Joining the board are new members Aida Pacheco, John Neal, Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick, and Isabelle Richman. Pacheco provides strategic leadership and policy direction to the Workforce Development Services at the Virginia Community College System. Neal, a decorated retired Army officer, is the Assistant Vice President at the Science Applications International Corporation. Fitzpatrick, a former ACLU of Virginia legal fellow, is the Criminal Justice Planner for the City of Richmond, Virginia. Richman is a Faculty Associate in the Religious Studies Program, School of World Studies at the Virginia Commonwealth University, where she teaches courses on social justice and international human rights.
The board also elected the following officers:
* Jeffrey Kerr is the incoming ACLU of Virginia President. Kerr is the General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at The PETA Foundation. * The incoming ACLU of Virginia Vice-Presidents are H. Stewart Dunn, Stephen Levinson, and George Smith. Dunn is a Partner at Ivins, Phillips & Barker, and previously served as the President of the ACLU of the National Capital Area Board of Directors. Levinson is the Complaint Adjudication Team at the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Smith is a retired Brunswick County Public School System teacher. * Frank Feibelman is the incoming ACLU of Virginia Treasurer. Feibelman is an Attorney at Law. * Elizabeth Witt is the incoming ACLU of Virginia Secretary. Witt is a Program Officer with the U.S. Department of Education. * Elizabeth Gilchrist is the incoming ACLU of Virginia National Board Representative. Gilchrist is the Vice President of Operations and Administration with the Advanced Energy Economy.
The ACLU of Virginia is also pleased to announce the addition of four new staff members:
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Frank Knaack is the new Director of Public Policy and Communications. In this role, Knaack plays a leadership role in advancing policy change through the ACLU of Virginia's integrated advocacy program that seeks to protect civil rights and civil liberties through litigation, legislation, and public education. He also oversees the design of the organization's communications strategy. Prior to joining the ACLU of Virginia, Knaack was the Associate Director of Public Policy and Advocacy for the ACLU of Texas. Knaack is a graduate of The American University in Cairo (M.A. International Human Rights Law) and the University of Vermont (B.A. Political Science and History).
* Aisha Huertas Michel is the new Associate Director of Public Policy and Communications and Director of the Patricia M. Arnold Women's Rights Project. In this role, Michel leads the Pat Arnold Women's Rights Program - an integrated advocacy program with the goal of eliminating sex discrimination in Virginia and manages the implementation of the organization's communications strategy. Prior to joining the ACLU of Virginia, Michel spent eight years with Donate Life America, most recently as its Communications and New Media Supervisor. Michel is a graduate of Emerson College (M.A. Integrated Marketing Communication) and Louisiana College (B.A. Communication Arts).
* Tamara Mason is the new Communications and Development Assistant. In this role, Mason coordinates the organization's new and traditional media outreach, manages its donor database and assists the Executive Director with fundraising. Prior to joining the ACLU of Virginia, Mason spent over ten years with the National Conference for Community and Justice of the Piedmont Triad in Greensboro, NC where she managed the organization's media outreach and facilitated human relations workshops. Mason is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Greensboro (M.A. Liberal Studies) and Guilford College (B.S. Justice and Policy Studies).
* Joseph Montano is the new Paralegal. In this role, Montano manages the ACLU of Virginia's legal intake system, provides litigation support to ACLU attorneys and helps coordinate its immigrants' rights advocacy work. Prior to joining the ACLU of Virginia, Montano completed his Masters of Science in International Migration and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Montano is also a graduate of George Mason University (B.S. Criminology).
The ACLU of Virginia is also pleased to announce that Kathy Greenier is now the Director of the Reproductive Freedom Project. This Project focuses on ensuring that all Virginia women have access to comprehensive reproductive health services, including abortion care. Prior to becoming Director of the Reproductive Freedom Project, Greenier was the organization's Associate Director of Public Policy and Communications and Patricia M. Arnold Women's Rights Project Director. Greenier is a graduate of New York Law School (J.D.) and Mount Holyoke College (B.A. History).
"Our outstanding new staff, coupled with the launch of our new Reproductive Freedom Project, will enable us to expand further our reach and influence before state and local government bodies and our ability to secure and protect civil liberties and freedoms in the courts and build a statewide presence that ensures that respect for civil rights and civil liberties is at the forefront of all public policy debates in the Commonwealth," Gastañaga said.