Current Fellows
Class of 2012
Orly Bertel
Orly, a Long Island native, graduated from Cornell University with a major in Policy Analysis and Management and a minor in Family and Social Welfare. While at Cornell, Orly spent two years participating in a volunteer program which paired elementary school students with college students in order to teach them public speaking skills. Her work with children, specifically those with learning disabilities, inspired her to pursue a career in child advocacy.
As an undergraduate student, Orly interned at the Nassau County District Attorney's Office and the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County. Those internships reaffirmed her desire to assist families navigate the legal system. Orly hopes to use her education and experience to do more for children, particularly those from single parent and immigrant families.
Hilary Casper
Hilary graduated from Bucknell University with a B.A. in International Relations. While at Bucknell, Hilary served as a tutor to elementary school students with special-needs. Hilary witnessed the challenges faced by special-needs children in the educational system and that experience sparked her interest in child advocacy.
As an undergraduate, Hilary also pursued internships and volunteer positions in public service. She interned with the Lewisburg Prison Project, assisting prison inmates and their families overcome injustices in the legal system. She volunteered on three separate occasions with Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans and Hawaii, helping families rebuild their homes and communities after natural disasters. Finally, she worked with Justice For Children International, advocating on behalf of the survivors of child sex slavery and exploitation. These experiences affirmed Hilary’s commitment to pursue a career in public interest and family law.
Hilary hopes that the next three years at Hofstra Law will provide her with the knowledge and experience necessary to become an effective legal advocate for children and families.
Gina Choe
Gina was born and raised in Southern California. She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2007 with a B.A. in International Development Studies and minor in English.
While an undergraduate student, Gina served as a volunteer staff member and mentor to middle and high school students at All Nations Church in Irvine, California. Despite the challenges she faced while working with this population, the relationships she built and the growth and maturity she saw develop in her students strengthened her desire to advocate for youth.
Gina subsequently sought internships and work experiences that allowed her to further champion youth. She worked at a small family law firm in Santa Monica, interned with the U.S. Department of Education, and studied the intricacies of nonprofit management at Community Partners, an organization that extends fiscal sponsorship to budding social entrepreneurial projects.
Gina is looking forward to the next three years as a Child & Family Advocacy Fellow at Hofstra where she plans to utilize the resources available to help her pursue her goal of providing youth and their families with effective legal representation.
Erin McGrath
Erin was born and raised in Katonah, NY. She received her B.S. in Marketing from Providence College. During her time at Providence College, Erin worked with after school programs for inner city children and volunteered at local soup kitchens. After graduation, Eric traveled to Guguletu, South Africa, where she worked in a children’s crèche teaching and caring for severely impoverished children.
Erin’s interest in child and family advocacy stemmed from her family’s involvement with the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility Host Family Program. Families in the program act as a host for children who are granted extended visiting rights with their mothers while they are incarcerated in New York State’s only maximum security prison for women. Through her work with both the children and inmates, Erin saw the important need for effective child advocacy.
Amora Rachelle
Dr. Amora has a Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology and specializes in stress management, behavioral health, mind body medicine, and family therapy. She has focused her career in preventative health care and public health initiatives as they relate to families by providing education in the school system and public awareness of family health through various media programs that help improve the family lifestyle.
Dr. Amora was born and raised in California, coming east to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) in psychology from George Washington University. For her scholarship, leadership, and service at GWU she received an award from the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Dr. Amora trained at Harvard University in Mind Body Medicine and Stress Management before receiving both Master of Arts and Doctorate degrees in Clinical Health Psychology from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine and Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology.
Dr. Amora is the NYSPA Media Ambassador, hosts a radio show on WBAI 99.5 FM called “Journey to Wellness with Dr. Amora”, and appears on various stations such as XM, Clear Channel, and Sirius. She has also appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC and News 12 as a consultant for stress and wellness and health programming. Dr. Amora has authored two books on wellness and published in numerous journals and blogs. She is on the U.S. Presidents Panel for Health and is an active member of the American Psychological Association division of Health Psychology, Family Therapy, Public Health and The American Psychology – Law Society. She is also a member of the American Public Health Association and Society for Family Therapy.
Dr. Amora continues to provide behavioral programs, education, lectures, workshops and treatment for families to improve their health and relationships. She has devoted her time and efforts to advocacy for children and families in the court system through various non profits, through the Appellate Division’s Supreme Court Mental Health Panel, education programs in healthy relationships, marriage and coping with divorce, support groups and in therapy.
