Adam Barvels is the Pricing Director at Robins Kaplan LLP, a national law firm headquartered in downtown Minneapolis. In this role, he works closely with firm partners and clients with a focus on matter management and the development of innovative alternative fee arrangements. He previously worked at UnitedHealth Group for over five years in various project management, finance, and pricing roles within several business units. Adam attended St. John’s University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics. He currently co-chairs the special interest group on Pricing, Legal Project Management & Knowledge Management for ALA-MN. Adam has a passion to educate the next generation of leaders and has been involved in undergraduate recruiting efforts, mentorships, and discussion panels for both corporate and nonprofit interests. To this effort, he is in his 4th year as a board member for The LEAD Project (Leadership Emergence and Development), a local nonprofit which aims to develop the next generation of Twin Cities philanthropic leaders, and currently serves as the chair of the Programming & Operations committee.

Kendra Brodin serves as Manager of Business Development at Merchant & Gould P.C, a premier intellectual property law firm based in Minneapolis with offices throughout the country and clients around the world. In her role, Kendra supports the creation and implementation of business development strategies at all levels of the firm. Prior to joining Merchant & Gould P.C., Kendra served as Executive Director of the Minneapolis branch of Special Counsel, a national leader in legal staffing and placement. She has also served as Director of Career and Professional Development at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, and she has experience in coaching/consulting, non-profit management, and politics. Kendra currently serves as President-Elect of Minnesota Women Lawyers and in several leadership roles with the Hennepin County Bar Association. Kendra earned her master’s degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania and her law degree with honors from the University of Minnesota.

Society 54 Co-Founder, Jill Huse is renowned as a trusted professional services advisor. Jill, a certified Worldwide Association of Business Coaches Coach, is highly regarded for her progressive ingenuity, research-based strategy and, most importantly, her ability to deliver results for clients.

She has worked in professional services marketing for more than fifteen years, in industries ranging from legal and accounting to insurance and human resources. Clients have said that Jill has an innate ability to identify, encourage and develop their unique and differentiating professional strengths, and to help them to leverage these strengths to meet and exceed bottom line goals.

As the director of marketing and business development at one of the most reputable AmLaw firms in the southeast, Jill structured and led her team in developing, implementing and managing award-winning communication, business development and marketing initiatives. Further, Jill is a tenured member and past president of the Southeastern Chapter of the Legal Marketing Association (LMA), which, as the second largest LMA chapter, serves more than 450 members across nine states. In addition to these accomplishments, Jill was recently honored with being named one of the “50 Most Influential Women” in Charlotte.

Not only is Jill well connected, she is highly respected and widely sought for her expertise and paramount perspective in all aspects of professional services marketing. 

Matt Kusilek has over 18 years of experience working in print and digital media. In his current role as Publisher of Minnesota Business magazine, he works alongside his team to improve their marketing and branding solutions for those looking to reach the very best small and midsize businesses across the state.  Their integrated solutions allow advertisers to connect with prospective clients via print, digital & direct interaction. Previously, he spent 11 years as Associate Publisher of Super Lawyers magazine, where he assisted attorneys and law firms across the country to fully leverage the recognition, build and improve their brands and ultimately build business through the power of third-party recognition.

Steve LeBeau, the Editor in Chief of Minnesota Business Magazine, has more than 30 years of media experience. This includes stints at the Star Tribune, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, the Communications Office of Governor Jesse Ventura, WCCO-AM, KSTP-AM, KFAN-AM and Fox9-TV. Steve has a B.A. in Philosophy and an M.A. in Media Ethics from the University of Minnesota.

Meg McCormick is a Public Relations Manager at Faegre Baker Daniels in Minneapolis. Prior to joining the firm, she held public relations positions at Thrivent Financial and Maccabee Public Relations, where she served clients in professional services industries including law, health care, financial services and commercial real estate. She received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Luther College, where she was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, and is in the process of earning her MBA from the University of St. Thomas.

Society 54 Co-Founder Heather McCullough is two parts wit and one part tenacity, with heaping doses of creativity and intellect on the side.

Heather represents the power of hard work, strategy and collaboration. For more than 14 years, she has brought game-changing results to professional services firms across the Southeast.  As the director of business and practice development at one of the most well-respected law firms in the Carolinas, Heather oversaw all aspects of firm branding and business development, including communications, client relations, events and business development – – all while keeping a keen eye on budgets and ROI.

In the consulting realm, Heather never says no to a challenge. She knows that hollow rebranding and marketing can fall flat, and operates as a tireless advocate for her clients to ensure that efforts are anything but hollow. She is well known in the legal marketing industry and her wheels never stop turning when it comes to generating profit, rapport and direction for her clients.

Ann Rainhart is the Executive Director at Briggs and Morgan, P.A. and is a member of the firm’s Management Committee. She works closely with firm leadership on strategy and operations and leads the firm’s administrative departments. Prior to joining Briggs, Ann was a key member of the Faegre Baker Daniels operations team. She played a significant role in the combination of Faegre & Benson LLP and Baker & Daniels LLP – a merger that created the largest law firm in Minnesota and one of the largest law firms in the nation. In her role as Chief Talent Officer, Ann worked with the firm’s management board and executive committee around strategies for retention, development and feedback for the firm’s 750+ lawyers, consultants and professionals, and collaborated with other administrative department leaders in key areas of business operations. Ann’s experience also includes previous positions as Director of Legal Personnel at Faegre & Benson, LLP and as part of the human resources team at Stinson Leonard Street. Ann began her career in law firm recruiting at Chapman and Cutler in Chicago. Ann earned her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law.