Staff

Administrative & Supervisory Staff

Tiffany Austin Liston, Executive Director
Elise Brown, Deputy Director for Legal Practice/Director of Litigation for Housing Rights
Montel A. Cherry, Deputy Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion/Director of Litigation for Children’s Rights
Jacqueline Adorno, Managing Attorney for Pro Bono & Volunteer Programs
Shanila Ali, Supervising Attorney
Donna Chiu, Managing Attorney
Carolyn E. Coffey, Director of Litigation for Economic Justice
Kevin M. Cremin, Director of Litigation for Disability and Aging Rights
Ernie Collette, Supervising Attorney
Evelyn Compton, Supervising Attorney
Andrew Darcy, Supervising Attorney
Kevin Duffy-Greaves, Supervising Attorney
David Epstein, Director of Human Resources & Talent Strategy
Tangier Harper, Supervising Attorney
Eva Horowitz, Supervising Attorney
Bernadette Jentsch, Supervising Attorney
Richard Kahn, Managing Attorney
Justin La Mort, Managing Attorney
Mackenzie Lew, Supervising Attorney
Mike Litrownik, Special Litigation Supervisor
Alana Murphy, Supervising Attorney
Omolola Omoyosi, Managing Attorney
Todd Silverblatt, Supervising Attorney
Scott Stamper, Supervising Attorney
Patrick Tyrrell, Supervising Attorney
Rochelle Watson. Supervising Attorney
Eric Alterman, Chief Development Officer
Lindsay Bascom, Chief Fiscal Officer
Juliette Dayana Bistoury, Director of Operations
Anu Garfield, Counsel and Director of Compliance
Lucy Liang, Controller
Ludy Ansty, Housing Intake Specialist
Shemar Brown, Staff Accountant
Marleah Martin, Assistant to the Controller
Mujai Austin, HR Manager
Elaine Shea, Director of Institutional Giving
Douglas Meredith, Data and Technology Supervisor
Katherine Alvarado, Grants & Contracts Specialist

Staff Attorneys

Anna Aboody
Yariel Acevedo
Cameron Arnold
Peter Barker-Huelster
Emily Bensco
Jason Blumberg
Jota Borgmann
Daria Brosius
Benjamin Cain
Vikrant Chandel
Willa Collins
Erica Cooper
Judy Dahl
Nancy Dalien
Sean Davis
Evan Denerstein
Aimee Deutsch
Jaynor Diaz
Elizabeth Fisher
Payton Fisher
MaryEllen Fitzgerald-Bord
Andrew Gerst
Liana Goff
Sandra Gresl
Mia Guthart
Sarah Gutman
Ana Lise Feliciano Hansen
Javeria Hashmi
Connie Hong
Shivani Jacelon
Karla Johnson
Tanya Kessler
Peter Kirby
Alexandria Kirchhoff Corrie, Borchard Foundation Legal Fellow
Lea Kokenes
Ben Kremnitzer
Gokul Krish
Ana Lazo
Mackenzie Lew
Ariana Lindermayer
Jonathan Lissmann
Matthew Longobardi
Brian Loughlin
Dinah Luck
Sharon Mack
Zachary Mason
Reed McLaurin
Paul Messick
Bridget Mullaly
Christina Mulligan
Daniel Newton
Karen Ng
Amanda O’Keefe
Orier Okumakpeyi
Mary Orsini
Lana Pelletier McCrea
Michael Pereira
Caroline Roe
Brenden Ross
Daniel Ross
Jen Rubin
Nikita Salehi
Caitlin Schwartz
Bijoux Shayer-Altamirano
Miriam Shestack
Chelsea Shieh
Furqan Shukr
Nicole Siderits
Christopher Sina
Trisha Sobha
Brian Sullivan
Alireza Vaziri
Tunu Wadutumi
Meaghan Whyte
Randal Wilhite
Ezgi Yilmaz
Camille Zentner

Law Graduates

Stephanie Morales

Social Work

Sarah Heller Hafetz, LCSW, Social Work Coordinator
Whitney Vairin

Alan Mansfield Fellow

Ellie MacLean

Warren Sinsheimer Fellow

Ruth Sangree

Paralegals/Organizers

Alberto Chan, Supervising Paralegal
Rafaella Abeo
Andie Adkins
Pablo Aguilar
Fanny Chan
Wendy Grullon
Modina Jackson
Olivia Johnson
Edwin Maraj
Elisa Medina
Raquel Namuche
Olivia Quinn
Orly Rogers-Figueroa
Elvis Rosario
Jasmine Sabadosa

Support Staff

Dorien Brown
Jessica Cepin, Senior Administrative Assistant
Nancy Fagan, Litigation and Intake Support
Denise Romero Gonzalez
Brian M. Moody, Administrative Assistant
Genesis Perez, Administrative Assistant

Extern Fellows

Provided by:

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

Fellowships

Provided by:

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

MFJ’s Leadership

Tiffany Austin Liston, Executive Director

Tiffany Austin Liston is the Executive Director of Mobilization for Justice. Prior to becoming Executive Director, Ms. Liston served as Mobilization for Justice’s Deputy Director, where she worked closely with the Executive Director overseeing program, development, and strategic organizational initiatives. Before joining MFJ, Ms. Liston was General Counsel and founding Chief Operating Officer for an education non-profit organization where she oversaw all legal issues, human resources, external relations, finance, and operations. Prior to that, Ms. Liston was a Litigation Associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP where she managed a complex commercial case load, including government investigations. Prior to Simpson Thacher, Ms. Liston interned for Judge Lucy Billings, NY Supreme Court, and Mobilization for Justice, where she started her legal career. Ms. Liston is on the board of Free and Fair Litigation Group, New York State Legal Services Coalition (NYSLSC) and is former co-chair and member of the New York State Bar’s President’s Committee on Access to Justice. Ms. Liston is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and Harvard College.

Elise Brown, Deputy Director for Legal Practice/Director of Litigation for Housing

Elise Brown oversees MFJ’s housing practice, which focuses on preserving affordable housing and preventing homelessness. Prior to this, she launched MFJ’s forecosure practice, and is the organization’s deputy in charge of legal practice. Ms. Brown obtained CLE certification for the organization and manages its CLE program. Before joining MFJ in 2008, she practiced complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts and handled a wide range of legal matters as commercial real estate litigation, business torts, RICO, antitrust, insurance coverage, copyright, railroad law, and construction law. Following her graduation from law school, Ms. Brown served as a law clerk for the Hon. John M. Duhé, Jr. of the United State Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ms. Brown is the recipient of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York’s Legal Service Award in 2013 and the NYCLA Award for Outstanding Public Service in 2017. She is a 1989 graduate of Louisiana State University School of Law.

Montel A. Cherry, Deputy Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion/Director of Litigation for Children’s Rights

Montel A. Cherry oversees MFJ’s children and families practice, and supervises the Government Benefits and Driver Protection Projects, which provide assistance to individuals with legal problems relating to public assistance, food stamps, disability benefits, low-income health coverage, and to for-hire drivers facing fines and points on their licenses. This assistance includes representing clients in state and federal courts, and at administrative hearings. Prior to coming to MFJ, Ms. Cherry was a Disability Law Specialist at Manhattan Legal Services, where she represented adults and children with physical and mental impairments in appealing their denial of disability benefits. Prior to that she was as a staff attorney for the government benefits unit at the former Harlem Legal Services and worked as a decisions editor at the New York Law Journal. Ms. Cherry is a 1999 graduate of CUNY School of Law. She received the NYCLA Award for Outstanding Public Service in 2016.

Jacqueline Adorno, Managing Attorney for Pro Bono & Volunteer Programs

Jacqueline Adorno is Supervising Attorney of MFJ’s Kinship Caregiver Law Project, which works to prevent children from entering the traditional foster care system by helping relatives to secure orders of custody or guardianship or to adopt the children in their care. As a staff attorney, Ms. Adorno expanded the Project’s work in the Bronx, conducting regular legal clinics at Bronx Family Court and developing a collaborative project with Bridge Builders, a coalition of Bronx social service organizations, to expand services to Bronx families. She serves as the co-chair of the NYC Kincare Task Force, a coalition of kincare service providers working to promote policies to better address the needs of the kincare community.

Ms. Adorno creates new pro bono initiatives, thus expanding the scope of services offered at MFJ. Ms. Adorno leads MFJ’s efforts in recruiting pro bono counsel. She also plays a direct role with training pro bono volunteers by developing comprehensive training manuals, leading CLE trainings, and offering ongoing mentorship to pro bono counsel. A 2011 graduate of Fordham University School of Law, Ms. Adorno served as the Notes and Articles Editor of the Environmental Law Review. Before joining MFJ, Ms. Adorno was a post-graduate fellow in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Domestic Violence Bureau and worked in private practice.

Shanila Ali, Supervising Attorney

Shanila Ali is a Supervising Attorney in MFJ’s Housing practice. Prior to joining the supervisory team, Ms. Ali was a Staff Attorney in MFJ’s Mental Health Law Project, Housing Project and in its Foreclosure Prevention Project. During her time at MFJ, Ms. Ali has successfully represented clients in foreclosure proceedings, summary eviction proceedings, ejectment actions, public benefits matters, and several affirmative litigation proceedings to increase or preserve the rights of low income and disabled New Yorkers. Ms. Ali has litigated building-wide claims for repairs, discrimination claims, and harassment claims in Federal, New York Supreme, and Housing Courts. Prior to joining MFJ, Ms. Ali was a JD Distinguished Fellow at the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center. Ms. Ali is a 2008 graduate of Vanderbilt University and a 2013 graduate of American University’s Washington College of Law. She also holds an MBA.

Donna Chiu, Managing Attorney

Donna Chiu is Managing Attorney for Housing Administration in MFJ’s Housing practice, where she assists in running the operations of the busy practice and continues to supervise Staff Attorneys.  Prior to becoming Managing Attorney, she served as a Supervising Attorney and Staff Attorney in MFJ’s housing practice.  During a break in her MFJ career, Ms. Chiu was the Director of Housing and Community Services at Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), a non-profit, community-based organization. At AAFE, Ms. Chiu led a team that organized and empowered non-English speaking immigrants in Queens and Chinatown to stand up to their predatory equity landlords and fight back against tenant harassment.  Ms. Chiu is an immigrant from Hong Kong, China and a native Chinese-Cantonese speaker. She takes great pride in leveraging her lived experiences growing up in Chinatown as an immigrant to provide linguistically and culturally appropriate services to some of New York’s most underserved tenants. Ms. Chiu received her J.D. from CUNY School of Law in 2005.  In 2015, she received the Community Partner Award from Manhattan Legal Services and the Community Ally Award from the Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence. In 2016, Ms. Chiu was the recipient of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York’s Legal Services Award.

Carolyn E. Coffey, Director of Litigation for Economic Justice

Carolyn E. Coffey oversees MFJ’s economic justice practices and supervises the Consumer Rights and Bankruptcy projects, which provide advice, counsel, and representation to low-income New Yorkers on a range of consumer-related problems; she also oversees the Workplace Justice and Foreclosure Prevention projects. Ms. Coffey represents clients in state and federal courts, conducts trainings on consumer law, engages in legislative advocacy at the local, state and federal levels, and has co-authored several reports and amicus briefs concerning the debt collection industry. She is also co-chair of the New York City Consumer Advocates Task Force and an adjunct professor at Cardozo School of Law.  She was previously a staff attorney in MFJ’s Workplace Justice Project and Consumer Rights Project and, before joining MFJ, clerked in the Southern District of New York. She is a 2004 graduate of CUNY School of Law. Ms. Coffey is the proud recipient of the New York County Lawyers’ Association’s 2012 Public Service Award, the National Association of Consumer Advocates’ 2012 Consumer Advocate Award, and the National Consumer Law Center’s 2016 Rising Star Award.  

Kevin M. Cremin, Director of Litigation for Disability and Aging Rights

Kevin M. Cremin supervises MFJ’s disability and aging rights practice, including affirmative advocacy and litigation on behalf of nursing home and adult home residents. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago and Yale Law School. After clerking for a federal district court judge and a federal court of appeals judge, Kevin enforced the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act for the United States Department of Justice. As an American India Foundation William J. Clinton Fellow, he conducted a study on community-based services for people with mental health disabilities in India. Kevin has taught as an adjunct at several New York-area law schools, and he has published numerous law review articles on the rights of people with disabilities. He has received the New York County Lawyers Association’s Public Service Award and the Fair Housing Justice Center’s Outstanding Fair Housing Attorney Award.

Ernie Collette, Supervising Attorney

Ernie Collette is a Supervising Attorney in MFJ’s Immigration Law Project. Prior to becoming a Supervising Attorney, Mr. Collette was a Staff Attorney in the Government Benefits Project at MFJ where he represented clients in a range of public benefits matters, including Public Assistance, SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security benefits, including representation in Federal Court. Mr. Collette grew the Immigration Law Project at MFJ from his work in the Government Benefits Project and continues to represent families and individuals in humanitarian-based claims for immigration relief while leading the new unit.  He has provided numerous trainings to nonprofit organizations, law schools, and to Immigration Judges and Asylum Officers, on immigrant eligibility for public benefits, and is committed to improving the quality of life of marginalized individuals and families through litigation and policy work. He is the author of “Barring Survivors of Domestic Violence from Food Security: The Unintended Consequences of 1996 Welfare and Immigration Reform” published in the Drexel University Law Review, and “Unaccompanied and Excluded From Food Security: A Call for the Inclusion of Immigrant Youth Twenty Years After Welfare Reform” in the Georgetown Immigration Law Journal. Mr. Collette is a 2013 graduate of Seattle University School of Law.

Evelyn Compton, Supervising Attorney

Evelyn Compton is a Supervising Attorney in MFJ’s Government Benefits Project (GBP) which helps with a wide variety of public benefits matters, including Public Assistance, SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security benefits, including representation in Federal Court. Before becoming a GBP supervisor, Ms. Compton was a Senior Staff Attorney and Interim Supervisor in MFJ’s Mental Health Law Project (MHLP) where she supervised advocates, operated off-site clinics, and trained mental health providers and other community-based service providers on substantive law and the rights of people with mental health disabilities. During her time at MFJ, Ms. Compton has successfully represented clients in SSA disability hearings. Ms. Compton is a graduate of New York University College of Arts and Science and Albany Law School of Union University.

Andrew Darcy, Supervising Attorney

Andrew Darcy is a Supervising Attorney in MFJ’s Housing Project.  Prior to becoming a Supervising Attorney, he was a Staff Attorney in MFJ’s Housing Project.  He has successfully defended hundreds of tenants who have been at risk of eviction and has also filed affirmative cases based on issues ranging from landlord violations of the warranty of habitability to violations of the Fair Housing Act.  Prior to joining MFJ, Andrew was an associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, where he maintained an active pro bono docket, comprising immigration, criminal, and civil rights cases.  Andrew was also a law clerk to a United States District Court Judge in the District of New Jersey, the Honorable Katharine S. Hayden.  Andrew left MFJ briefly to work with a small team at the New York City Housing Authority that was focused on developing and implementing transformative strategies to improve conditions for New York City’s public-housing residents.  Andrew is a 2010 graduate of Seton Hall University School of Law.

Kevin Duffy-Greaves, Supervising Attorney

Kevin Duffy-Greaves is a Supervising Attorney in MFJ’s Housing practice. Kevin served as a Staff Attorney in the housing practices at CAMBA Legal Services in Brooklyn and Legal Services NYC in Manhattan before joining the supervisory team at MFJ.  As a housing litigator, Kevin has won several motions that have resulted in reported decisions in the New York Law Journal, has conducted all stages of discovery and trial, and has argued before the Appellate Term. Kevin’s previous work primarily focused on eviction defense in implementing New York City’s first-in-the-nation Right to Counsel law, but he also successfully pursued affirmative HP cases and won contempt decisions against landlords for failing to make repairs. He has also conducted trainings and CLEs on nonpayment proceedings for newer attorneys. Originally from Oregon, Kevin graduated with honors from the University of Portland in 2011.  After serving as an AmeriCorps volunteer in the asylum practice at the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, he was a case manager in supportive housing for adults living with HIV/AIDS in Seattle before electing to start a career in law. Kevin is a 2017 graduate of the University of Washington School of Law.

David Epstein, Director of Human Resources & Talent Strategy

As Director of Human Resources & Talent Strategy, David is responsible for providing strategic human resources, diversity and talent management, and HR thought leadership to Mobilization for Justice, Inc. as part of its management team.

Prior to working at Mobilization for Justice, David worked for Doctors Without Borders as Director of Domestic Human Resources. As a member of the management team, he worked on issues ranging from diversity and talent management to expatriate benefits and wellness initiatives in his capacity as the organization’s U.S. subject matter expert and risk management specialist.

A frequent contributor to publications like Forbes.com, HR Magazine, and peer-reviewed journals, David is also a frequent lecturer and panelist on DEI, human resources, insurance/risk management, and international employment—including at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, the Tri-State Diversity Council, National Diversity Council, AIG, Syracuse University, Healthcare Diversity Council, and the American Bar Association (International Employment Law).

David was awarded the George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge (2019). He is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management’s Global Expertise Panel, a Board Member of the Tri-State Diversity Council, and a mediator with the Academy of Advanced Practitioners of the Association for Conflict Resolution.

Prior to joining MSF-USA, David was Director of Human Resources at the New York Foundling Hospital Center for Pediatric, Medical and Rehabilitative Care (Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center) where he received the NYAHSA (now LeadingAge New York) Professional of the Year Award for his contributions to pediatric long-term care.

A graduate of Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, he is also a member of the Board of Advisors and Faculty of National Paralegal College and is a Kellogg (Northwestern University) Executive Scholar. He has taught courses for eCornell, the SHRM certification/preparation course and long-term care administration for New England College.

David has more than 20 years of human resources experience and holds master’s and post-master’s degrees in management and international employment law. He is a Certified Diversity Professional, Senior Certified HR Professional, Career Management Fellow, coach, and a Certified Wellness Practitioner. He received the Tri-State Diversity Council’s “Most Engaged Leader” and “Company of the Year Award” in 2018.

David is a graduate of the Harvard Humanitarian Institute for Urban Emergencies and the Harvard Program on Negotiation. In 2020, he was awarded the “Authentic Leadership Award” and “Most Engaged Leader” by the Tri-State Diversity Council. He also presented a workshop on leadership, strategy, and culture at the 2020 National Diversity Council’s Annual Conference.

A member of Cornell University’s Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS), David is a frequent speaker/guest lecturer on various topics including inclusion and disability studies. In 2024, he presented on the post-COVID impact on disabled people in the workplace, and authored several articles on helping manage chronic illnesses and wellness in the peer-reviewed National Wellness Journal.

Tangier Harper, Supervising Attorney

Tangier Harper is a Supervising Attorney in MFJ’s Mental Health Law Project (MHLP), which offers a wide variety of civil legal services to New Yorkers with mental health disabilities. Before becoming a supervisor, Ms. Harper was a Senior Staff Attorney in MFJ’s Housing Project, where she engaged in affirmative litigation and eviction defense on behalf of tenants. In both the private and public sectors, Ms. Harper has advocated for economic justice and housing stability for the most vulnerable New Yorkers via state and federal litigation, community outreach, and legislative advocacy, including testifying before the New York City Council on housing issues. Ms. Harper is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo and The George Washington University Law School.

Eva Horowitz, Supervising Attorney

Eva Horowitz is a Supervising Attorney in MFJ’s Housing practice, where she supervises a team of six attorneys.  Ms. Horowitz works to preserve tenants’ rights to safe and affordable housing in the Bronx, represents tenants in proceedings involving allegations of nonpayment of rent and breach of lease, and handles NYCHA termination of tenancy matters. Prior to joining MFJ, Ms. Horowitz began her housing practice at BOOM!Health Legal Services, where she became a Senior Attorney.  Ms. Horowitz is a 2012 graduate of Harvard Law School.

Bernadette Jentsch, Supervising Attorney

Bernadette Jentsch is the Supervising Attorney for MFJ’s Workplace Justice and Driver Protection projects, which provide legal assistance to low-wage and immigrant workers with employment issues, including workers with criminal histories and for-hire vehicle drivers who face fines and penalty points on their licenses. Prior to joining the supervisory staff, Ms. Jentsch was a Staff Attorney in both projects. In 2007 she implemented MFJ’s reentry initiative to assist and represent individuals with a criminal conviction record in removing barriers to employment and obtaining licenses. She was the recipient of the New York City Bar Association’s Legal Services Award in June 2014 and the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings’ Pro Bono Service Award in September 2020. Ms. Jentsch is also a mediator and conflict coach for the NY Peace Institute and is currently a Supervising Attorney-Mediator/Adjunct Professor in the Mediation Clinic at CUNY School of Law. She has been a member of the Mediation Panel for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York since 2017, and was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals Second Circuit Pro Bono Appellate Mediator Panel in 2021. Ms. Jentsch is a graduate of the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law (JD), the Eastman School of Music (DMA, MM), and the University of Connecticut (BM).  

Richard Kahn, Managing Attorney

Rick Kahn is the Managing Attorney of MFJ’s Bronx office, where he oversees MFJ’s Bronx Housing team and supervises MFJ’s HIV Legal Services Program. Before joining MFJ, Mr. Kahn was Vice President in Charge of Legal Services at BOOM!Health, which evolved from his prior position as Director of Legal Services at Bronx AIDS Services. Over the course of the past twenty years he has represented hundreds of tenants in Bronx Housing Court, and supervised representation of thousands of others, while representing and supervising the provision of legal services in a range of civil matters to thousands of low-income Bronx residents living with HIV/AIDS. He is a 1995 graduate of Boston College Law School.

Justin La Mort, Managing Attorney

Justin La Mort is a Supervising Attorney in MFJ’s housing unit. Before joining MFJ, Mr. La Mort was a Supervising Attorney at CAMBA Legal Services where he represented hundreds of tenants in Brooklyn. He is Chair of the Housing Court Committee at the New York City Bar Association, Steering Committee Member of the Brooklyn Tenants’ Lawyers Network, and manages Brooklyn Law School’s housing clinic as an adjunct professor. His legal writings have been published in the Missouri Law Review, NYU Review of Law & Social Change, Journal of Affordable Housing & Community Development Law, Journal of Regulatory Compliance, Interdisciplinary Journal of Human Rights Law, and the online Harvard Law & Policy Review. Mr. La Mort is a 2010 graduate of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Mackenzie Lew, Supervising Attorney

Mackenzie Lew is the Supervising Attorney for MFJ’s Foreclosure Prevention Project (FPP), which provides a wide array of legal and advocacy services related to homeownership issues, including foreclosure defense, deed theft, predatory lending, and property tax delinquency, among others.  Prior to her current role, Mackenzie was a staff attorney for FPP, where she primarily represented borrowers facing foreclosure, brought affirmative litigation seeking relief from deed theft and violations of federal servicing rules, and advocated on behalf of cooperative shareholders to correct HDFC boards’ mismanagement of funds.  Before joining MFJ, Mackenzie was a staff attorney with Urban Justice Center’s Mental Health Project, where she worked on Social Security disability benefits appeals for individuals with severe mental health needs.  Mackenzie is a 2018 graduate of CUNY School of Law, where she held the role of Managing Articles Editor on the CUNY Law Review’s board, and she received a BFA from University of Washington, Seattle.

Mike Litrownik, Special Litigation Supervisor

Mike Litrownik supervises MFJ’s Special Litigation Project, which works with MFJ’s practice areas (Economic/Workplace Justice, Housing, Disability and Aging Rights, and Children’s Rights) to identify, develop, and litigate issues affecting MFJ’s client base that would benefit from impact or class action litigation and law reform work. Before joining MFJ, Mr. Litrownik was Counsel at Outten & Golden LLP, where he maintained an active docket of employment discrimination, civil rights, and wage theft class actions, including a series of groundbreaking employment and lending discrimination class actions on behalf of DACA recipients. Mr. Litrownik began his career as an associate at Bromberg Law Office, P.C., representing low-income consumers and victims of police misconduct. He has also served as trial counsel in individual and class action federal jury trials, spoken at legal conferences on class action practice and civil rights litigation, and co-authored appellate and amicus briefs, including an amicus brief on behalf of academic sociologists and economists urging the U.S. Supreme Court to protect DACA. He is a 2010 graduate of Washington University in St. Louis School of Law and a 2004 graduate of the University of Rochester.

Omolola Omoyosi, Managing Attorney

Omolola Omoyosi is a Managing Attorney in MFJ’s Housing practice and a graduate of DePaul University College of Law.  Ms. Omoyosi’s experience prior to entering the tenants’ rights sector was primarily in international human rights.  Working in sub-Saharan Africa with the U.S. Peace Corps, she advocated for vacatur of judgements on the behalf of indigent incarcerated women and implemented gender equity programs.  Within the Joint United Nations Team on HIV/AIDS, Ms. Omoyosi drafted a national legal audits surveying laws, statutes, regulations, and policies impacting the prevalence of HIV rates.  She led human rights training programs to build awareness of the laws and policies impacting prevalence rates and lobbied legislators to implement programs that would protect and enhance the rights of vulnerable and marginalized populations.  Earlier in her career, Ms. Omoyosi worked in Iraq with DePaul University’s International Human Rights Law Institute facilitating comparative courses in gender equity.

Todd Silverblatt, Supervising Attorney

Todd Silverblatt is a Supervising Attorney in MFJ’s Warren J. Sinsheimer Children’s Rights Program. Mr. Silverblatt’s legal career has been dedicated to advancing juvenile rights, beginning in 1979 as a staff attorney at The Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Division in Kings County and later as Director of Special Projects for the Society’s central Juvenile Rights Division. During his 30-year tenure at Legal Aid, Mr. Silverblatt handled all aspects of criminal and civil litigation in Family Court, including child protective proceedings, custody/visitation matters, delinquency and status offenses. In 1999 he became Executive Director or the Partnership for Children’s Rights (PFCR), overseeing operations and legal practice of a non-profit dedicated to ensuring appropriate education for children with disabilities. When PFCR merged with Mobilization for Justice in June 2018, Mr. Silverblatt joined MFJ’s team as Supervising Attorney, continuing the practice he built at PFCR. He is a 1978 graduate of Brooklyn Law School, and the 2018 recipient of the New York County Lawyers’ Association Public Service Award.

Patrick Tyrrell, Supervising Attorney

Rochelle Watson, Supervising Attorney

Rochelle Watson is a Supervising Attorney in MFJ’s Housing practice. Before joining the supervisory team, she was an MFJ Housing Staff Attorney, representing Bronx tenants in eviction, repair, and administrative proceedings.  A skilled trial attorney, Ms. Watson successfully argued before the Appellate Division, First Department, that the lower court should have granted her client’s pro se Article 78 proceeding, eventually leading to the restoration of her client’s NYCHA tenancy.  In preparation for assuming a leadership role, Ms. Watson attended the Shriver Center’s acclaimed Leadership for Justice week-long training that aims to equip new and emerging equal justice leaders with the skills and competencies needed to lead and advance social change agendas.  Prior to joining MFJ, Ms. Watson was in private practice and handled landlord-tenant, foreclosure, and family law matters.  Ms. Watson is a 2007 graduate of Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and holds an MBA in Finance and Investment from Baruch College/Zicklin School of Business.

Alberto Chan, Supervising Paralegal

Alberto Chan is a Supervising Paralegal in MFJ’s Housing practice.  An immigrant from Nicaragua and a native Spanish speaker, Mr. Chan has worked in legal services in NYC for more than 20 years. Prior to joining MFJ, Mr. Chan was a Paralegal Manager at BOOM!Health, a Supervising Paralegal at Bronx AIDS Services, and a Paralegal at The HIV Law Project.   In addition to supervising a team of paralegals, Mr. Chan assists clients with permanency planning and advance directives, engages in entitlement advocacy, and provides direct representation of clients in administrative hearings.  Mr. Chan has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Manhattanville College.

Eric Alterman, Chief Development Officer

Eric Alterman is Chief Development Officer at Mobilization for Justice. Prior to joining MFJ, Eric focused his career on designing and implementing individual and institutional giving strategies for reproductive health and rights organizations, most recently as Director of Individual and Major Gifts at Physicians for Reproductive Health. Before joining PRH, Eric ran the individual giving program at Spence-Chapin Services for Families and Children, one of the nation’s oldest adoption agencies. Prior to that, Eric was VP for Membership and Finance at NARAL Pro-Choice New York for over 10 years, where he cut his reproductive rights teeth. He has done development and communications work for the ACLU, The Democratic National Committee, several state PIRGs, The War Resistors League, and OMP, a national direct marketing firm based in Washington DC, among others. After graduating Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Columbia College, Eric joined the staff of the Guardian Newsweekly, a national progressive newsweekly based in New York, starting with no office skills whatsoever, but eventually becoming Circulation Director. A native New Yorker, Eric has been raising money for non-profit organizations for over 30 years, and it hasn’t killed him yet.

Juliette Dayana Bistoury, Director of Operations

Juliette Dayana Bistoury is a dedicated advocate and leader, currently serving as the Director of Operations at Mobilization For Justice, Inc., a prominent non-profit focused on justice and advocacy. In her role, Juliette finds profound fulfillment in helping marginalized communities gain the resources and support they need. She is also the Co-Founder and Secretary of Renaissance Jacmelienne de New York, Inc. (RJNY, Inc.), where she actively works to provide essentials and promote healthy living conditions for those in Jacmel, Haiti, witnessing firsthand the positive impact the organization has on individuals’ lives.

Additionally, Juliette is an Advisory Board member for Iluminated Angels Haven Organization, which cares for 21 girls in the Dominican Republic, ensuring they have food, clothing, and access to education. With a deep-rooted passion for service, Juliette’s ultimate goal is to alleviate suffering and uplift lives, both in her professional role and community-focused endeavors. Her dedication to justice, compassion, and community well-being make her a respected leader and invaluable asset in her field.

Anu Garfield, Counsel and Director of Compliance

Anu Garfield is MFJ’s Counsel and Director of Compliance. She handles internal governance, oversees MFJ’s contracts and is responsible for monitoring compliance in organizational, human resources, and CBA matters.   Prior to MFJ, she worked at the Open Society Foundations and PILnet, a global network for public interest law. She is a graduate of London School of Economics (BSc) and Fordham University School of Law (JD).

Lucy Liang, Controller

Lucy Liang works in MFJ’s Fiscal Department and serves as the organization’s Controller. As a member of the finance team, Ms. Liang plays a significant role in grants management, financial reporting and accounting. Prior to joining MFJ, Ms. Liang worked extensively in accounting and finance, gaining more than 20 years of experience in public accounting, taxation, consulting services, and non-profit accounting. Ms. Liang holds a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Toledo and is a New York State licensed Certified Public Accountant.

Mujai Austin, HR Manager

Mujai Austin is the HR Manager at Mobilization for Justice, bringing over seven years of experience in human resources with a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Before joining MFJ in 2022, she began her career as a Recruiter at Northpointe Staffing Agency. Mujai quickly advanced to an HR Assistant role in the entertainment sector at Endeavor and its subsidiary, WME. There, she developed an inclusive pipeline for underrepresented candidates to participate in the prestigious WME Floater Program and contributed to the establishment of Endeavor’s Employee Resource Groups and inclusive policies.

Mujai then transitioned to Hugo & Cat, a digital agency, where she took charge of the HR department. Her responsibilities included recruiting, onboarding, offboarding, employee relations, and policy implementation. Her passion for fostering positive change in the workplace, particularly through a DEI lens, has been a cornerstone of her career.

Mujai holds a psychology degree from Montclair State University and is a certified Mental Health First Aider, underscoring her commitment to supporting mental health and well-being in the workplace.

Elaine Shea, Director of Institutional Giving