ILS Parent Representation Advisory Council (“PRAC”)
In furtherance of its statutory mission to “monitor, study and make efforts to improve the quality” of public defense in New York, ILS established the Parent Representation Advisory Council to support community-building among providers and parents from around the state and to provide a direct forum for consultation, empowerment, and collaboration with ILS to influence local and statewide policy and practice relevant to the quality of publicly funded parent legal representation pursuant to the Family Court Act. The PRAC had its first meeting on August 30, 2018.
Members of the ILS Parent Representation Advisory Council
Zainab Akbar, Managing Attorney, Family Defense Practice, Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem
Raymond Bara, Oneida Public Defender, Civil Division
Kim Bode, Family Court Staff Attorney, New York State Defenders Association
Christine Bruno, Training Supervisor, Center for Family Representation
Ari Chiarella, Social Work Supervisor and Co-Director, Center for Family Representation
Tornishia Destin, Social Work Supervisor, Legal Services of Hudson Valley (White Plains Office)
Tammy Feman, Appeals Bureau Chief, Legal Aid Society of Nassau County
Adele Fine, Managing Attorney, Family Court Bureau, Monroe County Public Defender Office
Linda Gehron, President and CEO, Hiscock Legal Aid Society
Suzanne Graulich, Administrator, Assigned Counsel Plan, Schoharie County
Stephanie Hale, Assistant Public Defender, Cattaraugus County
Emma Ketteringham, Managing Director, Family Defense Practice, The Bronx Defenders
David Lansner, Partner, Lansner & Kubitschek, NYC
Linda McCarthy, Supervising Attorney, Legal Services of Hudson Valley (White Plains Office)
James McGahan, Public Defender, St. Lawrence County
Joyce McMillan, Founder, JMAC for Families and Parent Legislative Action Network (PLAN) Coalition
Amy Mulzer, Senior Staff Attorney for Law and Appeals, Family Defense Practice, Brooklyn Defender Services
Beth Ratchford, Family Court Attorney, Public Defender’s Office Ontario County
Lauren Shapiro, Managing Director, Family Defense Practice, Brooklyn Defender Services
Joanne Sirotkin, Attorney-In-Charge, Legal Services of Hudson Valley (White Plains Office)
Rhonda Weir, Attorney, Family Court Assigned Counsel Panel, Kings County, New York City
Dawn W. Westfall, Staff Social Worker, Cattaraugus County Public Defender’s Office
Imani Worthy, Family Advocate, Center for Family Representation
Thank You to Past Members of PRAC
Erin Browne, Attorney, Assigned Counsel Panel, Dutchess County
Michelle Burrell, Managing Attorney, Family Defense Team, Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem
Chelsea Carter, Assistant Public Defender, Ontario County
James Farrell, Assistant Public Defender, Saint Lawrence County
Susan Jacobs, Of Counsel, Center for Family Representation
Andrea Loigman, Senior Associate Counsel, Family Law Division, The Legal Aid Society of Westchester County
Larissa Obolensky, Attorney, Assigned Counsel Panel, Delaware County
Sarah Schellinger, Assistant Public Defender, Saratoga County
Zachary Wentworth, Assistant Public Defender, Chenango County
Kate Woods, Deputy Director, Co-Director of Operations, Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.(LawNY)
PRAC In Memoriam
Linda Lovell, Assistant Public Defender, Cattaraugus Public Defender Office