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.

  • 2026-2027 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

    Ashley Garcia, 2026-2027 AmeriCorps VISTA Member & CLARO Coordinator

    Ashley Garcia is a NYC Consumer Advocacy Project Coordinator at the Feerick Center for Social Justice. After serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with another NYC-based organization, she was so moved by her experience that she chose the Feerick Center for her second year of service. Ashley holds a degree in legal studies from Pepperdine University and a degree in social policy from the University of Melbourne, and brings professional experience in nonprofit and higher education communication and project management. She is committed to promoting social justice and advocating for New Yorkers across the five boroughs.

    Bluebell Ward, 2026-2027 AmeriCorps VISTA Member & CLARO Coordinator

    Bluebell is a NYC Consumer Advocacy Project Coordinator at the Feerick Center for Social Justice. She is a December 2025 graduate of McGill University, where she earned a B.A. in Honors History. Bluebell volunteered with the Feerick Center’s CLARO Programs in the summer of 2025 and returned to work as a part-time CLARO coordinator in early 2026. She is excited to become a full-time staff member and continue to advocate for economic justice in New York.

    Past Members

    2025-2026 AmeriCorps VISTA Members

    • Alex Alexakos, AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA Member, CLARO Coordinator
    • Charlie Baker, AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA Member & CLARO Coordinator
    • Huntley Pizzarelli, AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA Member & CLARO Coordinator

    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