2026–2027 Candidate Members
The National Security Law Journal is very excited to welcome its Candidate Members for the 2026-2027 academic year!
Mattox Boyce
Mattox is a second-year law student from Greenville, South Carolina. He graduated cum laude from Clemson University with a B.A. in Economics. Prior to law school, Mattox was a Research Assistant at Advancing American Freedom, where he helped facilitate a robust amicus brief program. He most recently interned with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina. His academic interests include constitutional, criminal, and antitrust law.
Isabella Brannon
Isabella is a second-year law student at the Antonin Scalia Law School. She graduated from UCLA with a double major in Public Affairs and Study of Religion and a minor in Digital Humanities. During her undergraduate years, she was a research assistant at the School of Technology Law and Policy and at a cybersecurity research firm. The proud daughter of a Navy Master Chief, Isabella is excited to contribute to the National Security Law Journal and participate in the National Security Institute’s Cybersecurity + AI Clinic.
Alexis Bridges
Alexis is a second-year law student from Phoenix, Arizona. She graduated summa cum laude from Northern Arizona University in 2025 where she earned a degree in Political Science. This past summer, she worked at the Federal Election Commission, Office of General Counsel. Outside of law school, Alexis enjoys working out, baking, and watching a good movie.
Zoe Cross
Zoe Cross is a second-year law student at Antonin Scalia Law School. She graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor’s in Criminology and Criminal Justice, a B.A. in Psychology, and a minor in Global Terrorism Studies. Prior to law school, Zoe conducted research on targeted violence and terrorism through the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). Most recently, she interned with the Federal Communications Commission’s Office of International Affairs, where she worked on international telecommunications, national security, and regulatory matters. Zoe is particularly interested in national security, international, and technology law and is excited to contribute to the Journal’s work on emerging global challenges.
Matthew Duray
Grace Fong
Grace is a second-year law student from Taipei, Taiwan. She earned her LL.B. in law and international relations from Peking University, and her LL.M. from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to pursuing her J.D., Grace practiced as a transactional lawyer at Haiwen & Partners LLP in Beijing, China. With an academic interest in international law and dispute resolution, she has interned with the Baltimore City Circuit Court and serves on Scalia Law’s Moot Court Board and the Jessup International Law Moot Court Team. She also serves as Vice President of Events & Outreach for APALSA.
Edward “Ted” Gessner
Ted is a second-year law student from Raleigh, North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Chinese (Mandarin) and Geography. After college, Ted served as an officer in the United States Navy. He is interested in the intersection of criminal law and national security issues. Ted is an avid scuba diver and distance runner, and he enjoys serving at his church in Arlington, Virginia.
Connor Gibb
Connor is a second-year student at George Mason University’s Scalia Law. He graduated from the University of Maryland with degrees in Computer Engineering and Mathematics. Before law school, Connor was a software engineer for Amazon Web Services in Seattle and in Northern Virginia. He spent the past summer with the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division. He is interested in the intersection of law and emerging technology.
David Joya-Iglesias
David is a third-year evening student from Silver Spring, Maryland. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology. Since graduating from college and during law school, David has worked full-time for the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City. Most recently, he interned for Chief Judge Gregory Wells for the Appellate Court of Maryland and currently is a Paralegal for the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. David is interested in pursuing a career in government that relates to criminal law. Outside of school he enjoys playing guitar, exercising, and spending time with his two cats, Bruno Jose and Ace.
Felicity Newby
Seamus Quinn
Seamus is a second year law student from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from American University with a degree in business administration focused on marketing and economics. He is passionate about artificial intelligence and the broad categories of law which it impacts, currently serving as co-president of George Mason’s Artificial Intelligence Law Society. Outside of the classroom, he enjoys watching the Philadelphia 76ers, the Eagles, going for runs, and spending quality time with friends.
Mya Roberts
Mya is a second-year law student from Phoenix, Arizona, with a particular interest in energy and environmental law. She graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Before law school, she worked in energy and environmental policy at a think tank and served as an economics fellow for an educational non-profit. This past summer, she clerked at the U.S. Department of Commerce, splitting her time between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Office of Space Commerce.
Jazmine Sands
Jazmine is a second-year student at George Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School. She graduated summa cum laude from Virginia Tech in 2025, where she earned a degree in Cybersecurity Management and Analytics. Jazmine serves as the treasurer for the Intellectual Property Law Society (IPLS) and is interested in the exploring the intersection between technology, cybersecurity and the legal field. She has hopes of attaining a career in public policy with a focus on data privacy.
Daniel Sidaros
Daniel is a second year at George Mason Antonin Law School. He graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in National Security. This last summer, Daniel worked at the Court of Federal Claims in a judicial internship.
Sophia Silis
Sophia is a second-year law student at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. She spent this past summer as a judicial intern with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and continues in that role this fall. During law school, Sophia serves as a student attorney for the Immigration Law Clinic and as Vice Chair of Bailiffs on the Moot Court Board. Before law school, she worked as a paralegal at Spiegel & McDiarmid, LLP and as a Civic Teaching Fellow with the Close Up Foundation. She is a Virginia native and graduated summa cum laude from Virginia Tech with degrees in Psychology and Sociology and a minor in Science, Technology, & Law.
Ashley Skinner
Ashley is a second-year law student from Woodbridge, Virginia. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Florida with Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and History in 2025. This past summer Ashley was a Legal Fellow at The Fund for America Studies and an intern at the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). She is currently interning at the National Transportation Safety Board Office of Administrative Law Judges. Ashley is a member of the Federalist Society at Scalia.
To join the National Security Law Journal, Scalia Law students apply through the law school’s annual Write-On Competition. Throughout their first year on the journal, Candidate Members (“CMs”) help prepare articles for upcoming publications by reviewing and editing article citations (“spading”). During their Candidate Membership, CMs also write their own publication-ready student note or comment. After successfully completing their spading assignments and turning in their note or comment, Candidate Members will be considered for full journal membership. Each Candidate Member’s note or comment will also be considered for publication in a future issue.
Alternatively, eligible upperclassmen may apply for full NSLJ membership through NLSJ’s Comment-On Competition, bypassing the probationary Candidate Membership year.