Washington, D.C. Staff

Rob Boone, Director, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in 2007 after more than six years with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, including as chief of the Human Security Branch in Vienna, Austria, and as representative for Southern Africa in Pretoria, South Africa. He also served as chief of Treaty and Legal Affairs while in Vienna. Prior to his work at the United Nations, he was the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs. He also served as a special assistant in the Executive Office of the President and clerked for the Hon. Richard A. Gadbois, Jr. of the central district of California. While in private practice, Mr. Boone was a business litigation attorney in southern California. He holds a M.S. degree from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.

Michael Maya, Deputy Director, practiced law in New York City before joining the ABA’s Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative (CEELI) as a liaison to Uzbekistan, where he focused on judicial and legal profession reform issues. He later served as CEELI’s first overseas country director, based in Moscow, Russia, where he focused on legal education reform, commercial law training and women’s rights issues. In 1998, he began serving as the director of CEELI's programs in the former Soviet Union, based in Washington, D.C. From 2000–2006, Mr. Maya served both as the deputy director of CEELI and as the director of its programs in the former Soviet Union. He has served as deputy director of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative since 2006. In addition to over a decade of experience managing programs in Europe and Eurasia, and to a lesser degree the Middle East and North Africa, Mr. Maya also has direct experience managing programs in Asia and Africa; most recently, he has served as acting director of ABA ROLI’s Africa Division in addition to his broader deputy director duties. Mr. Maya speaks Spanish and basic Russian, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and a J.D. from Cornell University. You can contact Michael Maya at <mmaya@staff.abanet.org>.

Ingeborg Bock, Director of Administration and Finance, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in October 2001. Ms. Bock is responsible for the administration, international support, recruitment, information technology and finance Departments. Previously Ms. Bock was chief financial officer with Ashoka, a global organization that identifies and invests in leading social entrepreneurs. Ms. Bock has also served as director of administration and finance and as treasurer for the Overseas Development Council, an independent international policy research institution. Originally from Nossen/Saxony in the former East Germany, Ms. Bock studied business administration and finance in Germany. You can contact Ingeborg Bock at <ibock@staff.abanet.org>.

Simon Conté, Director of Research and Assessments, has contributed to ABA ROLI's research activities on rule of law issues for more than 10 years, particularly in the areas of legislative analysis and assessment tool methodologies. He serves as co-coordinator for both the judicial reform focal area and the Prosecutorial Reform Index. Mr. Conté holds a B.A. from Binghamton University, and an M.A. in political science and a J.D. from the University at Buffalo. He also has an LL.M. in international and comparative law from Georgetown University. A native of Melbourne, Australia, Mr. Conté joined ABA ROLI in 1995. You can contact Simon Conté at <sconte@staff.abanet.org>.

Angela Conway, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Division, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in 1993 as the director of research and special projects. She has worked on ABA ROLI’s legal reform programs throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Ms. Conway initiated the Middle East and North Africa program in 2003. She holds a B.A. in political science from Northwestern University and a J.D. from the University of Kansas. You can contact Angela Conway at <aconway@staff.abanet.org>.

Anita Denning, Director of Outreach, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in 2008. Ms. Denning has worked in the communications field for more than 10 years, specializing in multi-channel communications strategies, stakeholder analysis, public relations and print and online production. Ms. Denning holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Maryland at College Park and an M.A. in communications, culture, and technology from Georgetown University. A native Washingtonian, Ms. Denning has sustained interests in the evolution of media, environmental sustainability and equitable global development—including issues related to gender equality, property rights and education. You can contact Anita Denning at <denninga@staff.abanet.org>.

Mary Greer, Senior Criminal Law Advisor, provides substantive program direction, support and expertise to the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s (ABA ROLI’s) criminal justice programs around the world. She assists with the design and implementation of technical assistance programs for prosecutors, judges, defense advocates, law enforcement officials and representatives of  government ministries, addressing such global issues as corruption, human trafficking, women’s rights, and financial and organized crimes. She conducts comparative models and best practices research in domestic and international criminal law, and designs and implements sector and country assessments to discern compliance with international standards. She also conducts trainings in interactive teaching methodology, adult communication and trial advocacy. Ms. Greer first served as ABA ROLI’s criminal law liaison in Bosnia from 1998–2000. She was then posted at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) with the Coalition for International Justice before rejoining the ABA ROLI in March 2002. Ms. Greer practiced law for 15 years at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, including five years as public defender and eight years as the elected prosecutor, before being posted in Sarajevo. Ms. Greer has a B.A. in political science from Benedictine College in Atchison, KS, and a J.D. from St. Louis University. You can contact Mary Greer at <mgreer@staff.abanet.org>.

Michael McCullough, Director of the Latin America and Caribbean Division, joined ABA ROLI in October 2008. He previously served as chief of party for a USAID-funded justice administration program in La Paz, Bolivia, as well as deputy chief of party for a similar USAID-funded program in Bogotá, Colombia. He has criminal litigation experience as an attorney with the federal public defender for the District of Columbia and as a deputy public defender for Maricopa County, Arizona. He has trained attorneys, judges and academics in Colombia, Bolivia, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela on issues related to trial skills and the accusatorial system. He holds a B.A. in Spanish and political science and a J.D. and from the University of Arizona. He speaks Spanish fluently. You can contact Michael McCullough at <mmccullough@staff.abanet.org>.

Brahmy Poologasingham, Special Advisor, joined ABA ROLI in May 2009. Ms. Poologasingham previously practiced international law in Seattle, Washington, working at K & L Gates and Dorsey & Whitney. She worked with the Human Rights Commission and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, and her prior development work focused mainly on South Asia and Africa. She holds a B.A., cum laude, from Brandeis University and a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law. You can contact Brahmy Poologasingham at bpoologasingham@staff.abanet.org.

Jennifer Rasmussen, Director of the Asia Division, joined ABA ROLI in March 2008 following her tenure as director of program design for Global Rights, a Washington, D.C.-based human rights organization, where she worked since 1996. As the creator and director of Global Rights’ Access to Justice Initiative, Ms. Rasmussen worked to develop human rights programs involving public interest litigation, legal reform and advocacy in various regions of the world. In Asia, she has worked on programs in Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Mongolia, Nepal and East Timor. Ms. Rasmussen holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester and a J.D. from American University's Washington College of Law, specializing in international law. You can contact Jennifer Rasmussen at <jrasmussen@staff.abanet.org>.

Donna Wright, Director of the Europe and Eurasia Division, worked as a civil defense litigator in Mississippi before joining ABA ROLI in 2002 as a liaison in Uzbekistan. She also served as a liaison in Kyrgyzstan and as a country director in Albania. In 2004, Ms. Wright joined USAID as the regional democracy advisor for the Central Asia Republics, and she later served as USAID’s gender and cross-cutting issues advisor in Afghanistan. In 2007, she rejoined ABA ROLI as country director for Georgia. Her areas of expertise include trafficking in persons, judicial reform, bar association development and proposal writing. Ms. Wright holds a B.S. from the University of Southern Mississippi and a J.D. from Mississippi College School of Law. You can contact Donna Wright at <wrightd@staff.abanet.org>.

 

Clayton Adams, Program Associate for Central Asia, joined ABA ROLI in May 2008 and supports programming in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. He is a graduate of Georgia State University where he earned a B.A. in political science with a concentration in international affairs. While studying in Atlanta, Mr. Adams also worked with the Carter Center’s democracy and Americas programs, where he helped monitor elections in Asia, Africa and Latin America. He also interned with the American Civil Liberties Union where he worked on gender issues, voter identification awareness campaigns and freedom of information initiatives. You can contact Clayton Adams at <cadams@staff.abanet.org>.

Daniel Adams, Program Officer, joined ABA ROLI in June 2008 and supports programming in Armenia and Georgia. Prior to working with ABA ROLI, he served as a research assistant at the Open Society Institute where he provided research and editing support on a soon-to-be-published book on democracy promotion in U.S. foreign policy. Mr. Adams also has served as a program assistant at Democracy International Inc, a USAID contractor that specializes in democracy and governance issues. He holds a B.A. in political science and international relations from the University of California, Davis and an M.A. in democracy and governance from Georgetown University. You can contact Daniel Adams at <dadams@staff.abanet.org>.

Brenner (Brie) Allen, Legal Analyst, has been with ABA ROLI since September 2006. She currently works as a legal analyst, developing and implementing legal research projects to complement ABA ROLI’s global programming. Her primary focuses are human rights and access to justice, as well as legal profession reform. Ms. Allen has a B.A. in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law. While in law school she served as Executive Editor of the North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation and worked at the Center for International Legal Studies in Salzburg, Austria. You can contact Brie Allen at <ballen@staff.abanet.org>.

Geoffrey Bentz, Director, Information Technology, started with the ABA Rule of Law Initiative shortly after receiving his law degree from George Washington University in 1993. He currently manages ABA ROLI’s information technology needs, including maintaining the network computers and servers and assisting users with their computers and software applications. Originally from San Leandro, California, he also speaks German and Russian. You can contact Geoffrey Bentz at <gbentz@staff.abanet.org>.

Ashley Burgin, Program Associate, joined ABA ROLI’s Middle East and North Africa Division in January 2008. Ms. Burgin holds a B.A. in history, cum laude, with a minor in Spanish from Davidson College in North Carolina. She recently returned from a year of teaching English in China. Ms. Burgin previously worked with Finlay Development LLC, an affordable housing developer. She also interned with the marketing firm Addison Whitney Inc. in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is fluent in Spanish and speaks conversational Mandarin. You can contact Ashley Burgin at <aburgin@staff.abanet.org>.

Jumana J. Dalal, Senior Program Manager, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative's Asia Division in November 2009. Previously, she managed and implemented democracy and governance programs for the National Democratic Institute in Cambodia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand.  Her prior legal experience includes international trade and employment discrimination. Ms. Dalal speaks Gujarati, Spanish and Urdu. She received her B.A. from Smith College and holds a J.D. and M.B.A. from American University. You can contact Jumana Dalal at <jdalal@staff.abanet.org>.

Kathryn Farrell, Program Associate, joined ABA ROLI in June 2008. Now a member of the Asia Division, she previously served as the administrative assistant for the Africa, Asia, and Latin America & Caribbean divisions. Ms. Farrell holds a B.A. in government and politics, with a focus on international development and conflict management, from the University of Maryland. She has also studied in Madrid and Buenos Aires and speaks Spanish fluently. Ms. Farrell is currently pursuing a master’s degree at American University. You can contact Kathryn Farrell at <kfarrell@staff.abanet.org>.

Sherry Garay, Business Manager, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in January 2002. Sherry currently assists with financial business management consisting of financial analysis, fiscal planning, grant review, and field based financial training. Sherry also plans conferences and meetings. She has had the opportunity to work with associates in various regions plan and execute meetings, such as the ABA Rule of Law Initiative Annual Meeting. Sherry has formerly served as finance coordinator, grants manager, and senior grants manager during her tenure with the Rule of Law Initiative. You can contact Sherry Garay at <sgaray@staff.abanet.org>.

Julie Garuccio, Senior Program Manager, joined ABA ROLI in June 2004 to manage the Europe and Eurasia Division’s extensive rule of law and criminal law reform programs in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia. She also serves as co-coordinator of ABA's legal profession reform focal area. Previously, she served as director of programs at the Network of East-West Women, where she worked with non-governmental organizations and female activists throughout Europe and Eurasia on women's legal rights and economic and social justice issues. She holds a B.A. in political science from the State University of New York at Buffalo and an M.A. in international development from the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. You can contact Julie Garuccio at <jgaruccio@staff.abanet.org>.

Tom Hare, Program Officer for the Latin America and Caribbean Division, joined ABA ROLI in April 2008. He holds a dual degree M.A. in development management and policy from Georgetown University and Universidad Nacional de San Martín in Argentina, and a B.A. in sociology, international studies and Spanish from Saint Louis University. Mr. Hare has worked for Connect Education International in El Salvador, Organization of American States in Colombia, and Winrock International in Arlington, Virginia. He speaks Spanish fluently. You can contact Tom Hare at <haret@staff.abanet.org>.

Hana Hausnerova, Program Officer, joined ABA ROLI in October 2009 and supports programming in Russia. Prior to joining ABA ROLI full time, she served as an intern supporting programs in Central Asia. Ms. Hausnerova holds an LL.M. in international and comparative law from George Washington University Law School, a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School, and a B.S. in psychology and culture and politics from Georgetown University. Ms. Hausnerova is a native of the Czech Republic and speaks fluent Czech and Slovak. You can contact Hana Hausnerova at <hausnerh@staff.abanet.org>.

Kaya A. Ikuma, Deputy Director of the Asia Division, joined ABA ROLI in September 2007. She was a program manager for the Middle East North Africa Division’s programs in Jordan, Oman and Bahrain. Later, she joined the Asia Division working on programs in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand and served as the country director in Nepal. Prior to joining ABA ROLI, Ms. Ikuma worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development in Yemen and was an assistant county prosecutor in Cleveland, Ohio. Ms. Ikuma holds a B.A. from Hope College and a J.D. from University of Toledo, College of Law. You can contact Kaya Ikuma at <kikuma@staff.abanet.org>.

Karen Kendrick, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Division, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative as a liaison in Uzbekistan from May 2002 to August 2003. She has served as a liaison in Moldova, as country director in Armenia, and as regional director for Eurasia. Most recently she served as program director in Qatar.  Ms. Kendrick practiced law for nine years before joining ABA ROLI. Her practice areas included civil litigation and complex commercial transactions. She majored in political science at Duke University and received her J.D. from Southern Methodist University. You can contact Karen Kendrick at <kkendrick@staff.abanet.org>.

Susan Kupperstein, Senior Program Manager, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s Middle East and North Africa Division in June 2008. Ms. Kupperstein has more than 13 years of experience as a democracy and governance specialist focusing on rule of law, civil society capacity building, political party strengthening and the promotion of democratic governance. Most recently, Ms. Kupperstein directed the democracy and governance practice at Social Impact, Inc., where she provided technical leadership for key democracy and governance programs. Ms. Kupperstein previously worked at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, where she was responsible for Iraq programs and also worked on West Africa civil-military relations programs. Ms. Kupperstein holds an M.A. in social science from the University of California at Irvine. She received her B.A., cum laude, in political science and French literature from the University of California at San Diego and is fluent in French. You can contact Susan Kupperstein at <skupperstein@staff.abanet.org>.

Hakim Lakhdar, Program Officer, joined ABA ROLI in July 2007 and supports programs in central Asia. He currently works on programs in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Mr. Lakdar has lived in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Morocco, where he studied and where much of his extended family still lives. He holds an M.A. in Middle Eastern and Islamic studies from Indiana University and a B.A. in international relations and sociology from Florida State University. Originally from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, he speaks French and Moroccan Arabic. You can contact Hakim Lakhdar at <hlakhdar@staff.abanet.org>.

Jimmy Lim, Program Associate, joined ABA ROLI in June 2008.  He holds a dual B.A. degree in political science and economics from Yale University.  Prior to joining ABA ROLI, Mr. Lim interned at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and a law firm in the Washington, D.C. area.  Mr. Lim provides programmatic support for ABA ROLI’s programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Burundi. You can contact Jimmy Lim at <LimJ@staff.abanet.org>.

Annie Lively, Administrative Assistant, joined ABA ROLI’s Europe and Eurasia Division in August 2009. Previously, Ms. Lively served as public relations coordinator for E.W. Bullock Associates, an advertising agency in Pensacola, Florida. There, she created public relations and marketing strategies for travel and tourism-related clients, including for festivals and special events. She holds a B.A. in communications and public relations from the University of West Florida. You can contact Annie Lively at <livelya@staff.abanet.org>.

Benjamin Lowenberg, Program Associate, joined ABA ROLI's Middle East and North Africa Division in September 2009. Mr. Lowenberg holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Wisconsin and an M.A. in international history from Ohio University. His professional and academic work has focused on the Middle East, and he spent a year studying Arabic in Cairo, Egypt. You can contact Ben Lowenberg at <blowenberg@staff.abanet.org>.

Yoftahe Manna, Outreach Associate, joined ABA ROLI in September 2008. He has an M.A. in communication studies from Eastern Illinois University, where he worked as a research assistant, and a B.A. in journalism and mass communication, with minor in political science, from the University of Asmara, Eritrea. Prior to attending graduate school, Mr. Manna worked as a public relations officer at the University of Asmara in Eritrea, where he helped establish an office of public relations and communications and where he taught English and public relations classes. Mr. Manna also speaks Tigrigna, Tigre and Amharic. You can contact Yoftahe Manna at <mannay@staff.abanet.org>.

Eva Matos, Administrative Assistant, joined the Middle East and North Africa Division in October 2009. Ms. Matos is a native of Caracas, Venezuela, and holds a dual B.A. in psychology and political science from George Washington University. She previously worked as an intern with ABA ROLI’s Latin America and Caribbean Division and as a research assistant for a study on co-parenting among low income teenage mothers and fathers. She is fluent in Spanish and has a working knowledge of French. You can contact Eva Matos at <matose@staff.abanet.org>.

Andrew Aall McPherson, Program Officer for the Africa Division, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in May 2007. Mr. McPherson is a native of Washington, D.C., but received his secondary education in the United Kingdom. He holds a B.A./M.A. in history and politics from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and a graduate diploma in law from City University, London. He provides programmatic support for ABA ROLI's programs in Liberia. You can contact Andrew McPherson at <mcphersa@staff.abanet.org>.

Megan Niedermeyer, Program Officer, joined ABA ROLI in February 2009 and supports programming in Kosovo, Ukraine and Moldova. Prior to joining ABA ROLI, Ms. Niedermeyer worked in Serbia and Kosovo where she served as an intern at the ABA ROLI field offices. She holds an M.Sc. in European political economy from the London School of Economics and a B.A. in international studies-political science from the University of California, San Diego. You can contact Megan Niedermeyer at <mniedermeyer@staff.abanet.org>.

Jon O’Leary, International Support Manager, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in January 2008. He graduated from DePaul University in Chicago, IL with a B.A. in psychology. Prior to joining ABA ROLI, he interned with the Friends of the World Food Program and the Microcredit Summit Campaign.  His portfolio includes the management of the Pro Bono Legal Specialist Program. You may contact Jon O’Leary at <olearyj@staff.abanet.org>.

Irina Parshikova, Program Manager, joined ABA ROLI in October 2005 and manages the Europe and Eurasia Division’s programs in central Asia. Prior to joining the ABA, she worked with a United Nations Development Program governance project in Sierra Leone, was a lawyer with a human rights organization and the director of a legal education program in Russia. She holds an M.P.A. degree from Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, a B.A. in political science from the University of Oregon and a degree in jurisprudence from Syktyvkar State University in Russia. You can contact Irina Parhikova at <iparshikova@staff.abanet.org>.

Jeremy Purcell, Outreach Assistant, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in January 2008 and provides web support for ABA ROLI’s various online initiatives. Prior to joining ROLI in his current position, Mr. Purcell supported ABA ROLI’s anti-corruption efforts from 2004 to 2006 as a temporary Web Assistant. Mr. Purcell also worked as an associate database administrator with DigitalNet Government Solutions, providing database administration and web technical support from 2001 to 2003. You can contact Jeremy Purcell at <jpurcell@staff.abanet.org>.

Olga Ruda, Research Coordinator, has been providing research support to ABA ROLI’s judicial reform programs worldwide since June 2004. Her primary duties include overseeing implementation of the Judicial Reform Index assessments, which analyze the compliance of national judiciaries with fundamental international standards on judicial independence. Her past experience includes research on human trafficking at Johns Hopkins University, a judicial internship at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and work with Harvard University's macroeconomic reform program in Ukraine. Olga holds a law degree from Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University and an LL.M. in International Legal Studies from Washington College of Law, American University. You can contact Olga Ruda at <oruda@staff.abanet.org>.

Paulina Rudnicka, Legal Analyst, joined ABA ROLI in September 2005 after completing a Frankel Fellowship at Human Rights First. Ms. Rudnicka has also worked with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights, the Jagiellonian University Human Rights Clinic and the Halina Niec Human Rights Association. Ms. Rudnicka was a Thomas Burgenthal Scholar at the George Washington University Law School, where she earned her LL.M. Before studying at George Washington University Law School, she earned a master’s of law degree from Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. You can contact Paulina Rudnicka at <prudnicka@staff.abanet.org>.

Jumaina Siddiqui, Program Officer, joined the Asia Division in November 2009.  Prior to joining ABA ROLI, Ms. Siddiqui served as a research associate at the Stimson Center where she examined non-traditional security issues in South Asia. She has also held positions with the Centre for Development and Population Activities, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Protection Project at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. Ms. Siddiqui holds B.A. in political science from American University and an M.A. from New York University, where her research focused on nation-building, democracy promotion and the rule of law in the Muslim world. You can contact Jumaina Siddiqui at <jsiddiqui@staff.abanet.org>.

Hadja Tall, Program Officer, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in January 2008. Ms. Tall’s parents originally hail from Mali but she grew up in Kenya. She holds a B.A degree in international development studies from UCLA, with specializations in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. She also holds a master's degree from UCLA in African studies with a concentration in international development. Prior to joining ABA ROLI, she was a consultant for the World Bank office in Mali, working as an education specialist. She has also worked for the Academy for Educational Development as a program assistant for the David L. Boren Fellowship program. Within ABA ROLI’s Africa program, she is responsible for providing programmatic support to programs in Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. Hadja speaks fluent French, Swahili and Bambara. You can contact Hadja Tall at <TallH@staff.abanet.org>.

Jessie Tannenbaum, Legal Analyst, conducts research and analysis primarily in the areas of judicial reform and anti-corruption/public integrity and is responsible for the realization of Judicial Reform Index assessments. She earned an LL.M. in international human rights law, summa cum laude, from Notre Dame Law School, writing her thesis on reconciliation and accountability for gross human rights violations. She also holds a J.D., cum laude, from Notre Dame and a B.A., cum laude, from the University of Denver. Prior to joining ABA ROLI in September 2008, Ms. Tannenbaum was a fellow at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States. A Chicago native, she is fluent in Spanish and French and has a working knowledge of Italian and Portuguese. You can contact Jessie Tannenbaum at <jtannenbaum@staff.abanet.org>.

Natacha Thys, Deputy Director for the Africa Division, joined ABA ROLI in August 2009. Ms. Thys has previously served as the project director at the International Labor Rights Fund’s Rights for Working Women Campaign, which she developed in 2001. For the campaign, she worked with local partners in several African and Latin American countries to produce research and to implement programs to combat gender-based violence in the workplace. Ms. Thys is also a human rights attorney who worked at Conrad & Scherer, LLP and as associate general counsel with International Rights Advocates. As a litigator, Ms. Thys worked on numerous cases to hold U.S. multinational corporations accountable for human rights violations committed abroad, including forced labor, trafficking in persons and sexual violence. Previous to these positions, Ms. Thys worked on union-related programs with federal workers and with nursing home workers. Ms. Thys has a J.D. from American University and is fluent in both Haitian Creole and French. You can contact Natacha Thys at <thysn@staff.abanet.org>.

Thais-Lyn Trayer, Program Officer, joined ABA ROLI in July 2008. Prior to joining ABA ROLI, she served for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Georgia. Ms. Trayer was a Fulbright Scholar-Elect and has worked for The New Presence Journal of Central European Affairs and the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs. She received her B.A. in Politics, with a minor in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, from New York University. Ms. Trayer helps manage ABA ROLI’s programs in Cambodia and China. You can contact Thais-Lyn Trayer at <trayert@staff.abanet.org>.

Kate Wright, Program Associate, joined ABA ROLI in May 2008 and supports all of the Europe and Eurasia division in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining ABA ROLI, Kate was an intern in the Europe and Eurasia Division of Amnesty International’s Washington, D.C.-based government relations office. Kate holds a B.A. in Russian studies with minors in French and history from Stetson University. She has interned with Human Rights Watch in Moscow and with Human Rights Information and Documentation Systems International in Geneva, Switzerland. She currently spends her weekends at a hotline for human trafficking victims. She has also served in AmeriCorps in Atlanta,Georgia. You can contact Kate Wright at <wrightk@staff.abanet.org>.

Claude Zullo, Senior Advisor, joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s Middle East and North Africa Division in June 2008. Mr. Zullo has more than 11 years of professional experience in development and governance issues in Europe and Eurasia, working for organizations such as the National Democratic Institute, ABA ROLI and the Eurasia Foundation. He first began working for ABA ROLI as the regional deputy country director for Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in 2004. Mr. Zullo holds a B.A. in history and international relations from Muhlenberg College and an M.A. in international political economy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. He has spent time as a fellow for the Honorable Barbara Milkulski, a consultant to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and a research assistant at the Brookings Institution. Mr. Zullo is also fluent in German, with a working knowledge of Spanish, Italian, Georgian and Russian. You can contact Claude Zullo at <czullo@staff.abanet.org>.