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EXECUTIVE Administration

MITCHELL A. KAMIN, President/CEO

Mitch joined Bet Tzedek in 2003.  He attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he graduated with a B.A. degree, Phi Beta Kappa and with highest honors, in 1989.  He graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1993.  Following a clerkship with the U.S. Court of Appeals in New York, Mitch began his legal career as a Skadden Fellow at the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem.  Upon completion of his two-year fellowship, he was hired as a supervising attorney.  While there, Mitch represented poor residents in the North Manhattan neighborhoods of Harlem and Washington Heights in areas of public housing, civil rights, family law and criminal law.  During his four years with NDS, Mitch took a six-month hiatus to work in the capital punishment project of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

After working in private practice for one year in New York, Mitch returned to his native Los Angeles where he worked at O’Melveny & Myers and eventually joined the law firm of O’Neill, Lysaght & Sun in 2000, where he became a partner.  His practice focused on complex civil litigation, business crimes and civil rights. Mitch is admitted to practice in the State of California and the State of New York, and has tried cases in both state and federal courts. He is an Adjunct Professor at Loyola Law School and presently serves on the Funding Committee of the State of California Commission on Access to Justice and the Fee Waiver Subcommittee of the AOC Working Group on Enhanced Collections and proudly serves as the President of the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Association of California. Mitch also served as a California delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in Washington D.C. in December of 2005.

MICHELLE WILLIAMS COURT, Vice President and General Counsel

Prior to joining Bet Tzedek, Michelle litigated state and federal discrimination cases, First and Fourth Amendment constitutional claims, predatory lending cases, and a wide variety of other public interest and civil rights cases. In addition, Michelle served as a Civil Rights Fellow with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development where she participated in several ground-breaking Fair Housing Act cases. Michelle is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and serves as Vice Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities Elder Rights Committee. She served by appointment by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald George on the Judicial Council Probate Conservatorship Taskforce and also served on the California State Bar Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation. Michelle has served as an Adjunct Professor at Loyola Law School and is a volunteer faculty member for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA). She has held several leadership positions in women’s bar associations, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Award in 2008 by Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles in recognition of her dedication to public service. Michelle was featured as a 2006 Southern California Super Lawyers "Rising Star," was named as a Southern California Super Lawyer in 2007 and 2008, and was named one of California’s Top 20 lawyers Under 40 years old. Michelle is a graduate of Pomona College and Loyola Law School.

FERNANDO SALGUERO, Vice President/Finance

Fernando, who was born in Argentina, spent 20 years in Boston before coming to California.  He holds a BSIE and an MBA from Boston University.  Fernando has comprehensive accounting and business experience from working in both the profit and nonprofit sectors and has been an auditor and commercial lender in the Northeast. 

DAVID BUBIS, Vice President for Development

David has been a non-profit management and fundraising executive for over twenty eight years. With expertise in organizational development, Board, volunteer and corporate relations, project planning and implementation as well as all components of fundraising, David has effectively led many organizations through short-term and long-term challenges, both as a full time professional, and subsequently in a variety of consulting roles. Since his professional career began, David has successfully directed over $115 million in annual fundraising campaigns, planned and launched a $100 million endowment effort and completed a $126 million capital campaign. David also has extensive expertise in cause-marketing and social-entrepreneurial strategies, leading in many cases to significant earned income for strained non-profit budgets.

David received his Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare from the University of California, Berkeley; his Masters in Social Work, with a concentration in Community Organization, Planning and Administration from the University of Southern California and his Masters and Honorary Doctorate in Jewish Communal Service from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles.

LAUREN TEUKOLSKY, Pro Bono Director

Lauren Teukolsky joined Bet Tzedek in June 2010 as the Pro Bono Director.  From 2002 to 2010, Lauren was a litigator at Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick LLP, a public interest firm in Pasadena.  Before that, Lauren clerked for the Honorable Harry Pregerson on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and for the Honorable A. Howard Matz on the District Court for the Central District of California.

Lauren has litigated on behalf of plaintiffs in a wide range of cases, including two high-profile international human rights cases against multinational oil companies, several class actions, and a number of individual cases involving police abuse, discrimination, sex harassment, breach of contract, and wage and hour violations.  Most of her cases have resulted in six- and seven-figure settlements.

From 2004-2010, Lauren was named a Southern California Rising Star in the Super Lawyers “Rising Star” Edition.  She has taught at UCLA School of Law as an adjunct professor, and serves on the Board of the Eviction Defense Network.  Lauren earned her undergraduate degree at Harvard, and her law degree from UCLA School of Law, where she was a member of the Program in Public Interest Law and Policy, an Articles Editor for the UCLA Law Review, and winner of the school’s moot court competition. 

PERRY K. SIMONS, Director of Foundation Relations & Communications

Originally trained as a cell biologist, Perry Simons began his professional life as a medical laboratory scientist working in surgical pathology. He was involved in clinical casework and authored several research publications. Following many interesting and fruitful years in hospital-based work, Perry decided to make a profession of what was up until that point his avocation, serving his community in the non-profit environment of Jewish communal work. He joined the Jewish Federation of Tulsa, Oklahoma, first as its Director of Community Relations and then served as its Executive Director. Perry is experienced in both annual fundraising efforts, multi-million dollar capital campaigns that garnered support from many local and national foundations, and general non-profit operations. He has led political/business fact finding trips to Israel with the governor of Oklahoma and the mayor of Tulsa. In addition to this background, Perry has consulted in small office computer integration and electronic record keeping systems.

Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised on Long Island, Perry earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Boston University and holds a master’s degree in cell biology from Hofstra University.

ILEANA PRADO, Human Resources Director

Ms. Prado joined Bet Tzedek in 2008 as its Director of Human Resources, reporting to the chief executive officer. Her responsibilities have since expanded to include fundraising support and business development to generate new revenue streams for the organization. She attended Loma Linda University, where she graduated with a B.S. degree in Business Administration. Ms. Prado began her career as a Human Resources executive with Fleishman-Hillard, Inc. a global public relations agency headquartered in St. Louis with more than 50 offices in North and South America, Asia, Europe and Africa. She supervised office management and human resources functions for the firm’s Los Angeles office. She joined the firm in 1998 and left in 2001. She subsequently joined PainePR, a national public relations agency headquartered in Irvine, California with offices in Los Angeles and New York City, as a senior executive. As the agency’s Director of People and Facilities, Ms. Prado managed all human resources functions for the 75-professional agency. She helped prepare the agency for its 2004 sale to Cossette Communication Group, and played a pivotal role in the integration of PainePR into Cossette. She also led the design and build of PainePR’s headquarters facility in Irvine and its satellite offices in Los Angeles and New York City.

MICHELLE KEZIRIAN, Directing Attorney, Fairfax Office

Michelle Kezirian is the Directing Attorney of Bet Tzedek’s Fairfax office in Los Angeles. She has practiced in both the private and nonprofit sectors and previously served as a senior staff attorney at Inner City Law Center, and as an associate at Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May (now Reed Smith). While at Crosby, Heafey, Michelle taught Honors Moot Court as an adjunct faculty member at Santa Clara University School of Law. Her work has been recognized with her naming as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Michelle received her law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of California, Davis where she graduated with a B.A. degree, Phi Beta Kappa and with highest honors.

Michelle serves as a board member of Downtown Women’s Center, International Visitor’s Council of Los Angeles, and is a past president of the Junior League of Los Angeles. Michelle is also a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy and an alumnus of Leadership Southern California.

GUS T. MAY, Directing Attorney, Wilshire Office

Gus graduated from Northeastern University Law School in 1991. Gus joined Bet Tzedek in 2001 and serves as the Directing Attorney of Bet Tzedek's office in the mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles. Gus oversees the Employment Rights Project, Kinship Care Project and the Elderlaw/Conservatorship Clinic. His legal career has been devoted entirely to working in the public interest. Before joining Bet Tzedek, Gus was the Legal Director at Public Interest Investigations where he oversaw employment discrimination investigations for the Los Angeles City Office of Discrimination Investigations. Prior to that, Gus worked as the Litigation Director at the Center for Law in the Public Interest, as a Public Interest Fellow with a private public-interest oriented law firm, and as a law clerk for two federal district court judges, the Hon. Lawrence K. Karlton in the Eastern District of California, and the Hon. A. Howard Matz in the Central District of California.

GRANT R. SPECHT, Directing Attorney, Valley Office

Grant joined Bet Tzedek in 2002 and is the Directing Attorney of Bet Tzedek's Valley office in North Hollywood. He graduated cum laude from Yale University in 1980 and received his J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law in 1985. Grant’s previous work includes 12 years with Channel Counties Legal Services Association, first as a staff attorney and later as Managing Attorney of the firm’s Ventura County office in Oxnard. Prior to his work with Channel Counties he served as a Deputy Public Defender with the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s office. Grant’s litigation experience includes class actions, administrative appeals and writs of mandate, unlawful detainer defense, and civil litigation on behalf of plaintiffs. He has represented indigent clients in a wide variety of civil legal matters: Social Security and government benefits, housing, health care, employment, education, consumer issues, and individual rights

VELINDA MACKEY, Director of Public Grants

Velinda joined Bet Tzedek in 1995 as the Grants Administrator, and currently serves as the Director of Public Grants. Velinda is responsible for managing eight municipal and state grants that provided sustained funding for fifteen individual projects and initiatives within all five of Bet Tzedek’s practice areas. Velinda holds a B.A. degree from U.C. Riverside, a Masters in Public Administration from USC, and received her J.D. degree in 1994 from Western State University, College of Law.

Attorneys & ADVOCATES

JOSE D. ALARCON, Debtors' Rights

ERIKSON ALBRECHT, Kinship Care Attorney

KIRSTEN W. ALBRECHT, Kinship Care

DEBORAH BALDWIN, Public Benefits Director

MARC L. BENDER, Litigation and Training Supervisor - VSP

PHIL BERTENTHAL, Self-Help Clinic Coordinator

Phillip oversees Bet Tzedek's expanding project assisting individuals in conservatorship and elder abuse proceedings at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. Phil obtained his undergraduate degree from Grinnell College in Iowa and his J.D. from NYU in 1972. He started his legal career as a staff attorney at MFY Legal Services in New York and subsequently moved to Washington State where he worked for Evergreen Legal Services. He moved to California in 1980 and served as Supervising Attorney at the Youth Law Center in San Francisco. Subsequently, he became Litigation Director of Contra Costa Legal Services Foundation, a position he held for 13 years. After taking a year off from the practice of law to accompany his wife to Jerusalem while she attended rabbinical school, Phil moved to Los Angeles where he worked for the State Department of Social Services representing the Community Care Licensing Division. He returned to legal services practice in 2007 and has coordinated the downtown clinic since then.

ANNA BURNS, Consumer Protection

ALLA CHASNIK, West Hollywood Project

MATTHEW E. DECAROLIS, Staff Attorney, Employment Rights Projects

Matt has worked at Bet Tzedek since 2005, serving clients primarily through the Employment Rights Project. Based at Bet Tzedek’s Wilshire office, Matt files wage claims on behalf of workers, advocates for policy changes in favor of low-income workers, and educates workers about their rights. In addition, he defends tenants facing eviction, provides legal outreach to senior citizens, and helps coordinate Bet Tzedek’s law clerks. Matt graduated summa cum laude with a degree in economics and Latin American studies from the University of Notre Dame, and participated in study-abroad programs in Mexico City and Chile. He later received his J.D. degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. Matt has also lived and worked with immigrants at Casa del Migrante, a shelter house in Tijuana, Mexico, founded by Roman Catholic missionaries.

EDWARD J. ELSNER, Litigation and Training Supervisor - VRP

YOLANDE ERICKSON, Conservatorship Program Attorney

Yolande Erickson advocates for clients seeking elder abuse restraining orders and general, limited, Alzheimer/dementia and small estate conservatorships. She is currently conducting trainings on conservatorships at the Los Angeles Superior Court for non-professional conservators. Ms. Erickson serves on the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Trusts and Estates section where she co-chairs the Probate Volunteer Panel committee. Ms. Erickson’s outreach efforts include the January 2007 opening of the first self litigant conservatorship and elder abuse restraining order clinic, in partnership with the Los Angeles Superior Court. The clinic has grown to include three branch courts. Ms. Erickson started the “Family Matters” mobile conservatorship clinic in 2009 for developmentally disabled students. She is a contributor to the CEB Guide on California Conservatorships.

Additionally, Ms. Erickson worked on conservatorship legislation Bet Tzedek co-sponsored in the California Legislature. She testified before the Judicial Council of California’s Probate Conservatorship Task Force about improving the practices and procedures of probate conservatorships. A member of Bet Tzedek’s elder law team, she received her B.A. from Swarthmore College and her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law.

LISA HOFFMAN, Holocaust Services Advocate/Attorney

Lisa D. Hoffman joined Bet Tzedek’s Holocaust Services Project in 2007, where she assists survivors who are seeking reparations and other forms of compensation from various European countries and engages in advocacy on a variety of issues affecting the survivor community. Lisa came to Bet Tzedek after working for seven years in the Litigation Department of Morrison & Foerster LLP. She earned her J.D. at UCLA School of Law in 1998 and her B.A. at Yale University. She also worked at Bet Tzedek as a summer law clerk while at law school in 1996. Before attending law school, Lisa worked for five years as a field representative and legislative aide to U.S. Representative Anthony C. Beilenson (Ret.).

PEGAH KAMRAVA, Housing Litigation Attorney

KEVIN KISH, Director, Employment Rights Project

Kevin focuses on combating illegal retaliation against low-wage workers who seek to enforce minimum labor standards in the workplace and litigates cases involving human trafficking for forced labor - a form of modern-day slavery. Kevin graduated from Yale Law School in 2004, and holds a B.A. in sociology/anthropology from Swarthmore College. He joined Bet Tzedek in 2004 as a Bet Tzedek fellow representing workers in wage and hour claims in various low-wage industries in Los Angeles. After clerking for Judge Myron Thompson of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Kevin returned to Bet Tzedek in 2006 as a Skadden Fellow.

JANET R. MORRIS, Long Term Care Project Director

Janet has practiced in the area of elderlaw for the past 25 years. Through her Long Term Caregiver Project Ms. Morris assists victims of Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers. She has also served as a past Director of Bet Tzedek's Nursing Home Advocacy Project. She has served on numerous statewide committees and as technical advisor to many projects concerning the legal rights of elderly and incapacitated individuals. Janet is advising the State of California Alzheimer's Guidelines Committee on Legal Issues, and serves on the Board of Directors of the LA Alzheimer's Association She has co-authored numerous articles and publications, including the “Caregiver Companion”, and has delivered hundreds of speeches in both English and Spanish. In 2005, Janet received the Caregiver of the Year Award from AARP and KCET for her professional contributions in this area. Ms. Morris received her B.A. degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and her J.D. degree from the University of San Francisco. She is a past and current faculty member of Continuing Education of the Bar and National Business Institute training attorneys in elderlaw issues.

JOSHUA PASSMAN, Self-Help Clinic Coordinator

GRETCHEN PETERSON, St. Francis Medical Center Attorney Advocate

Gretchen Peterson is a staff attorney with Bet Tzedek’s Outreach Unit, and is currently Bet Tzedek’s St. Francis Medical Center Attorney Advocate. Prior to law school, she taught middle school for three years in Newark, NJ, with Teach for America. Before coming to Bet Tzedek, she completed a post-graduate fellowship in the housing and family law advocacy groups at Neighborhood Legal Services of L.A. County. She received her B.A. from Pomona College and her J.D. from Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York.

JORDAN ROUSS, Advocate, Family Caregiver Project

DOMINIQUE SANZ-DAVID, Social Justice Fellow

Dominique Sanz-David is a staff attorney with Bet Tzedek’s Family Caregiver Project and is currently Bet Tzedek’s Social Justice Fellow. She previously worked with the San Francisco Superior Court for five years, first as a three-year clerk to the Honorable James Warren in the court’s Law & Motion Department, and later at the court’s ACCESS Center helping self-represented litigants with civil and probate actions. Dominique earned her degrees from Pomona College and UC Hastings College of the Law.

VOLKER J. SCHMIDT, Holocaust Services Attorney

Since 2004, Volker J. Schmidt served as a Bet Tzedek volunteer in the area of German pension benefits. Volker received the State Bar of California "Wiley W. Manuel Award" for pro bono legal services to the poor in 2004, 2005 and 2006. From August 2006 through July 2007, Volker worked as a law clerk for the German Federal Constitutional Court (German Supreme Court). Volker was responsible for drafting responsive briefs on behalf of the Court in challenges of the Court's decisions before the European Court for Human Rights and the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in cases concerning economic rights and due process issues. Volker is admitted to practice law in California, Washington, D.C. and Germany. For almost eight years, Volker worked as a attorney in private practice in Los Angeles and in Germany. Volker was qualified as a consulting attorney for the German Consulate General in Los Angeles and the German Embassy in Washington D.C. in the areas of German business and immigration law. Before private practice, he served with the German State Department as a foreign service officer and staff legal counsel in France and Germany.

JODY L. SPIEGEL, Nursing Home Advocacy Project Director

Jody Spiegel is Director of the Nursing Home Advocacy Project of Bet Tzedek Legal Services. She received her B.A. degree from Wellesley College in 1982, and her J.D. degree from the University of Southern California Law Center in 1985. Prior to joining Bet Tzedek in 2001, Ms Spiegel was a trial attorney with a private law firm and litigated cases in federal and state courts throughout the country. At Bet Tzedek, Ms. Spiegel specializes in the laws governing long-term care facilities, including nursing homes and residential care facilities. She counsels, advises, and litigates on behalf of facility residents and their families. She develops and promotes policies to improve the quality of care and quality of life for disabled and older adults through legal and legislative advocacy, community partnerships, and education. She also is a frequent lecturer to community and professional organizations, and the author of several consumer guides on long-term care laws and practices. Ms. Spiegel is on the Board of Directors of the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, and the Assisted Living Consumer Alliance. She also is a member of the WISE Long-Term Care Ombudsman Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee.

KIM WILLIAMS, Paralegal, Family Caregiver Project

Kim specializes in providing legal assistance to caregivers and their families. She assists families in navigating the maze of public benefits, helps them plan for long term care services and specializes in maximizing consumers’ In-Home Supportive Services hours. Through legal and legislative advocacy, community partnerships and education, she develops and promotes policies to improve the quality of life and community care options for disabled persons, older adults and caregivers. She is a frequent lecturer to community and professional organizations and is the co-author of "The Caregiver Companion, A User-Friendly Guide to Providing At-Home Care" available through Bet Tzedek Legal Services.

DEBRA M. ZIMMERMAN, Consumer Protection Attorney

Debra, a graduate of UC Berkeley and Boalt Hall School of Law, has been a Consumer Protection Attorney with Bet Tzedek Legal Services since 1999. She specializes in the area of home equity fraud and represents clients in cases involving loss of title, predatory lending, foreclosure prevention and foreclosure fraud. Ms. Zimmerman has served as a consultant in the area of predatory lending and foreclosure fraud for local and national media, including public radio’s MarketPlace, CBS Undercover, the Los Angeles Times and Reuters International. She has been a presenter for numerous trainings provided to attorneys, law enforcement, social workers and others in the areas of real estate fraud, predatory lending and financial elder abuse.

Paralegals/HEARING REPRESENTATIVES

NORA L. GHAMARI

MICHELLE GONZALEZ, SOVA Advocate

Michelle joined Bet Tzedek Legal Services in 2007 as the SOVA Advocate. In 2008, she was promoted to Hearing Representative. Michelle earned her B.A. in English from California State University Los Angeles and completed her Paralegal Certificate from the UCLA Attorney Assistant Program. Michelle is currently pursuing her J.D. from Glendale University College of Law. Consistent with her longstanding interest in the legal field, she continues to volunteer for the Housing Rights Center. Previously, she volunteered with Legal Aid Foundation Los Angeles employment and immigration units. Prior to joining Bet Tzedek, Michelle worked as a paralegal at two private immigration law firms in Los Angeles. Lastly, Michelle worked for five years at Bimbo Bakeries, a large multi-national corporation.

SPENCER LORD

CARMEN MARTINEZ

Carmen has worked in the legal field since 1996. In 2000, she joined Bet Tzedek as a Litigation Secretary. In 2007, Carmen became part of the outreach paralegal group as a Hearing Representative. Her duties include interviewing clients on a variety of legal issues at various Senior Centers throughout Los Angeles as well as making presentations in the community. Aside from her primary outreach unit, Carmen concentrates her caseload on Housing and Wills. Carmen holds an AA degree in English Literature from West Los Angeles College and is currently a student at California State University at Dominguez Hills majoring in English Literature with a minor in Criminal Justice and plans to attend law school upon graduation.

JUANA MIJARES, Intake

ANGELINA NABA

BERTHA SANCHEZ

SOCIAL WORKERS

YADIRA GARCIA, Elder Law Unit Social Worker

LEGAL SECRETARIES

LIZBETH ALVAREZ

TERESE BLEDSOE

RACHEL FARIAS

JUDY GALLEGOS, Legal Support

CONNIE HETH

CELIA KIRILOVER, Legal Support

VERONICA LEICHTER

Veronica’s areas of specialization are Conservatorships, Holocaust, West Hollywood Unlawful Detainers and Social Security.

IRENA PORTNOY

LIDIA ROMERO

MARIA URIBE

ADMINISTRATION

DEVELOPMENT

KATHY ENGLISH, Special Events Coordinator

SARAH JAMPOL, Foundation Giving Officer

AMY PECKNER, Individual Giving Officer

Amy joined Bet Tzedek in 2008 as their Individual Giving Officer. Before Bet Tzedek, Amy worked at several nonprofits in Boston, MA including Temple Israel, Facing History and Ourselves, and National Tay-Sachs & Allied Diseases Association (NTSAD). Prior to working in the nonprofit sector, Amy taught high school social studies in Concord, MA and London, England. She received her B.A. in history from the University of CA, Santa Barbara, where she was a member of Phi Alpha Theta (history honor society) and she received her M.A.T. at Tufts University.

FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING

DEBBIE CRENSHAW, Operations Support

PURA VISTAL, Accounting Manager

JOFAYE LAMBERT, Accounting Clerk

DENA BERGMAN, Administrative Coordinator

JACQUELINE SCAHILL, Operations Support

RON SMITH, Operations Support

PRO BONO

ZACHARY LEBOVITS, Pro Bono & Volunteer Coordinator

HUMAN RESOURCES

DEYONE LANE, Executive Assistant