Experience

• 

  Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)

  • Fairfax, Virginia, United States

  • Gallogly Public Interest Legal Fellow

    • Sep 2022 - Present
    • Fairfax, Virginia, United States

    Legal fellow and staff attorney at the Northern Virginia field office of Kids in Need of Defense (KIND). This two-year public interest legal fellowship project, funded by the Gallogly Family Foundation, centers on serving unaccompanied minors with physical or mental illnesses and disabilities. The project has 3 major components: 1) laying the foundation to form sustainable medical-legal partnerships between KIND and medical service providers in Northern Virginia to serve all critical needs of KIND clients; 2) crafting comprehensive professional and client-focused educational curricula to lead trainings on the intersection of the legal and medical needs of KIND clients with disabilities; and 3) providing direct representation of KIND clients with disabilities in pursuit of attaining legal status. The main duties include relationship-building, case and project management, legal research, policy advocacy, curricula-building, client communication, and client representation. Other duties and responsibilities include those typical for a KIND staff attorney.

• 

  International Human Rights Law Clinic at American University WCL

  • Washington, District of Columbia, United States

  • Student Attorney

    • Aug 2021 - May 2022
    • Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    Represented asylum client with partner for immigration court. Conducted client and witness interviews, drafted legal briefs and declarations, compiled evidentiary exhibits, and prepared client for trial. Represented disabled immigration client in congressional advocacy and humanitarian parole application. Collaborated with team to advocate for Indigenous peoples’ and land-dependent communities’ rights in conservation programs through legal research and report preparation on human rights law.

• 

  Public International Law & Policy Group

  • Senior Research Associate

    • May 2021 - May 2022

    Directly supervised by Professor Paul R. Williams, co-founder of the Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG). Researched and reported on international law and conflict negotiation for book publication, coordinated the Lawyering Peace Program at AUWCL, and counseled students as a JD/MA peer advisor.

• 

  Inter-American Court of Human Rights

  • Legal Research Assistant

    • Mar 2021 - Sep 2021

    Conducted legal research and translations for Executive Secretary Pablo Saavedra on topics in international human rights law.

• 

  Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA)

  • Law Clerk

    • Jun 2021 - Aug 2021

    Researched and analyzed legal issues related to current human rights investigations and litigation in the U.S. and Latin America in both English and Spanish. Drafted memos on foreign Supreme Court decisions for evidentiary analysis, worked with expert witnesses and prepared their expert reports for discovery, assisted in witness interviewing and deposition, and researched non-legal memorialization efforts.

• 

  American University Washington College of Law

  • United States
  • Higher Education
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Writing Fellow

    • Aug 2020 - May 2021

    Mentored and advised 1L students in the Legal Rhetoric and Writing Program on drafting legal memoranda, motions, briefs, and client communications. Tutored on legal analysis strategy, writing conventions, and professional communication.

  • Legal Research Assistant to Dean Claudio Grossman

    • Jun 2020 - Aug 2020

    Legal research assistant to Dean Emeritus and Professor Claudio Grossman, Chair of the UN International Law Commission. Integrated prior writings with updated research on comparative constitutional law, states of emergency, and the derogation of human and constitutional rights. Assisted with other legal research, writing, and presentation tasks.

  • War Crimes Research Office Research Volunteer

    • Sep 2019 - May 2020

    Aided in the “Documenting Good Practice on Accountability for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Guatemala” Project, a partnership initiative with UN Women. Contributed to a report on the specific legal strategies used in the Sepur Zarco case, a groundbreaking prosecution that provided redress for indigenous victims of sexual violence and sexual slavery that occurred during Guatemala’s civil war. Worked extensively on other confidential projects.

  • War Crimes Research Office International Status Updates Writer

    • Sep 2019 - Dec 2019

    Researched, tracked, and wrote blog updates on international criminal law proceedings at the International Criminal Court and Colombia's Special Jurisdiction for Peace. Special focus on human rights situations in Venezuela and Colombia.

• 

  Lawyers'​ Committee for Civil Rights

  • Washington, District of Columbia, United States

  • Special Litigation Legal Intern

    • Jan 2021 - Apr 2021
    • Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    Worked under the Special Litigation Project and conducted legal research and produced legal memoranda and reports on active areas of litigation, such as racial discrimination, Confederate monuments, disparate environmental impact, and constitutional protections.

• 

  Lawyering Peace Program at American University

  • Sudan Team Researcher

    • Jan 2021 - Apr 2021

    A semester-long research program in partnership with the Public International Law and Policy Group (PILPG) drafting client-ready legal memoranda and conducting negotiation simulations on international legal issues. Topics included strategies for effective peace negotiations, critical components of post- conflict constitutions, and international best practices for the structure of post-conflict mechanisms.

• 

  Kovler Project Against Torture

  • Special Assistant To The Chairperson

    • Aug 2020 - Dec 2020

    Selected as one of ten students to prepare extensive reports for the Chairperson on two States appearing before the UN Committee against Torture on potential areas of non-compliance with the Convention as part of the Kovler Project Against Torture legal practicum on the prohibition of torture in international law. Provide briefings to country rapporteurs on priority issues of concern during 71st Committee meetings in Geneva, Switzerland.

• 

  Center for Justice and International Law - CEJIL

  • Washington, District of Columbia, United States

  • Legal Intern

    • Aug 2020 - Nov 2020
    • Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    Supported cases before the Inter-American Commission and Court of Human Rights. Researched case precedent, drafted and edited briefs, assisted in developing legal arguments, researched issues for publications, and translated documents.

• 

  Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)

  • Washington, District of Columbia, United States

  • Legal Intern

    • Jun 2020 - Aug 2020
    • Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    Provided direct legal services in Spanish to unaccompanied immigrant children seeking asylum and special immigrant juvenile status. Conducted client meetings and intakes; prepared legal filings and USCIS applications; drafted briefs, motions, and referral memos; communicated with child sponsors; presented professional best-practice presentations to pro-bono attorneys; researched and reported on immigration law, family law, criminal law, and country conditions.

• 

  Canopy Personal Services, LLC

  • West Des Moines, Iowa

  • Founder & Executive

    • Dec 2018 - Aug 2019
    • West Des Moines, Iowa

    Connected with a variety of clients to perform services such as legal research, Notary Public duties, office administration, Spanish document translation, and home improvement and care. Executed research reports on IP law, tax and business law, and labor law. Designed and managed business practice tools and streamlined client relations for local small businesses.

• 

  LS2group

  • Des Moines, Iowa

  • International Consulting Intern

    • Jan 2019 - Jun 2019
    • Des Moines, Iowa

    Supported a variety of client accounts through exhaustive legal, governmental, trade, and media research. Collaborated within multiple account teams to anticipate client needs and provide high-quality market assessments. Kept abreast of daily global news and monitored legislative activity.

• 

  Polk County Attorney's Office

  • Des Moines, Iowa

  • Victim Liaison Intern

    • Jun 2018 - Aug 2018
    • Des Moines, Iowa

    Completed victim intake and first contact, implemented research project on restorative justice and mediation training best practices, assisted Victim Liaisons in mediations, facilitated front office contact, and completed other duties as assigned by the Restorative Justice Center.

• 

  Oberlin College

  • United States
  • Higher Education
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Student Assistant to the President of Oberlin College

    • May 2015 - May 2018

    Student assistant to Presidents Marvin Krislov and Carmen Twillie Ambar of Oberlin College. Coordinated special events, maintained office records, drafted communications, assisted with scheduling, answered office phones, staffed the president at events and undertook other duties as assigned by the professional staff.

  • Interviewer & Tour Guide

    • May 2014 - May 2018

    Official campus tour guide and admissions interviewer. Lead visitors and engaged with prospective students on their college ambitions. Extensive knowledge of campus features as well as school and community history. Answered questions and represented Oberlin in a positive and affirming manner. Also, mastery of walking backward.

  • Research Assistant

    • Aug 2016 - Jan 2017

    Compiled and synthesized data from congressional candidate websites during and after the 2016 elections for Politics Professor Michael Parkin and his research team.

  • Academic Ambassador

    • Aug 2016 - Dec 2016

    Enriched the experience of first-years and transfer students through partnership in developing meaningful educational plans and goals, reflecting on and synthesize their Oberlin experiences, and guiding them to grow intellectually, artistically, and personally.

  • Politics Major Committee Representative

    • Aug 2016 - Dec 2016

    Elected by politics major peers to represent their interests and concerns to the Politics Department at Oberlin College. Along with three other representatives, I organized events, welcomed and hosted departmental guests and job candidates, and held regular office hours for students.

• 

  Prevent Child Abuse Iowa

  • Des Moines, Iowa

  • Winter Term Research Intern

    • Jan 2018 - Feb 2018
    • Des Moines, Iowa

    Conducted research and created comprehensive recommendation report on child sexual abuse prevention legislation for PCAI’s Advocacy Committee as a Winter Term project. Arranged interviews with state executive directors of Prevent Child Abuse America across the U.S. Met with Iowa lobbyists and lawmakers. Analyzed legislative tactics and code to determine best practices to pursue for Iowa legislation.

• 

  Nuclear Age Peace Foundation

  • Santa Barbara, California Area

  • Summer Intern

    • Jun 2017 - Aug 2017
    • Santa Barbara, California Area

    Worked on various short- and long-term projects throughout the summer. Coordinated and executed planning, communication, organization, and logistics for the week-long Peace Literacy workshop, welcoming guests from around the globe with Peace Literacy Director, Paul K. Chappell. Created an intern-run, original outreach campaign to U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley entitled, "Earth to Haley." Designed and approved project outline and postcard designs, and implemented community tabling events and campaign follow-up. Researched and wrote various articles for the Foundation's newsletter, The Sunflower. Proposed creative outreach and fundraising ideas to the President and staff. Completed various other research projects as requested.

• 

  Des Moines Downtown Chamber of Commerce

  • Des Moines, IA

  • Community Relations Intern

    • May 2016 - Aug 2016
    • Des Moines, IA

    Intern to the Executive Director of the Downtown Chamber. Coordinated outreach with local community and business leaders to encourage Chamber involvement and membership. Assisted with event planning and management. Researched and wrote new Chamber policy and procedures.

• 

  Peace Corps

  • Oberlin College

  • Campus Ambassador

    • May 2015 - May 2016
    • Oberlin College

    Undergraduate Peace Corps Campus Ambassador for Oberlin College. Worked closely with the Peace Corps recruiter to raise the Peace Corps’ profile on campus and introduce the Peace Corps to new and diverse student groups. Hosted class talks, produced social media campaigns, attended campus festivals, and generally acted as a resource to students interested in joining the Peace Corps following graduation.Established by President Kennedy in 1961, The Peace Corps has become the preeminent international service organization of the United States, sending Americans abroad to tackle the most pressing needs of people around the world.http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/university/campusambassador/

• 

  West Des Moines Police Department

  • West Des Moines, IA

  • Youth Justice Initiative Internship

    • May 2015 - Aug 2015
    • West Des Moines, IA

    The Youth Justice Initiative (YJI), housed within the West Des Moines Police Department, is a program that concentrates on the positive growth and rehabilitation of low-level youth offenders. The restorative justice process aides in healing for the victim, offender, and community.YJI implements a program based on restorative justice, an alternative approach to justice that focuses primarily on the needs of the victims while allowing for dialogue between the victims and offenders, as well as the involved community, instead of simply seeking to punish the offender.As the intern for YJI in the summer of 2015, I aided in "circle" meetings (a central aspect of the restorative process) and acted as a resource to the youth working their way through the process. I also assisted in planning and implementing the first YJI Summer Adventures Program, a pilot program to strengthen the bond between the youth and their community, build socialization skills, and create stronger interpersonal relationships. Additionally, as a learned Spanish speaker, I provided interpretation services to Latino families involved in the program.