Who We Are
We Advance Justice and Build Community
Mission
Our mission is to promote justice and build a community that is more secure, productive, healthy, and hopeful by providing legal services and policy advocacy that are responsive to the needs of low-income communities and law training that prepares future attorneys to be skilled and principled advocates, who are committed to addressing the causes and conditions of racial and economic injustice and poverty.
Vision
We envision a California where Black and Indigenous communities, and those at the intersection of multiple oppressions, are positioned to realize thriving, healthy, and dignified lives.
Clients and Staff at a Glance
87%
of our clients identify as BIPOC
48%
of our clients are women of color
74%
of our staff identify as BIPOC
Leadership
Zoë Polk
Zoë Polk is the Executive Director of the East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC).
As Executive Director, Zoë leads EBCLC’s efforts to provide client-centered, holistic legal advocacy, dismantle structural racism, and build a resilient and healthy community. Zoë took the helm of EBCLC in January 2020, proudly joining the organization’s legacy of Black women executive directors.
Our Team and Board of Directors
Our talented and diverse staff are deeply committed to our dual mission of training the next generation of social justice lawyers and increasing access to legal services.
Our dedicated board of directors, most of whom are graduates of Berkeley Law, bring a broad range of experience and expertise to our agency and are active in our community.
Azizah Ahmad
Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Health & Welfare
Ramon Becerra Alcantar
Director of Operations
Easha Anand
Board Secretary
Michelle Wilde Anderson
Board Member
Abhay Aneja
Board Member
Luke Apfeld
Board Member
Carolina Avila
Social Worker, Immigration Practice
Jisaya Ayala
Administrative Assistant
Rosa Bay
Co-Deputy Director
Milo Manopoulos Beitman
Director, Health & Welfare
Laura Bixby
Staff Attorney/Clinical Supervisor, Housing Practice
Marian Avila Breach
Student Board Member
Sara Cantor
Staff Accountant
Karla Cruz
Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Immigration Practice
Jasmine Cuenca
Social Worker, Housing Practice
Stephanie Daniels
Board Member
Kelly Lou Densmore
Deputy Director , Health & Welfare
Ruby Ferguson
Executive Project Manager
Hannah Flanery
Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Housing Practice
Shauna Fujimoto
Senior Contracts Officer
Milat Getu
Development and Communications Assistant
Stefanie Gonzales
Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Immigration Practice
Divya Gopal
Board Member
Meghan Gordon
Co-Director, Housing Practice
Maria Gabriela Guerra
Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Housing Practice
Eleana Hai
Individual Giving Manager
E. Venessa Henlon
Board Member
Alex Hernandez
Program Coordinator, Immigration Practice
Christin Hill
Board Pro Bono Chair
Kelsie Hoppes
Institutional Giving Manager
Luan Huynh
Board Member
Ellen Ivens-Duran
Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Education Defense and Justice for Youth
Marc S. Janowitz
Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Housing Practice
Athena Johns
Staff Attorney, Immigration Practice
Sandra Johnson
Board Member
Caitlin Jolicoeur
Data & Evaluation Manager
Gracie Jones
Senior Project Manager, Housing Practice
Carmen Jovel
Deputy Director, Housing
Amanda Karl
Board Member
Jay Kim
Co-Deputy Director
Michael S. Kwun
Board Member
Sabyl Landrum
Senior Staff Attorney, Clean Slate Practice
Monique Liburd
Board Vice-Chair
Tanya Loftin
Administrative Assistant
Daven G. Lowhurst
Board Member
Angelo Isaac Sandoval, Esq., MPA
Staff Attorney/Clinical Supervisor, Clean Slate Practice
Courtney McCausland
Co-Director, Immigration
Kaya McRuer
Brian Lewinstein Youth Justice Fellow, Education Defense and Justice for Youth
Alina Medina Mora
Paralegal & DOJ Accredited Legal Representative, Immigration Practice
Ingrid Murillo
Senior Paralegal, Immigration Practice
Jeanette Muñoz
Senior Paralegal & DOJ Accredited Legal Representative, Immigration Practice
Jael Myrick
Director, Clean Slate Practice
Perla Navarro
Administrative Assistant
Colin Newton
Program Coordinator, Housing Practice
Michael K. Ng
Board Chair Emeritus
Brigitte Nicoletti
Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Clean Slate
Caleb Ontiveros
Facilities Manager
Desirée Nguyen Orth
Director, Consumer Justice Clinic
Rebecca Oyama
Clinical Director
Isaiah Paik
Student Board Member
Melissa Phatharanavik
Senior Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Immigration
Mindy Phillips
Co-Director, Immigration Practice
Donzahniya Pitre
Program Coordinator, Health & Welfare
Zoë Polk
Executive Director
Ana Vazquez Pulido
Senior Program Coordinator, Clean Slate Practice
Sneh Rao
Board Member
Abigail Rich
Senior Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Immigration
Michelle Natividad Rodriguez
Board Member
Rebecca Romero
Senior Paralegal & DOJ Accredited Legal Representative, Immigration Practice
Tamura Rosby
HR Coordinator
Anthony Ruano
Program Coordinator, Housing Practice
Whitney Rubenstein
Director, Social Work Program and Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Education Defense & Justice for Youth
Maureen A. Sheehy
Board Treasurer
Eric Singerman
Staff Attorney/Clinical Supervisor, Education Defense and Justice for Youth
Miguel Soto
Senior Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Consumer Justice Clinic
Cancion SotoRosen
Co-Director, Education Defense and Justice for Youth / Director, Youth Defender Clinic
Jasmine Sozi
Project Manager, Community Economic Justice Practice
Chaiquis Stephens
Program Coordinator, Clean Slate Practice
Julia D. Stewart
Director of Finance
Nina Thiebert
Communications Manager
Tiffany Renee Thomas
Board Chair
Michael Trujillo
Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Community Economic Justice Practice
Atasi Uppal
Director, Education Justice Clinic / Co-Director, Education Defense and Justice for Youth
Marilyn Villanueva
Intake / Program Coordinator, Housing Practice
Sophia Wang
Staff Attorney/Clinical Supervisor, Clean Slate
Gloria Yi
Staff Attorney / Clinical Supervisor, Education Advocacy Clinic
Alyssa Young
Student Board Member
Linda Yu
Co-Director, Housing Practice