EBCLC - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Immigration
Education: B.A., Art History, Anthropology, Art Minor, Washington University in St. Louis (2009)
J.D., Yale Law School (2016)
Abigail joined EBCLC's Immigration Practice in 2021. Prior to EBCLC, she was a staff attorney at East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, where she helped her clients obtain immigration relief including asylum, adjustment of status (green cards), naturalization, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Temporary Protected Status, and Violence Against Women Act self-petitions. She began her legal career as a Liman Fellow with a project focused on the intersection of legal services and mental healthcare for immigrant survivors of trauma. During law school, she interned with the Greater Boston Legal Services Immigration Unit and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), and participated in the Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic (WIRAC), Immigration Legal Services Clinic, Landlord-Tenant Clinic, and International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP). She serves on the Advisory Council of Organización LGBT de Apoyo y Solidaridad (OLAS) / LGBT Sanctuary Project.
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Education Defense and Justice for Youth
Education: J.D., Harvard Law School
B.A., Philosophy, Yale University
Adrienne helps young people thrive as their full selves. She currently works as a lawyer with EBCLC's Education Defense and Justice for Youth (EDJY) program. Previously, Adrienne was a fellow at Public Justice, where she developed and filed a case targeting qualified immunity to help victims of state violence hold law enforcement officers accountable. She has also worked to deconstruct sex-based stereotypes and end discrimination by representing young people in federal lawsuits against their school districts, supporting litigation for three years at the ACLU's LGBT Project, and serving as board co-chair for the Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network. Adrienne clerked for Judge Marsha Berzon on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Job Titles:
- Program Coordinator, Immigration Practice
Education: B.A. in Sociology, Law & Society, University of California, San Diego (2021)
Alex J Hernandez was born in Mexico City. He graduated with a B.A in Sociology Law and Society and a Minor in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, San Diego in 2021 as a first-generation college student. Prior to joining EBCLC, Alex was the Migration Assistant at Catholic Charities Community Services in New York City, where he provided help with immigration services to communities in the Lower Hudson Valley of New York.
His commitment to working with the immigrant community stems from his own lived experiences living as an undocumented immigrant in California, Kentucky and New York City and witnessing firsthand how immigrants are portrayed. He's committed to fight the criminalization of immigrants in a system that is designed to reward the "most deserving" and villainize those that do not fit the "good immigrant" narrative.
Job Titles:
- Paralegal & DOJ Accredited Legal Representative, Immigration Practice
Education: B.A., International Relations, ITESO Guadalajara (2010)
Like many EBCLC clients, Alina recently immigrated to the U.S.A. She worked as an immigration paralegal at a private firm, but she always wanted to be in an organization that made a palpable impact in its community. Alina believes that EBCLC not only has the tools to do this, but that all the staff is passionate about serving their community.
Como muchos de nuestros clientes, Alina inmigr ó recientemente a los Estados Unidos. Ella trabajó como Paralegal de migración en una firma privida por 6 años, pero siempre quiso estar en una organización que tuviera un impacto palpable en la comunidad. Alina cree que EBCLC no solo tiene las herramientas para hacer esto, sino que además el personal tiene pasión para servir a su comunidad.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Partner at Gibbs Law Group
Amanda Karl is a partner at Gibbs Law Group, where she represents consumers, employees and others who have been harmed by corporations. She has prosecuted a wide range of complex cases, including product defect, failure-to-warn, wage and hour, data breach, sexual assault, and securities cases, within a variety of industries. In addition, Amanda is committed to fighting voter suppression-she spearheads her firm's Voting Rights Task Force. Prior to joining Gibbs Law Group, she clerked for the Honorable Richard Paez in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Honorable Claudia Wilken in the Northern District of California. She also spent two semesters in EBCLC's Clean Slate Practice as a law student.
Job Titles:
- PROGRAM COORDINATOR, CLEAN SLATE PRACTICE
Education: B.A., Sociology, University of California, Berkeley (2017)
Ana was born in Jalisco, Mexico and moved to Santa Cruz, CA where she lived before transitioning to UC Berkeley's campus. She majored in Sociology in 2016. While in school, she joined EBCLC as a work study student as a third year and has since become a full time employee. She is passionate about immigration issues and is advocate of Keep Oakland Housed. In her time at EBCLC she has also worked in the Health & Welfare unit as a program coordinator and Immigration Unit as legal assistant.
Job Titles:
- Program Coordinator, Education Defense and Justice for Youth
Education: B.A., Ethnic Studies, B.A., Chicanx/Latinx Studies, UC Berkeley (2022)
Ashley is a recent UC Berkeley graduate with a B.As in Ethnic Studies and Chicanx/Latinx Studies. Prior to joining EBCLC, she was the lead intern with Berkeley Law's Death Penalty Clinic, working in conjunction with faculty, staff, and law students to conduct research for cases. Ashley's lived experiences with the carceral and criminal legal systems motivate her to be a part of an organization that serves marginalized and disadvantaged communities navigating various systems. She is inspired by EBCLC's Education, Defense, and Justice for Youth's commitment to serving our youth and interrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. Ashley enjoys going on hikes around the Bay Area where she was born and raised. She also enjoys reading, painting, thrifting, and traveling.
Job Titles:
- Director of the Education Justice Clinic
- Director, Education Justice Clinic / Co - Director, Education Defense and Justice for Youth
Education: J.D., University of Michigan Law School (2011) B.S., Brain, Behavior & Cognitive Science, University of Michigan (2008)
Atasi Uppal is Director of the Education Justice Clinic at EBCLC and co-directs the umbrella program, Education, Defense and Justice for Youth (EDJY). She was drawn to EBCLC because of the organization's commitment to providing legal services and policy advocacy that is deeply connected to the needs and demands of the East Bay community. Prior to joining EBCLC, Atasi worked at the National Center for Youth Law, taking part in class action litigation and policy reform on behalf of students of color and young people in the juvenile justice system. Atasi started her career as a public defender representing parents and children in child welfare and status offense proceedings.
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney, Immigration Practice
Education: B.S. Engineering Physics, University of the Pacific (2002)
J.D., University of San Francisco (2009)
Athena began working with EBCLC in 2021 and has rejoined EBCLC in 2022. Previously, in the course of volunteer work and her pro bono practice at large law firms, she partnered with EBCLC and other nonprofit organizations to take on immigration cases including U Visa, Adjustment of Status, Asylum, and Naturalization.
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Clean Slate
Education: Arizona State University, B.A., 2017
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, J.D., 2020
The majority of Brigitte's work during and after law school has been related to addressing the numerous social and economic harms associated with mass incarceration. She was a clinical student in the Clean Slate Unit for three semesters while at Berkeley Law, and also had internships with the Youth Law Center, the Public Defender Service in Washington, D.C., and Disability Rights California. Prior to EBCLC, she worked as a post-bar fellow with the Juvenile Defender Unit at Contra Costa County Public Defender's Office.
Job Titles:
- Director, Community Economic Justice Practice
Education: J.D., San Francisco Law School, San Francisco (2012)
B.A., History, San Francisco State University, San Francisco (2008)
A life-long San Franciscan, Candy has advocated for public housing residents in San Francisco helping them navigate the changing of ownership and management of their housing. She has volunteered with the Bar Association of San Francisco's Justice and Diversity center and as a panelist on the AIDS Legal Referral Panel. Candy coaches, tutors, and mentors law students in preparation for their bar exam, having coached successful students who are now themselves practicing law. A poet and a musician, Candy is a member of the Brass Liberation Orchestra and has played at rally's and actions around the bay area.
Job Titles:
- Social Worker, Immigration Practice
Job Titles:
- Program Coordinator, Clean Slate Practice
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Pro Bono Chair
- Partner in Morrison & Foerster 's San
Christin Hill is a partner in Morrison & Foerster's San Francisco office and a member of the Securities Litigation, Securities Enforcement, and Investigations + White Collar Defense practice groups. Christin has extensive experience representing clients in securities class actions, derivative actions and other complex civil litigation in both federal and state courts, as well as in government and internal investigations.
With over a decade of experience in private practice, Christin has successfully represented public companies and their boards of directors and officers in securities fraud actions, derivative actions, SEC enforcement actions, internal investigations, and general corporate counseling. She also has experience working with pre-IPO companies in complex civil litigation in both federal and state court, internal investigations, responding to government inquiries, and advising on general compliance matters.
Before joining Morrison & Foerster, Christin served as senior counsel at Uber Technologies, Inc., where she managed complex civil litigation including consumer class actions, intellectual property matters, and government investigations. She was also a lead member of Uber's global compliance team, through which she created and implemented new compliance policies and training programs and advised company management in responding to government inquiries.
Christin also served as an assistant district attorney in the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, where she successfully prosecuted three misdemeanor criminal jury trials. Early in her career, she served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable John A. Houston in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
Job Titles:
- Program Coordinator
- Program Coordinator, Housing Practice
Education: B.A., Political Science, California State University, Los Angeles (2014)
Christopher joined EBCLC as a Program Coordinator in 2023. Prior to joining EBCLC, he worked within the Alameda County Courts where he supported the work of judicial officers and staff attorneys for nearly a decade. Christopher was drawn to EBCLC's passion-driven work and supportive team atmosphere. He enjoys spending time with friends and family, cooking, and listening to an interesting podcast.
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Immigration
Education: J.D., UC Irvine School of Law (2015) B.A., Political Science, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo (2012)
Daisy Felt joined EBCLC in May 2022. Prior to EBCLC, Daisy worked as a Staff Attorney for UC Davis School of Law Immigration Law Clinic where she represented immigrant children who were class members of the Flores Settlement Agreement and litigation in Lucas R. v. Azar, challenging the conditions of confinement, as well as the policies and practices that prolong children detention away from family without due process, subject children to jail-like conditions and the administration of psychotropic medications without due process, fail to provide accommodations to children with disabilities, and fail to provide children access to lawyers to challenge the conditions and basis for their confinement. During her time at UC Davis School of Law's Immigration Law Clinic, Daisy also argued before the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a legal permanent resident who was erroneously deported based on a criminal conviction.
Daisy also previously worked at Community Legal Aid SoCal and Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, where she served immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, victims of crimes, and others in need of immigration relief. Daisy has worked with clients seeking deferred action, adjustment of status, naturalization, and humanitarian forms of immigration relief, including asylum, U visas, Violence Against Women Act self-petitions. To-date, she has represented clients in immigration court, family court, federal court, and before federal agencies, such as United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. At EBCLC, Daisy is excited to return to her roots of working with survivors within a direct legal services model.
Prior to her 6 years as an immigration attorney, Daisy completed a judicial clerkship in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California for Judge Joan H. Lefkow.
Daisy is a daughter of Mexican immigrants and was raised in Sacramento, California.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Director, Consumer Justice Clinic
Education: B.S., Biology and B.A. Sociology, University of Washington (2008), J.D., California Western School of Law (2011)
Desiree joined EBCLC's Consumer Justice team as the Director in 2021. Prior to joining EBCLC, Desiree was the supervising attorney for the Consumer Advocacy Project at the Justice & Diversity Center of the Bar Association of San Francisco.
Why do you do what you do?
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Donzahniya Pitre Health & Welfare Unit Program Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
E. Venessa Henlon joined EBCLC's Board of Directors in 2012. She is Senior Counsel in the Real Estate Department at Gap, Inc. She manages the Property Management team and advises business partners regarding various components of commercial real estate transactions, including property management, leasing and purchase and sales transactions. She collaborates closely with her business partners to empower them to make strategic and informed decisions. She was a real estate partner at the law firm of Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP where her practice consisted of representing clients, ranging from individuals to large institutions, in commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, leasing and development of various types of properties. Prior to Coblentz, Venessa was a Deputy City Attorney for the City of San Francisco and an associate at the law firm of Morrison & Foerster and the former law firm of Steefel, Levitt & Weiss.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Secretary of the Board
- Counsel at the MacArthur Justice Center
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Education Defense and Justice for Youth
Education: J.D., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
B.A., History, Whitman College.
Ellen came to EBCLC to serve individual clients and to collaborate with East Bay communities that seek to reimagine the juvenile legal system. Prior to joining EBCLC, she clerked for the Hon. Corinne Beckwith of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Education Advocacy Clinic
Education: • B.A., Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University (2012)
• J.D., USC Law School (2018)
Gloria joined EBCLC's Education Advocacy Clinic in late 2020 as a staff attorney and clinical supervisor. Prior to joining EBCLC, she was an Education Rights Law Fellow at Public Counsel in Los Angeles. She looks forward to continue serving young people facing school pushout by providing direct services and advancing related policy.
Why do you do what you do?
Job Titles:
- Project Manager, Housing Practice
Gracie Jones has been with EBCLC for over 15 yrs! She joined EBCLC in 2003 as the Receptionist, transitioning to the Housing Intake Specialist role in 2005, and has served as the Housing Practice Project Manager since 2016. Prior to coming to EBCLC, Gracie worked at the Berkeley Housing Authority for over half a decade, serving on the Section 8 Voucher Program team. Gracie is a graduate of Kennedy High School, in Richmond CA and has trained extensively with the City of Oakland and John Marshall Law School, through their respective Rent Relief and Fair Housing training programs.
Gracie loves cooking, traveling, strength-training, and performing with the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir.
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Housing Practice
Education: B.A., Philosophy and Political Science, Georgetown College (2012)
J.D., University of California Berkeley Law (2019)
Hannah joined EBCLC's housing practice in 2021. Prior to joining EBCLC, she worked as a staff attorney at Legal Assistance to the Elderly in San Francisco, where she defended seniors and adults with disabilities in eviction cases.
Hannah graduated from Berkeley Law in 2019. During law school, she interned at the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, Legal Assistance to the Elderly, and Bay Area Legal Aid. She also spent three semesters as a clinical student with EBCLC's housing practice. Hannah was awarded the Eleanor Swift Award for Public Service and the Pro Bono Champion Award for her work co-founding the law school's first alternative service break program. She was also awarded the Brian M. Sax Prize for Excellence in Clinical Advocacy, Honorable Mention, for her clinical work.
Prior to law school, Hannah worked at a nonprofit medical clinic for the uninsured in her native Kentucky, as a Peace Corps Volunteer in southeastern Ukraine, and as a legal advocate at Homeless Advocacy Project in San Francisco. She previously served on the City of Oakland's Housing, Residential Rent, and Relocation Board.
Job Titles:
- Paralegal, Health & Welfare Practice
Education: B.A., Law, UCA, Managua, Nicaragua
Ingrid was born and raised in Managua, Nicaragua. She graduated in 2006 with a Law degree from the University of Central America in Managua, Nicaragua. After coming to the United States in 2009, Ingrid completed a Paralegal Certificate at UC Berkeley Extension in 2014. Ingrid joined EBCLC in February 2015.
Job Titles:
- Director, Clean Slate Practice
At age 21, Jael Myrick founded Standing To Represent Our Next Generation (STRONG) to strengthen our young leaders' civic participation. From 2009-2014, Jael served as a Field Representative for (then) Assemblymember (now Senator) Nancy Skinner during which time he helped lead the initiative to bring the Clean Slate program to Contra Costa County. Jael was appointed to the Richmond City Council on February 4, 2013. He was elected in his own right in November 2014 and reelected in November 2016. Since joining the Richmond City Council Jael has been integral in establishing programs like the Richmond Promise which guarantees money for College to Richmond youth when they graduate High School and has played a key role in moving forward policies like Fair Chance Housing for people with criminal records. In February 2017, Jael was hired as Program Coordinator for the Clean Slate Practice at the East Bay Community Law Center. In addition to providing direct services to clients, Jael led efforts on behalf of EBCLC and a broad coalition of over a dozen organizations to pass AB 2138 this past year. AB 2138 allows individuals with criminal records the opportunity to access Occupational Licenses under the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Job Titles:
- Social Worker, Housing Practice
Job Titles:
- Project Manager, Community Economic Justice Practice
Education: B.A. Ethnic Studies, UC Berkeley (2021)
Jasmine is dedicated to working alongside organizations that strive to address systemic issues and divert resources to people in need. Before joining EBCLC, she was the office administrator of Berkeley Law's Clinical Program, and volunteered with multiple grassroots and mutual aid organizations in the East Bay, including People's Programs Oakland. As a community advocate and organizer at heart, she loves seeking opportunities to make transformative change with people who are committed to freedom and healing for all. Jasmine is a UC Berkeley graduate, receiving a B.A. in Ethnic Studies and minoring in African American Studies and Geography. At Cal, she was a legal intern at the Death Penalty Clinic, program cooordinator and tutor for Teach in Prison, and space and programs coordinator at Fannie Lou Hamer Black Resource Center. Jasmine is always inspired by the struggles, stories, and resilience of the communities she is a part of and works with. She enjoys reading, writing, singing, and creating.
Education: B.A., Political Science, University of Minnesota (2003)
J.D., CUNY University of New York Law School (2007)
Jay Kim is the Co-Deputy Director at the East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC). Jay provides leadership in the implementation of EBCLC's strategic and programmatic goals and manages EBCLC's Consumer Justice Clinic, Housing Practice, Community Economic Justice Clinic, and the Clean Slate Practice.
Jay joined EBCLC in 2020 with over twelve years of community lawyering and nonprofit management experience. As a Co-Founder and Co-Director of Common Law, a non-profit organization in New York City that supported community organizing efforts through legal education and legal assistance, Jay helped grow a volunteer-run start-up to a fully funded organization with innovative programming. For over seven years, Jay defended organized street vendors against excessive fines and administrative violations; represented low-income tenants in the Lower East Side fighting eviction and gentrification; and also created a foreclosure defense legal clinic for pro se homeowners. Employing a combination of direct representation, strategic direct action support, and intensive political and legal education, Jay developed a robust model for community lawyering with grassroots partners. This model not only achieved favorable results for individuals but also built community power for member-based organizations of color.
Jay was also a Supervising Attorney and Clinical Instructor at Rising for Justice (formerly DC Law Students in Court). She supervised and taught trial advocacy skills to a new generation of law students to provide high quality legal services to low-income Washingtonians.
Most recently, Jay served as the Executive Director of the Bay Area chapter of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG), the largest NLG chapter in the country. There, she helped diversify the organization's funding streams, strengthen community partnerships, and design workshops and trainings to better support Bay Area movement organizations.
Job Titles:
- Paralegal & DOJ Accredited Legal Representative, Immigration Practice
Education: B.A., Sociology, UC Berkeley (2015)
Jeanette joined EBCLC in 2012 as a work-study student, supporting EBCLC's Administrative Unit part-time while she completed her degree in Sociology from the University of California at Berkeley. After graduating in May 2015, Jeanette was hired full-time, with her responsibilities divided between the Administrative Unit and EBCLC's Immigration Practice, where she provides client intake and legal advocacy services.
Job Titles:
- Paralegal, Consumer Justice Clinic
Job Titles:
- Clinical Supervisor
- Staff Attorney
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Consumer Justice Clinic
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Immigration Practice
Job Titles:
- Counsel, Housing Practice
Job Titles:
- Clinical Program Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Paralegal & DOJ Accredited Legal Representative, Immigration Practice
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Housing Practice
Job Titles:
- Co - Director, Housing Practice
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Housing Practice
Job Titles:
- Clinical Supervisor
- Staff Attorney
Job Titles:
- Intake / Program Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance and Administration
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Treasurer of the Board
Job Titles:
- Co - Director, Housing Practice
Job Titles:
- Senior Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Immigration
Job Titles:
- Chairman Emeritus of the Board
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Community Economic Justice Practice
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Consumer Justice Clinic
Job Titles:
- Development and Communications Assistant
Job Titles:
- Interim Director, Health & Welfare
Job Titles:
- Co - Director, Immigration Practice
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Vice - Chair of the Board
Job Titles:
- Data and Evaluation Manager
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Clean Slate Practice
Job Titles:
- Paralegal & DOJ Accredited Legal Representative, Immigration Practice
Rui Bing leads the Development, Communications and Data team at EBCLC. She works closely with staff and the Board of Directors to sustain and grow the organization's revenue streams, communicate our stories, and track data to assess our programs' impact. Rui Bing joined the team in 2023 with nearly 20 years of experience in non-profit fundraising, management and program implementation. Prior to joining EBCLC, she served as the Director of Development at the Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center (LYRIC) in San Francisco and Sr. Producer Services Manager at Fair Trade USA in Oakland, CA. She has held similar roles in organizations focused on economic justice and environmental issues in the Bay Area, New York City, and Toronto.
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney, Clean Slate Practice
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Consumer Justice Practice
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Health & Welfare Practice
Job Titles:
- Chief People & Culture Officer
Job Titles:
- Co - Director, Immigration Practice
Job Titles:
- Institutional Giving Manager
Job Titles:
- Director, Social Work Program and Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Education Defense & Justice for Youth