Winston’s Fourth Class of Protégés Graduates from D&I Associate Sponsorship Program

Congratulations to the 16 protégés who recently graduated from Winston & Strawn’s innovative Sponsorship Program.

The program—which is the centerpiece of the firm’s efforts to retain, develop, and promote diverse associates—pairs high-performing women, racial/ethnic minority, and LGBTQ+ associates in their fifth or sixth year of practice with a sponsor for one year. Each sponsor is drawn from Winston’s Executive Committee to ensure that protégés have sponsors with significant influence and connections to leverage on their behalf. In addition to regular meetings with their sponsors, protégés received professional development programming, as well as individual and group coaching throughout the year.

The graduating protégés in the 2022–2023 class are:

• Shreyansi Agarwal
• Bailey Brandon
• Ahtoosa Amini Dale
• Libby Deshaies
• John Drosick
• Marcus Garcia
• Nathan Gilbert
• Nasir Hussain
• Lindsey Kell
• Marissa Sims
• Michael Smaila
• Sarah L. Viebrock
• Jennifer Ybarra Taylor
• Dion J. Robbins
• DaWanna L. McCray

To celebrate the conclusion of the 2022–2023 program, sponsors and protégés gathered in Chicago for an all-day close-out session that included keynote presentations by Theresa Cropper, a noted DEI advocate and consultant; and Dr. Arin N. Reeves, a leading researcher, author, and advisor in the fields of leadership and inclusion Additionally, the firm’s chair of the Transactions Department, Eva Davis, fielded questions in a “Power Hour” session, moderated by her protégé Jennifer Ybarra Taylor, and Diane Costigan, Winston’s director of coaching and well-being, spoke to the group about the path to partnership at Winston and how to carry their sponsorship relationships forward.