Staff & Board

Staff

Adam Martin
Senior Law Fellow 
debt@vlpcny.org
(315) 640-4891

Adol Mayen
Paralegal & Intake Specialist, LGBT+ Rights Program
info@vlpcny.org
lgbt@vlpcny.org
(315) 640-4892

Bethanie Hemingway
Director of Community Engagement
volunteers@vlpcny.org
(315) 579-3991

Cheri Blair
Pro Bono Coordinator, Talk-to-a-Lawyer Program 
communityclinics@vlpcny.org
(315) 949-2118

Cindy Mills
Director of Finance & Administration
finance@vlpcny.org
(315) 640-4895

Fahimeh Zaheri, Esq.
Immigration Staff Attorney - ONA Legal Counsel of CNY
(315) 907-6606

Georgina Seabrook
Finance & Programs Assistant
(315) 640-4895

Jennifer Gavilondo, Esq.
Immigration Staff Attorney – Afghan Legal Services

Kristin Greeley, Esq.
Senior Staff Attorney, Eviction Defense Program
housing@vlpcny.org
(315) 907-4310

Laurie Rolnick, Esq.
Supervising Attorney & Director of Eviction Defense Program
housing@vlpcny.org
(315) 930-3506

Lizeth Ortega
Immigration Program Assistant – Afghan Legal Services

Luz Marina Zender
Pro Bono Coordinator, Eviction Defense Program
housing@vlpcny.org
(315) 579-2577

Mallory Livingston, Esq.
Director of LGBT+ Rights Program
lgbt@vlpcny.org
(315) 849-9234

Mary C. John, Esq.
Co-Interim Executive Director & Director of Family Law Program
family@vlpcny.org 
(315) 579-2574

Naomi Godbey, Esq.
Director of North Country Immigration Program - ONA Legal Counsel North Country
immigration@vlpcny.org 
(315) 956-3033

Sal Curran, Esq.
*On parental leave as of July 26, 2022
Please contact Mary John or Samantha Aguam (Co-Interim Executive Directors)
Executive Director
ExecutiveDirector@vlpcny.org 
(315) 579-2576

Samantha Aguam, Esq.
Co-Interim Executive Director & Director of Elder Law Program
elder@vlpcny.org
(315) 579-2579

Sara McDowell, Esq.
Director of CNY Immigration Program - ONA Legal Counsel CNY
immigration@vlpcny.org
(315) 579-0178

Shania Barton
Paralegal & Program Coordinator, Reentry Program
newstart@vlpcny.org
(315) 766-2774

Silvana Vergara
Paralegal/Community Educator
immigration@vlpcny.org
(315) 949-3817

Tamara Scanes
Receptionist & Intake Specialist 
info@vlpcny.org
(315) 471-3409

Tre’Coy Boyd
Paralegal, Eviction Defense Program
housing@vlpcny.org
(315) 579-0177

Board of Directors

2022 Officers

• President
  Clifford Tsan, Tsan Mediation
• Vice President
  Mary Miner, Hancock Estabrook, LLP
• ​Secretary
  Ellen Weinstein, Retired, NY State Courts
• Treasurer
  Peter Dunn, Central New York Community Foundation, Inc.​

2022 Board Members

• Jan-Juba Arway, Center for Court Innovation & RISE
• Laurence Bousquet, Bousquet Holstein, PLLC
• John Boyd, New York State Courts
• John Callahan, Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC
• Andrew Croom, Legal Services of Central New York
• Sophie Dagenais,  Syracuse University College of Law
• Donald Doerr, Fifth Judicial District, New York State Courts
• Zach Forward, Barclay Damon, LLP
• Mary Gasparini, Attorney Grievance Committee, 4th Judicial Department
• Brittany Hannah, Sugarman Law Firm, LLP
• Palmer Harvey, Realtor & Center for Court Innovation 
• Susan Katzoff, Corporation Counsel of City of Syracuse
• Brian LaClair, Blitman & King, LLP
• Emilee Lawson Hatch, Bousquet Holstein, PLLC
• ​Hon. George Lowe, Bond Schoeneck & King, PLLC
• Ranette Releford, Citizen Review Board for City of Syracuse
• Kathy Royal, Life Coach
• Jeffrey Unaitis, Onondaga County Bar Association
• Amy Wiles, NBT Bank