Staff

Dennis D. Parker Executive Director

Dennis D. Parker is the executive director of the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (“NCLEJ”). Dennis joined NCLEJ in January 2019. Prior to joining NCLEJ, Dennis served as the director of the Racial Justice Program of…

Saima Akhtar Senior Attorney

Saima Akhtar joined NCLEJ in 2020 as a senior attorney with a focus on SNAP and Public Benefits, following 12 years at the Empire Justice Center. Saima has litigated matters related to accessing entitlement benefits and procedural due…

Greg Bass Senior Attorney

Greg Bass is a Senior Attorney with NCLEJ, engaging in civil rights advocacy and specializing in issues affecting persons with disabilities, including the systemic failure of government agencies to afford meaningful access to public assistance. Prior to joining the Center, Greg worked…

Katie Deabler Staff Attorney

Katie joined NCLEJ as a Post-Graduate Fellow in September 2015. While in law school, Katie’s work and studies focused primarily on women’s rights, including participating in the inaugural class of NYU’s Reproductive Justice Clinic. She is a graduate…

Carmela Huang Senior Attorney

Carmela joined NCLEJ as a Senior Attorney in January 2022. Carmela brings a background in representing low-wage workers. Carmela previously worked as a supervising attorney in the Employment Law Unit of The Legal Aid Society, an attorney/supervising attorney…

Edward P. Krugman Volunteer Senior Attorney

Ed Krugman joined the organization as a volunteer senior attorney in January 2017. Ed retired as a Partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP. Ed has successfully litigated in state and federal courts throughout the country, at trial…

Leah Lotto Senior Attorney and Associate Director of Training

As Associate Director of Training, Leah leads NCLEJ’s work to provide high quality training, professional support, supervision and mentorship to our staff members, fellows, and interns. Leah joined NCLEJ in August 2014 as the second Paul M. Dodyk…

Anjana Malhotra Senior Attorney

Anjana Malhotra joins NCLEJ as a senior staff attorney, following over 15 years of experience in civil rights litigation and movement lawyering, and as a law professor. Prior to joining NCLEJ, Anji served as an Assistant Attorney General…

Michelle Peeples Administrative Coordinator

Michelle started at NCLEJ in 2001. Previously, Michelle worked at the Bronx Defenders as an Arraignment Clerk in the Bronx Criminal Court. She attended Hunter College, majoring in Liberal Arts.

Emerie Snyder Director of Finance and Administration

Emerie Snyder joined NCLEJ in 2013 as Financial and Administrative Manager, and assumed her current role as Director of Finance and Administration in 2017. Emerie has a background in non-profit administration, and has previously worked for organizations including…

Karina Tefft Staff Attorney

Karina joined NCLEJ as a Columbia Law School Public Interest Fellow in 2019 and become a staff attorney in 2020. At NCLEJ, Karina’s litigation and advocacy areas include civil rights, combatting predatory debt collection, and challenging racialized wealth…

Claudia Wilner Director of Litigation and Advocacy

Claudia provides leadership on NCLEJ’s work combating unlawful civil and criminal justice debt collection practices, in addition to providing overall legal and advocacy strategy. Claudia launched New Economy Project’s groundbreaking law project, which worked with thousands of low-income…

Sara Lunden Columbia Law School Public Interest Fellow

Sara joined NCLEJ as a Columbia Law School Public Interest Fellow in September 2022. Previously, she was a summer intern with NCLEJ. And during law school, she worked in various of areas of civil litigation including disability rights…

Patrick Fowler Communications and Fundraising Strategist

Patrick Fowler joined the NCLEJ as Communications and Fundraising Strategist in December 2022. Prior to joining NCLEJ, Patrick spent several years working on progressive political campaigns doing digital communications and fundraising work. As Digital Director of the Maryland…