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

Kristine Longstreet

Managing Director, NDS Detroit

Matthew Knecht

Chief of Management

Meenu Walters

Managing Attorney 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

Alexandra Choate

 Staff Attorney

Alyssa Segura

Staff Attorney

Andrew Sullivan

Staff Attorney

Bethany Peacock

  Investigator

Blase Kearney

Supervising Attorney

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

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

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

 

Rachel Worthy

  Social Worker Intern

Randi Bushman

  Social Worker

Randi Deshone

  Social Worker

Regina Jones

  Staff Attorney

Renee Wilson

Team Administrator

Sadie Shaw

 Social Worker Intern

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

Brittany Irving

Senior Trial Attorney

Cherita McNeal

Staff Attorney, Harris County Eviction Defense

Christine Ferrato

Staff Attorney, Hays County

Claire Wieczorek

Staff Attorney

Cristina Hogan

Client Advocate

Davina Carson Wittick

Staff Attorney

Fabiola Martinez

Team Administrator Supervisor

Faith Castillo

Staff Attorney

Illiana Esparza

Staff Attorney

Isabel Alonzo

Team Administrator

Ivanna Perez

Office Assistant

Jackeline Vallin

Team Administrator

James Epo

Staff Attorney

James Pailin

Staff Attorney

Jeff Hohl

Supervising Attorney, Hays County

Jeffrey Hindman

Staff Attorney, Hays County

Jennie Roberts

Supervising Attorney, Harris County Eviction Defense

Jesse Garza

Staff Attorney, Hays County

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

Karina Hernandez

Team Administrator

Katherine Shamsie

Staff Attorney, Hays County

Kennison Evans

Staff Attorney

Kimberly Torell

Program Manager

Kristin Dow

Senior Trial Attorney, Hays County

Laura Wallin

Spanish Interpreter

Linda Avila

Human Resource Manager

Lowell Kendall

Senior Trial Attorney

Lucas Honore

Office Manager

Maite Sample

Supervising Attorney, Operation Lone Star

Manuel Amaro

Spanish Interpreter

Marissa “Ringo” Bosley

Staff Attorney

Megan Harris

Senior Management Assistant

Melissa Smyth

Lead Padilla Attorney

Michael Fortney

Investigator, Hays County

Nichole Haynes

Social Worker, Hays County

Nisha Allen

Controller

Omar Saucedo

Supervising Social Worker

Rishabh Godha

Senior Trial Attorney

Rod Manor

Senior Trial Attorney

Ruben Borjas

Team Administrator

Salvo Blair

Staff Attorney

Sarah Montrose

Team Administrator

Steffi Jean-Jacques

Staff Attorney

Stephanie Cabrera

Team Administrator, Hays County

Susan Schoon

Senior Trial Attorney, Hays County

Tasha Arevalo

Immigration/Padilla Attorney

Tyler Steeb

Staff Attorney

Victoria Chuffo

Senior Trial Attorney

Willis Ray

Senior Trial Attorney

Yuri Esparza

Client Advocate, Hays County