Experience

Spring Point Partners LLC

• United States
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Program Officer, Social Justice

  • Mar 2022 - Present

  As the Senior Program Officer, Social Justice at Spring Point Partners (SPP), Joanna serves as the lead for SPP’s social justice portfolio. In this role, Joanna identifies organizations and partners that align with Spring Point’s strategic focus on social justice, specifically related to racial and gender equity and supporting intersectional approaches to overcoming systemic injustice. Joanna leverages her experience in the field to seek out and support community leaders who can drive lasting change, listen to and learn from partners, and identify innovative and adaptive approaches that can accelerate and advance equity and justice. Show less



Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project

• United States
• Legal Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Co-Founder & Co-Director

  • Aug 2014 - Mar 2022

  Recipient of 2014 Echoing Green Fellowship in partnership with Open Society Foundations’ Campaign for Black Male Achievement, to launch organization dedicated to improving outcomes for children charged as adults. Jointly responsible for all aspects of operating a 501(c)(3) organization, including liaising with lawyers and clients, developing mitigation evidence and working on reentry plans in individual cases, managing volunteers and interns, fundraising, strategic planning, cultivating community partnerships, establishing metrics for program evaluation, financial management, planning trainings and creating resources for distribution, managing the Board of Directors and Advisory Board, media outreach, and web development. Show less



Toll Public Interest Center, University of Pennsylvania Law School

• Greater Philadelphia Area

• Associate Director & Staff Attorney

  • Sep 2012 - Aug 2014

  Oversaw Center’s 26 student pro bono projects, offered guidance to more than 100 student leaders and directly supervised students in new and existing pro bono initiatives. Supported program management with specific focus on strategic planning, report drafting, and community partnerships. Managed Center’s Juvenile Justice Working Group in collaboration with local partner organizations. Oversaw Center’s 26 student pro bono projects, offered guidance to more than 100 student leaders and directly supervised students in new and existing pro bono initiatives. Supported program management with specific focus on strategic planning, report drafting, and community partnerships. Managed Center’s Juvenile Justice Working Group in collaboration with local partner organizations.



Juvenile Law Center

• United States
• Legal Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Toll Public Interest Center Fellow

  • Sep 2011 - Sep 2012

  At JLC, engaged in outreach, litigation, and policy advocacy to strengthen ongoing efforts to end the practice of sentencing juveniles to life in prison without parole. At TPIC, counseled Penn Law students on pro bono and public interest opportunities and provided attorney supervision to student-run pro bono projects. At JLC, engaged in outreach, litigation, and policy advocacy to strengthen ongoing efforts to end the practice of sentencing juveniles to life in prison without parole. At TPIC, counseled Penn Law students on pro bono and public interest opportunities and provided attorney supervision to student-run pro bono projects.



United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

• Law Clerk to the Honorable Joel Schneider

  • Aug 2010 - Aug 2011

  Performed legal research and drafted bench memoranda, opinions, and orders. Performed legal research and drafted bench memoranda, opinions, and orders.



Southern Center for Human Rights

• Atlanta, GA

• Summer Law Clerk

  • Jul 2009 - Sep 2009

  Represented client in hearing before the Alabama Board of Pardons and Parole. Interviewed and corresponded with prisoners throughout Georgia for pending prisoners’ rights class action lawsuit. Performed legal research and wrote memoranda regarding death penalty and prisoners’ rights litigation. Represented client in hearing before the Alabama Board of Pardons and Parole. Interviewed and corresponded with prisoners throughout Georgia for pending prisoners’ rights class action lawsuit. Performed legal research and wrote memoranda regarding death penalty and prisoners’ rights litigation.



Debevoise & Plimpton

• United States
• Law Practice
• 700 & Above Employee

• Summer Associate

  • May 2009 - Jul 2009



Federal Public Defender, District of New Jersey

• Extern

  • Jan 2009 - May 2009

  Assisted attorneys in drafting pretrial motions, sentencing memoranda, and trial briefs. Supported trial preparation; participated in client interviews and case strategy meetings. Assisted attorneys in drafting pretrial motions, sentencing memoranda, and trial briefs. Supported trial preparation; participated in client interviews and case strategy meetings.



Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Legal Intern for Youth Gangs

  • May 2008 - Aug 2008

  Researched and wrote memoranda on U.S. immigration removal law as it relates to youth gang members and Central American governments. Assisted in drafting resource guide on Central American Gang-Related Asylum. Researched and wrote memoranda on U.S. immigration removal law as it relates to youth gang members and Central American governments. Assisted in drafting resource guide on Central American Gang-Related Asylum.



Centro de Educación Continua Escuela Politécnica Nacional

• 1 - 100 Employee

• English Instructor

  • Jul 2006 - Jul 2007

  Created curriculum and taught English to intermediate and academic level students, ages 14-50. Created curriculum and taught English to intermediate and academic level students, ages 14-50.



Philadelphia Legal Assistance

• Philadelphia, PA

• Family Law Paralegal

  • May 2004 - Jul 2006

  Provided legal assistance to low-income pro se clients, focused on Spanish-speaking survivors of domestic violence. Provided legal assistance to low-income pro se clients, focused on Spanish-speaking survivors of domestic violence.