Our Team
Sara B. Tennen, Esq., MSW, Executive Director
Sara has devoted her career to working with vulnerable populations, first with incarcerated women re-entering the community and then as a prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in Arizona, where she prosecuted sex crimes against children. Sara has worked at Volunteer Legal Advocates for over 10 years, initially as a front-line attorney before moving into leadership roles and becoming the Executive Director in 2019. Volunteer Legal Advocates has more than doubled in budget and staff size under Sara’s leadership. Both a trained mediator and forensic interviewer, Sara earned her J.D. and M.S.W. from Case Western Reserve University and a B.A. in Psychology and Women’s Studies from the University of Rochester. When she is not working, Sara enjoys hiking and traveling. Sara is honored and grateful to work with an incredible team of Board, Staff, and volunteer attorneys to ensure that Volunteer Legal Advocates continues to serve as a shining light in the community for years to come.
Marcy Baskin, Director of Grants and Foundational Giving
Stephanie Bergman, Esq., Supervising Attorney
Jennie Berman, Esq., Supervising Attorney
Samara Braverman, Program Coordinator, Child Advocacy Program
Jesse Brennan, Esq., Senior Staff Attorney
Nam Mee Cho, Esq., Roxana Cannon Arsht Law Fellow
Zsofia Cimino, Client Advocate, Montgomery County
Amy Coles, Esq., Supervising Attorney
Nia J. Cook, Grants & Development Manager
Betsy A. Crumb, Esq., Managing Attorney, Child Advocacy Program
Jaquelyn Diaz Sapp, Client Advocate, Immigration Program
Courtney Federico, Esq., Staff Attorney, Immigration Program, Medical-Legal Partnerships
Karen Foxman, Esq., Co-Managing Attorney, Montgomery County
Madison (Maddie) Glennie, Esq., Medical-Legal Partnerships Supervising Attorney
Ignacio Gomez, Immigration Program Coordinator & Legal Assistant
Ricardo Gomez, Esq., Staff Attorney, Immigration Program, Medical-Legal Partnerships
Karen L. Gunderman, Esq., Co-Managing Attorney, Montgomery County
Jules Herman, Pro Bono Legal Services Coordinator
Monica Herman, Director of Communications & Brand Strategy
Vanessa Hernandez, Esq., Managing Attorney, Civil Protection Order Practice
Elaine Holmes, Esq., Supervising Attorney
Julia Holston, Program Coordinator, Montgomery County
Britney Monroe, Esq., Supervising Attorney
Gargie Nagarkar, Data Evaluation & Grants Compliance Manager
Abbey Ojala, Client Advocate, Domestic Violence Program
Alissa Osberg, Esq., George Barrett Social Justice Fellow
Maya Pearl, Operations and Human Resources Coordinator
Colleen Petroni, Esq., Supervising Attorney
Nellie Phelan, Esq., Supervising Attorney
Jessalyn Schwartz, Esq., Managing Attorney
Juliette Singarella, Esq., Senior Staff Attorney
Norah Sloss, Esq., Managing Attorney, Custody and Divorce
Lea Sondheimer, Program Coordinator, Domestic Violence Program
Robyn Swanson, Esq., Supervising Attorney for Impact Litigation and Advocacy
Blanca Torres, Client Advocate, Domestic Violence Program
Amy Turner, Esq., Supervising Attorney
Maria Velez, Victim & Community Outreach Manager
Aída Vindell, Esq., Legal Director
Jakiah Webb, Data, Grants, and Operations Coordinator
Brian Yourish, Director of Operations
Tara Zeiss (Née Branine), Esq., Supervising Attorney, Project on Domestic Violence and Firearms
