I am passionate about criminal defense and your rights, in and out of the courtroom.

I believe it is important to be engaged in our community.  The government has vast power, but it makes mistakes.  Our federal and state constitutions provide a check on the government’s power.  Though no one expects to need a criminal defense attorney, I believe I play an important role in our society--defense lawyers are essential to the protection of our rights. 

I am on the board of the Colorado Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, a progressive legal organization.  In 2009, I was a co-recipient of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Gideon Award for my involvement in organizing and defending over 100 political protesters arrested during the 2008 Democratic National Convention.  I coordinated over 80 attorneys to provide free representation to the political protesters criminally charged as a result of exercising their First Amendment rights.  Again, during the Occupy Denver movement in 2012 and the 2020 BLM Uprising, I organized pro bono attorneys to represent demonstrators.  In 2022, I received the Advancing Justice award from CCDB due to organizing efforts during the 2020 BLM Uprising.  It is very rewarding to encourage other defense attorneys to get involved in the community.  In fact during NLG's 2012 Law for the People convention, I presented on "What Public Defenders Can Do to Support Community Causes."  In my work and in my spare time, I always pursue social justice within my community. 

I was asked to join the board of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, in 2013, and currently sit on the board of the Colorado Criminal Defense Institute.  It is an honor to work with an organization that is responsible for positive legislative change: protecting the rights of those accused of committing crimes and opposing the death penalty.  Additionally CCDB and CCDI provide a much-needed network of support to criminal defense attorneys across the state and I believe it is critical to share experiences and expertise.  

In 2022, I was invited to join the Denver Municipal Public Defenders Commission.  This is an opportunity to bring together my love for public defenders and my experience as both a criminal defense attorney and community organizer.  While this Commission oversees only the Denver city public defender office, I also am a commissioner with the Colorado Criminal and Juvenile Justice Commission, where I enjoy working with various entities and individuals to impact the whole state's criminal legal system!