General Counsel Staff

CINDY J. STARKE

GENERAL COUNSEL

Cindy provides advice and assistance on a wide range of legal issues for the University, including student affairs, employment, litigation management, policy development and compliance. She has represented Oregon public universities since 2009, and joined PSU in April 2014. Cindy previously served as assistant general counsel to the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, and now serves as a judge on the Warm Springs Court of Appeals. Cindy earned her B.A. in English from the University of Maryland and her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she served as co-chair of the Native American Law Students Association (NALSA). She is currently on the board of the Oregon Law Foundation and the Secretary of the Oregon State Bar’s Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion.

MICHAEL J. GRIESER

ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL

Michael is primarily responsible for business and transactional legal issues for the University. He works closely with Finance and Administration, Purchasing and Contracting, Facilities and Planning and similar units across campus. Michael has been an Assistant General Counsel at Portland State University since October 2011. Prior to joining PSU, Michael served as a Deputy General Counsel for TriMet and an Assistant General Counsel for the Portland Development Commission. Michael earned a B.A. in Philosophy with Honors from Seattle University and a J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School.

KRISTA S. STEARNS

ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL

Krista handles a variety of legal matters for the university, including records requests and retention issues, government ethics, policy development, litigation, and transactional matters for the University. Krista joined the PSU in September of 2014. Previously, Krista was the City Attorney for the City of Kenai, Alaska.  She also served as a state assistant attorney general and worked as an attorney at Boyd, Chandler & Falconer, LLP in Anchorage providing day-to-day legal advice and litigation services to municipalities and small business clients.  Krista graduated with honors from Illinois Wesleyan University and earned her J.D. from the University of Minnesota. She is currently admitted to practice law in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

JEREMY S. HEALEY

ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL

CLAIR CALLAWAY PINKERTON

Legal Office Administrator & Paralegal

Clair is the Legal Office Administrator & Paralegal for the Office of General Counsel. Clair has an ABA-approved paralegal certificate from Portland Community College and a Core Registered Paralegal® designation. As a PSU alumna and employee of over twenty years, Clair has served in various roles across campus, including several positions in the President's Office.  

Phone: 503-725-2656