Our Staff

Executive Director

Jennifer L. Wood

Jennifer Wood has over 30 years of public interest experience in civil legal aid organizations, civil rights firms, state government, and legislative roles. Prior to joining the Center for Justice, she was the Deputy Secretary/General Counsel at the RI Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the General Counsel/Chief of Staff in the Office of the Lt. Governor. She also spent nine years as the Chief of Staff and Chief Legal Counsel at the RI Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. She started her career as a fellow at Rhode Island Legal Services, before transitioning to private practice. Jenn is a graduate of Brown University and the Northeastern University School of Law.

Senior Supervising Attorney

John Karwashan

John Karwashan joined the Center for Justice as the supervising attorney in December 2022. Prior to joining the Center, John worked in criminal defense, both as a private practitioner and a public defender. He brings a client-focused attitude into his work on the housing and criminal justice teams. He has successfully litigated cases in various courts across Rhode Island and Massachusetts. John is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and Roger Williams University School of Law.

Supervising Attorney

Sam Cramer

Sam joined the Center for Justice as a legal fellow in December 2020. He is an honors graduate of Northeastern University School of Law, where he worked closely with the Legal Skills in Social Context program, which pairs cohorts of first year law students with community organizations and public interest law firms to advance social justice. Before attending law school, Sam worked as a film-maker, a carpenter, and a community organizer. He has a BA in English Literature from Grinnell College.

Staff Attorneys

Troy Lange

Troy Lange is a housing law attorney that joined the Center in February of 2023, bringing with them past experience with housing law and public benefits law from Rhode Island Legal Services. Troy is a 2020 graduate of Roger Williams School of Law, where they served as the Executive Articles Editor of the Law Review. In their time outside the courts and the office, Troy officiates all levels of amateur ice hockey, including NCAA men's and women's games.

Noah Aurelio

Noah joined the Center for Justice in July 2023 after interning, and then working, at the Rhode Island
Public Defender’s office for 2 years. Noah graduated from University of Massachusetts School of Law in
2022 and was in the Public Interest Law Fellowship, where he committed himself to public interest work
after law school.

Alexis Koch

Alexis Koch joined the Center in July of 2023, with past experience in public interest law from Rhode Island Legal Services. Alexis is a 2019 graduate of Roger Williams School of Law, where she discovered her passion for public interest law through the law school's criminal defense clinic.

Kristen Billings

Kristen joined the Center for Justice as a Roger Williams University School of Law Legal Fellow in August 2022. Before joining the Center for Justice as a fellow, Kristen attended Roger Williams University School of Law, where she externed with the Center for Justice as part of the Public Interest Law Clinic. Prior to attending law school, Kristen graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a B.A. in Political Science. Kristen is working on the housing team, education team, and Driver’s License Restoration Program.

Legal Fellows

Katelyn Barfield

Katelyn joined the Center for Justice as the Roger Williams School of Law Legal Fellow in August 2023. Katelyn interned for the Center while in law school and is excited to be joining the staff as a member of the housing team. Katelyn graduated from Roger Williams School of Law with honors in May 2023. She graduated from Virginia Tech in 2018 and is a Virginia native.

Danika Wayss

Danika joined the Center for Justice as the Roger Williams University School of Law Legal Fellow in September 2023. Danika is a Rhode Island native and went to law school with a passion for serving the community she grew up in. It is for this reason that Danika is excited to be joining the staff as a member of the housing team. Before joining the staff here, Danika graduated with a BA in Philosophy from Stonehill College where she competed on the cross country and track and field teams followed by Roger Williams University School of Law where she was the event coordinator for the RWU Alliance.

Kat McCorkle

Kat joined the Center for Justice as the Roger Williams School of Law Legal Fellow in August 2024. During law school, Kat volunteered with the Eviction Help Desk Project and is excited to continue advocating for tenants as a Legal Fellow. Kat graduated from the University of Rochester with a B.A. in English Literature and graduated from Roger Williams University School of Law with honors in 2024.

Miguel Garcia

Miguel joined the Rhode Island Center for Justice as the Roger Williams University School of Law Legal Fellow in September 2024. He previously taught AP U.S. History in South Texas, and later worked with Misión México, a nonprofit in Tapachula, Chiapas, developing programs for children with special needs. During law school, Miguel represented unaccompanied children in immigration court through the ABA’s ProBAR Project and was a Student Administrator for the Street Law program. He graduated with honors from Roger Williams University School of Law and holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Texas – Pan American.

Paralegals/Housing Advocates

Madison Mandell

Madison joined the Center for Justice as an intern on the criminal justice team in September 2022. She is now working full time as a Housing Advocate/Paralegal on both the housing and education teams. Madison recently graduated from Brown University with a BA in History.

Nilab Ibrahimy

Nilab joined the center as a housing advocate in July 2023. She recently graduated from Brown University with a Master of Public Affairs. Her ultimate goal is to contribute to the creation of inclusive and equitable educational policies that ensure every child, irrespective of their background, has equal opportunities to receive a quality education. Nilab also holds a BA n in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from the Asian University for Women."