Founder and CEO, Press Pass NYC
Lara Bergen began her career in literacy advocacy as a children’s book editor with the (then) Penguin Putnam Group, and later as a children’s book writer, authoring dozens of picture books, chapter books, and middle-grade novels for publishers such as Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, and Disney. A graduate of Princeton University, Bergen went on to earn a Masters in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia, and to teach high school English with the NYC DOE, where she saw her own ELA classes transformed through the incorporation of a school newspaper into her curriculum and the idea for Press Pass NYC was conceived. Bergen officially founded Press Pass NYC in 2021 and now works full-time as its Executive Director.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Justice for All Initiative Co-Chair
Judge Bianco was appointed as a United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit in 2019. Previously, he served as a United States District Court Judge in the Eastern District of New York. Judge Bianco was appointed as a United States District Judge in the Eastern District of New York by President George W. Bush, in 2006. Judge Bianco obtained his B.A., magna cum laude, at Georgetown University in 1988 and received his law degree in 1991 from Columbia Law School, where he was a Kent Scholar and a member of the Law Review. For a period of time, he worked as a litigation associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, then served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he became Deputy Chief and then Chief of the Organized Crime and Terrorism Unit. After a year as Counsel with Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, he returned to the Department of Justice in 2004 in the Criminal Division in Washington, D.C., where he supervised the Counterterrorism Section, the Fraud Section, the Appellate Section, and the Capital Case Unit. He occupied that position until his appointment to the bench. Judge Bianco has taught courses at Fordham Law School, Hofstra Law School, and Touro Law Center. He currently teaches at St. John's University School of Law.

Associate Judge, New York State Court of Appeals 
Anthony Cannataro, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, was born in New Jersey in July 1965.  On May 25, 2021, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo nominated him to the Court of Appeals, and the New York State Senate confirmed his appointment on June 8, 2021. A career public servant, Judge Cannataro began his legal career in 1996 as an Assistant Corporation Counsel with the New York City Law Department.  From 2000-2003, he served as Law Clerk to Hon. Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, Associate Judge of the New York Court of Appeals. He then served as Law Clerk to Hon. Lottie E. Wilkins in Supreme Court, New York County from 2003-2011. In 2011, he was elected Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York, receiving assignments to the Kings County Family Court and the Bronx County Civil Court, until his appointment in 2016 as Supervising Judge of the New York County Civil Court. In 2017, he was elected Justice of the Supreme Court for the First Judicial District. Upon taking office as a Supreme Court Justice in January 2018, he was concurrently appointed Citywide Administrative Judge for the New York City Civil Court. Judge Cannataro received his B.A. (cum laude) from Columbia University in 1993 and his J.D. (cum laude) from New York Law School in 1996. He was admitted to practice law in April 1997. He currently resides with his husband in Westchester County.

Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
The Hon. Sarah L. Cave was sworn in as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of New York on October 1, 2019. Judge Cave is active in The Honorable Robert A. Katzmann Justice for All — Courts and the Community Initiative: The Civic Education Project for the Federal Courts of the Second Circuit, coordinating the 2024 Teachers’ Institute among other civics education programs within the Initiative. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Cave worked as a distinguished litigator and partner at a law firm in New York City. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable Joan A. Lenard, United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida, and as a staff law clerk to the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. She received a B.A. from Colgate University in 1995, magna cum laude, and in 1997, received a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, where she was a Note Editor for the Journal of Law Reform.

Dean and President, New York Law School
Anthony W. Crowell is New York Law School’s 16th Dean and President and Professor of Law, serving since May 2012; he has taught state and local government law at NYLS since 2003. He also serves as Faculty Director for NYLS’s Center for New York City and State Law. As a first generation student and a longtime New York City public servant, he proudly reintroduced NYLS as New York’s law school. His management philosophy is rooted in his experience as a senior executive in New York City government for more than a decade, where he served as Counselor to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. He also served as Executive Director, Counsel, or Commissioner of six Charter Revision Commissions. Under his leadership, NYLS has repositioned itself as a law school for the 21st century lawyer and a leader in public service.

Dean Crowell serves on the Executive Committees of the Association of American Law Schools and the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York, and is the President of the National Association of Standalone Graduate Schools. He is a Commissioner on the New York City Planning Commission and serves on the Board of Trustees (former Chair) of the Brooklyn Public Library. He is a member of Board of Directors of the Citizens Union Foundation. He is also Chair of the New York State Independent Review Committee for Nominations to the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government. He previously served for nine years on the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board.

He received his J.D. cum laude from American University, which he attended as an evening student while working full-time managing government affairs and policy for the International City/County Management Association. He earned a B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania.

Founder, Justice Ambassadors Youth Council
Jarrell E. Daniels is a Community Organizer, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, and Founder of the Justice Ambassadors Youth Council (JAYC) at Columbia University’s Center for Justice. Through JAYC, he leads a transformative educational seminar connecting 18-25 year-olds from underserved NYC neighborhoods—many impacted by the legal system or gang involvement—with government officials. This "policy-by-proximity" model amplifies marginalized voices to drive systemic reform and community empowerment. Daniels’s journey from incarceration to academia began with a college course taken while imprisoned, culminating in a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and African American Studies from Columbia University. A TED speaker and gang interventionist, he co-developed Project Restore, a 12-month gun-violence intervention program addressing youth violence through community-based strategies and policy reform. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology and Social Intervention at NYU, Daniels’s research focuses on the impact of resource scarcity on adolescent development, and the ecological factors surrounding youth gang involvement and criminal legal system contact. He is committed to evidence-based interventions that promote youth empowerment, systemic transformation, and collaboration between communities and government.

Senior Advisor for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Title VI Director, New York Law School
Paulina Davis serves at New York Law School as Senior Advisor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Title VI Director. She previously served NYLS as Associate Dean for Academic and Bar Success Initiatives for four years. Before joining NYLS, Davis was an Acting Assistant Professor of Lawyering at the NYU School of Law, an Attorney at Advocates for Children of New York, and a Judicial Law Clerk for U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. She earned a J.D. degree, cum laude, from the Howard University School of Law, and a B.A. from the University of Delaware.

National Educational Outreach Manager, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
Rebecca Fanning is the national educational outreach manager for the federal courts. She develops national courtroom and classroom initiatives for federal judges interacting with high school, community college, university, and law school students, and adults. The flagship courtroom program is a realistic simulation (not a mock trial) that teaches civil discourse and decision-making skills. All participants and learning styles are involved as jurors, judges, and attorneys. The signature classroom activity is Candid Conversations during which a federal judge, an attorney volunteer, and a non-attorney court professional welcome students’ questions, perspectives, and opinions. She started her career as a reporter for United Press International before becoming the first public relations director at the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. She was the first press secretary for the Minnesota Supreme Court before starting the federal courts’ national educational outreach function.

Principal, Liz Fine Advisory
Elizabeth Fine is an attorney and policy expert who has served in senior roles at every level of government. Most recently, she was Counsel to New York Governor Kathy Hochul from 2021 through 2024. She previously served as Executive Vice-President and General Counsel of Empire State Development (ESD), as General Counsel of the New York City Council, and in various roles in Washington, D.C., at the Justice Department, the White House, and the House Judiciary Committee. She currently serves as a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and on governing boards of other public and private organizations.

Second-Year Evening Division Student, New York Law School
Randi Furman is a producer at CNN, where she has worked since 2014. She currently produces CNN News Central, the network’s morning news program airing from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. each weekday. Alongside her journalism career, she is a second-year evening law student at New York Law School. She brings a dual perspective to the intersection of media and law as a student learning the foundations of the profession while continuing her work in national news.

CEO, DoSomething
DeNora Getachew is the CEO of DoSomething, the 32-year-old hub for youth-driven leadership and service. She oversees the P&L, stewards the Board of Directors, and drives organizational strategy to fuel more than 1 million young people who engage with their innovative digital platform. DoSomething educates young people about the causes they care about and equips them to make a difference in their communities through volunteer service and by taking action. Getachew is a democracy lawyer, who has worked to promote free elections and a multiracial democracy in government and the nonprofit sector. She has served on the NYS Public Campaign Financing Commission and the Civic Readiness Task Force. She chairs the board of Higher Heights for America.

Theater Artist, Social Worker, Arts Administrator
Julian Goldhagen (they/them) is a theater artist, social worker, and arts administrator based in Brooklyn, NY. They are the Manager of Civic Impact at the Public Theater, as well as a psychotherapist at Grounded Therapy and a regular storyteller and host with The Moth. Their work focuses on the intersection of community-building, civic participation, mental health and wellness, and the arts.

Visiting Professor of Law, New York Law School
Brandt Goldstein has taught at New York Law School for 20 years. A graduate of Yale Law School and a former clerk for Judge Harry T. Edwards of the D.C. Circuit, he has written extensively on law for the general public, from books, articles, and opinion pieces to cable news. He has also lectured widely, appeared on cable news, radio shows, and podcasts, and co-founded one of the first online journals of legal commentary. The recipient of a Ford Foundation grant to speak at law schools across China and the co-author of a civil procedure teaching text, he has written and advised on legal dramas in both film and television, most recently The Rainmaker on USA/Peacock.

Vice President for Education at The New-York Historical
Leslie Hayes is Vice President for Education at The New-York Historical and is a member of the Museum Education faculty in the CUNY Museum Studies M.A. Program. She has worked in the museum education space for nearly 20 years, with a focus on connecting K-12 students and teachers to American and New York City history and civics. She holds a B.A. in History and English from Penn State, a M.P.A. in Non-Profit Management from NYU and a M.Phil. in History from Cambridge University.

Creator, Producer, Writer
Peter K. Hirsch is a creator, producer, and writer of Sherri and the Unfairies, the fantastical new children's comedy premiering at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, spring 2026. He is the co-creator, executive producer, and head writer of the HBO Max series Hop and was the head writer for over 20 years of the PBS series Arthur. He has won seven Emmys and a Peabody Award and lives in New York with playwright Cusi Cram and their two marmalade cats.

Research Professor, University of Pennsylvania Director, Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics, Annenberg Public Policy Center
Lance Holbert is a research professor at the Annenberg School for Communication and director of the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics (LAIC) within the Annenberg Public Policy Center. Holbert is a quantitative social scientist whose scholarship has focused on media, politics, and persuasion. The author or co-author of more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, books or book chapters, Holbert is also a fellow of the International Communication Association and a former editor-in-chief of the Journal of Communication.

Associate Director, Head of the Center for Educators and Schools, New York Public Library
Kaitlin Holt is the Associate Director and head of the Center for Educators and Schools at New York Public Library (NYPL). Prior to joining NYPL, Holt served as an educator and leader in esteemed NYC cultural institutions, including Brooklyn Public Library's Center for Brooklyn History where she grew the impact and reach of its archives education programs. Her expertise shines through her numerous publications and presentations on best practices for teaching with primary sources. Her work has been recognized with awards from the Society of American Archivists and Archivist Roundtable of Metropolitan New York. She co-authored What Primary Sources Teach: Lessons for Every Classroom (Bloomsbury, 2022).

Senior Advisor, Office of Academic Affairs, New York Law School
Florence Hutner is the Senior Advisor in the Office of Academic Affairs and Title IX Co-Coordinator at New York Law School. She is also Executive Partner in the Institute for Justice Policy Implementation, a partnership between NYLS and the Center for Justice Innovation. Previously, she served as a lawyer for the City of New York for over 30 years, including litigating for the City Law Department’s Affirmative Litigation Division and serving as General Counsel to multiple City agencies including the Departments of Correction and Probation, the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence (now ENDGBV), and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. She also participated in relief efforts in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, and of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. She advised on the formation of OCME’s Overdose Fatality Review Committee and continues to consult for that committee. She holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School, an M.F.A. from NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts, and an A.B. from Princeton University.

Chief Education Officer, iCivics
Dr. Emma Humphries joined iCivics as Chief Education Officer in February 2016. Dr. Humphries began her career in education as a classroom teacher in North Florida, where she taught all levels of American government, American history, and economics. It was there she first learned the power of innovative learning tools that allow students to engage with important content and make meaning of otherwise dry concepts such as federalism and limited government. Dr. Humphries has degrees in political science and education and was awarded a James Madison Fellowship in 2004. She was a founding member of the iCivics Educator Network and has been spreading the good word about iCivics since 2010. She lives in Georgia with her husband, Michael, and their daughters, June and Julia. In her spare time, she chairs the annual St. Simons Island Wine Festival benefitting local arts and education causes.

President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library
As president and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library (BPL), Linda E. Johnson leads one of the nation’s most historic and most innovative library systems. She manages the operations, finances, programs, and 1,200 predominantly unionized staff of the 62-branch system, which operates with an annual budget of $200 million and serves 2.7 million residents. Johnson has overseen BPL’s transformation from an analog to a modern/digital library with the latest technology available for free to all patrons, working with elected officials, private foundations, and library stakeholders, to ensure that underserved and underrepresented communities have access to the world’s knowledge on every platform.

Director of Programs, Education, and Research, Historical Society of the New York Courts
Julia Rose Kraut is a legal historian who holds a J.D. as well as a Ph.D., and she specializes in immigration and First Amendment law and history. In 2016, Dr. Kraut became the inaugural Judith S. Kaye Fellow for the Historical Society of the New York Courts, and she now serves as the Society's Director of Programs, Education, and Research.

Inspector General, New York State
Inspector General Lucy Lang oversees investigations into corruption, fraud, and abuse in New York State government. Lang previously served as Director of the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office prosecuting violent crimes including homicides. There, she also served as Special Counsel for Policy and Projects and created a first-of-its-kind college class for incarcerated students and prosecutors to develop policy together. Lang’s writing on the legal system has been published in The New York Times, The Atlantic, the New York Daily News, and others, and she is the author of March On!, a children's book about the 1915 Women's March for Suffrage in New York City. Lang is a Presidential Leadership Scholar and a member of the Council on Criminal Justice, the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section, and the New York State and New York City Bar Associations. She is a graduate of Swarthmore College, Columbia Law School, and the Executive Public Leaders Programme at the University of Oxford. Lang was recently recognized on City and State’s Law Power 100 list for her unwavering commitment to protecting New York’s most vulnerable populations.

Dean of Faculty, Rita and Joseph Solomon Professor of Wills, Trusts, and Estates, New York Law School
William P. LaPiana is Dean of Faculty and Rita and Joseph Solomon Professor of Wills, Trusts, and Estates and Director of Estate Planning, Graduate Tax Program, at New York Law School. Professor LaPiana holds both a Ph.D. in History and a J.D. from Harvard, where he also received his A.B. and an A.M. in History. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1978, he spent four years as an associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York. In 1987, after four years at the University of Pittsburgh Law School, he joined the faculty at New York Law School. Professor LaPiana has been active with the trusts and estates sections of both the New York State and the American Bar Associations, and is an academic fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, served on its Committees on State Laws and Legal Education and served as co-chair of the latter. He is also a member of the American Law Institute and served on the Members Consultative Groups for the Restatements (Third) of Trusts and of Property (Donative Transfers). Since 2009, he has been a member of the Office of Court Administration Surrogate’s Court Committee and has served on the New York City Bar Associations Surrogate’s Court and Trusts and Estate Committee and Estate and Gift Tax Committee.

Music Educator, Researcher, Author
Dr. Peter Mall is a music educator and researcher with a Ph.D. in music education and a diploma in guitar performance. Based in Germany, he has taught guitar in music schools for over a decade, served as a lecturer and research assistant at the University of Music and Performing Arts Frankfurt, and currently works with evalag (Mannheim) and the University of Music Trossingen. His research focuses on performing arts and music education, including projects such as the European Music Portfolio: Sounding Ways into Mathematics (EMP-M), and he is the author of Schule und Orchester (2016).

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Justice for All Initiative Co-Chair
Victor Marrero is a Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, having been nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1999; he assumed senior status in 2010. He was born in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University in 1964 and a Bachelor of Laws from Yale Law School in 1968. Judge Marrero served as assistant to the Mayor of the City of New York from 1968 to 1970. He then worked in the Model Cities Administration in New York City from 1970 to 1973, co-founding of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund in 1972. He continued working in the city government, serving as Executive Director of the Department of City Planning of New York City from 1973 to 1974 and as special counsel to the comptroller of New York City from 1974 to 1975. He served as the Governor's first assistant counsel from 1975 to 1976, then returned to New York City and served as the Chairman of the City Planning Commission in 1976–77. He was a Commissioner and Vice Chairman of the New York State Housing Finance Agency from 1978 to 1979, Undersecretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1979 to 1981, and in private practice of law in New York City from 1981 to 1993. He served as United States Ambassador to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations from 1993 to 1997, and as United States Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United States to the Organization of American States from 1998 to 1999.

Yessica Martinez was a participant in The Honorable Robert A. Katzmann Justice for All — Courts and the Community Initiative: The Civic Education Project for the Federal Courts of the Second Circuit.

Executive Editor and Program Director, Center for New York City and State Law, New York Law School
Ben Max is Executive Editor and Program Director of New York Law School’s Center for New York City and State Law. He is also host of the Max Politics podcast, featuring in-depth conversations with elected and appointed officials, advocates, academics, and others on New York law, policy, government, and politics. He was the longtime editor of Gotham Gazette where he led a team known for comprehensive coverage of New York City and State policy and politics, including policy explainers, election guides, and reporting on many topics often not covered by other publications. He is a leading analyst of New York politics and expert on city and state government, and a frequent guest on television, radio, and podcast programs. He also regularly moderates candidate debates, policy panels, newsmaker conversations, and other events for various organizations and venues. Prior to his journalism career, he spent a decade in K-12 education, including six years as a high school history teacher.

Founder, News Literacy Project
Alan C. Miller is the founder of the News Literacy Project (NLP), the leading provider of news literacy education in the country. He established NLP in 2008 to give middle school and high school educators the tools to teach their students how to separate fact from fiction in the digital age. NLP’s place as a game-changer in news literacy education is the result of Miller’s vision, passion and commitment. As a founder of the field of news literacy, he has helped raise more than $55 million for NLP and oversaw its growth to a team of 40 staffers. After leading the organization for more than 14 years, he stepped down as CEO in June 2022. Before launching NLP, Miller enjoyed a long and distinguished journalism career.

Musician, Educator, Author
Berthold Moeller is a versatile drummer, educator, and proponent of democracy education through music. Based in Germany, he has been a lecturer at the Music Institute of the Justus-Liebig University in Giessen since 1998. He is a contributing author in Cultures of Remembrance and Democracy Education (Professor Dr. Sabine Schneider-Binkl, Ed., Wissner Verlag, 2025) and other publications. His artistic work spans jazz, funk, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, rock, and contemporary music, with numerous recordings and productions to his name.

Assistant Court Attorney for the Honorable Ta-Tanisha D. James, New York Supreme Court
Suzanna Neal is an Assistant Court Attorney for the Honorable Ta-Tanisha D. James at the New York Supreme Court, specializing in matrimonial matters. She graduated from New York Law School in 2024 and is an alumna of the NYLS Street Law program.

Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York; Co-Chair, New York City Bar Civics Education Task Force
Katharine H. Parker graduated with honors from Fordham Law School in 1992 and Duke University in 1989. She clerked for the Honorable Warren W. Eginton, U.S. District Judge for the District of Connecticut, then joined Proskauer Rose LLP as an associate in its Labor & Employment Law and became a partner there in 2000. In 2016, Judge Parker was selected as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of New York. Judge Parker serves as the Second Circuit Director to the Federal Magistrate Judge Association and is a member of the Judicial Resources Committee of the U.S. Judicial Conference. She is also currently Co-Chair of the NYC Bar Association Task Force on Civic Education. She previously served as Chair of the Employment Law and Disability Law Committees of the NYC Bar Association. Judge Parker has been involved in various charitable causes, including the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Girl Be Heard. She is a recipient of the NYC Bar Association Jeremy G. Epstein Award for pro bono service and the Fairy Godmother Award from Girl Be Heard for pro bono legal services to that organization.

Executive Director, Citizens Union Foundation
Grace Rauh is the executive director of Citizens Union, New York’s oldest good government group. A former NY1 News political reporter and longtime civic advocate, Rauh was the founding executive director of the 5BORO Institute, a public policy think tank that joined Citizens Union earlier this year. She spent much of her career as an award-winning journalist, including 11 years as an on-air political reporter at NY1, where she hosted NY1’s weekly podcast “Off Topic/On Politics” and was the guest host of NY1’s nightly public affairs show, “Inside City Hall.” Rauh was awarded the Society of Professional Journalists’ national Sunshine Award for her contributions to open government. After leaving NY1, she led communications at BridgeBio Pharma. During her tenure, BridgeBio had its first two FDA drug approvals and was named one of Fast Company’s most innovative biotech companies. Grace’s writing has been published in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and the New York Daily News. She graduated from Stanford University and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two daughters.

Chief Operating Officer, The Juilliard School
Lesley Rosenthal serves as Chief Operating Officer of The Juilliard School (2018-present), following her tenure as EVP - General Counsel of Lincoln Center (2005-18). She earned her B.A. and J.D. degrees from Harvard and was elected by alumni to sit on the University's Board of Overseers, eventually serving as Board Vice Chair. She has been a strategist, advocate, and teacher of the Rule of Law, including at Harvard Law School, Juilliard Extension Division, the New York Bar Foundation, and the World Justice Project. Rosenthal is also the author of the bestselling book Good Counsel: Meeting the Legal Needs of Nonprofits, and has received numerous awards including the Maria Callas Centenary Medal, Corporate Counsel 500, and the NOW Woman of Power and Influence award.  n 2021, as founding President of Friends of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, she co-led the historic rescue of 273 Afghan musicians from Taliban danger, securing their safety and asylum.

Director, Civics for All, New York City Department of Education
Jenna Ryall is the Director of Civics for All at the New York City Department of Education. She designed the Civics for All initiative, a comprehensive K–12 civic education program available to all New York City public schools. The initiative includes a K–12 curriculum, a school-based participatory budgeting effort, an annual student voter registration drive, and the publication of educational comic books. Ryall began her career in education as a social studies teacher in the Bronx, New York. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Fordham University and a Master’s degree and Post-Master’s Certificate from Stony Brook University. In addition to her work in education, she is an avid marathon runner, participating in races to raise funds for Team for Kids, a New York City-based group of dedicated adult runners who commit to fundraising for youth and community programs.

Chief Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
Vera M. Scanlon is the Chief Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She was appointed to this position in 2012. She earned her B.A. from Columbia University and her J.D. from Yale University.

Associate Artistic Director and Director of Cultural Transformation, The Public Theater
Alexa Smith is Associate Artistic Director and Director of Cultural Transformation at The Public Theater, where she also serves as EDI Director for Broadway’s Hell’s Kitchen. She is the host of WQXR’s Young Artist Showcase, a correspondent for Met Opera Radio, and an active cultural consultant on and off-Broadway and across the wider performing arts community. She holds B.M. and M.M. degrees in performance and an M.B.A. from Boston University.

Associate Justice, United States Supreme Court
Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, was born in Bronx, New York, on June 25, 1954. She earned a B.A. in 1976 from Princeton University, graduating summa cum laude and a member of Phi Beta Kappa and receiving the Pyne Prize, the highest academic honor Princeton awards to an undergraduate. In 1979, she earned a J.D. from Yale Law School where she served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal. She served as Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office from 1979–1984. She then litigated international commercial matters in New York City at Pavia & Harcourt, where she served as an associate and then partner from 1984–1992. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated her to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, and she served in that role from 1992–1998. In 1997, she was nominated by President Bill Clinton to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit where she served from 1998–2009. President Barack Obama nominated her as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on May 26, 2009, and she assumed this role August 8, 2009.

Creator, Producer, Writer
Elliot Thomson is a creator, producer, and writer of Sherri and the Unfairies, the fantastical new children's comedy premiering at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, spring 2026. He wrote and directed the Sun Valley Film Festival award-winning short film comedy Le Refuge. He writes for the HBO Max series Hop, wrote for the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Arthur, and, after graduating from Harvard Law School, was a speech writer for the Ms. Foundation for Women (Gloria Steinem Awards) and other progressive causes.

Manager, Curriculum Development, New York Public Library's Center for Educators and Schools
Alex Tronolone has a Masters of Science in Teaching Urban Adolescents with Disabilities from Long Island University and a Bachelor’s Degree in History from New York University. He’s worked in museums, libraries, archives, and Navy Yards since 2009, publishing curriculum, leading teacher workshops and partnerships, and hosting K-12 groups in the gallery and archives. He is currently the Manager, Curriculum Development at New York Public Library's Center for Educators and Schools, where he oversees the Teaching with the Library's Primary Source publications.

Assistant Professor of Law; Associate Editor for Book Reviews, Journal of Legal Education, New York Law School
Amy Wallace is an Assistant Professor of Law and the Director of the Street Law Program at New York Law School. She is an expert in public legal education and interactive teaching methodology. She works domestically and internationally to assist law schools and organizations in the development of Street Law and other clinical programs.

Distinguished Fellow and Distinguished Adjunct Professor; Director, New York Elections, Census, and Redistricting Institute, New York Law School
Jeff Wice is a Distinguished Adjunct Professor and Fellow at New York Law School where he directs the New York Elections, Census, and Redistricting Institute. He has several decades of experience working in redistricting, voting rights, and census law and is considered a national expert. Professor Wice has assisted numerous state legislative leaders, members of Congress, and other state and local government officials on redistricting and voting rights matters across the nation. He is the current chair of the New York City Bar Association’s Election Law Committee and serves as a member of the American Bar Association’s Election Law Committee.