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
Alice Fontier
Managing Director, NDS Harlem
Andrea Bridgewater
Chief Operating Officer
Anthonia Ibe
Chief Financial Officer
Kristine Longstreet
Managing Director, NDS Detroit
Kim Torell
Chief of Staff
Matthew Knecht
Chief of Management
Meenu Walters
Managing Director of NDS Texas
Shannon Anglero
Chief Advancement Officer
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
Batoul Haidar
Staff Attorney
Bethany Peacock
Investigator
Brian Gagniuk
Staff Attorney
Briana Hood
Client Advocate
Brianna Hines
Staff Attorney
Cait De Mott Grady
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
Dante Taylor
Human Resources Manager
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 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
Paralegal
James King
Supervising Attorney
Jeff Knoche
Staff Attorney
Joe Bruce
Investigator
Jonathan Cohen
Staff Attorney
Jonathan Roberts
Staff Attorney
Kathryn Cook-Biekman
Client Advocate
Katherine Olds
Investigator
Kim Basen-Mishon
Supervising Attorney
Ken Riggins
Staff Attorney
Kenneth Jackson
Investigator
Kerry Martin
Staff Attorney
Kristen Key
Team Administrator Supervisor
Kristin LaVoy
Training Director
Lauren Anderson
Assistant Supervising Attorney
LaBonnie Woodard
Receptionist
Leesa Frederick
Staff Attorney
Lene Maxwell
Client Advocate
Linda Perkins-Moore
FNS Attorney
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 Woodyard
Staff Attorney
Michelle Oleszkowicz
Paralegal
Mike Davisson
Social Worker
Nanci Kastaw
Staff Attorney
Nancy Richards
Supervising Attorney
Natalie Phelps
Staff 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
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
Tom Molina-Duarte
Social Worker
Tyrone Bickerdt
Staff Attorney
Vanessa Hamilton
Staff Attorney
Verlona Herd
Team Administrator
William Noakes
Assistant 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
Dara Pluchino
Social Worker, Civil Defense Practice
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
Danielle Jackson
Interim Managing Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice
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
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
Emily Ponder Williams
Managing Attorney, Civil Defense Practice
Eulalia Q. Sullivan, J.D.
Legal Advocate, Civil Defense Practice - Collateral Consequences Team
Garrett Salzman
Supervising Investigator, Criminal Defense Practice
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
Jahed Meah
Paralegal & Outreach Coordinator, Civil 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
Karla Hernandez
Fellow, Immigration Defense Team
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
Maria Vanesa Maldonado
Spanish Interpreter
Mariel Hooper
Interim Supervising Attorney, Civil Defense Practice - Collateral Consequences/Housing Defense Teams
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
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
Illiana Esparza
Staff Attorney
Isabel Alonzo
Team Administrator
Ivanna Perez
Office Assistant
Jackeline Vallin
Team Administrator
James Epo
Staff Attorney
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
Jossue Dominguez
Client Advocate
Juan Guerrero
Investigator
Julio Mendoza
Client Advocate
Karen Peña
Team Administrator
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
Lydia Palacios
Interpreter
Lowell Kendall
Supervising Attorney
Lucas Honore
Office Manager
Maite Sample
Managing Attorney
Manuel Amaro
Interpreter
Marissa “Ringo” Bosley
Staff Attorney
Megan Harris
Senior Management Assistant
Michael Fortney
Investigator, Hays County
Nataly Limon
Office Assistant, Hays County
Neil Klein
Staff Attorney, Hays County
Nichole Haynes
Social Worker, Hays County
Nisha Allen
Controller
Omar Saucedo
Program Manager
Rishabh Godha
Supervising Attorney
Rod Manor
Supervising Attorney
Ruben Borjas
Team Administrator
Sarah Montrose
Team Administrator
Steffi Jean-Jacques
Staff Attorney
Stephanie Cabrera
Team Administrator, Hays County
Susan Schoon
Supervising Attorney, Hays County
Tyler Steeb
Staff Attorney
Victoria Chuffo
Supervising Attorney
Willis Ray
Supervising Attorney
Yuri Esparza
Client Advocate, Hays County
Xalli Gonzales
Staff Attorney