Matthew Madalo

Professor Matthew Madalo has shared his extensive business and legal experience with Catholic Law students since 2023 as an adjunct professor of Risk Management, Audit and Financial Controls. Professor Madalo is currently Senior Vice President - General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and Corporate Secretary of Siemens Government Technologies (SGT), which provides complex products, technologies, and software to the government.

In his role as General Counsel, Professor Madalo serves as the chief legal advisor to the SGT division, identifies legal risks for the company, and ensures the company is operating in a legal and compliant matter. As the Chief Compliance Officer, he assists Siemens’ government division in navigating the expansive regulatory landscape and reporting requirements that define the government contracting world. He has the power of the “corporate seal” as Corporate Secretary.

Professor Madalo believes Risk Management is a unique and important class for students of compliance because the class focuses on business interests and considerations not usually discussed in other law school classes. In his words, “A well-rounded understanding of business concerns is essential for legal compliance officers because various organizational stakeholders look to compliance officers for both legal and business insight.”

Professor Madalo believes that there is often a misconception that an organization’s legal department stifles business growth. He argues that law students should be trained to think creatively and add value to a business with their legal skills. Understanding risk management is an effective way to draw on legal skills to bring value to organizations. Professor Madalo added, “I think that the curriculum in the Compliance, Investigations, and Corporate Responsibility (CICR) program offers the students the best practical training to prepare them for the challenges they will face in their future legal career.”

Professor Madalo enjoys sharing his knowledge with students who are trying to learn their trade. He approaches teaching Risk Management from a practical perspective rather than a theoretical one. He urges law students to take advantage of internship opportunities to understand how different entities function, what is important to organizations, and how to develop the skills necessary to identify significant legal issues and potential compliance pitfalls. “Catholic Law students are in a wonderful position to take advantage of the knowledge they gain in the classroom and see its practical application when working so closely with the clients in an internship.” In his free time, Professor Madalo is an avid football (soccer) fan, specifically of the UK’s Arsenal Football Club. He also enjoys traveling and cooking.
-- By Brynn Reese ‘25

Denise Isaac

Denise Isaac, Senior Analyst, Corporate Financing, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Denise Isaac, one of the CICR program’s terrific alumni, uses her experience, skills, and education in the finance space. Ms. Isaac earned her undergraduate degree from George Washington University and her master’s degree in international business from Nova Southeastern University. Prior to law school, she had an extensive career in commercial banking where she saw first-hand the growing importance of risk management and compliance obligations in the banking world. Ms. Isaac’s interest in this intersection encouraged her to attend law school. After law school, she joined the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a private self-regulatory compliance organization that supervises member broker-dealers. Ms. Isaac specifically handles compliance matters related to corporate finance and investor protection. She landed this role with the guidance of CUA Law alumni and the help of Catholic Law’s excellent reputation in securities and finance law.

What stood out to Ms. Isaac most about the CICR program is the way the program professors went above and beyond for their students. She also was impressed by her professors’ breadth of experiences and their willingness to share real-world stories which enhanced her classroom experience and helped students envision how a career in compliance and risk management might look after graduation.

While at Catholic Law, Ms. Isaac was part of the evening program and was involved in clinic and pro bono matters, specifically in tax law. One of the most formative parts of her law school career was participating in the International Business and Trade Law Program in Poland because with its focus on international law and compliance. This program gave her useful perspectives into the legal system in the European Union and insights on import and export law. The experience cemented her interest in the business side of the legal field.

When she is not at work, Ms. Isaac enjoys bike riding, racing, and hiking, and she is interested in modern art, architecture, and urban planning in D.C. She is also very passionate about the Liverpool Football Club and attempts to travel to Liverpool once or twice a year to cheer on her team.
-- By Brynn Reese ‘25

Constantia Dedoulis

Constantia Dedoulis, Director, Institutes and Special Programs
Much of the success of the Compliance, Investigations, and Corporate Responsibility Program can be attributed to Ms. Constantia Dedoulis’s behind-the-scenes work. In her role as the Director of the Office of Institutes and Special Programs, Ms. Dedoulis administers the Law School’s certificate programs and works closely with faculty directors to execute the purpose and goals of each program by planning events, tracking certificate requirements, and connecting students with experts.

Ms. Dedoulis has been a fixture at the Law School for decades. Prior to joining the Law School in 1992, she received a B.A. from George Washington University and a Master of Fine Arts from the Catholic University of America. She previously taught art and psychology at the high school level. During her time at Catholic Law, she has held several different positions including roles in academic development and as the yearbook advisor. Ms. Dedoulis has seen lots of growth at the law school over the past several years but notes that the caliber of faculty and the extensive degree to which professors, faculty, and staff care for their students and are willing to extend themselves have remained consistently high.

Ms. Dedoulis is particularly passionate about her role as the Director of the Office of Institutes and Special Programs because she has seen the positive impact the programs have had on certificate holders in their careers and the unique opportunities they offer students to develop transferable skills, learn about different legal career paths, make connections with practitioners, and delve into areas of law that interest them. Ms. Dedoulis notes the certificate programs at the law school are especially beneficial to students because they do not require payment of additional costs and because they allow flexibility if students want to pursue certificates from more than one program or decide not to continue with a program. According to Ms. Dedoulis, the students within the certificate programs are incredibly bright and diligent and have been a joy to work with. Ms. Dedoulis believes that the Compliance, Investigation, and Corporate Responsibility Program has especially been an asset to the Law School because it has connected students with alumni in high-ranking positions across several different industries, both public and private. She is also confident that the transferable skills developed in the CICR program make students stand out as indispensable employees in a time when the need for an understanding of what compliance entails has become so important in many aspects of legal practice.

Outside of the Law School, Ms. Dedoulis enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and daughter. Both of her children have undergraduate degrees from the Catholic University of America, and her daughter Christine is currently enrolled in the Law School’s evening program. She is also an active member of the Daughters of Penelope, a social and charitable organization under the umbrella of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.
-- By Brynn Reese ‘25