinois.

Darnie Sizemore, Career Services Coordinator
dasizemore@avemarialaw.edu
(239) 687-5350
Ms. Sizemore joined the Career Services Office staff in 2007. She provides one-on-one counseling for students and alumni, assists with recruiting programs, researches employment opportunities and assists with CSO programming. She also publishes a weekly CSO e-newsletter and provides training to students and alumni on the school’s electronic resources. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Eastern Michigan University. Prior to her employment at the School of Law, Ms. Sizemore served as the Program Coordinator for Pewabic Pottery, where she supervised instructors, taught adult and youth classes, managed grants, planned special events, and coordinated tours.

Annette Keeney, Administrative Assistant
akeeney@avemarialaw.edu
(239) 687-5355
Ms. Keeney joined the Career Services Office staff in 2010 and is responsible for scheduling student appointments, maintaining student files, managing the office's communications with employers, and assisting with recruiting programs and job postings. She attended Anderson University and Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, majoring in business administration. Prior to her employment at the School of Law, Ms. Keeney performed real estate paralegal functions as a Planning Technician in a local engineering and land development firm as well as Executive Administration at a local private bank corporation.   

Ms. Keeney will also be assisting Mr. David Wagner in the Alumni Affairs / Externship program. 

"Ave Maria’s Career Services Office helped me in almost every imaginable way, from giving feedback on resumes to providing personal career counseling and job search strategies and facilitating mock interviews. Most importantly, the CSO offered ongoing assistance during the judicial clerkship application process and connected me to a terrific patent law firm where I was able to gain experience during my second summer and third year. " ~ Patsy Holmes, Class of 2008, Judicial Clerk for the Honorable Avern Cohn, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan