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ALUMNI DIRECTORY1988-2018

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Thirty years ago, the Office of the Appellate Defender (OAD) was founded with an ambitious and visionary mission: to be a champion for poor people convicted of felonies by providing exceptional representation, improving the quality of indigent defense in New York City, and pioneering innovative responses to emerging criminal justice issues.

Consistent with our mission, OAD committed itself to client-centered representation, and embraced a then-unique practice that included in-person client visits, the filing of reply briefs and the presentation of oral ar-guments in all but the most exceptional of cases. OAD

ultimately deepened the holistic nature of its representation by becoming the first appellate de-fender to provide on-site medical, mental health, substance abuse, housing, education, and public assistance support to its clients; and by creating a Reinvestigation Project to promptly identify and challenge likely cases of wrongful conviction.

OAD also dedicated itself to the training of lawyers and law students likely to make a significant contribution to the ongoing struggle for the fair administration of criminal justice in New York City. OAD imposed term limits on its Staff Attorney positions in order to maximize the reach of its in-depth training; OAD developed a Criminal Appellate Defender Clinic with New York University School of Law in order to ground new lawyers in an understanding of the rigors of proper indigent appellate defense representation; and OAD created a Volunteer Appellate Defender (VAD) Program in order to leverage the talent and expertise of associates at leading New York City law firms in defense of poor people seeking to appeal felony convictions.

Thirty years later, OAD has secured countless in-court victories, and its alumni play influential roles in the administration of criminal justice in New York City and across the country. As this Directory powerfully demonstrates, OAD-trained attorneys have become state and federal public defenders, scholars, policy-makers, jurists, and private practitioners. OAD’s alumni hold leadership positions in national public interest organizations, large law firms, and even prosecutor offices. Former OAD staffers have relied on their experiences representing people convicted of felonies in becoming artists, writers, healers, and philanthropists.

Today, OAD stands as a national model of outstanding indigent appellate defense representation. It would not be the organization it is today were it not for the contributions made by each of the extraordinary individuals who has served our clients.

Thank you!

Christina A. SwarnsPresident & Attorney-in-ChargeOffice of the Appellate Defender

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Included in this first-ever OAD Alumni Directory are former staff members’ names, current place of business, and position while at OAD.

Anita Aboagye-AgyemanThe Legal Aid SocietyOAD Staff Attorney

Susan AbrahamNew York Law SchoolOAD Supervising Attorney

Virmary AcostaCon EdisonOAD Administrative Assistant

Alexis AgathocleousInnocence ProjectOAD Staff Attorney

Stephanie AkhterThe Laura and John Arnold Foundation (Criminal Justice Initiative)OAD Intern

Saadia AleemSyria Cross Border International Rescue Committee OAD Senior Staff Attorney

Franz AllinaCommittee to Protect JournalistsOAD Staff Attorney

Roslyn AllisonOAD Financial Officer

Rosemary Almonte GuichardoU.S. Department of Labor, Office of the SolicitorOAD Legal Intern

Salina Kanai AlthofAttorney at Law, ALCOAD Staff Attorney

Gloria AlvarezQueens LibraryOAD Paralegal

Sarah ArnholzPartners HealthCareOAD Staff Attorney

Kate AxelrodNYC Department of Health and Mental HygieneOAD Social Work Intern

Megan Backus-FlorioMedOptionsOAD Social Work Intern

Douglas BakerState Appellate Defender Office, Michigan & Wayne State School of LawOAD Staff Attorney

sujatha baligaImpact JusticeOAD Staff Attorney

Stuart BannerUCLA School of LawOAD Staff Attorney

Lara BelkinThe Food Law FirmOAD Staff Attorney

Morgan BirckUniversity of Michigan Law SchoolOAD Legal Intern

Molly BoothBrooklyn Defender ServicesOAD Staff Attorney

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Katheryne BorreroOAD Administrative Assistant

Charity BradyAppellate AdvocatesOAD Staff Attorney

Heather BrodyCenter for Urban Community ServicesOAD Social Work Intern

Courtni BurlesonAmerican Constitution Society for Law & PolicyOAD Staff Attorney

Jason CadeUniversity of Georgia, School of LawOAD Intern

Vinnette CampbellQueens County District Attorney's OfficeOAD Intern

Maisy CardNewark Public LibraryOAD Development Coordinator

Joshua CarmelRiker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perritti, LLPOAD Legal Intern

Loreni CespedesFreelance Graphic DesignerOAD Administrative Assistant

Laura ChaathCollaborative SolutionsOAD Legal Intern

Gregory ChiarelloOutten & Golden LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Jill Luan ChienThe Center for Family RepresentationOAD Social Work Intern

Erin ChiznerSchulte Roth & Zabel LLPOAD Legal Intern

Linda CohnOffice of the Federal Public Defender, Western District of PennsylvaniaOAD Staff Attorney

Dionne ColeyThe Peak Organization, Inc.OAD Legal Intern

Vaughn-Michael CordesAttorney At LawOAD Staff Attorney

Kayla CortesJubilee JobsOAD Social Work Intern

Ecena CuetoOAD Administrative Assistant

Danielle Cooper DaughtryThe Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and ArtOAD Staff Attorney

Nicole DeLauraOAD Legal Intern

Tamara DetloffOAD Staff Attorney

Paola DislaOAD Administrative Assistant

Salil DudaniYale Law SchoolOAD Intern

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Nicholas A. DustonNorris McLaughlin, P.A.OAD Fellow

Leah DysonAtlas ResearchOAD Social Work

Catharine (Kate) F. EasterlyDistrict of Columbia, Court of AppealsOAD Staff Attorney

Jajuan EbronUrban PathwaysOAD Scanning Clerk

Jennifer EisenbergOAD Staff Attorney

Carlos EscobedoOffice of the Federal Defender, Capital Habeas UnitOAD Investigator/Paralegal

Maia Falconi-SachsOutten & Golden LLPOAD Development Director

Alejandro B. FernandezOffice of the Federal Public Defender, District of New MexicoOAD Staff Attorney

Benjamin FidalgoSouth Jersey Legal ServicesOAD Legal Intern

Michael J. FiguraThe Legal Aid SocietyOAD Legal Intern

Marjorie FingeretOAD Social Work Intern

Dyan Finguerra-DuCharmePryor CashmanOAD Legal Intern

Matthew I. FleischmanOppenheim & Zebrak LLPOAD Fellow

Anabel FloresThe Legal Aid SocietyOAD Administrative Assistant

Lisa B. FreelandOffice of the Federal Public DefenderOAD Staff Attorney

Robert GarciaCurtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Jessica GarlandYale Law SchoolOAD Legal Intern

Sarah E. GeraghtySouthern Center for Human RightsOAD Staff Attorney

Risa GersonBronx District Attorney’s Office, Conviction Integrity UnitOAD Supervising Attorney

Mark S. GimpelLaw Offices of Mark GimpelOAD Supervising Attorney

Lily M. GoetzThe Legal Aid SocietyOAD Staff Attorney

Laurence GoodmanLaw Offices of Willig, Williams & DavidsonOAD Staff Attorney

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Katherine A. GraingerCivitasOAD Staff Attorney

Casey GrannisNielsen, Broman & Koch P.L.L.C.OAD Legal Intern

Christina GravesNYC Department of EducationOAD Staff Attorney

Richard M. GreenbergThe Ida and Robert Gordon Family FoundationOAD Attorney-in-Charge

Vaidya GullapalliClient Services Director

Sara GurwitchGuthrie CiderWorksOAD Deputy Attorney-in-Charge

Phillip GuttmannSt. Anne'sOAD Social Work Intern

Matthew L. HancockOAD Intern

Katherine HardyOAD Social Work Intern

Jessica HenryMontclair State UniversityOAD Staff Attorney

Sophia HillNew Jersey Office of the Public DefenderOAD Legal Intern

Holly HobartThe International Legal FoundationOAD Intern

Heather Holloway MooreFacebookOAD Staff Attorney

Daniel W.E. HoltAuthor, “Heat in US Prisons and Jails: Corrections and the Challenge of Climate Change”OAD Senior Staff Attorney

Julie E. HoltOffice of the Federal Public Defender, Southern District of FloridaOAD Staff Attorney

Elaine M. HornWilliams & Connolly LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Jalina J. HudsonPerkins & Coie LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Herbert HughColumbia School of Social WorkOAD Development Associate

Rebecca JacobsteinCommittee for Public Counsel ServicesOAD Staff Attorney

Kerry JamiesonCivilian Complaint Review BoardOAD Supervising Attorney

Mabel JerezCenter for Court InnovationParalegal & Interpreter

Mugambi JouetMcGill UniversityOAD Staff Attorney

Jacqueline J. KellyOAD Social Work Intern

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Chantal KhalilFinkelstein, Blankinship, Frei-Pearson & Garber, LLPOAD Legal Intern

Ursula H. KiczkowskiOAD Social Work Intern

Rakesh KilaruWilkinson Walsh + Eskovitz LLPOAD Legal Intern

Gian KingXeroxOAD Staff Attorney

AiLun KuThe Opportunity NetworkOAD Undergraduate Investigative Intern

Julia P. KuanRomano & Kuan, PLLCOAD Staff Attorney

Anant KumarZuckerman Spaeder LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Tara KumarThe Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense PracticeOAD Legal Intern

Paul (Skip) LaisureAppellate AdvocatesOAD Staff Attorney

Jennifer LambertHarvard Law SchoolOAD Intake Specialist

Martin LijtmaerLaw Offices of Martin LijtmaerOAD Legal Intern

Terry Linton"She Roads with Terri Linton" PodcastOAD Staff Attorney

David Loy (formerly David Blair-Loy)ACLU Foundation of San Diego & Imperial CountiesOAD Staff Attorney

Richard LuedemanWiggin and Dana LLPOAD Legal Intern

Namita LuthraOAD Staff Attorney

Jonathan MarvinnyFederal Defenders of New YorkOAD Staff Attorney

Sharmeen MazumderBrooklyn Defender ServicesOAD Staff Attorney

Matthew L. MazurDechert LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Scott C. McAbeeWilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Bridget Mary McCormackMichigan Supreme CourtOAD Staff Attorney

William Joseph McCormack, Jr.Actor and Television ProducerOAD Administrative Assistant

Karin McCormickVerizon WirelessOAD Staff Attorney

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Renee McDonald-HutchinsUniversity of Maryland School of LawOAD Staff Attorney

Ada D. MedinaThe Legal Aid SocietyOAD Legal Intern

Samuel MendezUnited States District Court for the Southern District of FloridaOAD Senior Staff Attorney

Ira MickenbergNational Defender Training ProjectOAD Supervising Attorney

Florian MiedelMiedel & Mysliwiec LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Kate MollisonThe Southern District of Florida Federal Public Defender’s OfficeOAD Staff Attorney

William R. MontrossUDC David A. Clarke School of LawOAD Staff Attorney

Leora MorenoMecklenburg County Public Defender's OfficeOAD Legal Intern

Robin MorjikianCalvary Presbyterian ChurchOAD Office Manager

Katie MulcahyPenn Center for Community Health WorkersOAD Social Work Intern

Tomoeh Murakami TseThe Legal Aid SocietyOAD Staff Attorney

Deborah NoonanOAD Staff Attorney

Stephanie OmeziUniversity of Chicago School of Social Service AdministrationOAD Intern

Hemangi S. PaiBrooklyn Defender ServicesOAD Intern

Paresh S. PatelOffice of the Federal Public Defender, District of MarylandOAD Staff Attorney

Rebekah PazminoThe Legal Aid SocietyOAD Staff Attorney

D'Ann R. PennerLarry Curtis, APLCOAD Legal Intern

Daniel PerlmanCobb PsychotherapyOAD Social Work Intern

Peter A. PerlmanThe HartfordOAD Staff Attorney

Karl E. PflanzNew York State Unified Court SystemOAD Staff Attorney

Michael PinardUniversity of Maryland Francis King Carey School of LawOAD Staff Attorney

Munir PujaraUrban Justice Center, Mental Health ProjectOAD Staff Attorney

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Tina Mazza RallsCurtin & Heefner LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Helen Ogbara ReevesDentons US LLPOAD Intern

Palma RepoleEthical Culture Fieldston SchoolOAD Staff Attorney

Amy RobinsonGiskan Solotaroff & AndersonOAD Intern

Nicole RochatHolistic HealingOAD Social Work Director

Sarah RoffeNewYork Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical CenterOAD Social Work Intern

E. Joshua Rosenkranz*Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLPOAD Attorney-in-Charge

Laura RossiWestchester Community FoundationOAD Staff Attorney

Melissa RothsteinMaryland Office of the Public DefenderOAD Senior Staff Attorney & Social Work Director

Caroline RuleKostelanetz & Fink LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Reena SandovalOAD Staff Attorney

Lenisha ScotlandCatholic Charities, Brooklyn Community CenterOAD Intern

Jahaan ShaheedFederal Community Defender Office, Eastern District of PennsylvaniaOAD Staff Attorney

Daniel V. ShapiroUnited States Attorney's Office District of New JerseyOAD Intern

Rahul K. SharmaOffice of the Federal Public Defender, Eastern District of VirginiaOAD Staff Attorney

Devon SkeensAppalachian Research & Defense FundOAD Legal Intern

Natalie J. SobchakPace Women's Justice Center OAD Staff Attorney

Gregory I. SolomonowOAD Intern

Avi SpringerRubin, Kidney, Nyer & VincentOAD Staff Attorney

Rebecca SteadRebecca Stead BooksOAD Staff Attorney

Lauren Stephens-DavidowitzUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of New YorkOAD Senior Staff Attorney

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Samantha L. SternOffice of the Federal Public Defender, Western District of PennsylvaniaOAD Staff Attorney

Andrew B. StollStoll, Glickman & Bellina, LLPOAD Intern

Sheena StringerOAD Social Work Intern

Barry R. StruttKeegan, Keegan, Keegan & Strutt LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Brian StullACLU Capital Punishment ProjectOAD Staff Attorney

Judith SwartzOved & Oved LLPOAD Intern

Leila N. TabbaaThe Bronx DefendersOAD Staff Attorney

Beatriz TorresLegal Services for ChildrenOAD Social Work Intern

Olga Lucia TorresCUNY School of Medicine & Olga Lucia Torres Consulting, LLCOAD Staff Attorney

Whitney C. TymasJustice & Public Safety PACOAD Supervising Attorney

Jeffrey A. Udell*Walden Macht & Haran LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Edward J. UngvarskyUngvarsky Law PLLC OAD Staff Attorney

Heidi van EsFederal Defenders of New YorkOAD Social Work Director

Steven A. VargasOAD Administrative Assistant & Paralegal

Ana Vuk-PavlovicMental Hygiene Legal ServiceOAD Staff Attorney

Daniel A. WarshawskyNew York Law SchoolOAD Deputy Attorney-in-Charge

Matthew WassermanSixth Circuit Court of Appeals OAD Staff Attorney

Jonathan WillensWillens & Scarvalone LLPOAD Staff Attorney

Jayden WitherspoonOAD Summer Scanning Clerk

Michael WoodruffNeighborhood Defender Service of HarlemOAD Legal Intern

Andrea Yacka-BibleThe Legal Aid Society – Criminal Appeals BureauOAD Legal Intern

Jessica A. YagerNYU Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban PolicyOAD Staff Attorney

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We have tried to include information that is as comprehensive and up-to-date as possible; however, we acknowledge that there are some people whose information we do not have. If you have any edits or additions to this Directory, please contact Carolyn Norris at cnorris@oadnyc.org or (212) 402-4120.

Alicia YoungCity of Fayetteville, North CarolinaOAD Staff Attorney

Rachel YoungerOAD Social Work Intern

Sam ZalutskyOAD Development Coordinator

* Current OAD Board Member

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Office of the Appellate Defender11 Park Place, Suite 1601

New York, NY 10007