Amelia (she/they/them) has extensive work and volunteer experience working against the detention and deportation of migrants. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, she supported Human Rights Watch’s Business and Human Rights division working to hold companies accountable for human rights abuses; spent 18 months working in Europe’s southern border in Morocco doing migrant solidarity organizing and research; and…
Maya Paris-Saper (she/her/hers) graduated from Sarah Lawrence College where her academic studies focused on History, Sociology, Urban Studies and Global Health. Maya has many years of experience in non-profit and justice work, from leading programming on race and class and facilitating educational interventions for youth to working in finance and operations for 501c3 organizations. Prior to joining…
Genevieth Vargas (she/her/hers) earned her Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work, where she minored in Law and had a concentration in Advanced Generalist Practice and Programming with a focus on Contemporary Social Issues. During her time at Columbia, Genevieth interned at Federal Defenders of New York, Eastern District,…
Wanda (she/her/hers) received her Master of Social Work from Lehman College. She is originally from the Bronx and excited to be working at The Bronx Defenders helping her community.
William McKethan (he/him/his) is an experienced administrative law clerk who earned his Associate’s degree at Bard College and his Bachelor’s degree in Organization Management from Nyack College. Prior to joining the Bronx Defenders, he played an integral role in the development of finEQUITY, a nonprofit focused on helping formerly incarcerated New Yorkers establish, build and…
Davis Vinckier (he/him/his) received his J.D. from Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law where he was a recipient of the Dean’s Merit Scholarship and selected for the New York State Excelsior Public Service Fellowship. During law school, he interned at the Gertrude Mainzer Family Defense Field Clinic at the Bronx Defenders. He also worked…
Tadd Vassell (he/him/his) is a passionate prisoners’ rights advocate. During his time in Hazelton, West Virginia’s Federal Correctional Complex, Tadd spent ten years developing and facilitating reentry programming. This work led to the creation of a reentry unit called Bounceback, which provides educational programming and reentry support to individuals preparing to reenter society. Tadd also spearheaded…
Marissa Balonon-Rosen (she/her/hers) received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law where she was an Equal Justice Scholar; participated in the Criminal Defense Clinic, the Civil Rights Clinic, and the Housing Clinic; served on the board of the Justice Center; and was an Associate Editor of the Texas Journal on Civil Liberties and…
Sara Wolovick (she/her/hers) graduated from Georgetown University Law Center, where she participated in the Civil Rights Clinic, was Senior Notes Editor for the Georgetown Law Technology Review, and worked as a research assistant at the Georgetown Center for Privacy and Technology. During law school, Sara interned at the ACLU of Utah and the Brennan Center…
David Anderson (he/him/his) is a public defender with experience representing clients with a variety of serious criminal accusations. Before joining Bronx Defenders he worked with legal aid teams in Tunisia, Palestine, Nepal, Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Libya as program director at the International Legal Foundation. Prior to that, David was a team leader at Northshore Defenders…
Aleciah Anthony (she/her/hers) has been a leader in the nonprofit sector for over twenty years. Born and raised in the Bronx, she is committed to organizing strategies that sustain the wholeness and vibrancy of BIPOC families and communities. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, Aleciah was the Director of Programs at Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA) where she…
Yuyan (she/her/hers) received her J.D. from Cardozo School of Law, where she was a Cardozo Scholar and a Public Service Scholar. While at Cardozo, Yuyan participated in the Immigration Justice Clinic, representing individuals in deportation and related proceedings, and was a member of the Animal Legal Defense Fund advocating for animal rights. During law school, Yuyan…
Adam (he/him/his) received his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, Adam worked as a housing attorney for Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, representing tenants in the City of Newburgh in eviction proceedings and in affirmative cases to stop unlawful evictions and to compel landlords to remedy hazardous conditions and make…
Nhu-Y (she/her/hers) is Immigration Legal Counsel at the Bronx Defenders, where she represents immigration clients in a variety of federal litigation. Prior to joining the Bronx Defenders, she was an Immigration Corps Fellow and removal defense Staff Attorney at the Legal Aid Society, an Immigration Staff Attorney at the United States Court of Appeals for…
Deborah earned her MSW degree from the Fordham Graduate School of Social Services with a concentration in clinical studies. Deborah interned with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) where she assisted and supported families involved in the foster care system and where she had been engaged as a volunteer for over 6 years. In her advanced…
Ania Vasquez (she/her/hers) received her Bachelor’s in Humanities and Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. While at John Jay, she developed an interest in restorative justice and worked in various community-based organizations. She is fluent in Spanish and is a trained interpreter and translator.
Leslie (she/her/hers) earned her Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in clinical work and a specialization in working with children and families from Fordham University. Upon graduation, she worked in a Medicaid waiver program providing community support to children with trauma histories before becoming a social worker and supervisor in Treatment Family Foster Care. During this…
Yvette Mosely (she/her/hers) has over 18 years of experience working in nonprofits. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, she worked as a School Manager with Change for Kids and as a Life Coach for Catholic Charities, providing students, parents, and community members with the tools necessary to advocate for themselves. She holds a Bachelor’s in Human Services and a Master’s in Public…
Daiana Griffith (they/them/theirs) is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, where they earned a Bachelor’s in Politics. While at Mount Holyoke, they worked on an independent study that focused on the lack of stable housing for formerly incarcerated people in Greater Boston. Prior to joining the Bronx Defenders, they worked as a paralegal at Heisler, Feldman &…
Gregory (he/him/his) graduated from Lehman College, where he earned his Master of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Management. At Lehman, he founded The Reentry Blog: A Guide for Formerly Incarcerated Citizens Returning to New York City to facilitate the successful reentry of justice-involved individuals. He continues to be a member…
Jenny E. Barajas (she/her/hers) received her J.D. from The Cardozo School of Law where she was a David Berg Public Interest Fellow and the recipient of the Jonathan A. Weiss Award for her commitment to Public Interest Law. During law school, she worked in two year-long clinics – The Innocence Project, and the Criminal Defense…
Anthony George (he/him/his) was born and raised in the Bronx. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, he worked as a Direct Care Counselor at F.R.E.E INC at Old Bethpage where he advocated for the essential needs of clients and assisted new residents in adapting to a group home environment. He then returned to the Bronx and worked as…
Chloe Caban (she/her/hers) was born and raised in the Bronx. She received her J.D. from CUNY School of Law where she participated in the Defenders Clinic and interned with the Legal Aid Society of Westchester County and The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem’s Family Defense Practice. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, she worked as a…
As a lifelong stakeholder of the South Bronx, Noel Valerio has witnessed the damaging and humiliating treatment of marginalized communities in The Bronx. His observation of the cruel and punitive nature of our country’s criminal justice system and the stranglehold poverty has on his community pushes him to fight for a better tomorrow. He has…
Edison was born in Ecuador and raised in the Bronx. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, he worked in hospitality & customer service.