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.
Staff Attorney
Natalia Friedlander
Natalia joined the Center for Justice as a Resnik-Curtis Liman Fellow in September 2018, with a focus on criminal justice and prisoners' rights. Natalia has a JD from Yale Law School, where she received the Stephen J. Massey Prize for client advocacy and community service. Prior to law school, she worked at healthcare nonprofits in Washington, DC, Tanzania, and Zambia. Natalia has a BA in Community Health from Brown University.
Staff 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 Attorney
Joshua Nault
Joshua joined the Center for Justice as the Roger Williams University School of Law Legal Fellow in October 2020. Prior to coming to the Center for Justice, Joshua attended Roger Williams University School of Law where he graduated with honors and was also awarded the Pro Bono Collaborative Award for his dedication to providing pro bono legal services to Rhode Island’s low-income and indigent communities. Joshua grew up in a military family and before going to law school he spent twelve years in the hospitality and service industry, focusing mostly on mixology and pre-prohibition style bartending.
Attorney Fellow
Mariel Garcia
Mariel joined the Center for Justice as a Roger Williams University School of Law Legal Fellow in August 2021. Before joining the Center for Justice, Mariel attended Roger Williams University School of Law, where she spent multiple semesters working as a student attorney at their Immigration Clinic. Prior to attending law school, Mariel graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a BS in Business Administration.
Legal Fellow
Aliya Steele
Aliya joined the Center for Justice as a Legal Fellow after graduating from Roger Williams University School of Law with her JD in 2021. Aliya works in the area of tenant advocacy and has a BA in English from Prairie View A&M University.
Legal Fellow
Diana Perez
Diana joined the Center for Justice as the Roger Williams University School of Law Legal Fellow in August 2022. Diana is a RI native growing up in North Providence, RI. Diana interned for the Center for Justice during law school and is excited to be on the staff. Diana is working on the housing team, drivers license restoration program, and education team.
AmeriCorps VISTA Fellow
Nicole Patano
Nicole has been with the Center for Justice since September 2021. In her current capacity as an AmeriCorps VISTA on the criminal justice team, Nicole's focus is on post-conviction relief and the rights of incarcerated individuals. She is also involved in the drivers license restoration program. Nicole has a BA in Criminology from Providence College.