Executive Director

Rick Jones is the executive director and a founding member of the Neighborhood Defender Service. He is a distinguished trial lawyer with 30 years experience in multi-forum litigation. Rick served as the 59th president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) and is an inaugural member of the steering committee of the National Association for Public Defense (NAPD). He is the vice-chair of the International Legal Foundation (ILF) and a trustee of Fair Trials International. He has served on the faculties of both Columbia Law School and the National Criminal Defense College (NCDC) for more than a decade.
Senior Management
Kristine Longstreet
Managing Director, NDS Detroit
Matthew Knecht
Chief of Counsel

Meenu Walters
Managing Director, NDS Texas

Piyali Basak
Managing Director, NDS Harlem

Shannon Anglero
Chief Advancement Officer
Tony Acosta
Executive Assistant

Megan Harris
Senior Management Assistant
Detroit Staff

Adam Rosenman
IT Specialist

Adriana Jackson
HR Generalist

Alanna Boucher
Staff Attorney

Alex Fields
Assistant to Managing Director

Alexander Ignatiev
Staff Attorney

Alexandra Choate
Staff Attorney

Alyssa Segura
Staff Attorney

Ashley Munger
Staff Attorney

Batoul Haidar
Staff Attorney

Bethany Peacock
Investigator

Brian Gagniuk
Staff Attorney

Brianna Hines
Staff Attorney

Charlotte Berschback
Staff Attorney

Cheryl Quick
Supervising Attorney

Cody Bradford
Staff Attorney

Coriann McMillen
Staff Attorney

Cynthia Cooke
Team Administrator

Dalton Roberson
Client Advocate

Damiso Davis
Investigator

Danielle Kramer
Paralegal
Darnita Thomas
Team Administrator

Devon Milner-Young
Investigator

Don Johnson
FNS Attorney

Earl Washington
Staff Attorney

Eli Feasley
Data Scientist

Emily Elijah
Assistant Supervising Attorney

Eric Goze
Assistant Supervising Attorney

Erin Ruprecht
Staff Attorney

Erin Van-Campen
Researcher & Training Attorney

Eunice McCall
Office Manager

Glen Oh
Staff Attorney

Jack Duhan
Staff Attorney

Jackie Pilcowitz
Staff Attorney

Jacob Duchan
Paralegal

James LeHeup
Investigator

James King
Supervising Attorney

Joe Bruce
Investigator

Jonathan Cohen
Staff Attorney

Jonathan Roberts
Staff Attorney

Kaitlin Symanns
Investigator

Kathryn Cook-Biekman
Client Advocate

Katherine Olds
Investigator

Kim Basen-Mishon
Supervising Attorney

Ken Riggins
Staff Attorney

Kerry Martin
Staff Attorney

Kristen Key
Team Administrator Supervisor

Kristina Dunne
Staff Attorney
Lauren Anderson
Training Director

Lauren Butler
Staff Attorney

LaBonnie Woodard
Receptionist

Leesa Frederick
Staff Attorney

Lene Maxwell
Client Advocate
Linda Perkins-Moore
FNS Attorney

M.G. Moore
Staff Attorney

Marcellus Ball
Investigator

Mark Procida
Supervising Attorney

Marilyn Williams
Team Administrator

Mary Soo Anderson
Chief Investigator

Matt Cuddeback
Social Work Supervisor

Matt Larson
Staff Attorney
Maya Cain
Supervising Attorney

Megan Gokey
Staff Attorney

Meti Birabiro
Social Worker

Melissa Fernandez
Paralegal

Michael Mojica
Staff Attorney

Michael Woodyard
Staff Attorney

Michelle Oleszkowicz
Paralegal

Mike Davisson
Social Worker

Nadia Hakim
Staff Attorney

Nanci Kastaw
Staff Attorney

Nancy Richards
Supervising Attorney

Paulina Montez
Staff Attorney

Queshia Harris
Team Administrator

Rachel Williamson-Becker
Paralegal

Randi Bushman
Social Worker

Randi Deshone
Social Worker

Regina Jones
Staff Attorney

Renee Wilson
Team Administrator

Rich Cummins
Staff Attorney

Sahar Faraj
Staff Attorney

Sarah Khan
Staff Attorney

Sharron Sanders
Staff Attorney

Sheila Abrams
Receptionist |

Sidney Henderson
Staff Attorney

Sofia Nelson
Staff Attorney

Somers Brush
Staff Attorney
Stephanie Jackson
Paralegal

Tiffani Palmer
Team Administrator

Tyrone Bickerdt
Staff Attorney

Vanessa Hamilton
Staff Attorney

Verlona Herd
Team Administrator

William Noakes
Supervising Attorney

Yousif Yokhanna
Investigator
Harlem Staff

Alecia Huie
Assistant to Managing Director

Amelia Bedoya
Advocate, Family Defense Practice

Amanda Donnelly
Social Worker, Criminal Defense Practice

Amy Armstrong
Staff Attorney, Family Defense Practice

Amy Kwak
Supervising Attorney, Collateral Consequences Team, Civil Defense Practice

Anjuli Branz
Staff Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Annoguie “Annie” Viruet
Facilities Manager

Ariana Brill
Education Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Ariel Tejada
Retained Intake Advocate, Criminal Defense Practice

Bethany Woosen
Data Analyst

Daudi Justin
Staff Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Candice Lee
Staff Attorney, Civil Defense Practice

Carolyn Klemens
Human Resources Manager

Cristina Moracho
Investigator, Criminal Defense Practice

Christopher Helwig
Supervising Attorney, Civil Defense Practice - Housing Defense Team

Demi Licona
Team Administrator, Criminal Defense Practice

Devin Conway
Staff Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Dori Brail
Supervising Social Worker, Family Defense Practice

Edwin Santana
IT/System Administrator
![Bender photo[3]](https://neighborhooddefender.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Bender-photo3-300x300.jpg)
Elizabeth Bender
Staff Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Elizabeth Fischer
Managing Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Elsie Chandler
Director, Youth Law Practice

Elma Zapata
Staff Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Emily Herder
Staff Attorney, Family Defense Practice

Eulalia Q. Sullivan, J.D.
Legal Advocate, Civil Defense Practice - Collateral Consequences Team

Gerlene St Jean
Staff Attorney, Family Defense Practice

Grace Bevilacqua
Staff Attorney, Family Defense Practice

Gregory Gomez
Supervising Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Helen Montalvan
Supervising Social Worker, Family Defense Practice

Helmis Ortega
Senior Paralegal, Criminal Defense Practice - Homicide Team

Irina Alejandro
Client Advocate, Criminal Defense Practice

Jahnavi Bhaskar
Staff Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Javionte Johnson
Staff Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Jeremiah Rygus
Supervising Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice - Training

Jeremy Tinsley
Staff Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Jill Applegate
Skadden Fellow, Immigration Defense Team, Civil Defense Practice

Josh Hagelgans
Social Worker, Criminal Defense Practice

Justin Pita
Legal Advocate, Civil Defense Practice - Collateral Consequences Team

Karla Vergara Perez
Staff Attorney, Family Defense Practice

Kathryn (Katie) Doman
Staff Attorney, Civil Defense Practice - Housing Defense Team

Kenna Capalbo
Client Advocate, Family Defense Practice

Kristin Heavey
Senior Trial Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Lisa Freedman
Senior Trial Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Liza Oviedo
Team Administrator, Family Defense Practice

Marco Balestri
Legal Advocate, Housing Defense Practice

Mariel Hooper
Interim Managing Attorney- Collateral Consequences Team, Civil Defense Practice

Meghna Philip
Special Litigation Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Melida Ramirez
Team Administrator, Criminal Defense Practice

Michael Woodruff
Staff Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Michelle Villaseñor-Grant
Senior Trial Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice - Homicide Team

Monica Shah
Staff Attorney, Family Defense Practice

Naima Gregory
Supervising Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Naomi Schachter
Social Worker, Family Defense Practice

Naomi Oberman-Breindel
Staff Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Nina Nevarez
Staff Attorney, Family Defense Practice

Nicole Seigel
Social Worker, Family Defense Practice

Patricia Williams
Team Administrator, Criminal Defense Practice

Rebecca Calabrese
Social Work Supervisor, Criminal Defense Practice

Roxanna Gutierrez
General Counsel

Sadie Miner
Social Worker, Family Defense Practice

Sara Lustbader
Staff Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Sarah Merchant
Social Worker, Family Defense Practice

Scott Foletta
Interim Managing Attorney, Civil Defense Practice - Immigration Defense Team

Shalonda Curtis
Shalonda is Community Outreach Coordinator, Family Defense Practice

Tiffany Wang
Senior Trial Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice

Varun Bhadha
Staff Attorney, Family Defense Practice

William Botchway
Legal Advocate, Civil Defense Practice - Housing Defense Team

Zainab Akbar
Managing Attorney, Family Defense Practice
Zoe Whitehouse
Staff Attorney, Family Defense Practice
Alexandra "Zoni" Rockoff
Interim supervising attorney, Civil Defense Practice, Collateral Consequences Team
Christina Corcoran
Interim Supervising Attorney, Civil Defense Practice, Housing Defense Team
Davis Villano
Staff Attorney, Civil Defense Practice, Collateral Consequences Team
Elena Lutfy
Staff Attorney, Civil Defense Practice, Housing Defense Team
Fatima Faloye
Staff Attorney, Civil Defense Practice, Housing Defense Team
Isidermi Leonardo
Team Administrator, Civil Defense Practice, Collateral Consequences Team
Jack Boyle
Staff Attorney, Civil Defense Practice, Housing Defense Team
Kayan Clarke
Supervising Team Administrator, Civil Defense Practice
Kimberly Shannon
Staff Attorney, Civil Defense Practice, Collateral Consequences Team
Lorena Jiron
Supervising Attorney, Civil Defense Practice, Housing Defense Team
Mariana Garcia
Law graduate, Civil Defense Practice, Housing Defense Team
Martin Adams
Staff Attorney, Civil Defense Practice, Housing Defense Team
Maya O'Day
Team Administrator, Civil Defense Practice, Housing Defense Team
Reggie Miller
Supervising Social Worker, Civil Defense Practice
Sarah Strohecker
Spanish Interpreter
Texas Staff

Alex Alonso
Investigator

Amairani Carrizales
Investigator

Ashley Mize
Client Intake Coordinator

Belkis Moreno
Administrative Specialist

Bobbie Morales
Client Advocate

Briana Lans
Staff Attorney, Harris County Eviction Defense

Brittany Irving
Supervising Attorney
Carlos Pereira
Interpreter

Cherita McNeal
Staff Attorney, Harris County Eviction Defense

Christine Ferrato
Staff Attorney, Hays County

Cristina Hogan
Client Advocate

Cristina Ocampo
Staff Attorney, Harris County Eviction Defense

Davina Carson Wittick
Staff Attorney

Darren Sankey
Staff Attorney, Harris County Eviction Defense

Debbie Dietzmann
Staff Attorney

Fabiola Martinez
Supervising Team Administrator

Gloria Fernandez
Team Administrator, Harris County Eviction Defense

Isabel Alonzo
Team Administrator

Ivanna Perez
Office Assistant

Jeff Hohl
Managing Attorney, Hays County

Jeffrey Hindman
Staff Attorney, Hays County

Jennie Roberts
Supervising Attorney, Harris County Eviction Defense

Jesus Saenz
Client Advocate, Harris County Eviction Defense

Karen Sova
Staff Attorney

Katherine Shamsie
Staff Attorney, Hays County

Kennison Evans
Staff Attorney, Hays County

Kristin Dow
Supervising Attorney, Hays County

Linda Avila
Human Resource Manager

Lowell Kendall
Supervising Attorney

Manuel Amaro
Interpreter

Marissa “Ringo” Bosley
Staff Attorney

Michael Fortney
Investigator, Hays County

Nataly Limon
Office Assistant, Hays County

Neil Klein
Staff Attorney, Hays County

Nichole Haynes
Social Worker, Hays County

Omar Saucedo
Program Manager

Rishabh Godha
Supervising Attorney

Sarah Montrose
Team Administrator

Stephanie Cabrera
Team Administrator, Hays County

Susan Schoon
Supervising Attorney, Hays County

Tyler Steeb
Staff Attorney

Victoria Chuffo
Supervising Attorney

Yuri Esparza
Client Advocate, Hays County