Katherine the value of empowerment and advocacy. She completed her undergraduate work at the University of Maine at Farmington where she studied special education. She later earned a Masters of Education and a Masters of Public Policy. Ms. Baldwin previously worked doing case management and as an IDD director in North Carolina. Katherine has devoted her career to advocacy and empowering outcomes for all persons in the mental health system. In working with families, she strives to educate them on the processes and systems at work to allow for self-empowerment for both guardians and the consumer of services. Katherine has been active in the Cumberland Provider Advisory Council and the Consumer and Family Advisory Committee.
Ms. Baldwin was named Rehabilitation Partner of the Year in 2010 by Service Source. Katherine’s focus at the Disability Law Center is as an Investigator for the Representative Payee Program. In her free time Katherine is a proud Army wife and mother, she enjoys playing volleyball, scrapbooking and reading.
Laura joined DLC in August 2019. She is originally from the Andersonville neighborhood on Chicago’s north side. She is a Cubs and a Bears fan, but will root for the Red Sox and Patriots if they are not playing her home teams. Her work with people with disabilities began when she worked as an inclusion companion at a summer camp outside of Chicago.
Ms. Best graduated from Boston University in May 2019 where she received a BA in Psychology and Political Science. While at BU, she studied abroad in Brussels, Belgium interning at a non-profit that assisted in refugee resettlement. She also completed an internship at Senator Edward Markey’s office in Boston where she wrote a legislative brief on migrants with mental illnesses, focusing on PTSD and other trauma related disabilities.
Rich joined DLC in 1988 as Business Manager. He was responsible for computerizing all of the agency’s legal and administrative functions. Today, Rich administers our computer networks, manages our web sites and social media outlets, and provides technical assistance to staff. Most recently, Rich developed our mobile web app and turned our local access cable TV show into a video podcast. He has a special interest in assistive technologies and how they can help people with disabilities. Rich is also responsible for all of the accounting and financial functions of the agency, as well as human resources and other general management functions. He has overseen the growth of our annual budget from $600K to $3 million. He especially enjoys developing budget strategies to help maximize our limited resources.
April joined DLC in 2022. She grew up in Arkansas; completed her MSc in Equality Studies at the University College Dublin, Ireland where she focused on the oppressions faced by adults in long-term mental health programming; and earned status as PhD Candidate (all but dissertation) at UMass Boston’s School for Global Inclusion and Social Development where she focused on human rights for adults in long-term mental health programming. In 2017, April contributed to the development of the World Health Organization's QualityRights global training series for human rights in mental health services.
April comes to DLC with her own lived experience navigating the mental health system and has previously served in Human Rights Coordinator and Peer Support Coordinator roles at Boston area mental health providers.
April is an artist and several of her public art pieces can be seen on display around the Greater Boston Area. She has a senior cat named Tomato and a corgi called Aloo (which means “Potato” in Hindi—her husband’s native language).
Alison joined DLC in 2021 as a Civil Legal Aid for Victims of Crime Staff Attorney. Prior to joining DLC, Alison was an Associate Attorney for a general practice law firm that handled both family law and criminal matters. She later joined Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing as a Human Services Coordinator where she advocated for communication access for her Deaf and hard of hearing clients in a variety of settings, including prisons, homeless shelters, housing authorities, medical providers and legal services.
Alison is a 1994 graduate of the University of Vermont with a B.S in Communication Science Disorders. She received her J.D from Northeastern University School of Law in 2001.
Alison is Deaf herself and is fluent in ASL.
Jordan joined the DLC staff as a Disability Rights Advocate in 2022. He previously worked as a Peer Specialist and Human Rights Officer with different community mental health agencies in the Boston area, providing individual and group supports while advocating for the rights and preferences of people receiving services. He also served as Program Coordinator for The Living Room, a peer-run crisis alternative to emergency department visits and hospitalization. Jordan is a graduate of Oberlin College and holds an MA in Medical Anthropology from Southern Methodist University.
Rizwanul (“Riz”) joined DLC as a staff attorney in 2021. Prior to joining, he was a solo practitioner who advocated for employees and immigrants. He was a member of CPCS’ Children and Family Law trial and appellate panels and was a Bar Advocate on criminal cases for Suffolk Lawyers for Justice. He has represented clients in the Appeals Court, Superior Court, Boston Municipal Court, Juvenile Court, USCIS, and MCAD. He earned an M.B.A., and was a successful financial professional in his previous career. He transitioned to becoming an attorney to protect the civil rights of the marginalized population.
Barbara has been a leading advocate at the intersection between politics, law, health care and policy for twenty-five years. She served as both a State Representative and State Senator in the Massachusetts Legislature, focusing on the rights and needs of people with disabilities, seniors, people who are economically disadvantaged and the LGBTQ community. Her advocacy concerning Autism built the service delivery system for educational, social-emotional, and medical support and included establishing and chairing the first Autism Commission and passing comprehensive mandated medical insurance coverage. Barbara also chaired the Elder Affairs Committee, fought for community-based services and passed model legislation to address Alzheimer’s care as well as Consumer Protection laws and dyslexia screening. She is proud of her votes for Universal Healthcare and Equal Marriage. Barbara gave up her State Senate seat to run for Congress in 2018 as a Mom on a Mission to fight for Medicare for All. She has been a Government Affairs Director for the Massachusetts State Treasurer and The Arc of Massachusetts. In recent years, she operated a small lobbying firm that facilitated a partnership with the state to achieve an increase in the community-based elder healthcare workforce through the expansion of an employment training program.
During the pandemic, Barbara served for six months as a Supervisor on the Massachusetts Community Tracing Collaborative and as Senior Government Affairs Advisor for Partners in Health. In the latter position, she focused on partnering with other organizations on an equitable COVID-19 response. Barbara is committed to working to address the systemic inequities that COVID-19 has exacerbated – in health care, employment, housing, education and opportunities for civic engagement – grounded in structural racism as well as discrimination based on disability and socioeconomic status.
“I am honored to join the Disability Law Center in continuing to fulfill their mission,” Barbara remarks. “Working in concert with DLC’s dedicated Board and talented Staff, I look forward to building upon the existing coalition work, advocacy efforts, public profile and financial resources of the organization.”
Nina Loewenstein comes to DLC after nearly twenty years as an attorney at Disability Rights New York, New York’s protection and advocacy system. Most recently, she was a supervising attorney in New York’s PAIMI program. Nina led statewide litigation for the New York P&A challenging the solitary confinement of prisoners with mental illness and the inadequacy of mental health treatment. This litigation led to a statewide settlement whose protections were ultimately enacted into state law. She also worked extensively on Olmstead litigation and advocacy for individuals with serious mental illness in adult homes and nursing homes, and is actively involved with advocacy on long-term care reform in New York. Nina is pleased to be working with DLC this year to develop reports and assist with other systemic advocacy. Nina graduated from Wesleyan University and New York University School of Law and earned a Master’s in Public Health from Boston University.
John Lundborn joined DLC as a Representative Payee Investigator in 2019.John has well over twenty-five years of police and public safety experience. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law Enforcement and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. He is also a graduate of the FBI LEEDA Program and a graduate of the New England Law Enforcement Executive Development Class at Babson College, and a graduate of the UMASS Boston addiction counseling program.
Since 1987, he has held various responsibilities and assignments. John has also held positions as a transition coordinator and director at a not for profit advocacy organization that serve people with disabilities. He was responsible for obtaining and managing grants, programs, services and human resources for the organization.
As a tireless advocate, he has helped hundreds of people with disabilities and addictions in their recovery efforts, and has helped them transition to more independence through positive and progressive change.
Kinga joined the DLC in 2022. Previously she worked as an Educational Specialist at DESE, Special Education Coordinator/Teacher in Western New York state, and Residential Services Counselor in WNY. Kinga has a B.A. in Psychology, an M.S. in Educational Computing, an M.S. Ed in Special Education, and an Advance Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership. In her professional role she ensured that all people with disabilities had an equal access to needed programs, services, and opportunities in the educational settings as well as in the community.
Immediately following law school, Tatum completed a clerkship with the Massachusetts Superior Court and, thereafter, spent three years as a Public Defender with the Committee for Public Counsel Services representing indigent clients charged with crimes in Massachusetts District and Superior Courts. She has represented indigent criminal defendants in appellate proceedings as well. Tatum is a graduate of Colgate University and Boston College Law School and is admitted to the bars of Massachusetts, New York, the First Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Josiah joined DLC in September of 2021. Originally from Rochester, NH, Josiah earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Salem State University in 1998. He went on to earn his Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Business Management from Suffolk University in 2007.
Josiah has nearly 25 years of advocacy and social service experience. Josiah worked at the Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project in Boston, the Southern New Hampshire HIV/AIDS Task Force in Nashua, and most recently he was an adult foster care case manager at The Arc of Opportunity in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.. Josiah brings 8 years of case management and Rep. Payee experience supporting individuals and their families on funds management plans and advocating for their rights for financial literacy and independence.
Hillary Dunn Stanisz is a Senior Attorney at the Disability Law Center where she focuses on advocating for appropriate community supports and services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and special education matters. She also monitors program sites and conducts abuse and neglect investigations under the Disability Law Center’s authority as the Commonwealth’s Protection and Advocacy system. Hillary is regularly involved in legislative and policy advocacy regarding disability issues and has trained people with disabilities, families and professionals in various areas of disability law. In addition to her work at the Disability Law Center, Hillary previously worked in the Special Needs and Elder Law Practice Group at a Massachusetts law firm where she practiced in the areas of special education, guardianship issues, and advocacy with adult human service agencies. Following law school, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Debra C. Freeman of the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Hillary is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law and Tufts University.
Matt joined DLC in 2020. He previously worked at the protection and advocacy agency for people with disabilities in New York, where he focused on housing, employment, and mental health treatment issues. Matt also worked for a number of years at the Boston Housing Authority on fair housing issues, civil rights investigations, and policy compliance. He has also worked in legal services, medical-legal partnerships, and legal editing. Matt is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School.
Caitlin joined DLC in late 2021 as the Administrative Assistant. Previously she worked at GLAD - GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders as the Public Affairs Assistant for over 3 years, where she provided administrative support to the Public Affairs department and managed reception. During Covid-19, GLAD worked remotely and Caitlin transcribed voicemails for the info-line.
Caitlin has a BA Degree in English and has completed the Successful Grant Writing, from A to Z course at UMass Boston. Born and raised in Boston, she is a fan of science fiction and enjoys writing.
Justin joined DLC in 2022. Prior to joining DLC, Justin worked for the Committee for Public Counsel Services where he represented indigent clients in both criminal and mental health proceedings. He also clerked for the New Hampshire Superior Court. Justin is a graduate of Boston College Law School and Brandeis University.