Co-Hosts - Law Deans MITCH WINICK and JACKIE GARDINA
Current Host Mitchel Winick has recently retired after serving 20 years as the President and Dean of the California nonprofit law school system that includes Monterey College of Law, San Luis Obispo College of Law, Kern County College of Law, and Empire College of Law.
A graduate of the University of Houston Law Center, Winick previously
Current Host Mitchel Winick has recently retired after serving 20 years as the President and Dean of the California nonprofit law school system that includes Monterey College of Law, San Luis Obispo College of Law, Kern County College of Law, and Empire College of Law.
A graduate of the University of Houston Law Center, Winick previously served as an Assistant Attorney General of Texas and Executive Director of the Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism. A believer that there are many interesting and useful things that can be done with a law degree, Winick has continuously served on numerous nonprofit boards and local commissions. Prior to returning to legal academia, Winick had professional experience as a corporate executive, management consultant, and venture capitalist.
Winick is the former co-host of the nationally syndicated radio program, Wagner & Winick On The Law and is co-author and editor of three books on law office management and ethics.
Contact: mwinick@sidebarmedia.org
Previous Cohost through March 2026, Jackie Gardina is the former Dean of the Colleges of Law with campuses in Santa Barbara and Ventura.
Before attending law school, Gardina received an MSW and worked as an outpatient clinical social worker. Six years later, she graduated magna cum laude from Boston College Law School. Upon graduation, sh
Previous Cohost through March 2026, Jackie Gardina is the former Dean of the Colleges of Law with campuses in Santa Barbara and Ventura.
Before attending law school, Gardina received an MSW and worked as an outpatient clinical social worker. Six years later, she graduated magna cum laude from Boston College Law School. Upon graduation, she clerked for Chief Judge William Young of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and then for the Honorable Levin Campbell of the First Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition, she was an associate at the Boston firm of Choate, Hall, and Stewart, where she practiced in the commercial litigation department. She recently completed an Ed.D. in Higher Education Management at University of Pennsylvania.
Dean Gardina has written extensively about bankruptcy, civil procedure, tribal law, and constitutional issues related to the LGBTQ community. She was involved in the don’t ask don’t tell repeal efforts as well as the effort to secure marriage equality in Vermont.
Contact: jgardina@sidebarmedia.org
ProduceR and music director
David C. Eakin
David Eakin is an accomplished Media Producer, Musician, and Composer for Podcasts, Radio, Television, and Theatre. All music on SideBar is original music composed and performed by David. Over the last 45 years, David has been a Production Manager for PCPA Theaterfest, Managing Director for George Coates Performance Works, Theater and Dance Composer for PacRep, Jewell Theater, Prospect Theater, Sierra Rep and PCPA Theaterfest and Radio and Media Consultant: KION-CBS, KMUV-Telemundo, and NION-The CW Network at NPG. Check out davidceakin.com where you can listen to original theater music composed and performed by David Eakin.
Contact: dceakin1@netscape.net
media and marketing
Dena Dowsett
Dena Dowsett oversees all of SideBar's digital marketing and social media campaigns when she isn't dodging sharks as a ocean paddleboarder and outrigger canoeist. She is the director of the MSKE agency specializing in law school media and marketing.
Contact: ddowsett@montereylaw.edu
SPONSORED BY monterey college in collaboration with KAZU
