Hofstra Law School's Public Justice Foundation Names Record Number of Fellowship Recipients for 2011

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — For more than 20 years, Hofstra Law School’s student-run Public Justice Foundation (PJF) has raised money to support law students who devote their time and legal skills to public interest organizations over the summer. This year, PJF raised a record-breaking $48,536, which will enable 44 law students to receive stipends for unpaid summer internships in the public sector they otherwise would be unable to accept because of financial constraints.

“Hofstra Law places a high value on all forms of public service, and this year the Public Justice Foundation raised more money than ever before in support of public-sector summer fellowships,” said Dean Nora V. Demleitner. “Without such funding, many students would not be able to devote their time and legal assistance to public interest organizations that often provide legal services to underserved and underrepresented individuals and communities.  Others have the opportunity to represent the public good through their service in government.”

The 2011 Public Justice Foundation Fellows will be working at the following public interest organizations and government agencies:

Irnande Altema (Class of 2012) — HIV Law Project, New York, N.Y.

Paul G. Atkinson, IV (2013) — Coalition of Concerned Legal Professionals, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Sheila Ballato (2012) — Mental Hygiene Legal Service, Mineola, N.Y.

Nicole Bayer (2012) ­— Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Ashley Behre (2012) — U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, New York, N.Y.

Jeanie Chang (2013) — Nassau County Department of Social Services, Uniondale, N.Y.

Monique Chase (2012) — U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, New York, N.Y.

Jessica Chiavara (2012) — New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, New York, N.Y.

Wende Cooper (2012) — Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, Hempstead, N.Y.

Ashley Crowder (2012) — Nassau County Department of Social Services, Uniondale, N.Y.

Nicholas D’Alessandro (2012) — Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Bethpage, N.Y.

Brionna Denby (2012) — U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, New York, N.Y.

Sophia Eckert (2013) — Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark, Newark, N.J.

Tara Glynn (2012) — New York State Division of Human Rights, Hempstead, N.Y.

Juliet Gobler (2013) — Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Joshua Goodman (2013) — 92nd Street Y, New York, N.Y.

Helma Gravanese (2013) — Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Bethpage, N.Y.

Elizabeth Hoff (2012) — New York City Administration for Children’s Services, New York, N.Y.

Katelyn Jerchau (2012) — U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York, Central Islip, N.Y.

Madison Kaplan (2013) — Queens County District Attorney’s Office, Kew Gardens, N.Y.

Laura Kitchen (2012) — U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York, Central Islip, N.Y.

Ryan Larson (2013) — City Bar Justice Center, New York, N.Y.

Jeffrey Miles (2013) — New York City Bar Association: Lawhelp.org, New York, N.Y.

Tanya Mir (2013) — End Child Prostitution and Trafficking (ECPAT-USA), Brooklyn, N.Y.

Elizabeth Moran (2012) — NYPD Legal Bureau, Civil Enforcement Unit, New York, N.Y.

Philip Nash (2013) — Nassau County Attorney’s Office, Mineola, N.Y.

Stephen Piraino (2013) — Pro Bono Partnership, White Plains, N.Y.

George Pleasant-Jones (2012) — Nassau County Office of Community Development, Mineola, N.Y.

Erin Ross (2013) — Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Jean-baptiste Rudatsikira (2012) — The Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Practice, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Daniel Rudolph (2012) — Disaster Accountability Project, Hartford, Conn.

Samantha Sandler (2012) — New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), New York, N.Y.

Jessica Saponieri (2013) — Suffolk County Human Rights Commission, Hauppauge, N.Y.

David Sasser (2012) — The Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, Hempstead, N.Y.

Allison Sheehan (2012) — Mental Hygiene Legal Service, Queens Village, N.Y.

Rico Tagliaferri (2013) — Center for Court Innovation, New York, N.Y.

Nicholas Tam (2012) — AARP Foundation Litigation, Washington D.C.

Kelly Tsou (2012) — inMotion, Inc., New York, N.Y.

Alexander Turbin (2012) — The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Desiree Valdes (2013) — City Bar Justice Center, New York, N.Y.

Bari Wolf (2012) — Manhattan Legal Services, New York, N.Y.

Lana Yang (2013) — New York State Division of Human Rights, Hauppauge, N.Y.

Shirin Zarabi (2012) — The Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, Hempstead, N.Y.

Alexander Zwillinger (2012) — U.S. Department of the Treasury, Washington, D.C.