ACLU PENNSYLVANIA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Philadelphia Chapter Delegate
Job Titles:
- Advocacy & Policy Strategist
- Senior Organizer for the ACLU of Pennsylvania
Alex Domingos is a senior organizer for the ACLU of Pennsylvania's Campaign for Smart Justice. He works to end mass incarceration in Pennsylvania while combating racial disparities in the criminal justice system. He also works to end immigration detention in the commonwealth. Before joining ACLU-PA, Alex advocated against institutional racial bias as an activist with This Stops Today Harrisburg. He is a founding member and the former director of the Dauphin County Bail Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to abolishing cash bail in Dauphin County. In his spare time, Alex enjoys reading, playing and watching sports, and recording and performing music. (Harrisburg)(Harrisburg)
Job Titles:
- Legal Department Manager
- Legal Department Manager at the ACLU of Pennsylvania
Andrea C. Anastasi serves as the legal department manager at the ACLU of Pennsylvania. In her role, she manages and strengthens operational aspects of the legal department, oversees the organization's legal intake system, and engages in fact gathering to support litigation and advocacy. Before joining the ACLU, Andrea worked both in the policy space and direct legal services advocating with and on behalf of underrepresented individuals and communities. Her collective experiences have taught her that advocating for social justice can take many unexpected and magical forms. Consequently, she welcomes all opportunities to effect positive change and connect people to help the arc of the moral universe continue to bend toward justice. Outside of work, she enjoys hanging out with her dog, hugging trees, and finding adventure. (Philadelphia)
Job Titles:
- Senior Staff Attorney - Criminal Justice & Poverty
Andrew Christy is the Criminal Justice and Poverty Attorney working on debtors' prison issues out of the ACLU of Pennsylvania's Philadelphia office. He is a 2012 graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center, and his undergraduate degree is in political science and women's studies from the University of Delaware. After law school, Andrew clerked for a state court judge in northern Virginia and a federal magistrate judge in Washington, D.C. From 2014-2016, he was a fellow at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, where he worked on a variety of disability rights issues. From 2016-2018, he worked as the ACLU of Pennsylvania's Independence Foundation Fellow before completing his fellowship and taking on his new title. (Philadelphia)
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
Andy Hoover joined the ACLU of Pennsylvania in December 2004 as a community organizer, served as legislative director for eight years, and is now the director of communications. Andy's work at the ACLU-PA has included efforts to protect the right to vote for all Pennsylvania citizens; to reform the state and county prison systems through sentencing and parole reform; and to block efforts to rewrite the state constitution to ban same sex marriage. Andy is a 2008 graduate of the Pennsylvania State University, where he earned a Master of Arts in community psychology and social change, and a 1995 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Arts in communications. Andy has received numerous honors for his work, including the 2013 Alumni Achievement Award from Penn State Harrisburg and the 2012 "Celebrating woMEN!" award from the Women and Girls Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania. (Harrisburg)
Job Titles:
- Philadelphia Chapter Delegate
Job Titles:
- Pittsburgh Chapter Delegate
Job Titles:
- Philadelphia Chapter Delegate
Job Titles:
- Philadelphia Chapter Delegate
Job Titles:
- Acting Executive Director
- Deputy Director
Claire Landau has spent the last seven years working in organizational management as the chief of staff to Philadelphia's Board of Education, working at the intersection of administration, public policy, and governance. In the role, Claire led the transition of the board from state to local controlled governance, supported the district through Covid, and most recently, directed the search for Philadelphia's new superintendent of schools. Prior to working for the school board, Claire was a teacher and founded two grassroots non-profits to support Philadelphia educators. She holds a master's in school leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor's degree in political science from Barnard College. Claire lives in Philadelphia and is the mother of two young children who keep her very busy.
Diona Akens joined the ACLU of Pennsylvania in February 2022. She has five years of nonprofit experience, with a background in fundraising and donor/volunteer engagement. Prior to the ACLU-PA, she worked to support the development team at Mighty Writers, focusing on grant writing for the diaper distribution program, and at Cradles to Crayons, fundraising to help provide children with essential items. She received her B.A. in professional writing from Kutztown University, her M.F.A. in creative writing from Arcadia University, and is currently studying to earn her 200-hour yoga teacher certification. In her free time, Diona enjoys writing, painting, practicing yoga & meditation, and spending time with her four feline fur babies.
Job Titles:
- Philadelphia Chapter Delegate
Job Titles:
- Office Operations Specialist
Gloria Ginyard joined the ACLU of Pennsylvania staff in September 2013. Prior to joining the ACLU-PA, she was the data coordinator/administrative assistant for the employment and training department of a nonprofit organization that services homeless women and children. She has over five years of experience working in the nonprofit field and over 10 years of administrative experience. She also has a passion for graphic arts and music. (Philadelphia)
Job Titles:
- Education Equity Coordinator
Harold Jordan is Nationwide Education Equity Coordinator at the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania. He is the author of Beyond Zero Tolerance: Discipline and Policing in Pennsylvania Schools, co-author of Cops and No Counselors: How the Lack of School Mental Health Staff is Harming Students, and the editor of Know Your Rights: A Handbook for Public School Students in Pennsylvania. Recently, he served on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency's Behavioral Health and School Climate and Threat Assessment Work Groups and on the coordinating committee of the national Dignity in Schools Campaign. Mr. Jordan served on the stakeholder planning committee for the 2015 White House Rethink Discipline Summit, and he has chaired the board of the Philadelphia Public School Notebook, a nonprofit news service reporting on the city's public schools. For 17 years, he coordinated a national youth program at the American Friends Service Committee. Jordan is the former Executive Director of the National Coalition of Education Activists. He is the proud parent of two graduates of the Philadelphia Public School system.
Job Titles:
- Senior Communications Strategist
Job Titles:
- Development Operations Specialist
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager Volunteer Engagement
Job Titles:
- Digital Communications Strategist
- the Digital Communications Strategist
Jaya Montague joined ACLU-PA in October 2022 as the digital communications strategist. Jaya has over three years of marketing and communications experience, with a background in digital marketing and social media management. Before working in communications, she was a journalist for over four years. Prior to the ACLU-PA, she worked on content creation and video production at the Independence Seaport Museum and at People's Emergency Center, developing marketing strategy and creating graphic design. She received her B.A. in journalism from Temple University and her certificate in digital marketing from Drexel University. Jaya loves watching Korean dramas and writing poetry in her free time. (Philadelphia)
Jessica Li started as ACLU-PA's criminal justice investigator in August 2019, working in our Philadelphia office. Jess is a recent graduate of Swarthmore College, where she received her B.A. with honors in philosophy and a minor in economics. This summer, Jess interned at the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute at Harvard Law School, where she conducted research into risk assessment tools, racially disparate policing, and bail practices in Boston-area courthouses. In the summer of 2018, she interned at the ACLU-PA, where she worked on ending cash bail and highlighting the expansion of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code. In her free time, Jess enjoys watching all things Mike Schur, reading feminist philosophy, and above all spending time with friends and family. (Philadelphia)
Job Titles:
- Member of the OFFICERS Team
- Vice President of the Board
Job Titles:
- Pittsburgh Chapter Delegate
Job Titles:
- Ex Officio - Affiliate Equity and Inclusion Officer
Job Titles:
- Lower Membership Chapter Delegate
Job Titles:
- Member of the OFFICERS Team
- Secretary of the Board
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Philanthropy
Job Titles:
- Ex Officio - Director Emeritus
Job Titles:
- Multimedia Communications Associate
Natalie Monteiro (she/her/hers) joined the ACLU of Pennsylvania in January 2023. Before joining ACLU-PA, she had the privilege to work for multiple political organizations and a historic presidential campaign in 2020. Natalie has extensive experience in digital communications, including creating graphics for Organizing Together 2020, writing and coding emails and websites for NextGen America, establishing a Spanish text program for the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign in 2020, and creating video content for the Working Families Party. Natalie is a graduate of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and, in her free time, enjoys going on hikes, spending time with her little one, writing, and traveling to new places. (Philadelphia)
Job Titles:
- Member of the OFFICERS Team
- President of the Board
Job Titles:
- Policy & Engagement Associate
Rebecca Cusumano-Seidel has worked at the ACLU of Pennsylvania since 2017. When she was first hired, she served as the volunteer coordinator for the Philadelphia region. Since then, she has expanded into grant writing, event planning, and advocacy efforts. Now, as a policy and engagement advocate, Rebecca works with the advocacy and legislative departments to promote education and engagement around the organization's key issues: mass incarceration, police practices, and voting. Before joining the ACLU-PA, Rebecca was the coordinator of alumni affairs, development, and special events at an independent school in Washington, D.C., where she focused on overseeing and increasing fundraising for the school's financial aid program. Rebecca earned her master's degree in exercise and sports studies from Smith College with a focus on coaching pedagogy, and she coached collegiately for 5 years. (Philadelphia)
Job Titles:
- Member of the OFFICERS Team
- Vice President of the Board
Job Titles:
- People and Benefits Manager
Rodney Anderson joined the ACLU of Pennsylvania staff in 2021. Before becoming a part of the ACLU-PA team, he was the human resources generalist for SeaWorld Parks & Ent. He worked at Sesame Place, a theme park based on the world-renowned television series Sesame Street. (Oscar the Grouch is his favorite.) He has over 12 years of experience working in all facets of HR, from onboarding and recruiting to compliance and benefits. With 15+ years of customer service experience, he holds a wealth of knowledge on how to impact individuals to achieve the best versions of themselves. He is a people person who loves to help others and put a smile on everyone's face. As a fan of Philly sports, he is also a guy who knows how to "Trust the Process." Networking and building genuine connections is a key component of Rodney's daily mantra. (Philadelphia)
Job Titles:
- Associate Director / Advocacy & Policy Director
Job Titles:
- Director of Philanthropy
- Director of Philanthropy for the ACLU of Pennsylvania
Sarah Johnson became director of philanthropy for the ACLU of Pennsylvania in the fall of 2021. Prior to joining the team, she served as an associate director of major gifts for Grinnell College, a private liberal arts institution based in her home state of Iowa. For the last six years, her focus has been on growing their major gift platforms across the eastern seaboard while advocating for internal change. Before her time in higher education, she spent ten years in financial services. First, as a financial advisor, then partnering with insurance carriers as an executive recruiter. Sarah graduated from the University of Iowa in 2006 with a Bachelor's degree in economics and earned a Master's of Business Administration as a part of the executive program in 2018. In her spare time, you may find her reading, puzzling (over 100,000 pieces during pandemic!), traveling, and spending time grounded by nature.
Job Titles:
- South Central Chapter Delegate
Job Titles:
- Senior Supervising Attorney
Steve Loney joined the ACLU of Pennsylvania as Senior Supervising Attorney in January 2022. He is an experienced litigator, having practiced commercial litigation for 16 years at some of the world's largest law firms. Before leaving private practice to pursue civil rights work full time, Steve was the Pro Bono Liaison Partner for Hogan Lovells' Philadelphia office and the Group Manager for the firm's award-winning Philadelphia Litigation Group. Steve's public interest work prior to joining the ACLU included the first modern successful challenge to the Pennsylvania state legislative redistricting plan, an innovative petition on behalf of citizens impacted by gun violence challenging the state firearm preemption statute on Pennsylvania Constitutional grounds, and over a dozen successful disability claims on behalf of Philadelphians experiencing homelessness. Steve is also an active community volunteer, serving on the board of directors of the Church Farm School, the diverse financially accessible college preparatory school where he got his start. Steve earned his law degree from the New York University School of Law in 2004 and his undergraduate degree from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. He also clerked for the Hon. Franklin Van Antwerpen on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Job Titles:
- Ex Officio - Immediate past President
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance and Administration
Trisha Graham joined the ACLU of Pennsylvania staff in February of 2014. Prior to joining the ACLU-PA, she was operations manager for the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger. She brings over ten years of diverse nonprofit experience, including management of operations, finance, programs and technology. Trisha is a graduate of Penn State University with a B.S. in recreation and parks management and a minor in business administration. (Philadelphia)
Job Titles:
- Member of the OFFICERS Team
- Treasurer of the Board