Diversity Committee Bios

Katherine Kowalchyk

Katherine Kowalchyk is the Chair of the Diversity Committee. She has been with Merchant and Gould since 1991 and she believes strongly in the value of creating a work environment that fosters the success of attorneys of diverse backgrounds. She is appreciative of the support Merchant and Gould has provided to her to work on a flexible schedule throughout the years. She is the firm representative for Twin Cities Diversity in Practice, an organization dedicated to attracting and retaining attorneys of diverse background to the Twin cities. She is a strong advocate regarding many of the great attributes of our area including jobs, education, recreation, and culture. Katherine has been active in community service on a local level and international level. Locally, she remains involved with Groves Academy, a private school and outreach center serving families with children having learning disabilities. Internationally, she is involved with fundraising for the LAMB Hospital in Northwestern Bangladesh. The LAMB Hospital is a maternity hospital and also meets the health care needs of the poor in this area.

Megan Friedrich

Megan Friedrich is a member of the diversity committee and the Recruiting Manager for the firm. She believes a diverse work environment is important for the success of Merchant & Gould, its clients and employees

Alton Hornsby III

Alton Hornsby III is the diversity committee representative of our Atlanta Office. He is committed to the diversity efforts of Merchant because he believes that a diverse firm provides stronger and better legal representation. Further, Alton is a member of the Gate City Bar Association which is an organization committed to diversity in the legal profession for attorneys of color. Alton also serves as co-chair of the mentoring committee for the Georgia State University Intellectual Property Advisory Board where he mentors African-American law students interested in intellectual property legal careers.

Joe Lee

Joe Lee is a member of the diversity committee and is committed to the diversity efforts of the firm. He also provides pro bono legal services via the Children's Law Center.

René Pereyra

René Pereyra is a member of Merchant & Gould's Diversity Committee and promotes diversity initiatives within, and outside, the firm. René is a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) and is actively involved in planning the HNBA's 2009 Annual Conference in Albuquerque, NM of which Merchant & Gould is a proud sponsor. The HNBA promotes the recruitment and retention of Hispanics in law schools and serves as the national voice for the concerns and opinions of Hispanics in the community generally, and in the legal profession in particular.

Betsy Reagan

Betsy Reagan is committed to diversity in the workplace and community. As such, she is proud to be a representative of Merchant & Gould's Diversity Committee for the Denver office and actively supports the committee's initiatives and efforts. Further, Betsy promotes pro bono legal representation in the community by serving as a volunteer attorney for the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, in which she provides representation for veterans at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Betsy also serves the community through her membership in the Junior League of Denver, in which she holds a leadership position in the Kids Connect Sheridan Early Childhood Center program, a program providing educational and cultural activities focused on music, art, and literature appreciation for underprivileged children and their parents.

Marianne Timm

Marianne Timm is the diversity committee representative of our Omaha Office. She is committed to the diversity efforts of Merchant because she believes that a firm having diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives provides stronger and better legal representation. Further, Marianne is a member of the Nebraska Women's Bar Association (NWBA) where she participates by being a mentor and by serving on the Continuing Legal Education Committee, which looks for and provides beneficial legal education to the women of Nebraska. She also provides pro bono legal services to The Latino Center of the Midlands.

John T. Winemiller

John Winemiller represents the firm's Knoxville office on the Diversity Committee. He has a long-standing commitment to the protection and advancement of civil rights for all persons and is particularly interested in fostering diversity within the legal profession. "Fostering and retaining a diverse work force improves any organization -- by increasing and deepening the talent pool and by building an environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and valued for their unique contributions and perspectives." John provides pro bono services through Lambda Legal, as well as local legal aid organizations.