Profiles of Recent Barton Clinic Students
Fall 2004: Richard Barnes * Laurie-Ann Fallon * Ayana Jones * Sean Kennedy * Melanie Mendenhall * Sarah Thomas
Spring 2004: Laurie-Ann Fallon * David White
Fall 2003: Shannon Burke * David White * Alison Sultan
Spring 2003: Rebecca Bruck * Alison Elko * Theresa Hoffman * Cynthia Picklesimer * Michael Wright
Fall 2002: Rebecca Bruck * Mirna Geha* Theresa Hoffman * Sarah Leiner * Ragi Patel * Angela Riccetti * Keri White
Spring 2002: Youshea Berry * Laura Haskins * Soledad McGrath * Kristin Nissenholtz * Angela Riccetti
Fall 2001: Jennifer Hall * Laura Haskins * Jamie Rubin * Anna Svircev
Staff Profiles * Jobs * Recent Clinic Student Profiles * Recent SJDC & Work Study Student Profiles * Former Staff * Former Students
Spring 2005 Students Staffing the Barton Clinic:
L-R: Dena Crim, Adnan Hussain, Sean Kennedy, Kimberly Hosley, Jessica Slutsky, Kevin Anderson, Melanie Mendenhall, Eleah Gamble
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Kevin Anderson
Emory University School of Law, JD 2006
Rollins School of Public Health, MPH 2006Kevin Anderson has been involved with various forms of advocacy work since high school, when he was involved with peer education for HIV/AIDS awareness and sexual health issues. In college, he worked with Empty the Shelters/Fill the Homes, a group concerned with economic human rights and advocating for the needs of the poor and homeless. Most recently Mr. Anderson has interned with the Georgia Law Center for the Homeless. A second year student in the JD/MPH joint degree program, he is currently studying health policy issues at the Rollins School of Public Health, and hopes to have a career in public interest law or public policy development.
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Dena Crim
Emory University School of Law, JD 2005Working with children has been an important part of Dena Crim's life. Throughout high school and college she spent her summers volunteering as a Camp Counselor for children of all ages. Ms. Crim joined Barton in the spring of 2005 with a desire to learn about how the legislative process can be used to better the lives of children. She will graduate from the law school in December of 2005. Ms. Crim and her husband have one daughter, Grace, born in October of 2003.
Ms. Crim received her B.A. in History from Harding University in May 2000.
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Eleah Gamble
Emory University School of Law, JD 2005Eleah Gamble's interest in children first began in her high school years when she worked as a day care provider for young children. Throughout her undergraduate years, she tutored underprivileged children and volunteered at a day care center for physically and mentally disabled children. Ms. Gamble became interested in the laws that affect abused and neglected children after taking classes at Emory Law School in Juvenile Law, Family Law, and Child Advocacy. She joined the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic to learn more about the child welfare laws and programs that affect Georgia's youth. Upon graduation in 2005, Ms. Gamble hopes to continue working on child advocacy issues on a pro bono basis as she begins her career at a large Atlanta law firm.
Ms. Gamble received her B.A. magna cum laude in Political Science, with a minor in Urban Studies, from Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
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Kimberly Hosley
Emory University School of Law, JD 2005Kimberly Hosley began her advocacy work and work with children during her undergraduate years. While spending a semester at American University in Washington DC, Ms. Hosley interned with the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights. There her work focused on human rights issues in Latin America. She also spent time in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, and Egypt studying the Isreali-Palestinian conflict and the peace process at the grass roots and governmental levels. During the summers of her undergraduate studies, Ms. Hosley worked as a teaching assistant for the Duke University Talent Identification Program, teaching gifted junior high and high school students from around the country.
Ms. Hosley received her B.A. cum laude in Political Science, Economics, and International Studies, with a minor in Spanish, from Stetson University in Florida.
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Syed Adnan Hussain
Emory University School of Law, JD 2007
Candler School of Theology, MTS 2007Adnan Hussain is a student at the Emory School of Law and is simultaneously getting his Masters in Theological Studies from Candler School of Theology. His interest in child welfare began in high school were he tutored inner city children from Newark, NJ. His interest in the legislative process began during his work with the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), where he represented the KHRC at drafting meetings for human rights sensitive legislation. Mr. Hussain comes to the Barton clinic due to a desire to gain firsthand experience about the legislative process and to work in a research based organization for positive change.
Mr. Hussain has a B.A. in History and Religious Studies with a minor in Philosophy from McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
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Sean F. Kennedy
Georgia State University, MSW, 2004Sean Kennedy comes from the Masters in Social Work program at Georgia State University. He has focused his studies on community development and child welfare. Mr. Kennedy has diverse experience in research and child welfare. His interest with child welfare began with his involvement in the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program during his undergraduate career. Mr. Kennedy comes to the Barton Clinic due to his firsthand experiences working at DFCS and desire to learn how to influence policy to improve that system.
Mr. Kennedy has a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Georgia.
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Melanie Mendenhall
Emory University School of Law, JD 2005Before attending law school, Melanie Mendenhall worked for a scholarship program for high-school students from low-income families through the AmeriCorps volunteer program and spent four years teaching composition courses to diverse group of students in the University of Illinois' Academic Writing Program. While attending law school, she has interned at the Carter Center and Atlanta Legal Aid and was a participant in the Emory Summer Child Advocacy Program, working for the Barton Clinic. Most recently, she interned with the Truancy Intervention Project at Fulton County Juvenile Court.
Ms. Mendenhall received her B.A. in English from Centenary College of Louisiana and a M.A. in English literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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Jessica Slutsky
Emory University School of Law, JD 2006Jessica Slutsky developed her interest in child advocacy during her undergraduate years at Columbia University in New York City. While in school, she interned with the Legal Aid Society's Juvenile Rights Division and a number of other non-profit organizations dedicated to serving children and families. During her senior year, she served as Chairwoman of Columbia Community Outreach (CCO), Columbia's largest volunteer organization. As Chairwoman of CCO, she coordinated the effort to plan, promote, and produce an annual day of community service for 1500 volunteers from Columbia and the surrounding communities. Last summer, Ms. Slutsky interned at Children's Rights in New York City, where she conducted legal research for complex federal litigation on behalf of classes of children in foster care. She also worked on Kenny A. v. Perdue, Children's Rights' class action lawsuit in DeKalb and Fulton counties. Ms. Slutsky joined the Barton Clinic to gain more exposure to the problems facing Georgia's child welfare system.
Ms. Slutsky received her B.A. cum laude in History and Psychology from Columbia University.
Fall 2004 Students Staffing the Barton Clinic:
L-R: Sean Kennedy, Richard Barnes, Ayana Jones, Melanie Mendenhall, Sarah Thomas, Laurie-Ann Fallon
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Richard Barnes
Rutgers University School of Law, JD 2005Richard Barnes' interest in child advocacy began during his undergraduate years at UCLA while working as a counselor in a San Fernando Valley group home. There, Richard was exposed to the plight faced by the children charged to his care and worked diligently to establish tutorial and mentoring sessions. While attending Rutgers Law School, Richard participated in the Child Advocacy Clinic as a student attorney. In the role of student attorney, he represented clients in hearings seeking Supplemental Security Insurance, as well as handled abuse and neglect cases. By joining the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic, Richard hopes to expand his child advocacy experience to include advocacy through policy and legislation. Upon graduation from law school this spring, it is his intention to start his legal career as a prosecutor.
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Laurie-Ann Fallon
Emory School of Law, JD 2005
Candler School of Theology, MTS 2005The seeds of Laurie-Ann's interest in child advocacy began with her work with her church's food pantry program in New York City. The families, mainly single mothers, introduced her to the plight facing children in today's cities, both from outside and, sadly, within their own families. Her interest in child advocacy has been cemented in her work as a Summer Intern with the Barton Clinic in 2001, her volunteering with Southern Juvenile Defenders Center and Dekalb County Juvenile Court, and her work with the Clinic last semester. She returns to the clinic this fall to continue to learn more about Georgia Child Welfare System and the policies that shape it. Upon graduation in 2005, Laurie-Ann hopes to work in Georgia representing children in delinquency and deprivation cases, while working to make necessary changes to the policy that governs Georgia's Juvenile Court System.
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Ayanna Jones
Emory Law School, 2006Ayanna Jones' interest in child advocacy began during her undergraduate years. She was involved with a national program now known as Breakthrough. As a tutor, and then site leader, Ayanna was able to witness firsthand many of the educational, emotional, and social needs of Atlanta Public School students that were not being adequately met. After graduating from Clark Atlanta University with a B.A. in history, Ayanna went on to teach 2nd, 6th, and 8th grade in various schools around Atlanta. She returned to the Breakthrough program and was the program director for three years where she was able to gain a broader understanding of the many challenges facing the urban student population.
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Sean F. Kennedy
Georgia State University, MSW, 2005Sean comes from the Masters in Social Work program at Georgia State University. He has focused his studies on community development and child welfare. He has a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Georgia and has diverse experience in research and child welfare. Sean's interest with child welfare began with his involvement in the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program during his undergraduate career. Sean comes to the Barton Clinic due to his firsthand experiences working at DFCS and desire to learn how to influence policy to improve that system.
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Melanie Mendenhall
Emory Law School, 2005Before attending law school, Melanie worked for a scholarship program for high-school students from low-income families through the AmeriCorps volunteer program and spent four years teaching composition courses to diverse group of students in the University of Illinois' Academic Writing Program. While attending law school, she has interned at the Carter Center and Atlanta Legal Aid and was a participant in the Emory Summer Child Advocacy Program, working for the Barton Clinic. Most recently, Melanie interned with the Truancy Intervention Project at Fulton County Juvenile Court. She received her B.A. in English from Centenary College of Louisiana and a M.A. in English literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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Sarah Thomas
Emory Law School, 2005Sarah first became interested in children as a group when she worked as a college intern at Putting Families First Foundation in Greenville, South Carolina. Putting Families First was a non-profit agency that encouraged civic organizations and church groups to mentor, assist, and support families as the government terminated their welfare assistance. Many of these families had young children. After her first year at Emory Law School, Sarah worked as a law clerk in the Appellate Division of the Georgia Indigent Defense Council. Her work on indigent defense matters prompted her interest in helping children on a systematic level before they reach the criminal justice system.
Sarah received her B.A. in History and Political Science from Furman University.
Spring 2004 Students Staffing the Barton Clinic:
L-R: David White, Laurie-Ann Fallon
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Laurie-Ann Fallon
Emory School of Law, JD 2005
Candler School of Theology, MTS 2005The seeds of Laurie-Ann's interest in child advocacy began with her work with her church's food pantry program in New York City. The families, mainly single mothers, introduced her to the plight facing children in today's cities, both from outside and, sadly, within their own families. Her interest in child advocacy has been cemented in her work as a Summer Intern with the Barton Clinic in 2001 and volunteering with Southern Juvenile Defenders Center and Dekalb County Juvenile Court. Upon graduation in 2005, Laurie-Ann hopes to either work directly representing children or developing policy on both State, National, and International levels.
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David White
Georgia State University, MSW 2004David has continued for the Spring semester in the Clinic. David comes from the Masters in Social Work program at Georgia State University. He has focused his studies on community development and child welfare. David also has a MBA and several year's of management experience. He wishes to meld the MSW and MBA together, helping to improve organizations, systems and policies and target issues of economic injustice. The injustices found in the State custody of children have brought David to the Barton Clinic.
Fall 2003 Students Staffing the Barton Clinic:
Seated: David White, Standing L-R: Shannon Burke, Alison Sultan
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Shannon Burke
Emory School of Law, JD 2004Shannon Burke's interest in working with children began in undergrad at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She did volunteer work with Big Buddy of YMCA and ran a program called Project HOPE where a group of students went to work with children at a local homeless shelter. After graduating from UNC, she went to law school and dedicated her time working in both domestic violence and child welfare. This past summer, she interned at the Fulton County Juvenile Court Office of the Child Advocate. Upon graduation from law school this spring, she hopes to work to improve the child welfare system in Georgia.
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David White
Georgia State University, MSW 2004David comes from the Masters in Social Work program at Georgia State University. He has focused his studies on community development and child welfare. David also has a MBA and several year's of management experience. He wishes to meld the MSW and MBA together, helping to improve organizations, systems and policies and target issues of economic injustice. The injustices found in the State custody of children have brought David to the Barton Clinic.
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Alison Sultan
Emory School of Law, JD 2005Alison Sultan's interest in child advocacy began during her undergraduate years after working in a juvenile court in California. Alison initially became interested in juvenile delinquency issues, taking several classes on the subject and writing her senior thesis on the competency issues arising in juvenile transfers to adult court. Alison joined the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic to gain exposure to the problems with Georgia child welfare programs and hopes that her experience here will lead to positive changes in the lives of Georgia children. Ms. Sultan received her B.A. in Government and Legal Studies from Claremont McKenna College.
Spring 2003 Students Staffing the Barton Clinic:
Left to Right: Cynthia Picklesimer, Theresa Hoffman, Michael Wright, Rebecca Bruck, Alison Elko.
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Rebecca Bruck
Emory School of Law, JD 2003Rebecca Bruck's interest in Georgia's child welfare system began back in 1992, when she assisted Judge James Morris on a mission to tear down and rebuild the Marietta Regional Youth Detention Center. After attending the University of Texas in Austin and traveling to New York City in pursuit of a lucrative theater career, Rebecca returned to Georgia and enrolled in law school. Through a grant from the Emory Summer Child Advocacy Program, she once again worked with Judge Morris, this time as his law clerk. Rebecca has spent two semesters working as an intern in the Barton Clinic on projects including a how-to manual for setting up a Community Visitation Center. After graduation, she will move to Dallas, Texas, where she will work in the Specialty Litigation department of Strasburger & Price, LLP. As part of her pro bono activities, Rebecca plans to become active in the Dallas child advocacy community.
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Theresa Hoffman
Georgia State University, Master in Social Work 2003Theresa Hoffman developed her interest in children issues during her years of undergraduate school, where she volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club. Since then she has worked as a nanny and a Behavior Specialist at a residential treatment center for severely emotionally disturbed adolescents. She has also interned at a private foster care agency, community center, and a shelter for teen girls. She interned at the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic to gain exposure and experience in the tactics and strategies used to improve the child welfare system in Georgia. She is currently working at a private foster care agency, Community Connections, in Stone Mountain, Georgia.
Ms. Hoffman received her BA in Sociology with high distinction from Indiana University.
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Cynthia Picklesimer
Emory School of Law, JD 2004Cynthia Picklesimer has always been interested in helping children. She served as a Guardian Ad Litem for a year in South Carolina before attending law school. While at law school most of her selected courses have been in child and family law. Cynthia hopes to effect change in the current child and family policy in South Carolina. She would like to eventually become a judge in juvenile court where she feels that she could make a difference one child at a time. Cynthia interned at the Barton Clinic for academic credit in the spring semester and worked on several research issues surrounding bills to be introduced or bills that needed rebuttal information. She hopes to continue to help pass legislation that will benefit children in years to come.
Ms. Picklesimer received her B.S. in Sociology from Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina.
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Michael Wright
Emory School of Law, JD 2003Michael Wright came to the clinic as a third year law student to learn about and work on child welfare issues. After graduation, he will study for the New York Bar Exam, eventually joining the Bronx County District Attorney's Office as an Assistant District Attorney in September, 2003.
Mr. Wright received his BA summa cum laude in Political Science from the University of North Florida.
Fall 2002 Students Staffing the Barton Clinic:
Back Row:
Theresa Hoffman,
Ragi Patel,
Angela Riccetti,
Rebecca Bruck.
Front Row:
Sarah Leiner,
Keri White,
Mirna Geha.
Spring 2002 Students Staffing the Barton Clinic:
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Youshea Berry
Emory School of Law, JD 2002Youshea Berry has a longstanding interest in children and children's issues and has served as a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate and mentor. She became interested in the Clinic after participating in the Emory Summer Child Advocacy Program training that is provided by the Barton Clinic. Her interests in child advocacy include the foster care system and juvenile justice issues. She is working in the Barton Clinic because of her desire to obtain clinical experience and a better understanding of the legislative process as it pertains to child welfare laws.
Ms. Berry received her BA in English, Cum Laude, from Xavier University of Louisiana.
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Laura R. Haskins
Georgia State University, MSW 2002Laura Haskins came to the Clinic to learn more about the policies that affect Georgia's abused and neglected children. Her interest in advocating for better child protective services developed through her volunteer work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate in Cherokee County, where she lives with her husband and two children. This is her second semester in the Barton Clinic.
Ms. Haskins received her BS in Psychology with honors from Georgia State University.
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Soledad Adrianzén McGrath
Emory School of Law, JD 2002Soledad McGrath's interest in children's issues began in Denver, Colorado where she tutored low-income and homeless children in an after-school program. She is participating in the Clinic to learn about policy development in this critical area. After graduating in May she will be joining the Labor and Employment group at Kilpatrick Stockton LLP in Atlanta and plans to maintain an active role within the child advocacy community.
Ms. McGrath received her BA from Northwestern University, graduating with a double major in Comparative Literary Studies and Latin American Studies.
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Kristin Nissenholtz
Emory School of Law, JD 2002
Emory Rollins School of Public Health, MPH 2002Kristin Nissenholtz is working in the Barton Clinic because of her interest in child welfare issues. She became interested in child advocacy issues in high school when she began volunteering and later substitute teaching in an inner city school district in St. Louis, Missouri. She also served as Senator Max Cleland's (D-GA) legislative assistant for health, education, and child welfare issues for three years prior to attending law school.
Ms. Nissenholtz received her BA in Political Science from Emory University.
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Angela Riccetti
Emory School of Law, JD 2003
Emory Candler School of Theology, MA in Jewish Studies 2003Angela Riccetti has worked with children for many years, through organizations such as Family Matters in Chicago (a tutoring program for inner-city children) and Jerusalem House in Atlanta. She currently teaches at a synagogue in Decatur. She plans to continue in child advocacy after finishing her law degree.
Ms. Riccetti received her BA Cum Laude in History from Loyola University Chicago.
Fall 2001 Students Staffing the Barton Clinic:
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Jennifer Hall
Emory School of Law, JD 2003Jennifer Hall developed an interest in children's issues while working through college in various summer camps. She started working in the Barton Clinic in the summer of 2001 through the Emory Summer Child Advocacy Program and continued her work into the fall semester for academic credit. After law school she plans to continue being involved in the child welfare system by volunteering in various capacities, especially as a foster parent and in programs such as Court Appointed Special Advocates.
Ms. Hall received her BS in Finance from the University of Florida, Gainesville.
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Laura R. Haskins
Georgia State University, MSW 2002Laura Haskins came to the Clinic to learn more about the policies that affect Georgia's abused and neglected children. Her interest in advocating for better child protective services developed through her volunteer work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate in Cherokee County, where she lives with her husband and two children. This is her second semester in the Barton Clinic.
Ms. Haskins received her BS in Psychology with honors from Georgia State University.
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Jamie Rubin
Emory School of Law, JD 2002Jamie Rubin is working in the Barton Clinic because of her desire to obtain clinical experience and her interest in child advocacy issues. She has previously volunteered in a soup kitchen, a homeless shelter, and with an organization that teaches tennis to disabled children. While working in all of these areas she was able to work with and help underprivileged children and found that there is nothing more rewarding. Furthermore, she has interned in the Public Defenders' office of Essex County, Massachusetts. The office represented many clients accused of sex crimes and abuse against children. Through this experience, she learned the importance of protecting children from these types of predators. Next year she will be working for Jackson Lewis, a labor and employment law firm in Atlanta, but hopes to continue doing pro bono work in the area of child advocacy.
Ms. Rubin received her BA from Emory University with a double major in Political Science and Spanish.
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Anna Svircev
Emory Rollins School of Public Health, MPH 2002Anna Svircev is working in the clinic because she feels it is necessary to integrate different disciplines on the issue of child advocacy. Attorneys, health care workers, social workers, and public health educators all need to come to together to prevent child abuse and neglect. Her work at the school of public health is in the department of Behavioral Science and Health Education.
Ms. Svircev received her BS in Zoology and also a BS in Psychology from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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Emory University School of Law, Gambrell Hall, Atlanta, GA 30322, (404) 727-6664.