Welcoming New Fellows-Elect, Class of 2027

The newest class of Fellows-Elect has been named, and the Fellowship is delighted to welcome six accomplished first-year law students, Nilab Nawabi and Kavita Rai from UC Law SF; Wassa Bagayoko and Ria Kanani from Columbia; and Jonathan Kamanta and Vadim Trubetskoy from Chicago.

The Fellows-Elect representing the class of 2027 hail from diverse backgrounds and have a broad range of legal interests, including military intelligence, health care innovation, survivors’ rights, workforce development, and politics. A fun fact about the class of 2027 is that three of them, a full 50%, attended the University of Southern California. Keep reading to learn more about each of our new Fellows-Elect.

Wassa Bagayoko grew up in Harlem, New York, and graduated from Brown University with a BA in International Relations, focusing on climate change, human rights, and forced migration. A former Fulbright fellow in Côte d’Ivoire, Wassa has been recognized for her activism in gun reform, sustainability, and education. Now at Columbia Law School as a Richard Paul Richman Scholar, Wassa is a member of the 1L Human Rights Advocate Program.

Ria Kanani is an advocate for survivors of sexual harassment and domestic violence. She spent five years working at a family law firm and specializing in domestic violence and minor’s counsel cases. She also interned at the DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women. A Georgetown graduate, Ria is now a fellow in Columbia Law’s Max Berger Public Interest and Human Rights Institute Advocacy Programs.

Nilab Nawabi has spent over a decade working with health care nonprofits, including San Ysidro Health Center, Kheir (Care) Center in Koreatown, and HealthRIGHT 360. As HealthRIGHT’s Chief People Officer, Nilab championed workforce development programs, wage advocacy, and expansion of the behavioral health workforce.

Kavita Rai graduated from the University of Southern California and hails from Ventura County, California. She is a cancer survivor and women’s health advocate dedicated to health equity and public health innovation. Kavita co-founded Ethos, a digital health startup, and led Justice in the Classroom to expand racial equity resources during COVID-19. She was recognized as a 2024 Vital Voices Fellow and UN Girl Up Young Woman of the Year.

Jonathan Kamanta graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in International Relations. He grew up in Walnut, California, east of Los Angeles. Before law school, Jonathan served as a legislative staffer for Congressman Morgan McGarvey in Washington, D.C. His prior experience includes roles with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, former House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, the Democratic National Committee, and the California Democratic Party.

Vadim Trubetskoy was born in Moscow and raised outside Boston. He graduated summa cum laude from University of Southern California, where he led USC’s Trial Advocacy team. Vadim has worked for the White House, conducted research at the Brookings Institution, and was commissioned as an Army officer in Military Intelligence, serving as a 1LT in Military Intelligence on the Joint Staff J2.