• Early Registration – March 18 – April 18, 2025: $750 
• Regular Registration – April 19 – May 19, 2025: $850  
• Late Registration – May 20 – June 19, 2025: $950 

Subject to change

Thursday, June 19

11:30 AM – 12:45 PM: Registration, Lunch, and Networking
1:00 PM – 2:15 PM: Opening Plenary
2:30 PM – 3:45 PM: Concurrent Sessions
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Reclaiming Joy: A Juneteenth Celebration

Friday, June 20

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM: Registration, Breakfast, and Networking
9:15 AM – 10:30 AM: Concurrent Sessions
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM: Concurrent Sessions
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Lunch on your own
1:30 PM – 2:45 PM: Concurrent Sessions
3:00 PM – 4:15 PM: Concurrent Sessions
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM: Concurrent Sessions

Saturday, June 21

8:30 AM – 9:15 AM: Breakfast and Networking
9:30 AM – 10:45 AM: Concurrent Sessions
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Closing Plenary – Keynote Speaker, Philip Lewis

Philip Lewis

Deputy Editor at HuffPost

President, Washington Association of Black Journalists

As a deputy editor at HuffPost, Phil Lewis is one of the most prominent digital journalists in the country. In an age where misinformation reigns, hundreds of thousands view Lewis as a “Reliable and Trusted Voice for Black News,” the “Anderson Cooper of Black Twitter,” and is highly regarded as a valued source for breaking news. He reaches millions of people through his own social media platforms. He covered the 2024 presidential campaign, the White House and national issues relating to social justice. His reporting on Vice President Kamala Harris’ policy proposals aimed at Black men sparked heated debate. Lewis plays an integral role in our media’s landscape, which tends to ignore stories impacting the Black community.

Lewis is a highly decorated mid-career journalist. He was named 2023 AAMBC Editor of the Year, his weekly newsletter has won two awards, he won a 2021 National Headliner Award for his reporting on Black voters in South Carolina, and he was a 2017 recipient of the prestigious Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Club. 

Lewis is also heavily involved in his community. He serves as the president of the Washington Association of Black Journalists. He is also past co-coordinator of the Urban Journalism Workshop, where he taught local high school students about the fundamentals of journalism. He travels across the country for speaking engagements on the state of journalism; most recently hosting a panel on disinformation in Sacramento and another in New York City.

Christian Snow

Executive Director at Law For Black Lives

Christian Snow is a long-time resident of Chicago’s west side. Snow obtained her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law. Snow most recently worked at the Illinois Justice Project (“ILJP”) as a program director. There, Snow focused on organizing policy advocates, state leaders, community-based organizations and grassroots organizers to develop and implement a shared state-wide policy agenda and strategic plan to end criminalization and incarceration and to support safe and thriving communities. Prior to ILJP, Snow worked as an Associate Attorney at the People’s Law Office. Snow’s work there focused on assisting with civil rights cases involving police brutality and misconduct. Additionally, Snow was first an adult member, and then the Executive Director of Assata’s Daughters, a Chicago grassroots abolitionist organization.

Session details:

Movement Lawyering Training Intensive (Expanding Your Impact)

This intensive training is designed for Black public defenders—from seasoned advocates to those just entering the field—who are interested in applying movement lawyering practices to their work or deepening their current practice. Traditional legal education teaches us to work within the system—but as Black public defenders, we know the system was never built for us or our communities. Movement lawyering offers an alternative framework. In this training, we will introduce the principles and practice of movement lawyering, its historical roots, and how it differs from traditional legal practice. Participants will engage with scenarios, critical discussions, reflect on our roles as lawyers, and examine ethical considerations.

Lori James 

Executive Director, National Association for Public Defense (NAPD)

Lori earned her master’s Degree in clinical social work (University of Maryland SSW) and her B.A. in Social Work from Morgan State University. Lori has over 25 years of clinical, training, and organizational development experience, which includes program development, program management, collegiate instruction, as well as, leadership and management training. Lori has served as faculty for several universities, and as a member of national and regional leadership, development, communication, and team-building trainings. Lori is also President of Expand-Now, LLC, through this entity she can fulfill her lifelong passion of adding value to others through teaching and learning. She is a part-time Clinical Professor in the Family Studies and Community Development Department at Towson University. Prior to joining the Towson University family, she served as Director of Leadership and Program Development at Maryland Office of Public Defender which has more than 800 employees across the state of Maryland. While in this position, she demonstrated her ability to help others grow in the areas of teamwork, leadership and management. She also led the agency’s social work staff, consultants, and interns. In 2015, The Daily Record Newspaper named her as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women. In addition to working as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she is also an author, and John Maxwell Certified Coach, Facilitator, Teacher, Trainer, and Speaker.

Session details:

Faith & Leadership: Servant Leadership in Public Defense (Elevating Your Leadership)

As Black public defender leaders, you carry a dual burden—fighting for justice within a system designed against our people while also navigating the challenges of leadership as Black professionals in spaces that are often resistant to change. This session on faith, servant leadership, and transformational leadership is about fortifying your purpose, your resilience, and your impact. Utilizing the research of Dr. Myles Munroe, we will explore how as Black leaders, we naturally embody this model and how to utilize it in leadership by being community-driven and to lift as we climb.

Porsha-Shaf’on Venable, Esq.

Deputy Director, The Juror Project

Born, raised and still residing in the Bronx, Porsha-Shaf’on received her J.D. from California Western School of Law and her MSW from New York University School of Social Work. She initially worked at Bronx Defenders as a Forensic Social Worker. During Law school, she then returned to Bronx Defenders as a Law Clerk and after Law school, she was a Staff Attorney in the criminal defense practice, the Adolescent Defense Project and a Team Leader. In 2017, she joined the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem as a Staff Attorney. In October 2017, she returned to the Bronx Defenders for the fourth time in her career. She is currently a Supervising Attorney.

Porsha-Shaf’on has facilitated many conversations and conducted trainings on showing up as your Blackest self in the courtroom, cross examination, jury selection and jury nullification at public defense agencies across the country like the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Black Public Defenders Association, the National Association of Public Defenders, and the National Council (FREEHER).While few people get excited about jury duty, Porsha-Shaf’on believes community members are missing an opportunity: jury duty is not only a unique and give civic right, it’s a quiet but important lever for change in our legal system. More than training on the importance of sitting on a jury, Porsha-Shaf’on is obsessed with making jury nullification the next big thing–a power that all jurors have and should be encouraged to use.

Session details:

Just Juries: Balancing the Scales of the Jury Box (Expanding Your Impact)

In this session, presenters will share strategies for educating communities about the significance of jury service, the benefits of diverse juries, and the concept of jury nullification.

Guy Lang

Director of Youth Partnerships & Community Outreach, Defender Association of Philadelphia

Guy Lang, a dedicated father of three and a proud Temple University graduate with a BA in Criminal Justice, is deeply committed to advocating for and uplifting Black communities. With a career marked by unwavering dedication, Guy is an active member of organizations such as the Black Public Defender Association, National Legal Aid and Defender Association, and the National Association for Public Defense.

His passion for justice and growth led him to become a fellow in the Black Defender Leadership Institute 2.0, currently honing his skills and leadership. Guy also served as the Training Coordinator for the Juvenile Defender Association of Philadelphia, a role appointed directly by the JDAP president, underscoring his commitment to the cause of racial justice.

Expanding his horizons, Guy studied Child Exploitation in Cambodia through Trinity Law School, enriching his global perspective. Beyond borders, his relentless commitment extends to empowering communities and advocating for racial justice.

Currently, Guy serves as the Director of Youth Partnerships and Community Outreach, and Director of the Junior Defender Program at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. His dedication also extends to public speaking engagements, where he shares insights and advocates for positive change.

In these pivotal roles and accomplishments, Guy cultivates strong connections with the communities served by the Defender, fostering collaboration, facilitating resource-sharing, and bridging the gap between Defender clients and comprehensive community support systems. His tireless efforts aim to bring Defender services closer to its clients, nurturing a more inclusive and supportive environment that champions social equity and racial justice.

Session details:

Speaking Truth to Power: Hip-Hop Storytelling’s Role in Justice (Expanding Your Impact)

How do we help judges and prosecutors understand our clients and their stories? We teach them about the culture. Instead of shying away from or attempting to whitewash our clients’ lived experiences, we can use Hip-Hop to tell their stories. Hip-Hop has been attacked in the same way Black bodies have been in the criminal legal system. This presentation teaches the foundations of Hip-Hop and offers strategies for how to frame the injustices our people face in the system with historical and musical context. Hip-Hop is a critique of the system that has found widespread popularity. We must litigate race by teaching Black history and showing how powerful Hip-Hop storytelling can be.

Youth Community Partnerships and Advocacy: Centering the Junior Defender Program (Expanding Your Impact)

The Junior Defender program partners with middle and high school students to co-create culturally responsive, age-appropriate materials that help young clients understand the youth justice system and their court obligations. Designed to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, the program builds a pathway for youth to explore careers in legal advocacy. This session will share lessons from the program’s community partnerships and explore how defenders can engage youth as allies in the fight for justice.

Rev. Jacqueline Newsome, Esq.

Reverend Jacqueline (Jackie) Newsome has made it her life’s mission to faithfully fight for the freedoms of those swept up in the American Criminal Legal System. After earning her Bachelor of Arts in Politics from New York University, Rev. Jackie continued her studies at The University of Chicago Law School, where she served as President of the Black Law Students Association and received many accolades, including the Ann Watson Barber Outstanding Service Award and recognition for being a Chicago Women’s Bar Foundation Scholar. A year after graduating with her Juris Doctor, Rev. Jackie enrolled in Emory University’s Candler School of Theology and further developed her identity as a social justice preacher and minister. Her thesis, Jesus Loves Guilty People: Making The Case for the Black Church to End Mass Incarceration, highlighted her theological perspectives on why the Black Church must abide by abolitionist principles to disrupt the prison industrial complex. Also, as President of the Black Student Caucus and a student member of Candler’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Rev. Jackie worked tirelessly to hold the institution accountable to its stated values on behalf of the student body. Off-campus, Rev. Jackie served as an intern minister at Greater Turner Chapel AME Church in Atlanta, GA, and Mount Zion AME Church in Decatur, GA. 

After completing her studies at Candler in 2019, Rev. Jackie brought her passion, skills, and expertise to Philadelphia to work as an Assistant Public Defender for the Defender Association of Philadelphia until 2024. Her commitment to the church, community, and social justice led her to her current role as Assistant Pastor at the First United Methodist Church of Germantown, where she continues to make a significant impact.

Rev. Jackie is a dedicated member of the Philadelphia Reparations Task Force and the Rise Up for Reparations Committee. In both spaces, she actively contributes to the community’s efforts towards just practices on behalf of the descendants of enslaved Africans. She is also a multi-state bar licensed attorney and continues to consult with the Defender Association of Philadelphia as a volunteer defender. Lastly, she is a highly sought-after preacher and speaker who is always ready to get into good trouble.

Session details:

The Arc of Moral Injury to Personal Agency (Advancing Your Advocacy)

This presentation will equip workshop participants with an understanding of how to encounter clients who have deeper questions about religion, spirituality, and what it all means in the context of the criminal legal system. Participants will learn how to ethically and authentically engage with clients who have spiritual concerns, regardless of their/your understanding of faith. This presentation will also equip workshop participants with an understanding of how to care for themselves while doing work that requires attorneys to navigate systems of oppression that inflict moral injury and devastation. The goal is to help clients and attorneys access their personal agency while also feeling connected to the community in light of the harm that the criminal legal system inflicts.

Speaking Truth to Power: Hip-Hop Storytelling’s Role in Justice (Expanding Your Impact)

How do we help judges and prosecutors understand our clients and their stories? We teach them about the culture. Instead of shying away from or attempting to whitewash our clients’ lived experiences, we can use Hip-Hop to tell their stories. Hip-Hop has been attacked in the same way Black bodies have been in the criminal legal system. This presentation teaches the foundations of Hip-Hop and offers strategies for how to frame the injustices our people face in the system with historical and musical context. Hip-Hop is a critique of the system that has found widespread popularity. We must litigate race by teaching Black history and showing how powerful Hip-Hop storytelling can be.

Youth Community Partnerships and Advocacy: Centering the Junior Defender Program (Expanding Your Impact)

The Junior Defender program partners with middle and high school students to co-create culturally responsive, age-appropriate materials that help young clients understand the youth justice system and their court obligations. Designed to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, the program builds a pathway for youth to explore careers in legal advocacy. This session will share lessons from the program’s community partnerships and explore how defenders can engage youth as allies in the fight for justice.

Christina Tavares

Director of DEI and Social Service Advocate, Defender Association of Philadelphia

Christina Tavares is a dedicated professional currently serving in a dual capacity as Director of DEI and Social Service Advocate at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. With a career spanning over a decade in public service, Christina has demonstrated unwavering commitment to improving the lives of marginalized individuals.

Christina’s journey in advocating for the underprivileged began in 2012 when she joined the Defender Association of Philadelphia. Her work there has been nothing short of transformative, as she tirelessly conducts home, placement, and agency visits to evaluate and address the emotional, social, and educational needs of abused, neglected, and exploited youth. Her tenacity shines through as she navigates complex situations to secure vital resources for these vulnerable individuals.

Before her tenure at the Defender Association of Philadelphia, Christina commenced her career as a Student Advisor for the Philadelphia School District, where she collaborated with a diverse team of interdisciplinary school staff. Together, they assessed a wide spectrum of issues affecting students, ranging from educational and social to cognitive, emotional, and substance abuse concerns. Christina’s dedication to intervention and support during this phase laid the foundation for her impactful career.

In her most recent role as a Director of DEI, Christina spearheads initiatives aimed at fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within her organization. Her commitment to social justice extends beyond the office, as she actively engages with various committees, including DEI Committee, Social Work Practice Committee, Autism in the Courts Committee, and the NAPD’s DEI and Racial Justice+ Committee. Christina more recently joined The Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania team as the Co- Chair Director for their Racial Justice Screening Series.

Christina holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Service with a minor in Psychology, earned from Chestnut Hill College she also completed her certification of Diversity Equity and Inclusion from Cornell University. Beyond her professional endeavors, she exemplifies a strong sense of community engagement, volunteering her time at Expungement Clinics and Restorative Justice Initiatives in collaboration with the DA’s office. Christina is also a familiar face at various community events, where she provides essential resources related to housing, therapy, and substance abuse support.

In summary, Christina Tavares is a tireless advocate for justice, equity, and the welfare of those often overlooked by society. Her diverse experience, coupled with her unwavering dedication, make her a driving force for positive change in her community and beyond.

Session details:

Speaking Truth to Power: Hip-Hop Storytelling’s Role in Justice (Expanding Your Impact)

How do we help judges and prosecutors understand our clients and their stories? We teach them about the culture. Instead of shying away from or attempting to whitewash our clients’ lived experiences, we can use Hip-Hop to tell their stories. Hip-Hop has been attacked in the same way Black bodies have been in the criminal legal system. This presentation teaches the foundations of Hip-Hop and offers strategies for how to frame the injustices our people face in the system with historical and musical context. Hip-Hop is a critique of the system that has found widespread popularity. We must litigate race by teaching Black history and showing how powerful Hip-Hop storytelling can be.

Youth Community Partnerships and Advocacy: Centering the Junior Defender Program (Expanding Your Impact)

The Junior Defender program partners with middle and high school students to co-create culturally responsive, age-appropriate materials that help young clients understand the youth justice system and their court obligations. Designed to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, the program builds a pathway for youth to explore careers in legal advocacy. This session will share lessons from the program’s community partnerships and explore how defenders can engage youth as allies in the fight for justice.

Paige White, Esq. 

Founder, EPW Law PLLC

Paige White is the founder of EPW Law PLLC, a boutique law firm specializing in criminal defense and civil rights litigation. She has dedicated her career to fighting for justice, beginning her legal journey as a public defender with the Neighborhood

Defender Service of Harlem and later the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, where she honed her trial advocacy skills. Paige has represented clients facing severe criminal charges and systemic injustices, using compelling storytelling to shift narratives and achieve groundbreaking results. In addition to her defense work, she serves as Of-Counsel at Ben Crump Law, contributing to high-profile civil rights cases. Her deep expertise in trial storytelling, client-centered advocacy, and systemic reform uniquely positions her to teach defenders how to leverage the power of narrative to drive meaningful change.

Session details:

The Power of Storytelling: Transforming Public Defense Through Narrative Advocacy (Advancing Your Advocacy)

Effective storytelling is one of the most powerful tools available to Black public defenders. In a legal system designed to dehumanize our clients, the ability to craft and present compelling narratives can shift perceptions, influence legal outcomes, and challenge systemic injustices. This workshop will explore how defenders can use storytelling techniques to strengthen client advocacy, enhance trial strategy, and impact policy reform.

Kevann Gardner, Esq.

Founding Partner, K. Gardner Law LLC

Kevann A. Gardner is a seasoned trial attorney with over 11 years of experience representing indigent clients in complex felony and misdemeanor cases. As a former supervising attorney in the Trial Division of the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, he specializes in litigating high-stakes cases, including murder, attempted murder, and first-degree sexual assault. Gardner’s career has spanned roles as an

investigator, law clerk, staff attorney, and hiring committee member, with additional experience as a public defender at the Legal Aid Society in the Bronx. He is a dedicated educator, teaching trial advocacy at Harvard Law School, Cardozo School of Law, and the National Criminal Defense College, while also serving as an adjunct professor at American University Washington College of Law.

Session details:

The Power of Storytelling: Transforming Public Defense Through Narrative Advocacy (Advancing Your Advocacy)

Effective storytelling is one of the most powerful tools available to Black public defenders. In a legal system designed to dehumanize our clients, the ability to craft and present compelling narratives can shift perceptions, influence legal outcomes, and challenge systemic injustices. This workshop will explore how defenders can use storytelling techniques to strengthen client advocacy, enhance trial strategy, and impact policy reform.

Kelli Howard

Deputy Director, Montgomery County Public Defender Office (Ohio)

Kelli graduated from Wright State University with a B.A. in Political Science and holds a J.D. from the University of Dayton School of Law. She has practiced as an assistant public defender for over 20 years and is currently the Deputy Director of Montgomery County Public Defender Office. She completed leadership training through the Black Defender Leadership Institute (BDLI) 2.0 and Culture Learning Partners (CLP) Executive Training Program.

In addition to her career as a Public Defender, Kelli taught for ten years as an adjunct instructor at Sinclair Community College, Central State University, and Union Institute and University. She taught courses on Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Business Law, and American Federal Government.

Her professional affiliations include membership with the National Association of Public Defense, the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, the Black Public Defender Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Ohio State Bar Association, and the Dayton Bar Association. Kelli is licensed to practice in the State of Ohio and in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

Kelli proudly serves on the Advisory Board of Montgomery County Juvenile Court Specialty Docket – Family Treatment Court, Dayton Bar Association Grievance Committee, Dayton Bar Association Bar Exam & Qualifications Committee, the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Associate Board and the Project One Hope Community Dinner Committee at St. Peter Catholic Church.

Kelli has previously served on Ohio Supreme Court’s Task Force on Technology and the OSBA Indigent Defense Task Force, HB 150 Task Force on Ohio’s Indigent Defense System, the National Association of Public Defense Racial Justice Committee.

Session details:

Add Diversity and Stir – A Recipe for Disaster (Elevating Your Leadership)

This session explores the premise that hiring a diverse workforce without implementing foundational organizational change can render diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts ineffective—and, in some cases, harmful. Presenters will share data on the impact of DEI initiatives over the last 25 years, reflect on the real experiences of underrepresented individuals in these environments, and offer practical strategies for individual resilience and leadership accountability.

Julia Mauk

Director of Administrative Services, Montgomery County Public Defender Office (Ohio)

Julia Mauk serves as the Director of Administrative Services with the Montgomery County Public Defender’s Office in Dayton, Ohio. Julia has spent the majority of her 15 year legal career at the Montgomery County Public Defender’s Office. Prior to that, she was an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellow at Legal Aid of Western Ohio.

During her time with the Montgomery County Public Defender, Julia practiced in both the felony and misdemeanor divisions, handling cases at all points from arraignment through jury trial. In addition to being a trial attorney, she was the Misdemeanor Division Manager for 6 years. Now, as the Director of Administrative Services, Julia oversees investigations, administrative support, and annual budgetary submissions, in addition to her work in the courtroom. In her free time, she enjoys giving back to the community she calls home. She has served on boards for the Dayton Ballet Barre, the House of Bread, and the Dayton Bar Association. Currently, she serves on the Boonshoft Associate Board and the Dayton Bar Association Grievance Committee, and she is the board secretary for Rainbow Elder Care.

Session details:

Add Diversity and Stir – A Recipe for Disaster (Elevating Your Leadership)

This session explores the premise that hiring a diverse workforce without implementing foundational organizational change can render diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts ineffective—and, in some cases, harmful. Presenters will share data on the impact of DEI initiatives over the last 25 years, reflect on the real experiences of underrepresented individuals in these environments, and offer practical strategies for individual resilience and leadership accountability.

Quiana Harris

Supervising Trial Attorney, D.C. Public Defender Service

Quiana Harris is a Supervising Trial Attorney at the D.C. Public Defender Service. Quiana is a native of Rich Square, North Carolina, where her passion for public defense was fostered at a young age. She attended Winston-Salem State University and was taught and mentored by founding members of the Black Panther Party. Quiana has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a concentration in Public Administration, and is a graduate of Howard University School of Law (HUSL). 

At HUSL, Quiana was a member of Howard Law Journal, where she authored a published “A Plea to Federal Judges: Combatting Prosecutorial Misconduct in the Cliven Bundy Era,” which was awarded the “Law360

Distinguished Legal Writing Award,” at the Burton Awards. As a law student, Quiana clerked at the Federal Public Defenders Office, United States District Court of Maryland, and the Washington Lawyers' Committee with the Prisoners’ Rights Team. Following HUSL, Quiana joined the faculty of Georgetown University Law Center as an E. Barret Prettyman Fellow in the Juvenile Justice Clinic where she represented children accused of crimes in the District and supervised third year law students in Georgetown’s Juvenile Justice Clinic.

Session details:

Best I Ever Had!: Building Effective Relationships with Clients Facing Criminal Charges (Advancing Your Advocacy)

This session aims to discuss prevalent challenges and issues in building effective relationships with our clients as Black defenders. Attorneys participating in this session will workshop difficult client conversations, potential ethical issues that arise during representation, while learning to utilize client relationships to improve trial strategy, investigation, and attorney reputation among future and prospective clients.

JoEllyn L. Jones, Esq.

Founder, The Law Office of JoEllyn L. Jones LLC

JoEllyn L. Jones Esq.is a mother, daughter, sister, friend, and defense attorney. She is a graduate of Rowan University and Widener Law School. She recently received her Master’s in Restorative Justice from Vermont Law and Graduate School. She works for Seton Hall Center for Social Justice where she oversees the Reentry and Criminal Legal Education Project. In addition to running her law firm, The Law Office of JoEllyn L. Jones LLC. In her spare time, she sits on a variety of boards, volunteers, vacations and spends time with her loved ones trying to spread love, light and positivity in the world. JoEllyn is a cancer survivor.

Session details:

Bearing the Weight: Vicarious Trauma and Resilience for Black Women in Criminal Defense (Advancing Your Advocacy)

This session will explore the unique ways vicarious trauma shows up for Black women working in criminal defense and public defender offices. Together, we’ll examine how this trauma can manifest and offer practical tools and strategies for navigating its impact.

Leslie McNair Jackson, Esq.

Criminal Trial Attorney

Leslie McNair Jackson is a wife, mother and daughter. Criminal trial attorney with 20 years of experience. Proactive litigator with a demonstrated ability to think outside the box and attack issues from angles unanticipated by adversaries. Adept at trial preparation. Develops themes for trial and then uses those themes to structure the story of each trial. Dedicated to aggressive pretrial litigation that results in dismissals or the least severe outcomes for clients. Managing attorney for almost 6 years. Has served as trainer and/or faculty at trial skills programs in many states. Uses lightsabers at trainings…sometimes. Leslie is a cancer survivor.

Session details:

Bearing the Weight: Vicarious Trauma and Resilience for Black Women in Criminal Defense (Advancing Your Advocacy)

This session will explore the unique ways vicarious trauma shows up for Black women working in criminal defense and public defender offices. Together, we’ll examine how this trauma can manifest and offer practical tools and strategies for navigating its impact.

Byron Conway

Executive Director, Federal Defenders Program for the Middle District of Georgia

Byron L. Conway Jr. is the Executive Director for the Federal Defenders program for the Middle District of Georgia. Prior to his current position, he was the Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion for the Office of Respondent Parent Counsel in Denver, CO and was also a trial attorney with the Federal Defender Program, Inc. in Atlanta, GA.

Byron started his legal career as a staff attorney in the trial division of the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, where he tried complex felonies before the D.C. Superior Court. Byron is a proud alumnus of the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, and Boston University School of Law.

Session details:

Cultural Humility and Culturally Responsive Leadership (Elevating Your Leadership)

This session will delve into the differences between cultural competency and cultural humility. The conversation will be centered around why leaders should be striving for cultural humility and not solely cultural competence. Topics to be explored include what culturally responsive leadership looks like and why leaders must be courageous enough (when warranted) to be co-conspirators rather than just allies to their staff.

Vickie Mwitanti

Trial Attorney, New York County Defender Services

Vickie Mwitanti is a sixth-year trial attorney at New York County Defender Services where she has had the privilege of representing folks accused of crimes in Manhattan. She is a past Black Defender Leadership Institute Fellow as well as co-chair for NYCDS’ Racial Justice Data Committee who focus their efforts towards using Data to strengthen race-conscious advocacy. She is a Suffolk University Law School graduate and spent most of her time in Boston as an advocate and community educator for fair housing. Although she is a lawyer by trade, she has always been a public servant by calling and her motivations are rooted in combatting race-based social justice issues.

Session details:

Professional Growth in a Politically Challenging Environment (Elevating Your Leadership)

Navigating a turbulent political landscape, including the impending changes and/or elimination of DEI initiatives in organizations around the country, can leave you feeling drained and uncertain. This session will equip you with practical strategies to help you continue to thrive personally and professionally, even in the face of these challenges. We’ll also explore the power of collective action as we build coalitions and work toward positive change within our offices and our communities.

La Mer Kyle-Griffiths

Training Division Chief, LA County Public Defender’s Office

La Mer Kyle-Griffiths brings extensive experience and dedication as a lifelong public defender across multiple states, including Kentucky, Massachusetts, Washington, Oklahoma, and California. Her journey began in Kentucky, where she tackled complex cases within the Capital Defense Unit, including several death penalty litigations, and argued cases before the Kentucky Supreme Court. Transitioning to Massachusetts, La Mer continued her impactful advocacy across juvenile, capital, felony, and misdemeanor cases. Her career expanded further in Seattle, where she led training initiatives for over 400 public defense team members, emphasizing the critical need for addressing implicit bias in legal practice. She became certified to teach and facilitate discussions on equity and inclusion, recognizing their vital role in defense strategies. Prior to her current role as Training Division Chief at the LA County Public Defender’s Office, La Mer was an Assistant Public Defender with the Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office. She also served as the Director of Training and Complex Litigation at Still She Rises in Tulsa. There, she focused on representing women caregivers, a demographic suffering from the highest female incarceration rate in the nation. Her work included strategic planning, performance reviews, and developing training programs that integrated a racial and gender lens into litigation strategies. La Mer’s influence extends nationally through her teaching engagements at institutions like the Darrow Baldus Death Penalty College, the National Criminal Defense College, and Harvard Law School’s Trial Advocacy Workshop. She is actively involved in leadership positions, including as the newly elected secretary of the Executive Board of NAPD and serving on the Board of the National Criminal Defense College. Her commitment to advocacy and education is underscored by her roles with CPDA, NLADA, NAPD, and BPDA, where she trains on topics ranging from capital litigation to leadership and equity. A graduate of the University of Dayton School of Law, La Mer continues to shape the future of criminal defense, balancing her professional pursuits with family life alongside her husband, a fellow capital defender, and their children. Her eldest daughter attends UCLA, while her twin daughters are learning the ropes of the legal world early, echoing their mother’s passion with their own spirited cries of “Acquittal.”

Session details:

That Dreaded Conversation and Feeling Good About It! (Elevating Your Leadership)

In this session, participants will learn how to prepare themselves for various types of challenging conversations. They will also learn how to handle some typical resistance and how to take care of themselves in the process. This will be an interactive session with time for questions and some practice.

Stanford Hickman

Supervising Trial Attorney, New York County Defender Services 

Stanford Hickman is a criminal defense attorney currently based in New York City. A Howard University School of Law Graduate, he began his career as a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society in Queens New York and progressed to senior trial attorney with New York County Defender Services, (NYCDS). During his tenure as a senior trial attorney with NYCDS, Hickman has litigated numerous cases including homicides, armed robberies, and a high-profile celebrity stalking case. Hickman, along with trial work, is currently a supervisor with NYCDS overseeing and mentoring a team of attorneys as they develop in their career. 

Additionally, he is involved in an initiative to formulate new policy and expand in-house training, toward combating implicit bias and advancing racial justice. Hickman also participates in numerous training programs around the country, he has served as a faculty member for Nash /York trial training, Department of Public Advocacy in Faubush, Kentucky and Office of the Alternative Defender in Denver, Colorado and Office of the Public Defender in Trenton, New Jersey. Locally, he serves as an adjunct professor with Seton Hall School of Law for their intersession trial advocacy program. Hickman is also a graduate of the inaugural class of the New York Black Defender Leadership Institute, (BDLI), which is sponsored by the Black Public Defender Association, and now serves on the faculty for BDLI.

Session details:

Professional Growth in a Politically Challenging Environment (Elevating Your Leadership)

Navigating a turbulent political landscape, including the impending changes and/or elimination of DEI initiatives in organizations around the country, can leave you feeling drained and uncertain. This session will equip you with practical strategies to help you continue to thrive personally and professionally, even in the face of these challenges. We’ll also explore the power of collective action as we build coalitions and work toward positive change within our offices and our communities.

Guisela Marroquín

Executive Partner, Pretrial Justice Institute (PJI)

At the forefront of Guisela’s identity are her Latine roots as an immigrant from Guatemala. From a young age, she became a natural advocate as a result of the adversities she and her family encountered. Her culture and the traditions her family maintained instilled in her a strong sense of community and taught her about the resilient spirit and creativity of those viewed and treated as “others” within society. Guisela’s educational journey was also marked with adversity as she navigated being first generation and moving away from family for the first time. However, it allowed her to witness different settings and models which helped her gain a deeper understanding of systems and how different disciplines and sectors intersect and impact one another in support of, or to the detriment of, social justice.

The path less traveled led Guisela to community organizing as a means of empowerment and transformative change. She has many years of experience in the non-profit sector, serving in roles as a direct service provider, advocate and crisis manager, and pursuing legislative advocacy and litigation efforts at the New York Civil Liberties Union. She served as Director of Training and Engagement at the Advocacy Institute, developing and presenting curriculum for advocates and organizers, strengthening a network of experts to push legislative changes through bilingual tools and training spaces across New York State. Guisela has worked on campaigns that address education, immigrant justice, criminal justice, police accountability and reproductive justice—in particular the intersectionality of all these issues.

Guisela’s engagement with philanthropy began as a founding member of the Hudson Valley Community Funding Committee at North Star Fund, which she served on for seven years. She then joined the New York Women’s Foundation as a Program Officer and moved up to the role of Senior Director of Programs at the New York Women’s Foundation, overseeing grantmaking and community engagement efforts across the Foundation’s investment strategies. Guisela’s role included the oversight of the Foundation’s two collaborative funds, the Justice Fund and the NYC Fund for Girls and Young Women of Color, both seven-year initiatives in partnership with other funders to maximize investments in the criminal justice space and investments to girls, young women, and gender-expansive youth with a racial justice lens. In 2020, Guisela joined the Board of the Pretrial Justice Institute and served as Board Chair from 2022 to 2024, when she joined the staff as Executive Director.

Guisela has a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Sciences and a Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in Community Organizing, Planning and Development. She lives in New York State with her husband and their dog child, Harlee, for Harlem, a birthplace for renaissance and artistry.

Session details:

Liberation Through Resources: Building Grassroots Power for Defender Movements (Expanding Your Impact)

Too often, grassroots movements for justice are underfunded and overburdened. This training will equip defenders and community-based advocates with the tools to access and distribute resources equitably. Through hands-on exercises and real-world case studies, participants will leave with a concrete plan for growing financial sustainability, building coalitions, developing partnership strategies, and better understanding communities while keeping racial justice at the core.

Bethany Bonsu
Assistant Public Defender, Prince Georges County

Bethany Bonsu is a zealous public defender who has been practicing criminal defense for four years. Ms. Bonsu started her legal career at the New York County Defender Services, where she represented hundreds of adults facing misdemeanor charges in Manhattan. She has since been a public defender in D.C. at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, where she represented juveniles faced with the most serious felonies and now Prince George’s County, Maryland, representing adults charged with felonies.

Ms. Bonsu is also the 2024 recipient of the New Leaders in Advocacy Award presented by the National Legal Aid and Defender Association. Prior to her time as a public defender, Ms. Bonsu was a law clerk at various national civil rights offices such as the ACLU, DOJ, and NAACP Legal Defense Fund, to name a few. It was her time at those offices and her time at the New York County Defender Services, where Ms. Bonsu was taught how to incorporate race into legal arguments. Since becoming a public defender, Ms. Bonsu has incorporated race into nearly every aspect of her client’s criminal cases. Challenging issues such as police bias, excessive force, racial profiling, and predatory police practices during interrogations. Ms. Bonsu received her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center and her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University.

Session details:

Litigating Racism: Incorporating Race into Legal Arguments (Advancing Your Advocacy)

This session educates participants on the intersection of race and the criminal legal system. Advocates will be given the historical context of racialized oppression in the American criminal legal system. Understanding the historical context of racism will frame the lens through which each participant should analyze each phase of the criminal legal process and each actor in the criminal legal system (i.e., prosecutor, police, probation officer). Participants will learn how they can make arguments that incorporate race in their bail review hearings, suppression hearings, and trials.

Dr. Kevin Beckford

Senior Associate, Partnerships & Engagement, Pretrial Justice Institute (PJI)

As the Senior Associate for Partnerships at PJI, Kevin supports efforts that extend the voice and influence of PJI across system stakeholders, community groups, and the public. Kevin brings extensive experience in partnership engagement and strategy, having worked within the nonprofit and educational sectors for over ten years.

Before joining PJI, Kevin co-founded The Hustlers Guild, a nonprofit that uses hip-hop to expand access and opportunity for Black and Latinx youth from low-income households. This work involved partnerships with violence prevention organizations, detention centers, celebrities, pro-athletes, and Fortune 500 companies. Kevin continues to serve as a board member and takes pride in The Hustlers Guild’s signature campaign, Don’t Shoot Guns Shoot Cameras, which has garnered tremendous youth involvement and support in the Washington, D.C., area.

Kevin previously served as an advisor to Secretary Julian Castro at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a Portfolio Lead within the White House Presidential Correspondence Office, and as a high school and middle school history teacher in Philadelphia.

Kevin graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in African-American Studies and Political Science, earned a Master of Philosophy in African Studies from the University of Cambridge, obtained a Master of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, and completed a doctoral degree in Education Policy and Leadership from Vanderbilt University.

Session details:

Litigating Racism: Incorporating Race into Legal Arguments (Advancing Your Advocacy)

This session educates participants on the intersection of race and the criminal legal system. Advocates will be given the historical context of racialized oppression in the American criminal legal system. Understanding the historical context of racism will frame the lens through which each participant should analyze each phase of the criminal legal process and each actor in the criminal legal system (i.e., prosecutor, police, probation officer). Participants will learn how they can make arguments that incorporate race in their bail review hearings, suppression hearings, and trials.

Rashida Edmondson

Chief of the Parole Division, Public Defender Service for DC 

Rashida Edmondson is the Chief of the Parole Division at the Public Defender Service of DC, where she has represented indigent clients at parole and supervised release revocation hearings for more than 15 years. She has also served as the parole division’s systemic challenge advocate/litigator, focusing on policy and legal and procedural issues affecting returning citizens under supervised release and parole supervision as well as the dedicated defense attorney in the D.C. Superior Court Drug Court Program.  Before coming to PDS she had prior experience advocating for, assisting, and aiding in training and resource development for juvenile indigent defense attorneys, nationwide as well as working on compassionate release cases and campaigns to improve medical care in prisons and to move toward a world without prisons.  In the Fall of 2025, Rashida will join the faculty of the Howard University School of Law as Director of the Reentry Clinic. Born and raised in D.C. and PG County, Rashida holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School and is dedicated to supporting and lifting the voices of the community that are at risk of being silenced and ignored.  In addition to her legal career, Rashida is also a RYT 500 certified yoga teacher and Reiki II healer.  She has also earned certification as a level one qualified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher from Brown University.  Rashida is dedicated to expanding access to these traditional wellness practices to under resourced and racialized communities.

Session details:

Mindfulness Meditation Minutes (Advancing Your Advocacy)

Each day of the conference will include a 45–60-minute session offering participants the opportunity to engage in guided mindfulness exercises, journaling, and group reflection.

Nikkita Oliver, Esq, M. Ed.

Research, Education, and Training Director, Law for Black Lives

Nikkita Oliver, Esq., M. Ed. (they/them) is currently the Research, Education, and Training (RET) Director at Law for Black Lives, where they lead the RET Department in developing rigorous and innovative research and curriculum for the L4BL and their partners. 

They joined the faculty of Seattle University Law School as an adjunct professor in 2021, teaching a course on the historical and legal underpinnings of abolition and restorative justice. In the spring of 2025, they joined the Seattle University Law School Faculty as a visiting professor to launch the law school’s new “Transforming Public Safety” Clinic.

They are also the former executive director and co-founder of Creative Justice, an arts-based healing engaged space for youth and young adults impacted by the school-to-prison pipeline and other carceral institutions. They currently serve as a steering committee member with House Our Neighbors. They are formerly a movement lawyer with the Lavender Rights Project and a Lawyer-in-Residence with the Movement Law Lab.

Session details:

Movement Lawyering Training Intensive (Expanding Your Impact)

This intensive training is designed for Black public defenders—from seasoned advocates to those just entering the field—who are interested in applying movement lawyering practices to their work or deepening their current practice. Traditional legal education teaches us to work within the system—but as Black public defenders, we know the system was never built for us or our communities. Movement lawyering offers an alternative framework. In this training, we will introduce the principles and practice of movement lawyering, its historical roots, and how it differs from traditional legal practice. Participants will engage with scenarios, critical discussions, reflect on our roles as lawyers, and examine ethical considerations.

Olinda Moyd

Distinguished Professor in Residence and Director of the Decarceration and Re-Entry Clinic, American University Washington College of Law

Olinda Moyd is a Distinguished Professor in Residence and Director of the Re-Entry Clinic. She was previously an Adjunct Professor and Supervising Attorney for the Re-Entry Clinic at the Howard University, School of Law. Prior to joining the Howard Law faculty, Professor Moyd was Chief Attorney of the Parole Division at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, where she was employed for three decades.

During her tenure, Professor Moyd provided direct representation to numerous individuals, both at administrative hearings and at proceedings in D.C. Superior Court and the United States District Court. As Division Chief, she supervised staff, including a team of attorneys, legal assistants, investigators and numerous law clerks. In addition, she oversaw the summer law clerk program and conducted skills training seminars for the CJA Bar, the DC Bar Association, the judiciary and local law firms.

Professor Moyd has a passion for expanding legal education through clinical pedagogy, especially focused on prisoner’s rights, parole and reentry challenges. For many years she trained and supervised clinical students enrolled in the Georgetown University Law Center, Criminal Justice Clinic as they represented parole clients and as they taught men and women serving life sentences through the Legal Research and Writing class in Jessup. Professor Moyd also coordinated PDS Parole Division’s partnership with Howard University Law School, Criminal Justice Clinic and she was a Visiting Clinic Professor at the University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law teaching the Prisoner’s Rights and Advocacy Clinic.

Professor Moyd serves on the Law Clinic Kuje Prison Advisory Committee with several other law school clinicians. This professional clinical advisory team provides mentorship and guidance to the Law Clinic Partnership. Through service on this committee, she has trained law students and clinicians at three law schools in Abuja, Nigeria as they provide legal aid services to detainees awaiting trial at Kuje Prison. In October 2019, she conducted a two-day training titled, Investigation 101 for over one hundred Nigerian law students from the Baze, Nile and University of Abuja law schools. She continues to serve on this advisory committee mentoring Nigerian legal fellows, facilitating the Student Peer Exchange Project and coordinating other exchange opportunities.

She currently serves on several boards including the D.C. Council for Court Excellence, The Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform and Panacea Media Humanized, a media format to build spaces for constructive dialogue to showcase humane solutions.

Session details:

Decarceration: By Any Means Necessary (Advancing Your Advocacy)

What does it look like to center freedom as the goal of public defense? This session will explore creative legal strategies and bold advocacy aimed at challenging incarceration and securing release for individuals in custody. 

University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law

4340 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008