Elena M. Paul

Elena M. Paul is the first General Counsel of Ringling College of Art and Design, a college with a contemporary art museum in Sarasota, Florida, which was founded in 1931.

Prior to that position, she was the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, a performing arts organization and school that furthers the vision of the artist and civil rights activist, Alvin Ailey. She also managed Ailey's Human Resources Department.

Prior to Ailey, Ms. Paul was the Executive Director of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA). She also represented clients at VLA on a pro bono basis. In her tenure, VLA enjoyed record growth and program improvement. Prior to VLA, Ms. Paul was Executive Director of Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts.

Before joining WALA, Ms. Paul acted as University Counsel in the Office of the President at the University of Maryland, College Park. Prior to this position, Ms. Paul served as an attorney at two major national law firms in DC, Patton Boggs and Bryan Cave, where she practiced corporate and real estate law.

Ms. Paul received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Davidson College, phi beta kappa, and her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Ms. Paul was a Wasserstein Public Interest Fellow at Harvard Law School.

She advises many arts and cultural organizations, including The Center for Photography at Woodstock and The Classical Theatre of Harlem. She served as a mentor for The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in its Arts in Crisis Program. For her alma mater, Davidson College, she is a member of The Art Collection Advisory Committee (ACAC) and leads the ACAC's Diversity and Inclusion efforts.

Since 2010, Ms. Paul has been an Adjunct Professor in the Producing and Documentary Programs at the New York Film Academy. Some of her other teaching included work for L'Accademia Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy, Fordham Law School in the Fashion Law Institute, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Pratt Institute of Art & Design, and Brooklyn Law School.