Whitman-Walker Clinic

DANIEL BRUNER, ESQ.
Daniel Bruner is Director of Legal Services. At Whitman-Walker, Dan’s practice has concentrated on discrimination in employment and health care; on insurance and employee benefits; and on privacy issues. Prior to joining Whitman-Walker’s staff in 1995, Dan was a partner at the Washington, DC, law firm of Spiegel & McDiarmid. While at Spiegel & McDiarmid, he was a Whitman-Walker volunteer attorney for five years, and also worked on pro bono projects with the Pennsylvania AIDS Law Project and Lambda Legal. Dan received his law degree, magna cum laude, and a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Michigan. He studied philosophy at the graduate level at the University of California at Berkeley. He received a B.A., summa cum laude, from Rice University. Dan is the author of the “Forward” in David W. Webber et al., AIDS AND THE LAW (4th ed. 2007); and "High-Risk Sexual Behavior By Persons Living With HIV/AIDS and Failure to Disclose HIV Infection to Sex Partners: How Do We Respond?" 19 J. AIDS & Public Policy 11 (2004). Between 2000 and 2005, Dan was on the adjunct faculty at American University’s Washington College of Law, where he taught seminars on AIDS and the Law and courses on Public Health Law. He is rated “AV-Preeminent” for legal ability and ethical standards by Martindale-Hubbell – the highest rating possible. Dan is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.

ALYSSA L. ARNOLD, ESQ.
Alyssa Arnold is a staff attorney based at the Clinic’s Max Robinson Center in Anacostia. She represents clients in all areas of Whitman-Walker Legal Services’ practice. Before joining Whitman-Walker Clinic, Alyssa practiced as a legal services attorney in New York City at the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House. During law school, she interned at the Legal Action Center, South Brooklyn Legal Services and the HIV Law Project. Alyssa received her J.D. with honors from New York University School of Law in 2003 and her B.A. magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Williams College in 1999. Alyssa is a member of the New York and District of Columbia Bars.

JEFFREY BERTRANDO
Jeffrey Bertrando is a Public Benefits Coordinator. Jeff earned his B.A. in International Relations and Spanish from the Pennsylvania State University. He served as a VISTA volunteer in San Antonio, Texas, and as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica, where he worked as an educator with the Ministry of Education. Later, Jeff did graduate work at the University of Texas at El Paso in Bilingual Education with the Peace Corps Fellowships Program. After two years as a bilingual teacher in Texas, Jeff taught at an international school in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and at an American school in San Jose, Costa Rica. Jeff is fluent in English and Spanish and speaks Portuguese.

LEE BRUBAKER
Lee Brubaker began her work with Legal Services in December of 2007 as Operations Manager. She helps the Legal Services Department staff streamline and manage operations. She previously spent three years as the Corporate Paralegal to the General Counsel at Whitman-Walker Clinic. Before coming to Whitman-Walker, Lee was a Paralegal at Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner LLP. Lee received her B.A. in Sociology/ Anthropology from Shippensburg University in 2000 and her Masters in Paralegal Studies from George Washington University in 2009.

JESSICA CASPE, ESQ.
Jessica Caspe is a Senior Staff Attorney in Legal Services, specializing in employment discrimination and workplace rights, health and disability insurance, and medical privacy. She has spent most of her career working on workplace rights issues. Prior to joining Whitman-Walker Legal Services, Jessica worked at Wiggins, Childs, Quinn and Pantazis, a law firm that specializes in representing employees in individual and class-action discrimination cases. She also was an Assistant Counsel at the National Treasury Employees Union, where she advised local chapters and represented them in negotiations and arbitrations, and counseled employees on workplace rights. Jessica received her J.D. in 1998 from Fordham University School of Law, and her B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis in 1995. She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.

MARTA CRUZ
Marta Cruz is a Public Benefits Coordinator. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs with concentrations in Latin American Studies and International Development from George Washington University. Prior to coming to Whitman-Walker Clinic, Marta worked as an intern at the Gates Millennium Scholars Foundation coordinating with scholars and external agencies to obtain scholarship information. She has also worked as a management assistant at the Federal Aviation Administration. There she assisted with diversity and inclusion initiatives targeting U.S. colleges and universities for recruitment. Marta is bilingual in English and Spanish.

ELIZABETH FUNSCH
Elizabeth Funsch is a Public Benefits Coordinator. She is fluent in Spanish and comes to Whitman-Walker with extensive experience in health care, patient advocacy and legal offices. Elizabeth was a volunteer Rural Public Health specialist with the Peace Corps in Ecuador from 2006 until 2008. In Ecuador, she worked on issues of HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, diabetes and human trafficking. Prior to joining the Peace Corps, Elizabeth was a legal assistant at a firm in Augusta, Georgia, for almost three years and was a Patient Representative at University Hospital in Augusta for three years.

ELIZABETH KAPLAN, ESQ.
Liz Kaplan is our newest staff attorney. In the fall of 2009 she was a Berkeley Law School Post-Graduate Fellow with Whitman-Walker Legal Services. She received her law degree in May 2009. In law school Liz achieved a number of distinctions, including serving on the staff of the California Law Review and the Berkeley Journal of Law, Gender & Justice. As a law clerk she worked on HIV legal issues at the East Bay Community Law Center in Berkeley, and also was a law clerk/intern at the U.S. Department of Justice Disability Rights Section and the ABA Commission on Immigration. Prior to starting law school Liz worked as a legislative assistant at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, on the Kerry-Edwards presidential campaign, and as an intern in the office of Congressman Barney Frank. Liz is a member of the Virginia Bar and her admission to the District of Columbia Bar is pending.

SARA KIM KELLER, ESQ.
Sara Kim Keller is a staff attorney. She focuses on public benefits, such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and D.C., Maryland and Virginia benefits programs. Sara received her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law in 2004 and her B.A. from Cornell University. Prior to joining Whitman-Walker Clinic, Sara practiced as an Assistant District Attorney in Tompkins County, New York, where she also served as a member of the Ithaca Community Treatment Court Team. During law school, Sara interned at the Juvenile Division of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas in Cleveland, Ohio. Sara is a member of the District of Columbia and New York Bars, and she is fluent in both English and Korean.

ERIN M. LOUBIER, ESQ.
Erin Loubier is Senior Managing Attorney and Director of Public Benefits. Her areas of expertise include Social Security disability, Medicare, Medicaid, and local D.C., Maryland and Virginia programs. Besides overseeing public benefits enrollment and appeals for all Whitman-Walker clients, Erin personally represents clients in complex cases at all levels of appeal. She also oversees pro bono lawyer and staff training and volunteer resource materials. Erin is active in systemic reform efforts involving Social Security disability, Medicaid, Medicare Part D, D.C.’s Office of Administrative Hearings, and access to healthcare generally. She is a member of the DC Healthcare Ombudsman Program’s Advisory Committee, chairs the DC Bar's Public Benefits Training, and speaks frequently on public benefit issues throughout the metropolitan area. Erin came to Whitman-Walker Clinic in 1998 after receiving her law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law. While in law school she worked for Equal Justice Works (formerly NAPIL) as student organizer and programs coordinator. Erin received her BA in 1992 from Drew University, and has a graduate-level certification in mediation from Syracuse University. She is a member of the District of Columbia and Maryland Bars.

AMY NELSON, ESQ.
Amy Nelson is Supervising Attorney. She oversees the new client intake and case allocation processes, and her practice focuses on a wide variety of legal matters including public benefits, employment, insurance, and immigration matters. Amy also coordinates case management with pro bono volunteers and Legal Services Program staff. Amy comes to Whitman-Walker Clinic Legal Services from private practice where her work focused on criminal defense and civil litigation matters with McDermott, Will & Emery. Amy has volunteered with the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless and Miriam’s Kitchen for many years. She currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for Miriam’s House, a transitional residence for HIV-positive women battling homelessness. Amy is a graduate of Texas A&M University and George Washington University School of Law with honors where she was a member of the International Law Review. She is a member of the District of Columbia and New York Bars.

KATIE NICOL
Katie Nicol is a Public Benefits Coordinator. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Community Health and American Humanics from LSU-Shreveport. Prior to coming to Whitman-Walker, Katie worked as an intern in the development department of NARAL Pro-Choice American. Before that she worked as a Care Coordinator at the NW Louisiana AIDS Resource Center in Shreveport, Louisiana, where she administered all intakes for new clients and coordinated all functions of the food pantry. Katie has also volunteered at the YWCA in Shreveport as a sexual assault advocate and on the sexual assault hot-line and periodically at the Food Bank of NW Louisiana AIDS Resource Center.

ANNA PRIDDY, ESQ.
Anna Priddy is a staff attorney. She represents clients in all areas of practice, including immigration law for HIV-positive and GLBT non-citizens. Anna received her J.D. from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America in 2006. During law school she handled a variety of immigration and asylum cases through internships at Ayuda, Inc. in Washington, D.C., and the Immigration Court in Arlington, Va., and regularly volunteered with Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition’s Detention Project. Since joining Whitman-Walker Anna has remained active in the CAIR Coalition. She is bilingual in English and Spanish. Anna is a member of the District of Columbia and Tennessee Bars.

BECKY REEVE
Becky Reeve is our Intake Coordinator. She is our primary initial point of contact for callers and walk-in clients seeking legal help. Becky works extensively with the staff attorneys to gather the factual information needed to assess new cases. She also works directly with Whitman-Walker medical and mental health providers, and Medical Adherence Case Managers, to help coordinate the care of clients with legal problems and health care needs. In addition, Becky works with the D.C. Bar’s Pro Bono Program and other legal services agencies to ensure effective inter-agency referrals. She came to Whitman-Walker Clinic with prior experience in Massachusetts with the Legal Services Corporation, battered women’s advocacy groups and programs for de-institutionalizing mental health patients.

JOSH RUSSCOL
Josh Russcol is our Public Benefits Manager. The Public Benefits Unit helps clients through the application processes for governmental medical, cash and food assistance programs. Josh oversees the day-to-day operations of that Unit, handles particularly challenging cases, and ensures the effective operation of the Unit and its coordination with other Whitman-Walker services. Josh earned his B.A. in Philosophy, with a minor in Spanish, from the University of Virginia in 2003. Before coming to Whitman-Walker, Josh spent three years serving in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. He has also worked as a technical staff assistant for the Fairfax County Circuit Court, and has been a volunteer interpreter and English teacher at the Arlington Free Clinic and the Shirlington Employment and Education Center. Josh is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Legal Services Volunteer Staff Attorneys

JILL FALOR, ESQ.
Jill Falor, who graduated from Duke Law School in May 2009, has joined us for a year as a White & Case Deferred Associate and Staff Attorney. While at Duke, Jill spent a semester in the law school's highly-regarded AIDS Law Project and a semester in the school's Guantanamo Defense Clinic. She was a summer associate at Baach Robinson & Lewis as well as at White & Case, and at Baach Robinson worked on the defense of detainees held by the U.S. military at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan. Before entering law school Jill was a legal assistant at Covington & Burling for two years. She spent a year in Bologna as an undergraduate and a semester in Milan as a law student and is proficient in Italian. Jill is a member of the New York Bar and her District of Columbia Bar membership is pending.

JO ANN SCOTT, ESQ.
Jo Ann Scott is a volunteer staff attorney concentrating on immigration law. She worked for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Administrative Litigation from 1987 through 2005, specializing in electric rate litigation. From 1977 through 1986 she was in the litigation section of the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Energy, working to enforce oil price control regulations. She received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1977, and a B.S. in chemistry from Stanford University in 1961. Jo Ann is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.

HEATHER WYDRA, ESQ.
Heather Wydra is a volunteer staff attorney who concentrates on employment discrimination, employee benefits and confidentiality issues. Heather spent six years as a trial attorney in the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice. She also spent two years as a litigating attorney at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering in Washington, D.C. Immediately following graduation from law school, Heather completed two federal clerkships, first for the Honorable Thomas C. Platt of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and then for the Honorable Fred I. Parker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Heather graduated from Fordham Law School with honors in 1995, where she was editor-in-chief of the "Fordham Law Review," and Tufts University in 1990. Heather is a member of the District of Columbia and New York Bars.