PUBLIC INTEREST RESOURCE CENTER SUMMER PUBLIC INTEREST PROGRAMS
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“It is phenomenal to see the HOPE and SPIF students evolve as public interest advocates through their work locally, nationally and internationally. They are touched by the people and communities they serve and are committed to effectuating change and promoting access to justice for others.” ~Marni Lennon, Assistant Dean for Public Interest and Pro Bono
HOPE FELLOWS PROGRAM The HOPE Fellows Program gives rising 2L and 3L students, with a commitment to public interest advocacy, the opportunity to create their public interest dream job at an agency locally, nationally or internationally, and receive a stipend from the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center. HOPE Fellows work with public interest organizations to provide legal advocacy, policy development and implementation, and to devise systems to enhance the delivery of legal services. The HOPE Fellows Program challenges students to identify host agencies and develop on-site projects to uniquely address the unmet needs of the organization’s constituency. Upon their return to Miami Law, HOPE Fellows design and implement initiatives to educate and engage law students in advocacy related to their area of concentration. Over the years, the program has grown from just two fellows, placed in local agencies, to up to twenty fellows, each summer, across the globe.
“I applied to Oasis Legal Services because I am interested in immigration law. I was drawn to their inclusive language and holistic approach to supporting LGBTQIA+ immigrants through the asylum application process. I value the opportunity to serve as a HOPE Fellow and work directly with clients to understand more about the intricacies of asylum law.” ~Kelsey McGonigle, Class of 2024 Oasis Legal Services San Francisco, CA
MIAMI LAW HOPE FELLOWS PROGRAM
AUSTIN EDWARDS
OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER-CAPITAL HABEAS UNIT, TAMPA, FL Austin Edwards (Class of 2024) graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University in May 2018 with a B.A. in Philosophy and a concentration in Feminist Philosophy. After graduating, he moved to Nashville, TN, and began work on Presidential, Senate, and Mayoral campaigns for Democratic candidates. At Miami Law, he participates in HOPE’s Public Interest Network (PIN) as a PIN Pal, providing advice to students about public interest opportunities. During his 1L summer, Austin served as a HOPE Fellow with the Capital Habeas Unit of the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Florida in Tampa.
LUCIA GOLLETTI
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE-MILITARY COMMISSIONS DEFENSE ORGANIZATION, WASHINGTON, DC Lucia Golletti (Class of 2023) graduated from the University of Florida in 2019 with a B.S. in Business, majoring in Marketing and minoring in Sociology. Prior to law school, she worked in a high-volume general litigation firm in Coral Gables, FL, working primarily on refugee and asylum cases before the Miami (Krome) Immigration Court. Lucia also interned with the Office of the Public Defender for the 8th Judicial Circuit in the Felony Division. As a 1L at Miami Law, Lucia worked with a solo immigration practitioner on business immigration visas and temporary protected status (TPS) applications for Venezuelans. As a 2L, she participated in the Children & Youth Law Clinic and the Litigation Skills Program, and worked as a law clerk at a firm that handles mass toxic tort claims. During her 2L summer, Lucia served as a HOPE Fellow with the Military Commissions Defense Organization at the Department of Defense, handling matters concerning Guantanamo Detainees.
MERYL ROUX JIMENEZ
U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, MIAMI, FL Meryl Roux Jimenez (Class of 2024) graduated from Manhattanville College in New York in 2014 with a B.A. in International Studies and Political Science and a minor in Spanish. After graduation, she worked for the International Rescue Committee, an organization that assists refugees and people affected by humanitarian crises. Her role as a Corporate Alliances Associate allowed her to bridge the private and public sectors by developing meaningful and strategic partnerships with for-profit companies to raise funds for IRC's domestic and international programs. In 2015, Meryl moved to Miami and integrated into the South Florida tech industry. For the next six years, she worked for Uber, Lyft, and TripAdvisor, in different capacities, from marketing to operations. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, she served as a HOPE Fellow with the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida in Miami, focusing on Major Crimes in the Criminal Division.
MIAMI LAW HOPE FELLOWS PROGRAM
STEVI JO LEAVITT
MONTEREY WATERKEEPER, MONTEREY, CA Stevi Jo Leavitt (Class of 2023) graduated from Manhattanville College in 2013 with a B.A. in Psychology and Political Science. As a 1L at Miami Law, Stevi volunteered with the Community Engagement, Environmental Justice, and Health (CEEJH) Laboratory, where she analyzed all environmental justice (EJ) and cumulative impact bills across several states and drafted a comprehensive EJ policy brief to establish state-level EJ legislation in Maryland. She also created educational materials for the local community regarding lead contaminated soil in the vulnerable community of Uniontown, Alabama. During her 1L summer, Stevi served as a HOPE Fellow with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As a 2L, Stevi served as an intern with the Environmental Justice Clinic where she created Know Your Rights materials for the community regarding Title VI disparate impact complaints and provided litigation support on a state class action toxic torts lawsuit. During her 2L summer, she served as a HOPE Fellow with the Monterey Waterkeeper, where she fought for swimmable, fishable, and drinkable water for all Californians through both administrative and litigation procedures.
JORDAN MAUN
FLORIDA SEA GRANT, GAINESVILLE, FL Jordan Maun (Class of 2023) graduated cum laude from the University of Florida in May of 2020 with a B.S. in Marine Science, minors in International Studies and Studio Art, and a Peace Corps Prep Member Certificate. While at UF, she volunteered in the Patrick Baker Lab, analyzing the potential biological disturbances of offshore dredging off of Cape Canaveral for sand used in beach restoration. After taking a course on Marine Protected Areas, she realized that she would like to advocate for marine life through policy work. She has interned at boutique law firms in New York City, Miami, and Key West. Jordan is a Dean’s Merit Scholar working towards her J.D. and M.P.S. degrees simultaneously. As a 2L at Miami Law, she served as a student advocate for the Children and Youth Law Clinic and was elected Admiral of the Maritime Law Society, Vice President of the Environmental Law Society, and Treasurer of the Child Advocacy and Family Law Society. During her 2L summer, she served as a HOPE Fellow with Florida Sea Grant, helping to draft policies and ordinances to assist the City of Satellite Beach in building resiliency against climate change.
MIAMI LAW HOPE FELLOWS PROGRAM
KELSEY MCGONIGLE
OASIS LEGAL SERVICES, BERKELEY, CA Kelsey McGonigle (Class of 2024) graduated from the University of Kansas in 2014 with B.A. in Psychology and Linguistics. After graduation, she worked in procurement for a desalination plant in Santiago, Chile, from 2014-2018. In 2018, she returned to Kansas City and began working with an international sponsorship non-profit, coordinating with local projects in Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Honduras. As a 1L at Miami Law, she volunteered with the ACLU of Florida on the Florida Detention Database project, compiling complaints from individuals detained in Florida in order to raise awareness and support efforts to shut down immigration detention centers in the state. During the summer of 2022, she served as a HOPE Fellow with Oasis Legal Services in Berkeley, California, working on asylum applications for LGBTQIA+ immigrants.
TAYLOR MOORE
OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY, SAN DIEGO, CA Taylor Moore (Class of 2023) graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2019 with a B.A. in Communications and a specialization in Human Rights. While attending UConn, Taylor volunteered with Read for America and Global Brigades, where she taught English as a second language to elementary students and worked alongside pro bono Honduran attorneys supporting women and children in rural communities. Prior to law school, she worked as a legal assistant in South Miami. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, Taylor worked as a legal intern in the felony unit for the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office. As a 2L, she served as a legal intern in the Human Rights Clinic, where she focused on research and advocacy surrounding the right to adequate housing in the United States and abroad. During her 2L summer, Taylor served as a HOPE Fellow in the Trial Unit of the Office of the Public Defender for San Diego County, California.
ALYSSA MORRIS
COLORADO OFFICE OF THE CHILD’S REPRESENTATIVE, DENVER, CO Alyssa Morris (Class of 2023) graduated from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 2020 with a B.A. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, she served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow at Dade Legal Aid in the Child Advocacy and Guardianship Divisions. At Dade Legal Aid, she assisted with cases in Unified Children’s Court covering topics such as involuntary termination of parental rights, incapacity, and permanency plans. During her 2L summer, she served as a HOPE Fellow with the Colorado Office of the Child’s Representative in Denver, Colorado, assisting attorneys with legal representation of children involved in the Colorado court system.
MIAMI LAW HOPE FELLOWS PROGRAM
JESSICA PALMA
OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER-CAPITAL HABEAS UNIT, TALLAHASSEE, FL Jessica Palma (Class of 2023) graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami in 2020 with a B.A. in Criminology and Philosophy. As an undergrad, Jessica worked as a restaurant manager, mentor and tutor, and a research assistant on several projects regarding crime and criminal justice. She was also on the executive board of UM’s Criminology Club and a member of Alpha Phi Sigma, Criminal Justice Honor Society. As a 1L at Miami Law, Jessica joined the Public Interest Leadership Board and was elected social advocacy co-chair of Miami Law’s Cannabis Law League. She also interned with a private criminal defense firm, focusing on pretrial motions and general trial advocacy. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, Jessica served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the Office of the Miami-Dade County Public Defender. As a 2L, she was selected to join the Charles C. Papy Moot Court Board, served as a Carlton Fields Scholar with the HOPE Office, and worked for a private capital defense litigation firm. During her 2L summer, Jessica served as a HOPE Fellow in the Capital Habeas Unit of the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Florida in Tallahassee.
GABRIELA RIVERO
THE CENTER FOR GENDER AND REFUGEE STUDIES, SAN FRANCISCO, CA Gabriela Rivero (Class of 2024) graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a B.A. in Sociology, a minor in Latinx Studies, and certificates in Spanish and Latin American Studies. She was a recipient of the John Harvard Scholarship and studied abroad in Havana, Cuba. She interned with the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic, the Office of Delaware Governor John Carney, and the Centro de Estudios de Conflicto y Cohesion Social in Santiago, Chile, where she researched Venezuelan migration. At Miami Law, Gabriela is a Miami Public Interest Scholar. As a 1L, she was one of eight recipients of the Innovative Service in the Public Interest award for her role as a founding member of the Florida Detention Database team, which worked with the ACLU of Florida to track complaints about the state’s immigration detention centers and was instrumental in the pause of the Glades County Detention Center’s contract. She also worked on an asylum case with the Immigration Clinic, where she will be a full-time clinical student during her 2L year. Gabriela is a research assistant for Professor Pablo Rueda-Saiz on two projects about indigenous rights and legal mobilization in Latin America, as well as the incoming secretary for the Immigration Students Law Association and the Miami Law chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. During her 1L summer, Gabriela served as HOPE Fellow with The Center for Gender and Refugee Studies at UC Hastings in San Francisco.
MIAMI LAW HOPE FELLOWS PROGRAM
DAVID SCOLLAN
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE-OFFICE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, WASHINGTON, DC David Scollan (Class of 2023) graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in May of 2017 with a B.A. in African Studies and Political Science and a minor in International Development. He earned an M.S. in International Relations from the London School of Economics in December of 2018. While an undergraduate, he served as president of the Sphinx Senior Society, in Penn Student Government, and founded the Penn African Studies Undergraduate Advisory Board. David received the Sandra Barnes Award for Outstanding African Studies Student and the Nnamdi Azikiwe Memorial Prize for advanced social sciences research in African studies. He spent his summers as an intern in the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, and Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. He completed his master’s dissertation on the effectiveness of United Nations humanitarian reporting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As a 2L at Miami Law, David participated the International Moot Court Program, leading his team as semi-final and final rounds oralist and finishing as the secondranked International Criminal Court Moot Court Competition team in the Western Hemisphere. Additionally, David serves as Managing Editor for the Inter-American Law Review. He received IALR’s 2022 Grey Quill Award for outstanding legal research and writing for his case note on state-sanctioned violence in Colombia and Chile. During his 1L summer, he served as an intern with the U.S. Department of Justice in the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas, USVI. During his 2L summer, he returned to the Department of Justice as a HOPE Fellow with the Office of Violence Against Women, working with Senior Advisor on Gender and Equity, Professor Caroline Bettinger-Lopez of Miami Law.
FRANCESCA SHULTZ
ADA COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE, BOISE, ID Francesca Shultz (Class of 2023) graduated magna cum laude from the Honors College at Boise State University in 2019 with a B.S. in Psychology. She was a member of the Pre-Law Society and volunteered at the Meridian Canine Shelter in Idaho, helping animals find homes while fostering and caring for them. During her 1L summer at Miami Law, Francesca worked for a law firm in New York City, where she wrote motions and complaints and also observed depositions, hearings and trials. As a 2L, she served as a Dean’s Fellow for Professor Hill’s Constitutional Law class, assisting 1Ls with understanding course material. During her 2L summer, Francesca served as a HOPE Fellow with the Ada County Public Defender’s Office in Boise, Idaho.
MIAMI LAW HOPE FELLOWS PROGRAM
VICTORIA TOUZINSKY
OFFICE OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER, MIAMI, FL Victoria Touzinsky (Class of 2023) graduated from the University of Missouri in 2019 with a B.A. in Political Science and in Women and Gender Studies. At Miami Law, Victoria is a Miami Public Interest Scholar. During her 1L summer, she worked as a legal policy intern at the Center for Popular Democracy in the Transformative Justice campaign. There, she advocated for divestments from policing and carceral systems and investments in education and social services. As a 2L, she participated in the Miami Law Innocence Clinic. During her 2L summer, she served as a HOPE Fellow with the Office of the Miami-Dade County Public Defender.
TAYLOR WEATHERS
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF FLORIDA, MIAMI, FL Taylor Weathers (Class of 2023) graduated from Florida State University in 2020 with a major in Economics and International Affairs and a concentration in Public Administration. She served as an intern with the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, where she provided services and advocacy for refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking. As a 1L at Miami Law, she translated documents for Spanish-speaking clients for the law school's Immigration Clinic. During her 1L summer, Taylor served as a HOPE Fellow with Al Otro Lado, where she assisted detainees at the US/Mexico border with their asylum claims and family reunification. As a 2L at Miami Law, she served as a legal intern for the ACLU of Florida, where she worked with immigrants in local detention centers to collect complaints about conditions and due process violations. Taylor and a team of students helped create the Florida Detention Database which collects, monitors, and investigates these violations. The team was recognized with an Innovative Service Award. During her 2L summer, Taylor served as a HOPE fellow with the ACLU of Florida, expanding on the work of the Florida Detention Database program.
“I am extremely excited to be working on capital cases in the Capital Habeas Unit of the Federal Public Defender's Office, studying and preparing investigatory materials and conducting legal research regarding the clients’ constitutional rights. I am wholly confident this experience as a HOPE Fellow will help prepare me for my future in criminal defense. ” ~Jessica Palma, Class of 2023 Office of the Federal Public Defender-Capital Habeas Unit Tallahassee, FL
SQUIRE PATTON BOGGS FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM The Squire Patton Boggs Foundation Fellowship Program awards fellowships to exceptional first- and second-year law students who demonstrate a steadfast commitment to public service and a developed interest in public policy. Each year, SPBF sponsors a student who commits their summer to advancing public policy issues through nonprofit institutions, government agencies and domestic or international organizations. In addition, Miami Law students are able to apply for Sustained Impact Fellowships, in areas including: Post-Disaster Relief, Racial Justice and Veterans’ Advocacy.
“We are so appreciative of the opportunity to partner with the Squire Patton Boggs Foundation to promote access to justice. Their leadership and investment in our students facilitates unique opportunities for students to develop their advocacy skills in the public interest while broadening their network of lawyers dedicated to pro bono advocacy. This collaboration continues to fuel the pathways of Miami Law students as they grow as lawyers and realize their dreams.” ~Marni Lennon, Assistant Dean for Public Interest and Pro Bono
MIAMI LAW SQUIRE PATTON BOGGS FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
BAILEY BEAUCHAMP
PUBLIC POLICY FELLOW U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE-OFFICE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, WASHINGTON, DC Bailey Beauchamp graduated from Florida State University in 2020 with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and a minor in Spanish. At Miami Law, she has served as Co-Chair of the Public Interest Network, President of the Charles C. Papy Moot Court Board, and Vice President of Miami Law Women. As a 2L, she served as an intern with the Child and Youth Advocacy Policy Clinic and volunteered with organizations including Southern Legal Counsel and the Disability Independence Group. During her 2L summer, Bailey served as a Squire Patton Boggs Foundation Public Policy Fellow with The U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women, focusing on policy implementation related to the country’s National Action Plan to address violence against women.
ABIGAIL YOUNG
RACIAL JUSTICE FELLOW LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS UNDER LAW, WASHINGTON, DC Abigail Young graduated from the University of WisconsinMadison in 2017 with a B.A. in International Studies, Political Science, and Latin American & Iberian Studies and a certificate in African Studies. During the two years prior to law school, Abigail worked for Family Health International (FHI 360) as a Business Development Officer, where she managed the proposal development process for globally-implemented projects. Prior to FHI, she served as a Public Partnership Intern for UNICEF and a Congressional Intern for Representative Keith Ellison in the US House of Representatives. At Miami Law, Abigail is a Miami Public Interest Scholar, a Charles C. Papy Jr. Moot Court Board Member, a Junior Editor on the Race and Social Justice Law Review, and a participant in the Innocence Clinic. She has served as Co-Chair for the Public Interest Board, a member of the Society of Bar and Gavel, Director of Recruiting for the American Constitution Society, and has held leadership positions with ACLU-UM and the Criminal Law Society. She is also a research assistant for Professor Alfieri. During her 1L summer, she worked as Summer Counsel in the housing practice of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. In this role she represented fourteen individuals in their eviction cases during the pandemic. During her 2L summer, Abigail served as a Squire Patton Boggs Racial Justice Fellow in the Voting Rights Project of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
SUMMER PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWS PROGRAM The Summer Public Interest Fellows Program (SPIF) is designed to engage the public interest-minded student during the summer following their first year of law school. This selective program involves full-time work at a South Florida public interest agency for eight weeks during the summer along with a legal research and writing project. Fellows also participate in a Social Justice Lawyering Seminar where members of the bench, bar and legal community share their work in the public sector, walking students through problem-solving exercises and fostering their skills. Participating students are given a stipend and receive three academic credits. HOPE is proud to support the public interest work of an increasing number of students who serve clients and communities in extraordinary ways.
"I applied to SPIF because I wanted to be able to do work that I am passionate about over the summer with the support of a law school program. My interest in juvenile justice falls in the public interest sector, so my participation in SPIF is a perfect fit. I am excited about working at the Miami-Dade Public Defender's Office and attending the social justice course to further my dedication to public service." Jalen Watson, Class of 2024 Office of the Miami-Dade County Public Defender Miami, FL
MIAMI LAW SUMMER PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWS PROGRAM
FLORENCIA BRAUN
OFFICE OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY, MIAMI, FL Florencia (Flo) Braun graduated from California State University, Sacramento in May 2017 with a B.S. in Criminal Justice. She was a member of Alpha Phi Sigma, the Criminal Justice Honor Society, and a member of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Following graduation, she worked in the criminal department at the Fresno Superior Court in Fresno, California. In February 2020, she began working as a clerk for the Civil Presiding Judge, the Honorable Kimberly A. Gaab. At Miami Law, Flo is a Dean’s Merit Scholar, a Law School Ambassador, and a member of the First-Generation Law Association. During the summer of 2022, Flo served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the Office of the MiamiDade County State Attorney in the Child Support Program.
JEREMY CONNELL
OFFICE OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER, MIAMI, FL Jeremy Connell graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in May 2020 with a B.A. in Philosophy and a minor in Political Science. Prior to law school, he worked as a background actor in film and television productions and as a manager in the restaurant industry. As a 1L at Miami Law, Jeremy joined the First-Generation Law Association and the Environmental Law Society, and he received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for Civil Procedure I. As a 2L, he is participating in the Environmental Justice Clinic. During the summer of 2022, Jeremy served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the Office of the Miami-Dade County Public Defender.
CLADY CORONA
OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER, MIAMI, FL Clady Corona graduated from Cornell University in 2019 with a B.S in Industrial and Labor Relations. While at Cornell, Clady led the First-Generation Student Union to support and advocate for the first-generation and low-income student community. Following graduation, Clady worked at Bank of America's NYC office for two years as an Analyst in the Human Resources Development Program, where she supported and led leadership development initiatives for the bank's Global Banking and Markets division. As a 1L at Miami Law, Clady joined the Wage Theft Advocacy Project (WTAP), working with the Miami Workers Center and WeCount! to advocate for low-income workers who have experienced wage theft. During the summer of 2022, Clady served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Florida.
MIAMI LAW SUMMER PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWS PROGRAM
JENNA DE STEFANO
LEGAL SERVICES OF GREATER MIAMI, INC., MIAMI, FL Jenna De Stefano graduated from Tulane University in 2021 with a B.A. in Political Science and Economics and minors in Real Estate and Strategy, Leadership, and Analytics. She was a member of Phi Alpha Delta and the Political Science Honors Society, Pi Sigma Alpha. Jenna is a founding member and an executive board member of the non-profit organization Education Rocks, a global leadership program whose mission is to eradicate the cycle of poverty in developing nations by empowering students in the United States to fundraise so citizens of those countries can receive an education. In past summers, Jenna has interned for Congressman Ted Deutch for Florida’s 22nd Congressional District and Mayor Mark Bogen of Broward County, Florida. At Miami Law, she is part of the Social Justice and Public Interest Concentration and is a member of Miami Law Women, First-Generation Law Association, and Phi Alpha Delta. During the summer of 2022, Jenna served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with Legal Services of Greater Miami in the Health and Income Maintenance Unit.
KAMRAN DOUGLAS
OFFICE OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER, MIAMI, FL Kamran Douglas graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia in 2021 with an A.B. in Political Science and a minor in Sociology. During her undergraduate career, she focused on Electoral Systems and Criminology. She continues to partner with non-profit organizations doing election protection work in her home state of Georgia and is involved in public service initiatives as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Black Law Students Association. During the summer of 2022, Kamran served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the Office of the Miami-Dade County Public Defender.
EMILY HILL
OFFICE OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER, MIAMI, FL Emily Hill graduated from the University of Florida in 2021 with a B.A. in Political Science and History. While at UF, Emily was a mental health ambassador for women on campus. She also volunteered at an Alachua County elementary school as a mentor and tutor and served as an intern for a local Gainesville business supporting environmental protection organizations. As a 1L at Miami Law, she joined the Public Interest Leadership Board and Miami Law Women. During the summer of 2022, Emily served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the Office of the Miami-Dade County Public Defender.
MIAMI LAW SUMMER PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWS PROGRAM
LARA KIMMEL
FLORIDA HEALTH JUSTICE PROJECT, MIAMI, FL Lara Kimmel graduated from the University of Michigan in 2020 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Science, Technology, and Society with a focus in Medicine and Society. As an undergraduate, she volunteered with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) and participated in an internship with the CCFA, where she focused on ensuring healthcare professionals provide information about the foundation to patients. Following graduation, she worked at a start-up retail app where she aimed to enhance artificial intelligence and improve inclusivity for consumers. As a 1L at Miami Law, she joined the Health Law Association and the Insightful Mind Initiative, where she is serving as Treasurer during her 2L year. During the summer of 2022, Lara served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the Florida Health Justice Project.
KRISHTINE LOAIZA
OFFICE OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY, MIAMI, FL Krishtine Loaiza graduated cum laude from Florida International University in 2019 with a B.A. in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology. While at FIU, she volunteered with Waving Hands, a non-profit organization focusing on providing Deaf children and parents with access to American Sign Language courses. She also volunteered with the Everglades Correctional Transition Program as an inmate counselor, where she created post-release plans and educational presentations. Following graduation, she worked at a law firm specializing in personal injury and medical malpractice. As a 1L at Miami Law, she joined Miami Law Women, the Hispanic Law Student Association, the First-Generation Law Association, and the Colombian Bar Association. She also volunteered with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition as a data researcher. During the summer of 2022, Krishtine served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow at the Office of the Miami-Dade County State Attorney.
KELSEY MCCARTY
OFFICE OF CRIMINAL CONFLICT AND CIVIL REGIONAL COUNSEL, MIAMI, FL Kelsey McCarty graduated from Emory University in 2016 with a B.A. in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and a minor in Political Science. Prior to law school, she worked as a paralegal at Lichten & Liss-Riordan, P.C., in Boston, MA, where she assisted with class action litigation and mass arbitrations to secure overtime and minimum wage payments for workers. At Miami Law, Kelsey is the Vice President of OUTLaw. During the summer of 2022, she served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow at the Miami Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel.
MIAMI LAW SUMMER PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWS PROGRAM
CORINNE MILNAMOW
LEGAL SERVICES OF GREATER MIAMI, INC., MIAMI, FL Corinne Milnamow graduated from the State University of New York at Oswego with a B.S. in Business Administration in 2016 and an M.B.A. in 2018. Prior to law school, Corinne worked in higher education as an Admissions Counselor, supporting many first-generation and non-traditional students with the college admissions process. She also worked for a tutoring company and assisted with many projects, one of which provided additional support to students in low-income communities who experienced the educational burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also volunteered for an organization that helped traditional and non-traditional students overcome the barriers to higher education. As a 1L at Miami Law, Corinne became a Miami Law Ambassador and joined the Child Advocacy and Family Law Society and the First-Generation Law Association. As a 2L, Corinne is participating in the Children & Youth Law Clinic. During the summer of 2022, Corinne served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow at Legal Services of Greater Miami in the Health and Income Maintenance Unit.
EMMA SHERIDAN
PEER GROUP, MIAMI, FL Emma Sheridan graduated magna cum laude from the University of North Florida in 2021 with a dual B.S. in Communication and B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies—Environmental Studies. She served as an intern for the North Florida Green Chamber of Commerce and was an Environmental Leader Scholar at UNF, where she interned for Beaches Go Green. She also founded the Environmental Advocacy Reach program at UNF in 2019, focusing on alleviating the food waste and single-use plastic crisis. At Miami Law, Emma started Rooted-InJustice, a student-led gardening group that is working to bring students fresh fruit and vegetables straight from the campus garden. She is also the Communications Chair for the Insightful Mind Initiative and serves as a guardian in the Guardian Ad Litem program. During the summer of 2022, Emma served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the People’s Economic and Environmental Resiliency (PEER) Group, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting policies focused on environmental justice.
BARI STEEL
OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER, MIAMI, FL Bari Steel graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2021 with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Leadership Studies. As an undergraduate, Bari was involved in Phi Alpha Delta, studied abroad in Sydney, Australia, and interned at the Office of the Public Defender, Atlanta Judicial Circuit, the Embassy of Israel, and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. As a 1L at Miami Law, Bari was elected as President of Miami Law Women, began serving as a Law School Ambassador, and joined the Cardozo Jewish Legal Society. During the summer of 2022, Bari served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Florida.
MIAMI LAW SUMMER PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWS PROGRAM
MACKENZIE STEELE
OFFICE OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY, MIAMI, FL Mackenzie Steele graduated from West Virginia University in 2021 with a B.A. in Political Science and Women’s and Gender Studies. While at WVU, she completed a two-year independent study with the Appalachian Prison Book Project in Morgantown, WV, where she assisted in selecting and packing books for incarcerated people, did research on mass incarceration, and volunteered at SCIFayette Prison in Pennsylvania by setting up educational programming for those incarcerated. As a 2L at Miami Law, Mackenzie is serving as President of the Miami Law ACLU and Social Media and Outreach Chair for the Society of Bar and Gavel, and is participating in the Human Rights Clinic. During the summer of 2022, she served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow at the Office of the Miami-Dade County State Attorney.
NICHOLAS (NIC) STELTER
OFFICE OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER, MIAMI, FL Nicholas (Nic) Stelter graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2020 with a degree in Theatre and a minor in Film. While at UCF, Nic operated and managed a theatre organization that produced student-directed and studentwritten works. Nic also assisted local Orlando attorneys with pro bono cases during the Black Lives Matter marches in the summer of 2020. At Miami Law, Nic serves as the Treasurer of the Student Bar Association, working to implement academic transparency and curriculum reform. During the summer of 2022, Nic served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the Office of the Miami-Dade County Public Defender.
STELLA VILA
FLORIDA HEALTH JUSTICE PROJECT, MIAMI, FL Stella Vila graduated cum laude from Oakland University in 2020 with a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences. She was president of the Pre-Medical Volunteer Society, a bioinformatics research assistant, and a member of the Honors College, where she served as a peer mentor, teaching assistant, and Dean’s Fellow. In 2020, Stella was the inaugural recipient of the Honors College Involvement Award for her efforts in various community service projects, including attending a medical mission trip to Nicaragua (Global Brigades), volunteering as a pharmacy technician to aid those without health insurance (Gary Burnstein Community Health Clinic), working as a program aide for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (OUCARES), volunteering as a camp counselor for Transplant Camp (Camp North Star Reach), and becoming a pediatric hospice respite volunteer (Beaumont Hospital). During the summer of 2022, Stella served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow at the Florida Health Justice Project.
MIAMI LAW SUMMER PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWS PROGRAM
JALEN WATSON
OFFICE OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER, MIAMI, FL Jalen Watson graduated magna cum laude from Howard University in 2021 with a B.A. in Political Science, minoring in Criminology. While at Howard, he collaborated with a team of interns to research a variety of coping skills to develop a program for detained youth at the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center. He also facilitated weekly mentoring sessions to motivate and inspire detained youth at the Youth Services Center in Washington, D.C. Upon graduation, he conducted research on the disenfranchisement of ex-felons in Miami, Florida. As a 1L at Miami Law, Jalen joined the Black Law Students Association. He is participating in the Children & Youth Law Clinic during his 2L year. During the summer of 2022, Jalen served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow with the Office of the Miami-Dade County Public Defender.
“A previous fellow recommended HOPE'S Summer Public Interest Fellowship program to me when she heard that my background was rooted in environmental justice. I'm so grateful that she did because I am now looking forward to a summer internship with the People's Economic & Environmental Resiliency (PEER) Group in Miami. This aligns perfectly with my goals of helping create a more green and equitable future.” Emma Sheridan, Class of 2024 People's Economic & Environmental Resiliency (PEER) Group Miami, FL
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ~Margaret Mead
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