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

Alex Fields
Assistant to Managing Director

Alexandra Choate
Staff Attorney

Alyssa Segura
Staff Attorney

Andrew Sullivan
Staff Attorney

Angela Bosetti
Staff Investigator, Criminal Defense Practice

Ashley Moton
Law Grad

Blase Kearney
Supervising Attorney

Brian Gagniuk
Staff Attorney

Briana Hood
Client Advocate

Cait De Mott Grady
Staff Attorney

Candice Bryant
Social Worker

Cheryl Quick
Supervising Attorney

Cody Bradford
Staff Attorney

Cynthia Cooke
Team Administrator

Dalton Roberson
Client Advocate

Damiso Davis
Staff Investigator
Danielle Kramer
Paralegal

Dante Taylor
Human Resources Manager
Darnita Thomas
Team Administrator

Devon Milner-Young
Investigator

Don Johnson
Attorney, Felony Non Support

Earl Washington
Staff Attorney

Eli Feasley
Data Scientist

Emily Elijah
Assistant Supervising Attorney

Eric Goze
Staff Attorney

Erin Van-Campen
Researcher & Training Attorney

Eunice McCall
Office Manager

Glen Oh
Staff Attorney

Hannah Baron
Staff Attorney

Jackie Pilcowitz
Staff Attorney

Jacob Duchan
Paralegal

James LeHeup
Paralegal

Jeff Knoche
Staff Attorney

Joe Bruce
Investigator

Jonathan Cohen
Staff Attorney

Jonathan Roberts
Staff Attorney
Kathryn Cook-Biekman
Client Advocate

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

Lene Maxwell
Client Advocate for Civil Defense Practice
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-Civil Defense Practice
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

Rachel Williamson-Becker
Paralegal

Randi Deshone
Social Worker
Regina Jones
Staff Attorney

Renee Wilson
Team Administrator

Roy McCallister
Investigator |

Sahar Faraj 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 - Criminal Defense Practice
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
![Bender photo[3]](https://u84158.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/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

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

Jenzo Duque
Investigator, 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 Weinstein
Strategic Litigation Staff Attorney

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

Ryan Napoli
Supervising Attorney, Family Defense Practice

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
Investigator

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 Intake Coordinator

Davina Carson Wittick
Staff Attorney

Erica Galeon
Staff Attorney, Hays County

Fabiola Martinez
Team Administrator

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/Office Manager

Lowell Kendall
Senior Trial Attorney

Maite Sample
Supervising Attorney, Operation Lone Star

Manuel Amaro
Spanish Interpreter

Maria Chavez
Staff Attorney

Marissa “Ringo” Bosley
Staff Attorney

Megan Harris
Senior Management Assistant

Melissa Smyth
Immigration/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

Zuleica Aurioles
Team Administrator, Harris County Eviction Defense