U.S. Department of State (DOS) Open Forum
Update from the U.S. Department of State.
Kenneth Harder
Discussion Leader
Kenneth J. Harder is a partner in the Houston law firm of Dunbar Harder, PLLC. He is certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Immigration and Nationality law. Mr. Harder currently serves on the Verification and Documentation Liaison Committee and is a past chair of the AILA DOS Liaison Committee, a past chair of the AILA Customs and Border Protection Liaison Committee and a past chair of the State Bar of Texas International Law Section.
Sandra Reguerin
Speaker
Sandra Sheridan Reguerin has practiced business immigration law exclusively since 1996. She has extensive experience in the J-1 area including IGA, no objection and physician waivers, J-1 program designation applications, and 15 years as an Alternate Responsible Officer for a variety of corporate J-1 programs. Ms. Reguerin orchestrates large-scale moves of temporary assignees for multinational companies with an emphasis on L-1 visa usage. She has represented individual and corporate clients before numerous U.S. Consular posts around the world and before DOS. She currently serves as vice chair of the AILA-DOS Liaison Committee, for which she writes the monthly “Check-in With Charlie” column. She speaks English and Spanish.
David Newman
Speaker
David S. Newman, Director of Legal Affairs, Visa Office, Bureau of Consular Affairs, State Department. Mr. Newman began his legal career as a litigation associate in the Boston law firm of Nutter, McClennan & Fish, which he left to join the Department of Justice as a Trial Attorney in 1988. He joined the State Department’s Office of the Legal Adviser (L) in 1993, rotating through multiple sections and working with a range of bureaus. His responsibilities included serving as Agent for the United States in international formal dispute resolution proceedings, negotiating bilateral agreements around the world, and negotiating a multilateral convention. In his final tour with L, he served the Bureau of Consular Affairs, from 2004 until December 2011, when he left L to assume his current position in the Bureau of Consular Affairs. In 2018, David received a Presidential Rank Award.
Alex Jones
Speaker
Alex Jones is an NVC Consular Officer, Alex is the Government Technical Monitor for communications and FOIA issues. He also works closely with NVC in supporting posts as they transition to electronic processing. Alex is a Foreign Service Officer, having previously served consular tours in Vietnam, Mexico and Honduras. Prior to joining the State Department, Alex was a social worker. He is originally from Milwaukee, WI.