Grand Valley State University names new general counsel
Jessica Karbowski Weare has been announced as the new General Counsel for Grand Valley State University. She has a long career of legal work in public service and government settings. She replaces Patricia Smith, who is retiring.
Grand Valley State University recently announced that Jessica Karbowski Weare will be joining the university as its new general counsel. Weare is an attorney with a long history of providing legal counsel in government settings as well as in public service. She most recently was the chief legal counsel and chief operating officer for the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential. She will begin her new position at Grand Valley at the end of the month.
The previous general counsel, Patricia Smith, is retiring after a quarter of a century with Grand Valley State University, having spent the last three of those years as the school’s general counsel.
In an article posted on Grand Valley State University’s website, the school’s president, Philomena V. Mantella, was quoted about the addition of Weare to the faculty, saying, "I am pleased to welcome Jessica Karbowski Weare to GVSU. Jessica’s breadth of experience and leadership skills make her a great fit to proactively support our mission and strategic plan by providing legal counsel, mitigating risks and advancing innovation.”
Prior to this new role, Weare had also served as the acting commission for the Michigan State Lottery where she oversaw an agency that contained 200 employees and served over 10,000 retailers. She also served as deputy legal counsel to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Weare’s work with the State Of Michigan included advisory positions for a range of compliance and legal issues such as issues related to Tribal relations, elections, natural resources, civil rights, emergency response, infrastructure, education, and economic development.
Weare also has experience outside of Michigan, having worked in Washington, D.C. at Meta (previously Facebook Inc.) as the associate general counsel for Global Trade Compliance, as well as an attorney-advisor for the U.S. Department of State.
In addition to her work, Weare is also an active member in the community, participating in community engagement activities such as supporting education and mentoring.
Weare was also quoted about her new role at Grand Valley State University, wherein she said that she was a “born and raised Michigander.” She also noted that she was excited to join the school and for the opportunity to make an impact in West Michigan, saying, "I am honored to join the Grand Valley team and look forward to supporting the president, the Board of Trustees and university leaders in advancing the university’s vision, mission and values. Along with the excellent team in the Office of the General Counsel, I look forward to partnering with the broader GVSU community of faculty, staff and students and contributing to their ongoing work. This opportunity is a continuation of my long commitment to public service, and I hope to use my past experience to shape my approach to solving problems, working collaboratively and delivering high-quality legal counsel."
Weare attended Alma College where she earned her bachelor’s degree before moving on to Yale Law School where she earned her law degree.
More information about Grand Valley State University can be found at the school’s website.