HOPE Miami Scholars Class of 2019, 2020, 2021

MIAMILAW UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF LAW

PUBLIC INTEREST RESOURCE CENTER

PUBLIC INTEREST PROGRAM

“The Miami Scholars Public Interest Program represents dedicated and extraordinary students at Miami Law. Their passion for justice, intellectual curiosity and motivation drives them to effectuate change in agencies and communities near and far.� ~Marni Lennon, Esq.

Assistant Dean for Public Interest and Pro Bono Director, HOPE Public Interest Resource Center Lecturer in Law

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

MIAMI SCHOLARS PUBLIC INTEREST PROGRAM Established in 1997, the Miami Scholars Public Interest Program brings exceptional students with a passion for public service and social justice to the University of Miami School of Law. Miami Scholars are selected based on their outstanding academic credentials and demonstrated commitment to public service and advocacy.

The Miami Scholars Public Interest Program offers its students exclusive opportunities for legal advocacy training and advising from the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center team of attorneys, including individualized curriculum advising and career planning assistance. Miami Scholars receive mentoring by upper-class Scholars and public interest and pro bono attorneys.

Miami Scholars are awarded an annual scholarship and are provided with a stipend for public interest work that is performed during their first or second year summer. Tuition awards are automatically renewed if the scholar remains in good standing.

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2019

The Miami Scholars Public Interest Program connected me with a network of students and professionals who share a passion for public interest and social justice work. I know I will always have a support system with my colleagues and mentors through Miami Scholars.

~Nejla Calvo, JD ’15

Legal Services of Greater Miami, Miami, FL

I was immediately welcomed by this small community and presented with unique viewpoints and opportunities. The Miami Scholars program gave me an outlet to apply in-class lessons to benefit the local community. I was able to do far more hands-on legal work than I would have otherwise been able to do had I not been invited to join this cohort.

~Bennett Blachar, JD ’16

Arnstein & Lehr

As an alumna with a legal career dedicated to public service, I am excited to watch the continued expansion of the Miami Scholars Program. It now affords even more students the opportunity to find their passion, do what they love, and serve our community with vigor and spirit.

~Fara Gold, JD ’03

United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, Washington, DC

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2020

The Miami Scholars Program gave me the ability to take internships in disability law and attend a dual degree program in my field of interest, Public Health. My reasons for my lifelong support of the Miami Scholars Program continue to multiply. Law school can be a challenging place for those who envision themselves as civil servants. The support of the other Miami Scholars and Dean Lennon kept me focused on my ultimate goals and helped me pinpoint one-of-a-kind opportunities that I would not have had otherwise.

~Kathy Walker, JD ’13

SOAR/Medical-Legal Partnership Attorney Pisgah Legal Services, Asheville, NC

While I was attracted to Miami Law for many reasons, it was the school’s commitment to developing and supporting the next generation of public interest lawyers through the Miami Scholars Program that solidified my decision to relocate from Washington, DC for law school. From judicial internships to exclusive networking opportunities, the experiences afforded to me through the Miami Scholars Program have had a tremendous impact on my professional development and have also resulted in meaningful ties to the bench and bar, great friendships and a supportive network across the public and private sector.

~Kevin Probst, JD ’07

Legal Services of Greater Miami, Miami, FL

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2019

PAIGE BETTGE

Paige Bettge graduated magna cum laude from the College of William & Mary in May 2016 with a B.S. in Psychology and Philosophy. While in law school, she has served on the Public Interest Leadership Board, held executive board positions with the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, worked as a Writing Dean’s Fellow, and is currently the Senior Notes and Comments Editor for the University of Miami Law Review. During her 1L summer, Paige worked on legal issues affecting farm animals as a litigation intern with Compassion Over Killing. As a 2L, she externed with the Florida Justice Institute, a civil rights law firm that litigates prisoners’ rights, and was a member of Miami Law’s Children and Youth Law Clinic, representing former and current foster children. During her 2L summer, she worked as a HOPE Fellow for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia’s Civil Division, assisting criminal defendants with civil matters ancillary or collateral to their criminal charges.

YADIRYS COLLADO GARCIA

Yadirys Collado Garcia graduated from Boston University in May 2014 with a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy.

During college, Yadirys worked as the Hispanic Liaison for State Representative Jeffrey Sanchez in Boston and as an interpreter/translator for Greater Boston Legal Services.

Following graduation, she worked as a research analyst with the Massachusetts State Legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Health. As a 1L, Yadirys volunteered with the immigration non-profit RAICES. During her 1L summer, she interned with The Door, an organization in New York City that provides comprehensive youth development services and assists unaccompanied minors with their immigration cases. As a 2L, Yadirys participated in Miami Law’s Health Rights Clinic and was the Events and Advocacy Chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association UM student chapter. During her 2L summer, Yadirys served as a HOPE Fellow with Ayuda in Washington, DC, focusing on serving vulnerable, low-income immigrants who seek to better their lives. During her 3L year, Yadirys is serving as the president of the newly-renamed Immigration Students Law Association and is participating in the DC Semester in Practice program as an intern with Kids in Need of Defense, assisting children in immigration court.

CECILIA CRIDDLE

Cecilia Criddle graduated from the University of Mississippi with a B.A. in International Studies and Spanish in 2016. She was recipient of the Barnard Excellence Merit Scholarship and a reporter for the student newspaper. She studied abroad in Córdoba, Argentina during the spring of 2015 in order to conduct research for her thesis, A Comparative Study of New Indigenous Movements in Bolivia and Argentina. During college, Cecilia taught Spanish as a volunteer at the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Lafayette County. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, Cecilia worked with Midsouth Immigration Advocacy in Memphis, TN, a non-profit which represents women, children, and families in their immigration proceedings in the jurisdiction of the Midsouth Immigration Court. As a 2L, she participated in the Miami Law Immigration Clinic, assisting with the clinic’s Somali Advocacy Project and pursuing asylum claims

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2019 for clinic clients. She was also a member of the Race and Social Justice Law Review and volunteered with the Matt Haggman for Congress campaign as Policy Director.

During the summer of 2018, Cecilia was the full-time Communications and Policy Director for Matt Haggman for Congress.

ADRIENNE HARREVELD

Adrienne Harreveld is a May 2014 graduate of Duke University, where she majored in History, minored in Political Science, and received a certificate in Documentary Studies. While at Duke, she served as an intern with the Office of Civic Engagement, a research assistant with the Departments of Political Science and Public Policy, and a columnist with the school newspaper. She also held leadership roles with Duke Students for a Democratic Society and College Democrats of North Carolina. In 2012, she received the College Democrats of America Rising Star of the Year and the Duke University Advocacy Award, given to the most outstanding campus activist. During the summer of 2013, she served as an economic affairs intern with the US Department of State in Paris. Following graduation, Adrienne helped to found the Durham Living Wage Project, a voluntary living wage certification program for local businesses, and began working as a research coordinator with Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy and UNC’s Initiative on Poverty and Inequality. She has also done work for the Institute for Policy Studies’ Black Worker Initiative and served as program coordinator for Duke’s Samuel Du Bois Cook Center on Social Equity. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, Adrienne worked on housing rights and prisoners’ rights cases at the Florida Justice Institute. As a 2L, she took part in Miami Law’s Environmental Justice Clinic and joined the Race and Social Justice Law Review. During her 2L summer, she served as a legal intern with The MacArthur Justice Center in New Orleans, working on high-impact criminal justice reform and capital defense cases in Mississippi and Louisiana. She returned there as a full-time extern for the fall 2018 semester.

NICOLE MCLEMORE

Nicole McLemore graduated cum laude in May 2016 from Florida State University with a B.S. in Political Science and Interdisciplinary Social Science. She earned certificates in Political Science Research and in Emergency Management & Homeland Security and was a member of multiple honor societies. She served as Vice President of the FSU Women in Pre-Law Society, as undergraduate representative for the ACLU chapter at the FSU College of Law, and as a research assistant in the political science department. Beginning in 2012, Nicole worked as a bankruptcy assistant and file clerk with a Tallahassee law firm. She also volunteered with the Guardian ad Litem Program in Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit. Nicole became a member of the Society of Bar and Gavel and Honor Council during her 1L year at Miami Law. That summer, she interned at the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Legal Unit in New York City, where she assisted trial attorneys representing the agency and its claimants in employment litigation pending in federal courts. As a 2L, Nicole interned with the Honorable John J. O’Sullivan in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. She also worked as a research assistant on intimate partner violence, served as President of the ACLU-UM Chapter, and interned with the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. She competed in the Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition, where her team advanced to the semi-finals.

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2019 During her 2L summer, she served as a HOPE Fellow with the United States Department of Justice in the Executive Office of United States Trustees, Office of the General Counsel. Nicole is currently the Law School Liaison for the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida. As a 3L, Nicole is serving on the Charles C. Papy, Jr. Moot Court Executive Board, is participating in the Bankruptcy Assistance Clinic, and is a member of the Race and Social Justice Law Review.

DOUGLAS MORALES

Douglas Morales graduated from Hunter College, City University of New York, in June 2016. He majored in Political Science and Women & Gender Studies. He was a member of the Dean’s List and the Pre-Law Society and was the recipient of the Mark Ladner and Julie Ross Public Interest Fellowship for Public Interest Law. During the summer of 2014, Douglas was a public affairs intern with Planned Parenthood of South Florida and the Treasure Coast. There he worked with the organization’s lobbyist and supported political endorsements through research, data analysis, event planning, and fundraising. During the summer of 2015, he served as a City Commission Intern with the City of West Palm Beach, working directly with Commissioner Paula Ryan. Douglas was part of the intern program at Hillary for America and worked in the campaign management department at Clinton campaign headquarters in Brooklyn, NY. He served as a liaison for the management department and helped prepare research, allot expenses, and supervise fundraising events. During his 1L summer at Miami Law, Douglas worked at the City Attorney’s Office for the City of Miami Beach.

His work concentrated on the various legal issues surrounding the city’s land use and zoning decisions. As a 2L, Douglas participated in Miami Law’s Health Rights Clinic.

During his 2L summer, he served as a HOPE Fellow with the Attorney General’s Office for the State of New Mexico, where he worked in the Open Government Division, representing various state agencies and executive boards. As a 3L, he is serving as the Chair for the Advocacy, Programming, and Curriculum Committee of the Public Interest Leadership Board.

DANIEL POLLITT

Daniel Pollitt graduated from the University of North Carolina in May 2013 where he majored in American Studies and minored in History. While at UNC, he served as a media intern with a community radio station and website, was a student recruiting coordinator with the football team, and was a legal intern with a local law firm. Following graduation, Daniel joined the Mississippi Teacher Corps, serving as the sixth-grade math teacher and head basketball coach at a critical needs middle school in the Mississippi Delta. While teaching, he started a book donation program for the school library and a gifted student identification program. He also served as an afterschool tutor, a mentor for gifted students, and a team teacher for incoming teacher corps members. In May 2015, he received a M.A. in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Mississippi. In the fall of 2015, he began working for Harlem R.B.I., a New York City program that provides academic and sports opportunities to inner city youth. During his 1L summer at Miami Law, Daniel worked as a legal intern in New York City with the Legal Aid Society’s Harlem Community Law Office, where he helped represent low-income tenants facing eviction in Housing Court as part of the General Housing Unit. As a 2L, Daniel participated in Miami Law’s Environmental

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2019 Justice Clinic, investigating local zoning policies that disproportionately impacted low-income communities of color. He also participated in the Moot Court competition and the STREET Law program, teaching at Miami Central High School. During his 2L summer, Daniel served as a HOPE Fellow with the Center for Children’s Law and Policy in Washington, DC, where he worked on projects to implement diversion programs designed to steer young people away from the juvenile justice system and into community-based programs that aim to reduce the risk of future offending. As a 3L, Daniel is serving as an extern with the Florida Justice Institute and is a member of the Public Interest Leadership Board.

MUKIYA POST

Mukiya Post graduated from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada in May 2016 with a B.A. in History. He was a member of the varsity basketball team and received numerous honors for both his academic and athletic performance, including an Academic All-Canadian Award and regional and province-wide awards for his leadership on and off the court. In 2012, Mukiya founded Pass the Ball Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on collecting and providing sports equipment to underprivileged youth in Jamaica. He was motivated to start this project because of his experiences growing up there. He also served as a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, acting as a mentor and role model for a “little brother” since 2013, and coached and taught basketball skills to local children in Montreal.

During the summer of 2018, Mukiya served as an intern with Legal Services of Greater Miami in the Homeowner/Consumer Rights Unit. During the fall of 2018, he will begin his pursuit of an L.L.M. in Real Property Development.

DAVID PRINGLE

David Pringle received a B.S. degree from Florida State University in 2010. He majored in Political Science, History, and Interdisciplinary Social Science and minored in Political Philosophy. Following graduation, David joined the Direct Action Research Training Network as an organizer trainee in Dayton, Ohio, where he worked with local churches to unite them around the interfaith ideas of social and economic justice. In 2012, he joined the Fund for the Public Interest, working on campaigns to end subsidies to big oil, fund land protection legislation, and pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act on behalf of the LGBT community.

In 2013, he became a Program Manager for City Year Miami, where he worked with at-risk youth in under-resourced public schools. He supervised AmeriCorps members in local middle schools and trained them to serve as mentors and tutors. In 2015, he was recognized as an Outstanding Community Partner Liaison by Miami-Dade County Public Schools. After City Year, he served as an Executive Intern at the Office of the Miami-Dade County Public Defender, working on research and policy analysis. During his 1L summer at Miami Law, David served as an intern with the Southern Poverty Law Center, working on criminal justice reform in Jackson, Mississippi. As a 2L, he served as Co-Chair of the Public Interest Leadership Board’s Legal Advocacy Committee, Community Outreach Director for the Miami Law Chapter of the ACLU, and as a 2L Senator of the Student Bar Association where he served as Chair of the Public Interest Committee. During the fall of his 2L year. David worked with the Community Justice Project and joined Miami Law’s Immigration Clinic in the spring of 2018. David spent

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2019 his 2L summer with Advancement Project in Washington DC, working on racial justice issues through Community Lawyering and is participating in a DC Semester in Practice program with the Poverty and Race Research Action Council on federal housing policy during the fall of 2018.

MALIK THURGOOD RAMELIZE

Malik Thurgood Ramelize graduated cum laude from Florida Atlantic University in May 2015 with a B.A. in Criminal Justice from the College of Design and Social Inquiry. Following graduation, he joined the Broward County Office of the Public Defender as an intern, where he worked on death penalty and juvenile matters, as well as sex crimes mitigation. Upon entering law school, Malik revived the Criminal Law Society and now serves as its President. He also serves as the Treasurer of the Miami Law Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and was inducted into the Society of Bar and Gavel. Malik is also a member of the Charles C. Papy Moot Court Board and is a 3L Senator for the Student Bar Association. He has served as a mentor for the Empowered Youth Program, which helps young people learn the fundamentals to success inside and outside the classroom, and volunteered at local Sealing and Expungement events. During his 1L summer, Malik worked as a legal intern for the Palm Beach County Office of the Public Defender. As a 2L, he participated in the Innocence Clinic and the STREET Law Program. Malik also received the Ewald Award, given each year to the number one overall student in the Litigation Skills Program, and was awarded a scholarship from the Miami Chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys. He also received the Thomas S. Wilson, Jr. Scholarship, given to minority students who have shown a strong dedication to social justice and public interest. During his 2L summer, Malik returned to the Palm Beach County Office of the Public Defender as a Certified Legal Intern handling his own caseload.

CANDELARIO SALDANA

Candelario Saldana graduated from the University of Utah with B.A. degrees in Political Science and Gender Studies. He was on the Dean’s List and a member of numerous academic honor societies. While at Utah, he took part in many community service activities on campus and held several leadership roles within the Lowell Bennion Community Service Center.

He organized monthly service projects for students as part of the Freshman Service Corp. As Social Justice Coordinator, he trained student program directors and supervised their work with community agencies serving underprivileged populations such as the homeless. As Campus AIDS Project Director, he designed and implemented awareness campaigns, organized speaker events, and oversaw successful fundraising efforts. He also served as Fundraising Chair and Vice President of Public Affairs for the LGBTQ organization on campus. During his 1L year at Miami Law, Candelario participated in an alternative spring break program at the Mississippi Center for Justice in Jackson, MS, working on immigration and food stamp issues affecting the community. During his 1L summer, he was a legal intern at New York Legal Aid’s Immigration Unit, working with unaccompanied minors seeking immigration relief. As a 2L, he took part in Miami Law’s Immigration Clinic and served on the Race and Social Justice Law Review, International Moot Court, as Social Chair of OUTLaw, and was a research assistant

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2019 for Professor Caroline Bettinger-Lopez, whose scholarship focuses on human rights, gender inequality, and domestic and sexual violence. He was runner-up in the Michael Greenberg Writing Competition for his case note on the effects that Trump’s decision to end DACA has on LGBTQ+ dreamers. During his 2L summer, he was a summer associate at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP in New York City, where he participated in pro bono immigration cases. As a 3L, he is serving on the Race and Social Justice Law Review, as a Fellow with the Immigration Clinic, President of OUTLaw, and as a research assistant for Professor Bettinger-Lopez.

KATRINA TOMAS

Katrina Tomas graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in May 2016 with a B.A. in Art History, focusing on feminist performance art and urban architecture. Her passion for environmental justice and community development began at Penn, assisting doctors in public health clinics and researching the accessibility of sustainable urban infrastructure.

As a 1L at Miami Law, Katrina was a research assistant with Miami Waterkeeper and a volunteer with Legal Services of Greater Miami in their mobile home project. During her 1L summer, she served as an intern with Sierra Club’s Environmental Law Program in California, working on impact litigation cases concerning energy regulation. During her 2L year, Katrina interned with Earthjustice in their Miami office and worked with LSGMI to provide hurricane disaster relief assistance in the Florida Keys as part of the Legal Alternative Spring Break project.

During her 2L summer, Katrina worked with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest in their Environmental Justice Program where she helped address the disproportionate impact that environmental degradation and waste management policies have on poor communities of color. As a 3L, she is serving as the President of the Environmental Law Society and the Senior Articles Editor of the University of Miami Law Review. She is also a member of the Public Interest Leadership Board and the Society of Bar and Gavel.

THOMAS VORACEK

Thomas Voracek graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maryland as a Banneker-Key Scholar in May 2016 with Bachelors degrees in Women's Studies, History, and Central European, Russian, & Eurasian Studies. During the summer of 2015, he worked as an investigative intern with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. During his first year of law school, Thomas participated in an alternative spring break trip to Jackson, MS, working with the Mississippi Center for Justice. During his 1L summer, he worked with the Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Florida in Miami. During his 2L year, he worked with the Miami Law Health Rights Clinic and the Race & Social Justice Law Review, and took part in an alternative spring break trip to Florida Rural Legal Services in Ft. Myers.

During his 2L summer, Thomas worked as a student-practice intern representing clients with the New Mexico Public Defender in Albuquerque. During his 3L year, he is serving as Writing Competition and Submissions Editor for the Race & Social Justice Law Review.

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2020

CAITLYN BURNITIS

Caitlyn Burnitis graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida in May 2017 with a B.S. in Telecommunications and a minor in Non-Profit Organizational Leadership. While in college, she volunteered with the University of Florida Student Legal Services and served as Vice President of Gators Against Human Trafficking for two years. She worked as a television and radio reporter for the university stations throughout her time in college and also co-led a research project on the social media strategies of philanthropic student organizations. Beginning in 2016, Caitlyn served as an intern with Southern Legal Counsel, where she conducted legal research for the agency’s landmark education case Citizens for Strong Schools, Inc. vs. State Board of Education, which alleged that the state of Florida did not provide fair and adequate education to all its students. As a 1L at Miami Law, Caitlyn founded the Miami Law Alliance Against Human Trafficking in order to raise awareness about human trafficking. She also took part in the ACLU of Florida’s “Say Yes to Second Chances” campaign, which worked to put to the ballot an amendment to Florida’s constitution which would automatically restore voting rights to non-violent felons who have served their time. During her 1L summer, she worked as a legal intern at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida in its Criminal Division. As a 2L, Caitlyn is taking part in Miami Law’s Human Rights Clinic and serves as President of the Miami Law Alliance Against Human Trafficking, Secretary of the ACLU-UM Chapter, and as a member of the Public Interest Leadership Board and the Race and Social Justice Law Review.

STEPHEN DAVIS

Stephen Davis graduated cum laude from the University of Florida in May 2014 with a B.S. in Telecommunication and a B.A. in Political Science. He was a Public Leadership Graduate of the Bob Graham Center for Public Service and served as supervisor of student government elections and chair of the Recreational Sports Board. From 2008-2011, he held multiple positions with the Office of US Congressman Ted Deutch, attending daily briefings, conducting policy research and analysis, and engaging in constituent relations. Following graduation and a stint as a consultant in the Washington, DC area, Stephen joined Hillary for America as an Advance Site Lead. He traveled nationally to plan and carry out public press events for the campaign, serving as point of contact for large rallies, town hall meetings and other media events. After the campaign ended, Stephen worked across the United States and Europe to produce public speaking tours, film premieres, and campaign launch events for a range of public interest clients. After Hurricane Irma in 2017, Stephen traveled with former President Bill Clinton to survey the impacted islands and deliver aid packages. During the first half of his 1L summer at Miami Law, Stephen interned at the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida with the Honorable John J. O’Sullivan. During the second half of the summer, he served as a Legal Fellow at the United States Senate for Senator Doug Jones of Alabama, where he conducted research and drafted memoranda on pending confirmations, notably on the nominee to the United States Supreme Court.

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2020

AMELIA DAYNES

Amelia Daynes graduated from Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah in May 2015 with a B.A. in Economics. She was a Dean’s Scholarship Recipient, a member of Alpha Chi National Honor Society, a student assistant to the Director of Corporate Giving, and a member of the Women’s Lacrosse Team. Before transferring to Westminster from Pepperdine University, Amelia served as a volunteer teacher with L.A. County Juvenile Camps, tutoring and planning special events for young men incarcerated at a camp in Calabasas, CA. In 2012, she traveled to Guatemala to volunteer with Story International, Inc., where she helped supervise a school construction project, taught English to children in an orphanage, and managed donor communications. In the spring of 2014, she participated in the creation of a community garden in the food desert of Black Creek, NC. Beginning in 2015, she served as the junior varsity head coach of the Judge Memorial Catholic High School Girls Lacrosse Team, where she assisted in managing all aspects of the program. As a 1L at Miami Law, Amelia participated in an alternative spring break program in the Florida Keys, providing legal services to community members affected by Hurricane Irma. During her 1L summer, she was an executive intern at the Office of the MiamiDade County Public Defender, where she conducted research and policy analysis. As a 2L, Amelia is serving as an extern with the Florida Justice Institute, participating in the University of Miami Law Review and serving as President of the law school’s National Lawyers Guild Chapter and as the Community Service Chair of Miami OUTLaw.

MAIA DOMBEY

Maia Dombey graduated from New York University in December 2016 with a B.A. in Journalism and Political Science. While at NYU, she served as communications liaison between campus activists and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and was president of TorchPAC, an NYU advocacy organization focused on Pro-Israel activism and the relationship between Israel and the United States. She also served as an intern with AIPAC, where she developed political activism skills and took on several ghost-writing projects. In 2016, Maia worked with United Nations Watch, a non-governmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland whose mandate is to monitor the performance of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

She reported on Council procedures, attended sessions, and presented a statement to the UN Human Rights Council calling for action on various human rights violations.

She then worked as an intern for the Anti-Defamation League’s International Affairs Department until she started law school. During her 1L summer, she worked as a law clerk at Podhurst Orseck, primarily focusing on representing the families of airplane accident victims. She also served on the HOPE Day of Service committee. Maia will be part of the International Human Rights Clinic in spring of 2019 and is serving as VicePresident of Miami Law’s Alliance Against Human Trafficking.

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2020

HAWWI EDAO

Hawwi Edao graduated from the University of Miami in May 2017 with a B.S. in Public Health and a minor in Business Law and Health Sector Management & Policy. She received a number of academic scholarships, was a member of the President’s List and the Dean’s List, and was named as a Civic Scholar through the Butler Center for Leadership & Service. She served as a resident assistant on campus, a student assistant with the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center at the School of Law, and a leader in Student Orientation and the College Council. While in college, Hawwi participated in numerous community service projects: the Thelma Gibson Health Initiative, Friends of Miami-Dade Detainees; Switchboard Miami; and an adult home care facility in Portland. During her junior year, she took part in a Mass Incarceration and Immigration Detention course, which led to her involvement with a comprehensive research project and national exhibit that explored the effects of mass incarceration throughout the history of the United States. As a 1L at Miami Law, Hawwi was appointed as Class Governor by the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Law Student Division and was inducted into the Society of Bar & Gavel. During her 1L summer, Hawwi served as an intern with the Florida Justice Institute, a civil rights firm that primarily focuses on prisoners’ rights. As a 2L, she is taking part in the Children and Youth Law Clinic, serving as a member of the Honor Council, and continuing her role as Governor.

WIFREDO FERNANDEZ

Wifredo Fernandez graduated from The University of Pennsylvania in 2009 with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in International Relations. He was co-founder of the University Council of The Cuban American National Foundation and a member of the varsity football team. Following graduation, he joined Teach for America in Washington, DC and, in 2011, received an M.A. in Teaching from American University. In 2012, Wifredo co-founded The LAB Miami, a central hub for startups in the area. He and his team turned a warehouse into a collaborative campus, creating an organization which has advised over 200 local startups on product development and strategy and has produced over 300 events with over 40,000 participants. In 2012, he also joined Miami-Dade College as founding director of the Center for Research and Transformational Entrepreneurship and, in 2015, became the associate director of the Office of Innovation & Economic Development at Florida International University.

He serves as a Trustee and Board Secretary of OurKids of Miami-Dade and Monroe, an agency that coordinates services for children in the dependency system, an advisory board member of City of Coral Gables Parks and Recreation, co-founded the Teach for America Startup Program, and has been involved with the Center for Ethics and Public Service at Miami Law. During his 1L summer, he served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Robert N. Scola, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. During his 2L year, he is participating in Miami Law’s Children & Youth Law Clinic and as a legal fellow at the University of Miami Launch Pad.

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2020

GIANNA FINA

Gianna Fina graduated from the University of Florida in May 2017 with a B.A. in Criminology and Political Science. She was a Florida Medallion Scholar and a member of the Pre-Legal Honor Society and the Criminology & Law Honor Society.

Prior to entering the University of Florida, Gianna served as a judicial intern with the Honorable Beatrice Butchko in the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida in Miami. She shadowed the judge during all phases of litigation and assisted with case files and correspondence. During the summers of 2015 and 2016, she worked as an intern with the Office of the State Attorney in Miami-Dade County. She took part in witness interviews and depositions, attended trials, and participated in visits to the medical examiner’s office, crime scenes, and the forensics lab. She also worked as a campaign intern for a local election during the summer of 2014. During her 1L summer, Gianna served as an intern with Dade Legal Aid, assisting with a variety of family law matters.

As a 2L, she is participating in Miami Law’s Innocence Clinic.

TAYLOR FOX

Taylor Fox graduated from Tulane University in May 2016 with a B.A., magna cum laude, in Philosophy/Gender & Sexuality Studies. She participated in the Danish Institute of Study Abroad and received various scholarships to fund her public service internship, thesis research, and study abroad program.

While at Tulane, Taylor worked as an intern with the Domestic Violence Department of New Orleans City Hall, where she collected crime data and created a report used to reduce gun violence. During her final year of college, Taylor was a research assistant with the Modern Slavery Research Project. She conducted, transcribed, and coded interviews with homeless youth. Data from the project was used to make recommendations to Covenant House and in a White House briefing on homeless youth. During her 1L year at Miami Law, Taylor was elected to serve on the University’s Honor Council. During her 1L summer, she interned at the ACLU of Florida where she conducted legal research for prospective litigation and gathered evidence of 6th Amendment violations. She is working as a judicial intern for Federal Magistrate Judge John J. O’Sullivan during the fall of her 2L year.

DAMIAN GONZALEZ

Damian Gonzalez graduated cum laude from the University of Florida in May 2016 with a B.S. in Journalism and a B.A. in Political Science. He was a J. Wayne Reitz Scholar, a member of the UF Hall of Fame, and a journalist for The Fine Print, where he published and edited articles that covered immigration reform, gentrification, and socio-economic inequities in North Central Florida. His interest in advocating for queer and trans people of color led to various leadership positions in Pride Student Union. He managed the largest student-run LGBTQ+ Awareness Month in the nation and organized the first statewide LGBTQ+ conference at UF. Damian also served as president of the Alachua Migrant Education Program, an organization that matches UF students with undocumented migrant families to foster literacy among their children, and served as a communications and development intern for the Southern Legal Counsel, a public interest law firm that focuses on the ideals of equal

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2020 justice through systemic reform. Following graduation, Damian worked as an English Language Specialist at Palm Beach State College. During his 1L summer at Miami Law, he interned with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice in Washington, DC in the Educational Opportunities Section, where he drafted numerous pleadings regarding desegregation of public schools and violations of anti-discrimination statutes. As a 2L, Damian is participating in the Human Rights Clinic and serving as a legal writing volunteer at the Dade Correctional Institution.

HANNAH GORDON

Hannah Gordon graduated from Colgate University in May 2012 with a B.A. in Peace & Conflict Studies and Caribbean Studies. While at Colgate, she studied abroad in Jamaica and tutored English Language Learners at a refugee center in Utica, NY. Following graduation, she spent a year with the AmeriCorps Community Technology Project in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she ran a computer lab for adult learners. Many of her students were immigrants and refugees. While in Minnesota, she also mentored low-income children in a program called Project for Pride in Living. In 2013, Hannah returned to Colgate to work as a program assistant with the department of Africana and Latin American Studies. Beginning in March 2015, she worked as an English teacher in Honduras, where she taught middle school during the day and adult English classes in the evenings. During her time in Honduras, she became fluent in Spanish. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, Hannah served as a legal intern at Catholic Legal Services in Miami, working with asylum seekers at the Immigration Court Helpdesk. As a 2L, she is participating in Miami Law’s Immigration Clinic and the University of Miami Law Review.

BRITTANY HERBERT

Brittany Herbert graduated summa cum laude from The State University of New York at Buffalo in May 2017 with a B.A. in Social Sciences-Interdisciplinary and African-American Studies, with a concentration in Legal Studies. She was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, on the Dean’s List, and an active member of the pre-law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta. She completed an honors thesis entitled The State-Sponsored Houseto-Prison Pipeline: A Criminological Analysis of Public Housing and Its Contribution to the Prison Industrial Complex. During the spring of 2015, Brittany worked with SKIP of New York, an agency that provides respite services for children with disabilities. She later served as an afterschool programs volunteer with Seneca Street Community Development Corporation, a non-profit agency that provides services to one of Buffalo’s underserved communities, and worked with at-risk youth as a volunteer with West Side Community Services. During the fall of 2016, she completed a federal judicial internship with the United States District Court for the Western District of New York as part of a university class. Beginning in May 2015, she worked as a legal assistant for a law firm in Buffalo. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, Brittany interned with the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office in the felony division, writing pretrial motions, interviewing clients being held at pretrial services, assisting at calendar, and researching various state criminal law. She also volunteered with the South Florida Community Development Coalition by researching the opportunities and challenges to implementing affordable housing under Miami-Dade County’s zoning codes. As a 2L, she is participating in Miami Law’s Environmental Justice Clinic.

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2020

JULIE HOCHZSTEIN

Julie Hochzstein graduated with honors from the University of Florida in May 2009 with a B.A. in Political Science, Economics, and Sociology and a minor in History. She was awarded the Bob Graham Center for Public Service Certificate in Public Leadership. Julie received her Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May 2011.

While at UNC, she conducted research on citizens’ academies and prepared her findings for a thesis entitled Citizens’ Academies: A Tool for Increasing Civil Engagement. In 2010, she began working with the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer and later became a policy analyst with the Retirement Services Division. She then joined the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as a data analyst, where she managed Unique Identification Systems for schools and coordinated data collection for the Office of Civil Rights. In 2013, Julie became a research analyst with the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and then worked as an independent contractor conducting data analysis for governmental and private entities. She also served as a precinct official with the Wake County Board of Elections. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, Julie served as an intern in the City of Miami City Attorney’s Office, assisting with litigation research and legislation before the City Commission. She also served on the HOPE Day of Service committee. She is participating in Miami Law’s Human Rights Clinic in the spring of 2019.

ALLI KATZEN

Alli Katzen graduated from the University of Michigan in May 2015 with a B.A. in Political Science. She participated in the Lloyd Hall Scholars Program, a competitive leadership program focused on writing and the arts, and studied abroad in Seville, Spain. While at Michigan, she served as a tutor with the Detroit Initiative/Latino Family Services. She also volunteered with Project Outreach at the Washtenaw County Jail Women’s Unit, where she led educational programming for inmates to prepare them for successful reentry into society. Following graduation, Alli became a paralegal at a firm in Washington, DC that specializes in food and drug legislation.

She also volunteered with Opportunities, Alternatives, and Resources, where she cofacilitated a weekly court-mandated program for men on probation for domestic violence charges. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, Alli worked as a law clerk with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia in the trial division. As a 2L, she is participating in the Innocence Clinic and the University of Miami Law Review.

THEODORE O’BRIEN

Theodore O’Brien graduated from the University of Oregon in May 2011 with a B.A. in Political Science. During his freshman year of college, he became the first employee hired by The Family Office Club, a fledgling conference provider and wealth management association. As marketing manager, he oversaw all marketing activities, developed original content, edited several books, and organized investment conferences.

During his senior year, he interned with US Representative Peter DeFazio, where he assisted constituents dealing with Medicare and Medicaid issues.

Upon graduation, he assumed the role of Managing Director at The Family Office

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2020 Club, handling day-to-day operations and continuing to expand the conference business. In 2013, he earned his securities license and launched an investment division for the Family Office Club. Since 2016, Theo has also served as Political Director of the Downtown Democrats, a political organization in Miami that encourages civic engagement. During his 1L summer at Miami Law, Theo interned with a federal magistrate judge and the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.

NICHOLAS SCONZO

Nicholas Sconzo graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami in May 2017 with a B.A. in Criminology, Psychology, and Spanish. He wrote his honors thesis on the underlying causes of gang violence in Miami. He was a member of the Order of Omega Honor Society and the Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society in Criminal Justice. He participated in numerous philanthropic activities on campus, including events to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network and the Special Olympics.

During the fall of 2015, Nicholas served as a legal intern with the Office of the MiamiDade State Attorney, assisting with projects in the Insurance Fraud, Gang Violence, and Media Departments. While at the State Attorney’s Office, he also participated in volunteer events for Kristi House, a non-profit dedicated to healing and eradicating sexual abuse. During the fall of 2016, he was an intern with Catholic Charities Legal Services, where he translated and drafted documents and performed research for immigration cases. That year, he also worked as an intern with a private firm in Palm Beach Gardens. During his 1L summer at Miami Law, Nicholas served as an intern in the felony crimes unit of the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. He also served on the HOPE Day of Service committee. As a 2L, he is participating in Miami Law’s Innocence Clinic.

MADELINE SEALES

Madeline Seales graduated from Amherst College in May 2009 with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies and concentrations in Political Science, Sociology, and Black Studies. Following graduation, she moved to California for three years to pursue an acting career. In 2012, she joined the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in the agency’s Seattle office. While in Seattle, she also served as a CourtWatch Monitor for the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center. In 2014, she moved to IRC’s New York location, where she began as an Immigration Legal Intern and later worked as an Immigration Caseworker. In January 2016, Madeline began working as an Immigration Case Manager with BronxWorks, Inc., a non-profit agency that helps individuals and families improve their economic and social well-being through food, shelter, education, and other support. She screened clients, prepared immigration applications, and participated in trainings. During her 1L year at Miami Law, Madeline served on the Community Service Committee of the Black Law Students Association, and was an active member of OUTLaw, the Criminal Law Society, and the South Florida Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. She participated in the Alternative Winter Break program with Catholic Legal Services and Alternative Spring Break with Florida Rural Legal Services. She was also awarded the 1L Pro Bono Award and inducted into the Society of Bar and Gavel. During her 1L summer, Madeline served as an intern with the Los Angeles County Office of the Public Defender. As a 2L, she is participating in the Environmental Justice Clinic and serving as Vice President of the

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2020 newly-restarted National Lawyers Guild campus chapter. She is also a member of the Public Interest Leadership Board.

JUSTIN WEATHERWAX

Justin Weatherwax graduated from Baylor University in May 2016 with a B.A. in Environmental Studies. He was part of the University Scholars program and wrote an honors thesis entitled The Environmental Impacts and Social Trends of the Recreational Fishing of Sharks on the Texas Coast of the Gulf of Mexico. As a sophomore, he volunteered to assist with a graduate student research project regarding the consumption of plastics by fish. During the summer of 2015, Justin volunteered with Global Vision International in Seychelles, conducting research on coral recruitment for the local government. While there, he also taught environmental conservation lessons, assisted in organizing events for school children, and volunteered at an orphanage.

Following graduation, he became a member of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a group that works to establish a carbon fee in order to reduce greenhouse emissions and encourage increased use of sustainable energy. Beginning in 2016, he worked for a land management company. As a 1L at Miami Law, Justin assisted with a research project for Miami Waterkeeper in an effort to increase beach access to the public.

During his 1L summer, he worked with the Florida Department of Transportation on eminent domain and land use legal issues. As a 2L, Justin is participating in Miami Law’s Environmental Justice Clinic.

When I was looking at law schools, I knew I needed to find a school as strongly devoted to public interest as I was. Not only did I find that here at Miami Law, I found a network of people who are always willing to support each other and help lift each other up.

~Caitlyn Burnitis, Class of 2020

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2021

KELLY BECK

Kelly Beck grew up in Illinois and graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in May 2017 with a B.A. and B.S. in Political Science and Psychology. She was on the Dean’s List and a member of the Pre-Law Club and the American Psychology-Law Society. Through the organization Growth International Volunteer Excursions (GIVE), she raised funds for international education programs and traveled to Thailand and Laos to build infrastructure and teach English. She served as a resident advisor, and currently serves as a resident director, for a residence hall on campus. Following graduation, Kelly joined Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation as an intern, working primarily in the areas of domestic violence and family law. She engaged in client communication, managed files, and prepared materials to benefit pro se clients. In August 2017, she became the Medical-Legal Partnership Coordinator for the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago as part of the AmeriCorps VISTA program. She focused on domestic violence cases, as well as matters involving seniors, veterans, and disabled low-income clients. She worked to detect patterns of need in order to advocate for improved health policies and regulations. Kelly hopes to use her law degree to continue her advocacy for children and families.

CHRISTINA FERREIRO

Christina Ferreiro is a Miami native who graduated from Florida State University in May 2018 with a B.S. in Political Science and Sociology. She was a member of the Golden Key Honor Society and the College of Social Sciences Leadership Council. She served as a facilitator for Body Project, a workshop for students struggling with healthy body image. Beginning in 2015, she became involved with Camp Kesem, a student-run national non-profit that provides a camping experience to children who have a parent diagnosed with cancer. She served as a camp counselor, was in charge of the Relay for Life team, and served as Fundraising Chair. While at FSU, Christina also worked for a local law firm whose clients included individuals with lung cancer who sued tobacco companies. During the summer of 2016, Christina interned with the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office, where she worked with survivors of domestic violence. She hopes to use her law degree to serve impoverished clients in need of advocacy to access their right to healthcare.

BRITTANY FINNEGAN

Brittany Finnegan is from the Philadelphia area and graduated cum laude from Boston University in January 2017 with a B.S. in Mass Communication and a minor in Journalism. She was a member of the Dean’s List and worked as a TV reporter and online editor on campus. While in college, Brittany volunteered with Service for Sight, an organization in Boston that works with the Perkins School for the Blind. She also held various communications and press internships. Following graduation, she taught English to underserved children in Cartagena, Colombia through the Emerging Voices Organization. During the summer of 2017, she served as a Community Development Volunteer with Voluns Organization in Valencia, Spain, where she assisted with sourcing food from grocery stores and restaurants for people in need. In May of 2018, Brittany participated in a service trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2021 she continued her work teaching English to underserved children. She hopes to use her law degree to pursue a career in human rights and women’s rights.

BRITTANY FRIZZELLE

Brittany Frizzelle grew up in North Carolina and graduated from Howard University in May 2015 with a B.S. in Political Science.

She recently completed her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Columbia University. While at Howard, she was a member of the Dean’s List, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the Pre-Law Society, and the marching band. She also served as a tutor with DC Reads, conducting reading workshops for middle school students and parents. In 2015, Brittany joined Teach for America and became an elementary school teacher in eastern North Carolina. In addition to her role as an instructor in two Title I schools, she also oversaw tutoring and mentoring programs to assist students outside the classroom. This included a program addressing the educational and social issues faced by pre-teen and teenaged girls. She was a dedicated community leader who conducted food and clothing drives at her school and hosted financial awareness seminars at local homeless shelters. Brittany hopes to use her law degree to become a juvenile defense attorney, intervening with the school-to-prison pipeline and serving underrepresented children and communities.

BEATRIZ (BEA) GARCIA

Beatriz (Bea) Garcia grew up in Texas and graduated from The George Washington University in December 2017 with a B.A. in International Affairs, and a concentration in Conflict & Conflict Resolution. She served as a tutor for student-athletes, was a member of the Dean’s List and Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity, and participated in a study abroad program in Australia, where she volunteered at a refugee center. During the fall of 2016, Bea worked as a Cuba Program Intern with The Latin America Working Group in Washington, DC, an organization that connects activists across the United States to help them amplify their voices in the nation’s capital. The following semester, she was a Human Rights Intern with Peace Brigades International, an international NGO that promotes non-violence and protection of human rights. She conducted research and wrote reports on attacks against human rights defenders in Guatemala and Honduras for use by the US State Department. She continued to volunteer with the refugee community in El Paso, Texas prior to law school.

After graduation she joined the Federal Public Defenders as a legal intern where she got to assist first-hand in trial and trial prep, primarily focusing on a kidnapping case and various immigration cases. Bea hopes to use her law degree to pursue a career in human rights and immigration advocacy.

MACKENZIE GARRITY

Mackenzie Garrity grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and graduated from Dartmouth College in June 2016 with a B.A. in Government. While at Dartmouth, she participated in Varsity Women’s Rowing, was a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, and served as a tutor. During the spring of 2015, she worked as an Environment, Energy, Science, and Technology Intern with the Economics Section of the US State Department

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2021 in Brussels, Belgium. She managed the writing, editing, and security clearance of correspondence on energy and environmental issues for use by the US government, represented the government at conferences and hearings, and tracked pending international sanction cases at the European Court of Justice. During the summer of 2015, Mackenzie served as a Community Engagement Intern with the Boston 2024 Olympic Organization, where she worked with businesses, citizens, and former Olympians on Boston’s bid for the games. Beginning in 2016, she worked as paralegal with Holland & Knight in Boston. She spent much of 2017 on a major trademark infringement case and also worked on a number of IP litigation matters, including a complex dispute relating to The Game of LIFE. Mackenzie assisted in several pro bono matters, including an amicus brief advocating for nondiscriminatory police stops, and was awarded a 2017 Pro Bono All Star Award by Holland & Knight. Mackenzie hopes to use her law degree to work on cybersecurity and privacy issues for the federal government.

KATARINA (KATY) GOMEZ

Katarina (Katy) Gomez grew up in Miami and graduated cum laude from Florida State University in April 2016 with a degree in Political Science. She was a member of the Dean’s List, Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity, and Lambda Alpha Epsilon, the Professional Criminal Justice Association. She studied abroad in Spain and participated in an alternative break program with the International Rescue Committee in Atlanta, where she assisted with refugee resettlement. She was also a research assistant in the Political Science Department. During the summer of 2015, Katy interned with the Law Office of Sui Chung in Miami, where she assisted with immigration matters and served as a translator and interpreter. Following graduation, she returned to the firm as a legal assistant. She prepared a wide range of immigration applications and petitions, including those for clients seeking asylum and relief under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and prepared motions for Immigration Court and the Department of Homeland Security. Katy also served as an English Teaching Fellow with the Ministry of Education in Colombia. She hopes to use her law degree to continue advocating for immigrants.

SARA HASTINGS

Sara Hastings is from Ohio and graduated from Kent State University in May 2012 with a B.A. in Spanish and in May 2015 with an M.A. in Translation. While an undergraduate, she was on the Dean’s List and taught English in Peru as part of the Global Volunteers program. During the summer of 2014, she served as a student trainee with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services in Washington, DC, where she interned with the Grants Division of the Office of Citizenship. During the summer of 2015, she participated in a Family Detention Pro Bono Project at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, where she assisted clients with interpretation, intake, and interview preparation. From 2011 to 2016, Sara worked as a paralegal with an immigration law firm in Cleveland. She then began working as a Bilingual Enrollment Assister for individuals seeking health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Beginning in 2017, Sara worked in Cleveland as a paralegal with Nueva Luz Urban Resource Center, where she supported attorneys in providing legal services to clients living with HIV/AIDS. She handled intakes, managed case files, and organized Know Your Rights presentations.

Sara hopes to use her law degree to advocate for individuals in the immigration system.

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2021

HANNAH HAYS

Hannah Hays is originally from Kentucky and graduated from Boston College Lynch School of Education in May 2016 with a B.A. in Applied Psychology & Human Development, as well as a Community, Advocacy, and Social Policy Focus. She earned her M.A. in Higher Education Administration and Policy in May 2018. Beginning in 2012, she worked with the Urban Outreach Initiatives Office, holding leadership roles with the College Bound Preparatory Program, serving as a mentor, and working with community partners to help prepare Boston public school students for college.

From 2012 to 2015, Hannah was a volunteer tutor and mentor at a local school through the 4Boston Service Organization. During the fall of 2015, she served as a Constituent Services Intern with the Office of the Governor of Massachusetts. Beginning in 2017, she worked as a Government Relations and Public Policy Fellow with Mass Mentoring Partnership, where she oversaw the Teen Advocacy Program and advocated for policy changes regarding social-emotional support in schools as a response to high dropout rates. She was also a member of the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus. Hannah hopes to use her law degree to explore critical race theory and how housing, education, and policing practices and policies impact how communities and individuals interact with the legal system.

MEREDITH HOFFMAN

Meredith Hoffman grew up in both New York and Alabama, and she graduated from Cornell University with a B.A. in English in 2009, and from New York University in 2012 with an M.A. in Journalism, where she focused her reporting on immigration.

While in graduate school, she interned at the New York Times, and then worked as a local reporter in New York City for two years, before leaving to freelance in South America on social issues. Upon return to the US, she moved to Austin, Texas, where she developed a beat as an immigration reporter for outlets including VICE, Politico Magazine, and the New York Times. She has particularly focused on Central American asylum seekers, co-producing an independent documentary in Honduras about deported families through a grant from the International Women in Media Foundation, and writing about family immigrant detention, border enforcement, and the nation’s evolving immigration laws. She also spent several summers in Germany, first reporting on young refugees through a fellowship from the International Center for Journalists, and then leading immigration-focused journalism trips for students for the program New York Times Student Journeys. A longtime Spanish speaker dedicated to pursuing social justice through language as well as direct service, she has also led service-learning trips in Central and South America and has worked with families detained at our nation’s largest family immigrant detention facility. She hopes to use her law degree to represent asylum seekers and to pursue impact litigation against unconstitutional immigration enforcement, while continuing to pursue her role as a journalist.

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2021

TIFFANY HORNBACK

Tiffany Hornback is from South Florida and graduated from the University of Alabama in May 2016 with a Bachelor of Communication & Information Sciences. In May of 2018, she earned her Masters of Communication & Information Sciences from Alabama with a focus on Legal Rhetoric and Political Communication. She was a member of the Dean’s List and the President’s List and was recognized for her participation in American Forensic Association competitions where she earned the honor of being named an All-American. She used this platform to encourage schools to provide underprivileged youth in Alabama access to the tools start up speech and debate teams in order to prepare them for college success. She held leadership roles with the National Communication Association, the Alabama Forensics Council Speech and Debate Team, and the Graduate Student Association.

While in college, she volunteered with the RISE Center, where she worked with special needs children, helping them adjust to everyday life. She also volunteered with Court Appointed Special Advocates, where she was instrumental in raising thousands of dollars for the cause throughout her collegiate career. Tiffany also volunteered with the DAWN Center, a domestic violence and women’s resource center. From 2013 to 2017, she worked at a law firm assisting with research and case management for civil and class-action tort claims whose clients were victims of the Takata air bag malfunctions. Tiffany hopes to use her law degree to combat injustice in the legal system and improve the interactions between the government and marginalized communities.

ANJOLY IBRAHIM

Anjoly Ibrahim grew up in South Florida and graduated from the University of Miami in December 2010 with B.A. degrees in International Studies and Political Science. She received her M.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University in December 2012. While at Miami, she was on the Dean’s List, a member of student government, and participated in the Summer Institute with the Lebanese American University. She worked as an intern with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office, the University of Miami Butler Center, and the YES Institute. In 2011, Anjoly joined the US Department of State. She started as an intern in the Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs and, following graduation, served as an International Relations Officer with the Office of International Religious Freedom, a Recruitment and Outreach Officer with the Bureau of Human Resources, a Watch Officer with the Operations Center, a Staff Assistant to the Office of the Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, and an Extradition Specialist in the Office of the Legal Adviser. During this time, she moved from assisting with policy papers on the United Nations and LGBT issues to monitoring worldwide developments for the Department and working with foreign and interagency counterparts in handling extradition requests. Anjoly hopes to use her law degree to continue her work in foreign policy and human rights.

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2021

ISABELLE JANSSEN

Isabelle Janssen grew up in Connecticut and graduated from Wake Forest University in May 2018 with a B.A. in Political Science & International Affairs and Spanish. She studied abroad in Cuba and Spain. Isabelle served in leadership roles with Prepare, an organization that addresses sexual assault on campus and advocates for survivors, and No Labels, a political science lobbying group. She was president/captain of the university’s Club Tennis Team, worked in the Office of Student Engagement, and served as a resident advisor. She volunteered with El Buen Pastor, a local afterschool agency for Spanish-speaking students. During the summer of 2016, she was a Congressional Intern in Washington, DC with the Office of Illinois Congressman Daniel Lipinski. She researched and analyzed transportation policy, attended sessions and briefings for the congressman, and engaged in constituent services. During the summer of 2017, Isabelle served as a Public Policy Intern with the Guatemala Human Rights Commission in Washington, DC. She researched and analyzed Central American public policy and spearheaded a project regarding the Laguna del Tigre region which was set to be presented to Congress. She hopes to use her law degree to pursue a career in immigration advocacy.

LINDSEY JOHNSON

Lindsey Johnson grew up in Michigan and graduated from the University of Michigan in May 2016 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Social Work. As a freshman, Lindsey began volunteering at WJ Maxey Boys Training Center, where she taught social and job skills to incarcerated youth. She then taught creative writing in a men’s correctional facility and designed curriculum for children of residents of a local shelter.

During this time, she also worked as a resident aide at Dawn Farm, an inpatient alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility. From 2014 to 2015, Lindsey served as an intern with the Washtenaw Prisoner Reentry Program, where she provided information and services to parolees returning to their communities. During the winter of 2015, she studied abroad in Australia. Following graduation, she worked in human resources at Amazon and as an International Mobility Specialist with Ericsson. She also continued her volunteer work, assisting guests with services at The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center. Lindsey hopes to use her law degree to advocate for criminal justice reform.

GIDEON LEVY

Gideon Levy grew up in West Florida and graduated from Wesleyan University in Connecticut in May 2013 with a B.A. in Physics. In 2016, he earned an M.A. in Teaching Secondary Science from Relay: Graduate School of Education in New York. As an undergrad, Gideon was a captain of his nationally ranked wrestling team and a Head Resident through the Office of Residential Life. He also served as president and co-founder of his school’s first Jewish Fraternity and first InterGreek Council, both of which implemented novel approaches to reducing sexual assault and misconduct on campus. After a year of coordinating similar efforts for the headquarters of his fraternity, he joined Teach for America and began teaching science and coaching wrestling. In 2016, he was awarded an Early Career Fellowship

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2021 from Math for America which provides advanced teacher development for public school STEM educators. From John Dewey High School outside of Coney Island to KIPP College Prep in the South Bronx, Gideon pushed for co-educational wrestling programs and higher quality science curricula. His students set school records on state tests while his athletes earned awards at every level of competition. Gideon hopes to use his law degree to empower communities and address many of the social and educational injustices he has witnessed.

SARAH LILLY

Sarah Lilly grew up in Ohio and graduated from Ohio University in May 2014 with a B.A. in Political Science and Criminology and a certificate in Law, Justice, & Culture. She served on the board of the Center for Student Legal Services and was a member of the Women’s Crew Team and the Air Force ROTC. From 2011 to 2014, she served as Communications and Special Projects Coordinator for the LGBT Center on campus, and during the summer of 2012, she was a Community Engagement Intern with Equality Ohio, where she worked with local leaders to strengthen connections between LGBT organizations and communities as she traveled throughout Ohio. During her last year of college, Sarah worked with professors to research issues of economic incentives for small businesses, biomass production, and diffusion of racial policy across the countries of the Anglosphere. Following graduation, Sarah joined Equal Justice Works, a national non-profit dedicated to creating a just society by mobilizing the next generation of lawyers committed to equal justice. She started as a Strategic Initiatives Intern and soon became Program Coordinator for Public Programs, where she helped draft grant proposals relating to expungement, immigration, and veterans issues. In 2016, Sarah was promoted to Program Specialist for Fellowships and then to Fellowships Program Manager shortly thereafter. From 2016 to August 2018, she ran the nation’s largest post-graduate legal fellowship program, managing 200 fellows while working with legal services organizations and law students to craft public interest projects that would be funded by private sector sponsors. Sarah hopes to use her law degree to explore the intersection of public service and technology in an effort to make affordable legal services available to groups and communities that have historically been denied access to the legal system.

MELISSA LIPNICK

Melissa Lipnick grew up in South Florida and graduated from the University of Miami in May 2017 with a B.S. in Public Health. She was on the Dean’s List and the Provost’s Honor Roll, and received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for completing over 250 service hours. She was Public Health Team Leader and a Translator/Cultural & Language Officer for Engineers Without Borders UMiami. Through this program, she took part in community service projects in Ecuador. While at Miami, she volunteered with the Veteran’s Administration and served as a translator for a fire department in Oaxaca, Mexico. During the summer of 2016, Melissa served as an Intern for International Services with the American Red Cross. She worked in Armed Forces and Disaster Services, assisting disaster survivors, as well as veterans and active duty military. She continued with the Red Cross during her senior year and participated in volunteer development and outreach to military families. During her final semester, she was an intern with Survivor’s Pathway, an agency that provides

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2021 services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

Following graduation, Melissa joined City Year Miami as a Math Corps Member at Miami Northwestern High School, where she served as a teacher and mentor. She hopes to use her law degree to pursue a career in immigration advocacy.

SAMUEL LUDINGTON

Samuel Ludington is from Miami and graduated from Northwestern University in June 2009 with a B.A. in Economics/ Pre-Med Track. He received the Multicultural Student Affairs Visionary Award, as well as the Highest Order of Excellence Society Award, which was given to five seniors who exemplified exceptional student leadership and service to the university.

From 2011 to 2013, Samuel was an AmeriCorps Program Director with Peacemakers Family Center in Miami, an agency that serves those moving from crisis to self-sufficiency. He supervised AmeriCorps members and spearheaded a national affiliate program to replicate the social service model throughout the country. In 2013, he became a research associate with Justice and Security Strategies, Inc., conducting field research and working closely with law enforcement to address crime reduction and proactive policing. That year he also joined Children of Inmates, Inc. as Deputy Director of Program Development and Policy. The agency provides services for children with an incarcerated parent and advocates for stronger policies to strengthen the parent-child bond and mitigate trauma. He was also selected to participate in Leadership Miami, Connect Florida, and the Miami Fellows Program. He hopes to use his law degree to address the injustices of disenfranchisement and give a voice to the voiceless.

ANDREA ORTIZ

Andrea Ortiz grew up in Miami and graduated cum laude from Sewanee: The University of the South in Sewanee, TN, in May 2016 with a B.A. in Spanish. She was inducted into the Order of the Gown for academic distinction, studied abroad in Spain, was a member of the Hispanic Organization for Latino Awareness, and wrote an honors thesis that explored how the Day of the Dead celebrations commemorate victims of organized crime in Mexico. During her sophomore year, she began volunteering with the Cumberland English as a Second Language Program, teaching undocumented immigrants how to read, write, and speak English. She was subsequently awarded the Canale Leadership and Service Internship for her achievements with the program and continued to work with local Latino communities to provide resources in underserved areas. During her final semester, Andrea volunteered with the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, where she worked with immigration attorneys on cases involving survivors of sexual and domestic abuse. During the summer of 2018, Andrea worked as a legal intern with Americans for Immigrant Justice’s Detention Program, where she helped immigration detainees fight deportation. She hopes to use her law degree to continue serving underrepresented communities, through both direct service and impact litigation.

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2021

DANIELLA PACITTI

Daniella Pacitti is a native of South Florida and graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas in August 2017 with B.A. degrees in Psychology and Corporate Communications & Public Affairs. She was a Pre-Law Honors Scholar. During the summer of 2013, she interned with Legal Aid Service of Broward County in both the Children’s Unit and the Educational Unit.

She assisted with case preparation and researched issues relating to dependency, delinquency, and school closure. She returned to Legal Aid during the summer of 2015, continuing her work in the Children’s Unit with a focus on the areas of kinship, custody, and parental rights. During the summer of 2017, Daniella served as a summer intern in the Domestic Violence Unit of Goodman Ray Solicitors in London, where she assisted with case management and client correspondence. During her final two years of college, she volunteered with Dallas-based agencies serving abused women and children. Beginning in 2017, she worked with both the University of Miami Health Rights Clinic and Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies of Broward County. Daniella hopes to use her law degree to continue advocating for women and children.

OLIVIA PARISE

Olivia Parise grew up in Connecticut and graduated from Villanova University in May 2018 with a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish. She was on the Dean’s List and was a member of the Psychology and Spanish Honors Societies, as well as the Pre-Law Society. She studied abroad in Spain. Throughout college, she led a tutoring program that addressed the needs of students in inner-city Philadelphia schools and volunteered regularly with the Special Olympics. During the spring of 2017, she served as a volunteer translator for the Villanova Law School Clinic, assisting clients who were seeking asylum in the United States and translating documents for attorneys and the court. In 2016, she began working at a local law firm, where she assisted with case management and research. Olivia has been committed to serving immigrant women and children from Central and South America since she was in high school and has spent many hours tutoring and assisting with assimilation. She hopes to use her law degree to continue her commitment to immigrant and human rights.

CHRISTOPHER PENELAS

Christopher Penelas grew up in Miami and graduated from The George Washington University in May 2018 with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in History. In 2015, he was honored with the Sliver Knight Award in the speech category for his efforts in the Junior State of America (JSA) youth political organization.

At GWU, he was a Presidential Scholar and a member of the Dean’s List, the Order of Omega Honor Society, and the Alpha Sigma Phi Political Science Honor Society. During the spring of 2016, Christopher served as an English instructor for Latin-American immigrants in Washington, DC. That summer, he was an intern with the Re-Election Campaign of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez. He participated in strategy meetings, fundraisers, canvassing, and constituent services. During the fall of 2016, he served as an intern for Florida Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart in his Washington, DC office, where he worked with constituents and assisted with research and writing. During the summer of 2017,

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2021 Christopher worked on the Francis Suarez for Mayor Campaign in Miami, where he communicated with community members and staffed political events. He hopes to use his law degree to continue his commitment to serving the community through the political process and the practice of law.

JOSE SILVA

Jose Silva grew up in Miami and graduated from Villanova University in May 2017 with degrees in Psychology and Spanish.

He was a member of the Dean’s List, the Villanova Hispanic Society and the Cuban American Student Association. In 2015, he participated in a study abroad program in Andalusia, Spain.

During the summer of 2016, Jose served as an intern with the Cuban American Bar Association in Miami, where he assisted with client intakes, interviews, translation and research for cases involving undocumented children seeking asylum. During the spring of 2017, he served as a translator/interpreter for the Villanova University Law Clinic, where he facilitated communication between law students and Spanish-speaking immigrants seeking legal assistance. Following graduation, Jose joined Catholic Legal Services in Miami as a legal intern, taking part in legal research and translation for clients seeking immigration services. He hopes to use his law degree to continue his service to the immigrant community.

LAURA WILCOXON

Laura Wilcoxon is originally from Kansas and graduated from The University of Kansas with a B.S. in Education in May 2005 and an M.S. in Education in May 2006. Following graduation, she served as an English teacher in the Kansas City metropolitan area. In 2011, she received a Master of Library Science from Emporia State University and became a school librarian in the urban Kansas City district. She designed a K-12 library curriculum, authored a school-wide literacy plan, and was awarded “Librarian of the Quarter” for her outreach with electronic resources. Laura also founded a peer tutoring group, coached cheerleading, and served as the stadium announcer for the school’s sports teams. In 2017, Laura moved to Colorado Springs, CO, and served as a school librarian in an urban public charter school there. Her community service has included volunteering at soup kitchens, working with homeless individuals, and leading Kansas in a Masonic youth group. She hopes to use her law degree to provide a voice to those without their own, particularly women and victims of violence.

The Miami Scholars Program not only affords me the opportunity to learn the law, but does so in a manner that promotes justice, equity and dignity for all.

~Samuel Ludington, Class of 2021

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2019

The Miami Scholars Program has given me a one-of-a-kind opportunity to interact with a strong network of intelligent and forward-thinking individuals while effectuating social change in a wide variety of legal disciplines. The Miami Scholars Program was integral to my decision to attend the University of Miami and since joining I have been welcomed with a sense kindness and respect that has made my law school experience both fun and rewarding.

~Malik T. Ramelize, Class of 2019 The Miami Scholars Program is the reason that I chose to attend the University of Miami School of Law, and I'm very happy that I did. The support and encouragement that I've received have enabled me to be active in the community while maintaining high academic standards. It's an exceptional thing when you're surrounded by a group of people similar to you in their passion for public service, but with an incredible amount of diversity of life experience.

~Madeline Seales, Class of 2020 Coming to Miami Law as a Miami Scholar allowed me to surround myself with people who cared about social justice as much as I do, and create a network of support that extends well beyond the classroom and into every facet of the law school experience.

Very few schools have a program like this and it says volumes about Miami Law that it has created a dedicated space for future lawyers like us, who are committed to equal justice.

~Sarah Lilly, Class of 2021

MIAMI SCHOLARS CLASS OF 2019

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." ~Margaret Mead

Interest MIAMILAW HOPE Public Resource Center UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF LAW

1311 Miller Drive B446 ยง Coral Gables, FL 33146 P: 305.284.2599 ยง F: 305.284.3646 umhope@law.miami.edu www.law.miami.edu/hope