AmeriCorps VISTA Programs

The Feerick Center for Social Justice is honored to serve as an AmeriCorps grantee. The AmeriCorps’s VISTA Program brings three VISTA members to the Feerick Center who support the Center’s CLARO Programs. VISTA members devote a year of service to combat poverty through capacity-building initiatives, specifically by leveraging volunteer attorneys, law students, interpreters, and consumer law experts who assist unrepresented New Yorkers navigate consumer debt collection cases filed in New York City Civil Court.

VISTA members work to optimize CLARO’s limited-scope legal services by supporting volunteer recruitment, training, coordination, and retention—among other program initiatives.

  • 2025-2026 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

    Alex Alexakos

    2025-2026 AmeriCorps VISTA Member & CLARO Coordinator

    Alex Alexakos is a NYC Consumer Advocacy Project Coordinator at the Feerick Center for Social Justice in his second year as an AmeriCorps VISTA member. 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.

    Charlie Baker

    2025-2026 AmeriCorps VISTA Member & CLARO Coordinator

    Charlie Baker is a NYC Consumer Advocacy Project Coordinator at the Feerick Center for Social Justice. He graduated from Rutgers University - New Brunswick studying History and Spanish. He is excited to be part of the team at Feerick Center and support their mission to provide economic justice through the Americorps VISTA program. Charlie aims to continue that mission by later attending law school.

    Huntley Pizzarelli

    2025-2026 AmeriCorps VISTA Member & CLARO Coordinator

    Huntley Pizzarelli is a NYC Consumer Advocacy Project Coordinator at the Feerick Center for Social Justice. Huntley graduated in May 2025 from the University of Richmond with a B.A. in PPEL (Political Science, Philosophy, Economics, and Law). She brings a unique interdisciplinary lens to consumer advocacy work. Her passion for advocacy was shaped through diverse community services experiences.

    Having previously interned at the Feerick Center during the summer of 2024, she witnessed firsthand how legal barriers can perpetuate economic inequality. These advocacy experiences made the Feerick Center feel like the natural next step before law school, where she can deepen her understanding of how legal work directly impacts underserved communities while contributing meaningfully to consumer protection efforts.

     

    Past Members

    2024-2025 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

    Alex Alexakos, AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, CLARO Coordinator

    Khadija Bangura, AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, CLARO Coordinator

    Galib Kabir, AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, CLARO Coordinator

    Robert (Wes) Mahony, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator (ended service in February 2025)

    Renée Sanacora, AmeriCorps VISTA Member & Immigrant Justice Project Coordinator

    Kaitlyn Schauer, AmeriCorps VISTA Leader

    Olivia Tafs, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator (ended service in February 2025)


    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