AmeriCorps VISTA Programs

2024-2025 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Alex Alexakos 

2024-2025 AmeriCorps VISTA Member & CLARO Coordinator

Alex Alexakos is a NYC Consumer Advocacy Project Coordinator at the Feerick Center for Social Justice. He graduated from New York University with a B.A in Philosophy and Hellenic Studies. A New York City native, he aims to support the Center’s work towards economic justice. Alex plans to attend law school following his year of service as he aspires to continue to support marginalized and underserved groups within a legal context.


Khadija Bangura

2024-2025 AmeriCorps, Consumer Assistance Project Coordinator

Khadija Bangura is a NYC Consumer Advocacy Project Coordinator at the Feerick Center for
Social Justice. She is the child of Sierra Leonean immigrants and was born and raised in Nashville, TN. She graduated with degrees in political science and economics from a small women's institution called Salem College located in Winston-Salem, NC. After graduating from college, Khadija joined Teach for America and began her career as English and social studies teacher in Phoenix, Arizona. She is excited to take on this role and contribute to expanding access to legal services throughout NYC. Following her year with CLARO, Khadija hopes to continue her education by attending law school. Khadija enjoys reading, exploring her community by foot, and international travel in her free time.

Robert (Wes) Mahony 

2024-2025 AmeriCorps VISTA Member & AEP Coordinator

Robert (Wes) Mahony is a 2024-2025 Greater NYC Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator at Fordham Law School's Feerick Center for Social Justice. He graduated from the University of Chicago with a BA in Philosophy and English Literature. Wes has prior legal experience in nonprofit criminal defense, at Lawndale Christian Legal Center, and in corporate litigation, at White & Case. He is passionate about expanding access to legal resources for underserved and marginalized communities. He plans to attend law school after his service and subsequently pursue a career in public interest law.


Renée Sanacora 
2024-2025 AmeriCorps VISTA Member & Immigrant Justice Project Coordinator

Renée Sanacora is the 2024-2025 Immigrant Justice Project Coordinator. She is originally from Guilford, Connecticut, and recently graduated from Yale College with a B.A. in Global Affairs. During college, Renée spent a semester abroad in South Africa working at a community outreach NGO, led communication and consent workshops for other undergraduate students, and worked as an intern with the Yale Economic Growth Center’s communications team. She is passionate about pursuing a career in international human rights and peace building, and following her year of AmeriCorps service Renée plans to continue her education in the field of international affairs.


Kaitlyn Schauer 
2024-2025 AmeriCorps VISTA Leader

Kaitlyn Schauer is the VISTA Leader for the 2024-2025 VISTA Cohort at the Fordham Law School’s Feerick Center for Social Justice. She is originally from Eugene, Oregon, where she graduated the University of Oregon with a B.A. in General Social Sciences with a focus in Law, Crime, and Society, as well as a minor in Legal Studies. Prior to joining the Feerick Center’s team, she worked at the “I Have A Dream” Foundation’s national office as their Development and Marketing Coordinator during her first year as an AmeriCorps VISTA. During her time there, she helped to build their capacity to serve even more underserved children in the education system. During her year at the Feerick Center, Kaitlyn hopes to gain further understanding of the legal system while supporting the current cohort of VISTAs in having a successful year of service.


Olivia Tafs 

2024-2025 AmeriCorps VISTA Member & AEP Coordinator

Olivia Tafs is a 2024-25 Americorps VISTA working on the Attorney Emeritus Program at Fordham Law's Feerick Center for Social Justice. She is a recent Fordham graduate with a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish Language and Literature. She has previous experience as a nonprofit program coordinator with Anchorage Youth Vote and working with the Alaska Public Defender Agency. She is excited about the opportunity to help make legal aid accessible to all New Yorkers in pursuit of a more equitable justice system. Following her term with Americorps, Olivia is attending NYU Law and plans to pursue a career in indigent defense.

2023-2024 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Liz McMillan
2023-2024 AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Consumer Assistance Project Coordinator

Liz McMillan pivoted to the nonprofit world after 20 plus years working as a Project Manager in Film and Television. Helping others and working on meaningful projects has become her new passion. Working as an AmeriCorps VISTA, she gets the chance to gain valuable experience at the Feerick Center while serving her community. On her off days she volunteers for WE ACT for Environmental Justice working on campaigns that lead to bills being passed.

2023-2024 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Monique Boamah, AmeriCorps VISTA Leader
Princess Dang, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator
Liz McMillan, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, CLARO Coordinator
Mitchell Taylor, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, CLARO Coordinator
Spencer Wang, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator

2022-2023 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Isabela Coppler, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Consumer Assistance Project Coordinator
Jordan Eady-Lee, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Greater NYC Attorney Emeritus Coordinator
Madeleine Foley, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Consumer Assistance Project Coordinator
Shannon Porter, AmeriCorps VISTA Leader
Sean Tan, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Greater NYC Attorney Emeritus Coordinator

2021-2022 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Kelsey Benjamin, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Greater NYC Attorney Emeritus Coordinator
John Kauffman, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Feerick Center Veterans Rights Project (FCVRP) and the COVID Response Project (CRP) Project Coordinator
Kimberly Martinez, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Consumer Assistance Project Coordinator
Theresa Mahoney, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Consumer Assistance Project Coordinator
Ashley Ramsay, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Greater NYC Attorney Emeritus Coordinator
Alero Simon, AmeriCorps VISTA Leader

2020-2021 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Kelsey Benjamin, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Greater NYC Attorney Emeritus Coordinator
Patrice A. Bryan, AmeriCorps VISTA Leader
Molly Miller, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Consumer Assistance Project Coordinator
Matty Motylenski, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Feerick Center Veterans Rights Project (FCVRP) and the COVID Response Project (CRP) Project Coordinator
Ella Shlonsky, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Greater NYC Attorney Emeritus Coordinator
Jordan Williams, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Consumer Assistance Project Coordinator

2019-2020 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Katherine Alonzo, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Consumer Debt Program Coordinator
Taylor Bessinger, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Volunteer Lawyers for Veterans Program, Project Coordinator
Dilon Goncalves, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Education Program Coordinator
Maris Moon, AmeriCorps VISTA Leader
Daniella Torres, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Greater NYC Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator

2018-2019 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Julia Cummings, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Consumer Debt Program Coordinator
Azalea Capers, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Education Program Coordinator
Kaitlyn Filzer, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Volunteer Lawyers for Veterans Program, Project Coordinator
Camilla Leonard, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Veteran's Program Coordinator
Evan Mullen, AmeriCorps VISTA Leader
Cora Vasserman, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator

2017-2018 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Azalea Capers, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Education Program Coordinator
Naama Hod, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator
Camilla Leonard, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Veteran's Program Coordinator
Cora Vasserman, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator

2016-2017 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Luigi Bonifacio, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Education Program Coordinator
Brian Bowen, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator
Shannon Litvin, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Consumer Debt Program Coordinator

2015-2016 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Christine Brathwaite, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Education Program Coordinator
Yolanda Garcia, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Consumer Debt Program Coordinator
Donita Krasniqi, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator

2014-2015 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Liza Carroll, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Education Program Coordinator
Matthew Q. English IV, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Attorney Emeritus & LEEAP Education Program Coordinator
Kyle Giller, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Consumer Debt Program Coordinator

2013 -2014 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

Priscilla Alabi, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Education Program Coordinator
Katie McConnell, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator
Sara Trongone, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, LEEAP Consumer Debt Program Coordinator

NYC Civic Corps Members

2014-2015 NYC Civic Corps Members

Donita Krasniqi, NYC Civic Corps Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator
Chelsea Wilson, NYC Civic Corps Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator

2013-2014 NYC Civic Corps Members

Nicholas Macri, NYC Civic Corps Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator
Samantha Varn, NYC Civic Corps Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator

2012-2013 NYC Civic Corps Members

Laura Backus, NYC Civic Corps Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator
Brandon Ruben, NYC Civic Corps Member, LEEAP Education Program Coordinator
Anting Wang, NYC Civic Corps Member, LEEAP Consumer Debt Program Coordinator

2011- 2012 NYC Civic Corps Members

Ayanthi Gunawardana, NYC Civic Corps Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator
Joanna Laine, NYC Civic Corps Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator