Malkia Hutchinson brings a wealth of experience in strategic communications and advocacy to her role as the Director of Media and Communications at NCLR. Within this position, Malkia oversees the implementation of the organization’s strategic long-term and day-to-day communications. With a career dedicated to advancing social justice causes, Malkia has honed her skills in building relationships with diverse stakeholders, crafting values-based communication strategies, and amplifying the voices...
Staci Peters is the Senior Staff Accountant responsible for overseeing the general accounting functions of NCLR. Staci grew up in southeastern Wisconsin. She completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and a Master’s in Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Prior to joining NCLR, Staci worked in Corporate Accounting for Brookdale Senior Living and Financial Planning & Analysis for MolsonCoors Beverage Co. Staci is very passionate about advocating for...
Bailey Henderson joined NCLR as a legal assistant in June 2023. He is a recent graduate of the University of California, Berkeley where he earned a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and Global Studies. Prior to coming to NCLR, Bailey worked as a social work intern for the Federal Defenders Office for the Eastern District of California and spent his last year at UC Berkeley as the External Affairs Vice President of the university’s student government, advocating for students at the...
Ana Garcia is the Philanthropy Associate for NCLR where she is responsible for gift entry, donor lists, and acknowledgments in addition to administrative support for the Executive Director and Philanthropy team. She comes to NCLR from the Pacific School of Religion, having worked as their Development Associate, with an impressive background in fundraising, donor management, and Raiser’s Edge. She is excited to be part of the NCLR team and to have the opportunity to serve as a creative partner...
KJ Popkin has joined the NCLR litigation team as a Staff Attorney to challenge transgender medical bans across the country. Prior to joining NCLR, they worked as a civil rights litigator targeting the worst abuses of the criminal legal system and acted as appellate counsel in eight high-impact appeals in federal circuit courts. They filed and argued a case in the Third Circuit that reversed the dismissal of a case filed by a transgender woman who, despite having been beaten and raped at an...
Janine joined NCLR as a legal assistant in April of 2023. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Legal Studies from the University of California Santa Cruz, where she also competed on the Division III diving team. Since graduating Janine has worked on a ballot measure campaign in San Francisco and a voter registration campaign in Michigan, and more recently she worked as a counselor at a non-profit organization. Janine lives in San Francisco with her housemate and their two cats, Mia...
Rachel Berg works on NCLR’s nationwide impact litigation. She litigates the full range of NCLR’s civil practice, including transgender rights, education, sports, youth, and discrimination. Before joining NCLR, Rachel spent most of her career in private practice at large law firms in New York and Nashville, where she focused on class action litigation. While there, she also developed a substantial pro bono practice related to various social justice issues. Rachel clerked for the Honorable Eli...
Lisa Oman is the Vice President of Finance and Administration and a member of NCLR’s senior management team. Lisa provides financial and operational leadership in partnership with the board of directors, senior management team, and the finance committee to support and improve NCLR’s long-term financial health and strategic growth. Lisa has a 20-year track record of guiding nonprofit strategic planning, financial management, and program development at nationally-recognized...
Mikaela Rioux is the Donor Engagement Manager for NCLR where she is responsible for individual donor outreach, stewardship, and community engagement. She is a longtime fundraiser in the San Francisco LGBTQ and social justice landscape, with nearly 15 years of experience in development, operations, event production, and grant writing. After living abroad in Argentina as a high school student, Mikaela moved to Montreal, Quebec where she graduated from McGill University with a double major in...
Pamela Mercado Garcia was born and raised in Mexico. In 2011, when she was 12 years old, she migrated to the United States. She remained undocumented until her family was granted residency in 2015 after her mother applied for adjustment of status through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Pam joined NCLR as the Immigration and Asylum Programs Associate in June of 2022. She is responsible for assisting the Immigration Project Director and the pro bono of Counsel Attorneys with a variety of...
