MLRI Staff Directory

Allan Rodgers has been the Executive Director of MLRI since 1969 and involved in numerous advocacy efforts on behalf of low-income people. Allan was instrumental drafting the state's "anti-snob" zoning law, played an integral role in getting the Massachusetts Abuse Prevention Act passed, and has been active for many years in court reform efforts. He currently specializes in the areas of family, employment, and court reform. He is also resource on litigation, attorneys fees and unrepresented litigants issues. Before joining MLRI, Allan worked at the Boston law firm of Hill & Barlow and at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office. Allan graduated from Harvard Law School.

Millie Peters joined MLRI in April 1983. She is office manager at MLRI along with Jessie Hill. She oversees employee benefits and also works on the production of Advocacy Guides for the Benefits Unit. Millie first started working in legal services at the Dorchester branch of Greater Boston Legal Services in 1971, where she worked as a secretary, paralegal and office manager.

Jacqueline Humbert is MLRI's Financial Manager. She joined MLRI in March 2005. Prior to that, she was for many years a financial consultant, primarily to nonprofit organizations.

Jamie Gilmore joined MLRI as the Development Director in October 2007. Jamie spent the previous five years as the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations for the YMCA of Greater Boston. Prior to that he worked at the State House, first as the Press and Public Affairs Director for Senator Susan Fargo and then as the Communications Director for Senator Joan Menard. At MLRI, Jamie is responsible for advancing the organization’s mission and advocacy efforts through fundraising, positioning and communications.

Sylvia deMurias joined MLRI in November 1977 as an administrative assistant. Her work includes administrative work for the executive director. She is also a photographer and has contributed photographs to MLRI publications.

Gale Halpern joined MLRI as an administrative assistant in August 1981. In addition to copy-editing MLRI publications and coordinating trainings, she provides support to advocates in the areas of benefits, housing, and family law.

Bee Wilson joined MLRI is an administrative assistant in 1999. She does administrative assistance for advocates working in the areas of benefits, legislation, and criminal offender record information (CORI). Bee also assists with the postings for the Massachusetts’ legal services websites.

Patricia Baker joined MLRI’s Benefits Unit in 1983. As a Senior Policy Advocate at MLRI, Pat works on a range of legislative, administrative, and policy matters that affect low-income families, elders and persons with disabilities. Prior to joining MLRI, Pat was a paralegal in Western Massachusetts Legal Services from 1977 to 1983 where she focused on disability, unemployment, and public benefits cases. Since 2002, under her leadership as chair of the Massachusetts Food Stamp Improvement Coalition, the Coalition has negotiated extensive policy changes to restore significant federal nutrition benefits to the Commonwealth. She has been a contributing author and edited numerous publications, including the Food Stamp Advocacy Guide, EAEDC Advocacy Guide, and TAFDC and EA Advocacy Guide; as well as the original Down and Out Advocacy Guide and the benefits section of Legal Tactics, 4th and 5th Editions.

Ruth Bourquin joined MLRI in 1998 as a staff attorney in the Benefits Unit. At MLRI, she specializes in public benefits, including cash assistance and family shelter, and has engaged in legislative and administrative advocacy, as well as litigation, that has expanded access to income supports for needy families. Prior to joining MLRI, Ruth was the Deputy General Counsel at the Massachusetts Senate Committee on Ways and Means, an employment discrimination and union-side labor lawyer, a Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General, and a law clerk on the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. She graduated from Harvard Law School.

Deborah Harris joined MLRI as staff attorney in the Benefits Unit in 1990 and specializes in public benefits and child support issues. From 1976 to 1990 she was a staff attorney at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Her work at MLRI has encompassed numerous challenges to federal, state and local rules denying benefits, services, and jobs to low-income people, and advocacy to persuade state agencies to adopt policies and practices that further the state’s goals of protecting vulnerable populations and promoting economic stability. She also provides technical assistance to legislators and advocates on federal and state laws and regulations regarding welfare and other benefits for low-income persons. In addition to many analyses and articles on welfare and child support issues, she is the author, together with other MLRI and legal services advocates, of the TAFDC and EA Advocacy Guide and the Food Stamp Advocacy Guide.

Allan Rodgers has been the Executive Director of MLRI since 1969 and involved in numerous advocacy efforts on behalf of low-income people. Allan was instrumental drafting the state's "anti-snob" zoning law, played an integral role in getting the Massachusetts Abuse Prevention Act passed, and has been active for many years in court reform efforts. He currently specializes in the areas of family, employment, and court reform. He is also resource on litigation, attorneys fees and unrepresented litigants issues. Before joining MLRI, Allan worked at the Boston law firm of Hill & Barlow and at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office. Allan graduated from Harvard Law School.

Fran Fajana joined MLRI as a staff attorney in 2001. Before joining MLRI, Fran worked for eight years at Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts in Worcester, where she specialized in housing and litigating complex housing discrimination cases in federal and state courts. She graduated from Suffolk University Law School. At MLRI, Fran directs the Race Equity Project, which heightens awareness about, and addresses the intersection of, race, racism, and poverty. Fran’s primary areas of concentration, resulting from a comprehensive examination of the critical legal issues facing low-income communities of color, are education, employment, and the civil consequences of criminal records. Since joining MLRI, in addition to influencing various policy changes, Fran has successfully challenged unlawful criminal records dissemination practices impacting victims of identity theft.

Debbie Thomson joined MLRI’s Benefits Unit in May 1988 and is a part-time attorney, specializing in elder law and health issues. Prior to joining MLRI, Deb was a staff attorney at Merrimack Valley Legal Services and focused on elder issues. She was also an Assistant Attorney General specializing in health and insurance issues and Public Policy Director at the Alzheimer's Association of Massachusetts. She graduated from George Washington University Law School. In addition to her current work at MLRI, Deb is also principal of The PASS Group, doing legislative and administrative advocacy. She has made significant policy and legislative contributions to long term care at the state and national level.

Margaret Monsell joined MLRI in January 1999 and was MLRI's Legislative Director until September 2007. She now practices employment law in areas including unemployment insurance, the earned income tax credit program and low-wage worker protections, and she is a co-author of the Unemployment Advocacy Guide. Prior to joining MLRI, she worked as a law clerk at the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, as an Assistant Attorney General in the state Attorney General’s office, and as General Counsel for the Senate Committee on Ways and Means in the Massachusetts Legislature. She graduated from Boston College Law School.

Allan Rodgers has been the Executive Director of MLRI since 1969 and involved in numerous advocacy efforts on behalf of low-income people. Allan was instrumental drafting the state's "anti-snob" zoning law, played an integral role in getting the Massachusetts Abuse Prevention Act passed, and has been active for many years in court reform efforts. He currently specializes in the areas of family, employment, and court reform. He is also resource on litigation, attorneys fees and unrepresented litigants issues. Before joining MLRI, Allan worked at the Boston law firm of Hill & Barlow and at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office. Allan graduated from Harvard Law School.

Susan Elsen joined MLRI’s Family Law Unit in May 2001. She currently focuses on children and family issues including child custody and child welfare issues and directs her advocacy towards ensuring that children grow up in homes that are safe, financially secure, and provide a foundation for a healthy, productive adulthood. Before joining MLRI, she had a private family law practice from 1996–2006, was a staff attorney at Neighborhood Legal Services in Lynn from 1991-1996 and at South Middlesex Legal Services starting in 1988, and was an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of New York from 1984-1988. She graduated from Columbia Law School.

Allan Rodgers has been the Executive Director of MLRI since 1969 and involved in numerous advocacy efforts on behalf of low-income people. Allan was instrumental drafting the state's "anti-snob" zoning law, played an integral role in getting the Massachusetts Abuse Prevention Act passed, and has been active for many years in court reform efforts. He currently specializes in the areas of family, employment, and court reform. He is also resource on litigation, attorneys fees and unrepresented litigants issues. Before joining MLRI, Allan worked at the Boston law firm of Hill & Barlow and at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office. Allan graduated from Harvard Law School.

Jeff Wolf joined MLRI in 2002 as a family law attorney. He has been a legal services attorney since 1975. With fellow MLRI family law staff attorney Susan Elsen, Jeff co-chairs the Family Law Task Force, the legal services coalition that coordinates state-wide family law advocacy efforts and provides support to legal services family law advocates. Jeff’s work focuses on domestic violence and in expanding linguistic and cultural minority access to legal services and to the legal system. In June 2008, he was appointed to the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual and Domestic Violence. From 1975 until 2002, he was legal director and family law staff attorney at Community Legal Services & Counseling Center, a legal services program in Cambridge. Jeff graduated from Boston University School of Law.

Neil Cronin joined MLRI in 1989 as an advocate on health care issues. At MLRI, he specializes in Medicaid and other public health assistance programs. Prior to coming to MLRI, Neil was a paralegal in Western Massachusetts Legal Services from 1975 to 1989 where he focused on public benefits programs.

Vicky Pulos joined MLRI in 2000 as a health law attorney. Her work concentrates on assuring low-income people access to health care, through advocacy, training, technical support, and litigation. Prior to joining MLRI she did children’s health work at Families USA in Washington D.C. and prior to that worked as a managing attorney at New Hampshire Legal Assistance. She received her law degree from Harvard Law School. She is the author of MLRI's MassHealth Advocacy Guide. Her current work focuses on implementation of Massachusetts' 2006 health reform law to benefit low-income people. She has also worked extensively on immigrants' eligibility for health care programs.

Ruth Bourquin joined MLRI in 1998 as a staff attorney in the Benefits Unit. At MLRI, she specializes in public benefits, including cash assistance and family shelter, and has engaged in legislative and administrative advocacy, as well as litigation, that has expanded access to income supports for needy families. Prior to joining MLRI, Ruth was the Deputy General Counsel at the Massachusetts Senate Committee on Ways and Means, an employment discrimination and union-side labor lawyer, a Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General, and a law clerk on the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. She graduated from Harvard Law School.

Amy Copperman joined MLRI in September 1998 as a staff attorney in the Housing Unit. At MLRI, Amy provides advocacy to tenants about their rights to access, live in, and protect public and subsidized housing. Amy graduated from Harvard Law School and received a Skadden Fellowship to work at Mass Law Reform from 1998 to 2000. Prior to attending law school, she worked at Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation and Women's Prison Association in New York City.

Annette Duke joined MLRI as director of publications in 1988 and as a staff attorney in the Housing Unit in 1989. She specializes in tenants' rights, public housing, and court reform and has authored and edited numerous publications including: Legal Tactics: Tenants Rights in Massachusetts; Residents Guide to Public Housing Agency Plans; and a Know Your Rights Series on Public Housing, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants, which includes: Using Your Public Housing Grievance Procedure, Understanding Your Lease in Public Housing, Transfers in Public Housing, and Creating Memorandums of Understanding. Prior to joining, MLRI from 1984-1988, Annette worked at the Massachusetts Poverty Law Center, MLRI’s then publishing arm, and as an attorney in several small private practices focusing on general civil matters. She graduated from Antioch Law School.

Judith Liben joined MLRI’s Housing Unit in 1989. Prior to this, she was Chief Counsel at Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services from 1987-1989 and a housing attorney as Merrimack Valley Legal Services from 1976-1987. She graduated from Northeastern Law School. She is currently concentrating on how to mitigate the effect of the foreclosure crisis on tenants. She works in local, state and federal forums with a variety of allies to slow down the spread of abandonment and stabilize hard hit communities by keeping tenants in their homes after foreclosure. Her work has also included litigation and other advocacy to stop public housing demolitions and to insert fair housing principles into the state's housing programs.

Iris Gomez joined MLRI as an immigration attorney in March 1992, is a nationally recognized expert on asylum and immigration law, and directs MLRI’s Immigrants Protection Project. Prior to joining MLRI, she was a Senior Attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services. She also worked as a law school lecturer, a public defender, a farm worker lawyer, and has been the Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Immigration Law Center. She graduated from Boston University School of Law.

Virginia Benzan joined MLRI in May of 2008 as a staff attorney in the Immigration Unit. After graduating from Northeastern University School of Law, she practiced privately, focusing primarily in criminal defense and immigration. Prior to law school, she worked as a Congressional Aide for U.S. Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA).

Deb Silva joined MLRI in September 2007 as MLRI’s Legislative Director. Before joining MLRI, she was Legislative Aide to State Representative Carl Sciortino and prior to that she practiced employment law in the private sector. She graduated from Boston College Law School.

Annette Duke joined MLRI as director of publications in 1988 and as a staff attorney in the Housing Unit in 1989. She specializes in tenants' rights, public housing, and court reform and has authored and edited numerous publications including: Legal Tactics: Tenants Rights in Massachusetts; Residents Guide to Public Housing Agency Plans; and a Know Your Rights Series on Public Housing, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants, which includes: Using Your Public Housing Grievance Procedure, Understanding Your Lease in Public Housing, Transfers in Public Housing, and Creating Memorandums of Understanding. Prior to joining, MLRI from 1984-1988, Annette worked at the Massachusetts Poverty Law Center, MLRI’s then publishing arm, and as an attorney in several small private practices focusing on general civil matters. She graduated from Antioch Law School.

Fran Fajana joined MLRI as a staff attorney in 2001. Before joining MLRI, Fran worked for eight years at Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts in Worcester, where she specialized in housing and litigating complex housing discrimination cases in federal and state courts. She graduated from Suffolk University Law School. At MLRI, Fran directs the Race Equity Project, which heightens awareness about, and addresses the intersection of, race, racism, and poverty. Fran’s primary areas of concentration, resulting from a comprehensive examination of the critical legal issues facing low-income communities of color, are education, employment, and the civil consequences of criminal records. Since joining MLRI, in addition to influencing various policy changes, Fran has successfully challenged unlawful criminal records dissemination practices impacting victims of identity theft.

Peter Smick joined MLRI in September 1987 and is currently MLRI’s Information Technology director for MLRI. In addition to managing MLRI network systems, he performs similar functions for other legal services offices who engage MLRI's computer consulting services. Prior to MLRI, Peter was an attorney at the law firm of Bernstein & Smick. He graduated from Boston College Law School.

Rochelle Hahn is an attorney who joined MLRI in 2005 to focus on food stamps advocacy. In May of 2007, she became MLRI's Website Project Coordinator for www.MassLegalServices.org, the website for Massachusetts legal services advocates. Prior to joining MLRI, she was the Executive Director of the Legal Advocacy & Resource Center (a legal services hotline), a staff attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services, a litigation associate at Wilmer Cutler Hale and Dorr, and a federal law clerk. She graduated from New York University School of Law.

Sandra Quiles joined MLRI in 2007. She is a website designer and developer providing technical, design, and general support for MLRI’s websites: www.MassLegalServices.org and www.MassLegalHelp.org. She also designed MLRI’s website www.MLRI.org and assisted in the production of Legal Tactics: Tenants’ Rights in Massachusetts.

Caroline Robinson joined MLRI in September 2004 as the Websites Project Coordinator for www.MassLegalHelp.org. MassLegalHelp is an online legal information site for clients and advocates. As website coordinator, Caroline supports Massachusetts legal services in our collaborative effort to promote justice through accessible online information for both English and non-English speaking low-income people.