At JustCause, our team is passionate about advocating for justice and empowering individuals to access the legal support they deserve.

Our Team

Katie Adamides, Staff Attorney

  • Katherine (Katie) Adamides leads JustCause’s Estate Planning Unit, Veterans Clinic, and legal services program serving individuals living with HIV. Katie works closely with clients and volunteers to provide powers of attorney, health care proxies, wills, and related documents. She’s often onsite at health and community based organizations providing education and helping marginalized individuals access legal services.

    Katie is a licensed attorney in New York State, Arizona, and Navajo Nation and holds a J.D. from Berkeley Law and a B.A. from CUNY Hunter College.

    Katie brings over a decade of varied public interest experience. Prior to joining JustCause in 2024, Katie served as a Reentry Attorney with the Center for Community Alternatives, Operations Director for OpenCollective Foundation, Interim Executive Director for the National Lawyers Guild National Office, New York State Director for the Fines and Fees Justice Center, and Staff Attorney with Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (Rochester) and DNA-Peoples Legal Services, Inc. (Navajo Nation). She also founded the Rochester Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild where she served in various leadership roles for over five years.

    Katie has dedicated her career to responding to the needs of marginalized clients and communities whether through direct service, policy advocacy, or program leadership.


Colleen Curry, Staff Paralegal

  • Colleen Curry is a Staff Paralegal in the Tenant Defense Program/Housing Unit at JustCause, where her career, both past and present, reflects a deep commitment to community and passion for public service.

    Working alongside the unit attorneys, Colleen was instrumental in the growth and success of the program, helping to transform the initial Tenant Defense Project into a robust, full-scale program. In her role directly supporting clients, she has helped hundreds of individuals and families through complex eviction proceedings and ensured thousands of community members received critical legal information via the program hotline.

    Colleen holds a Master’s in Public Administration from SUNY Brockport. Her diverse background is uniquely suited to high-impact advocacy.  Before joining JustCause, she served as a Child Protective Investigator for the Monroe County Department of Human Services and as a Financial Case Manager at Strong Hospital, where she efficiently connected emergency room patients with health insurance and primary care providers.

    Her proven ability to connect and support vulnerable individuals with essential social justice resources underscores her dedication to improving the lives of those in her community.


Mary Beth Conway, Managing Attorney

  • Mary Beth Conway is the Managing Attorney at JustCause, where she also oversees the Family Law Unit. In this role, she matches pro bono volunteers with low-income individuals who are victims of domestic violence in a variety of family law matters, while also providing mentorship and guidance to new volunteer attorneys or those with limited experience in matrimonial and family law. In addition, she supervises legal staff and oversees internal processes and procedures to support effective service delivery. 

    After earning degrees from Fordham University and Western New England School of Law, she served as a law clerk for the Honorable David G. Larimer in Federal Court prior to entering private practice, where she represented clients in both contested and uncontested matrimonial and family law cases, as well as various other civil matters. 

    Among her community activities, Mary Beth is a member of the Monroe County Bar Association, serves on the Council of the Monroe County Bar Association’s Family Law Section (and is a former Chair), and is a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Families and the Law. She also serves as a Trustee of Monroe Community College’s Paralegal Advisory Board and is an active member of the Greater Rochester Association of Women Attorneys (“GRAWA”). 

    Mary Beth has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Willow Domestic Center’s Stop the Hurt Award, Daily Record’s Unsung Hero Award, New York State Bar Association’s Denison Ray Award, and Rochester Business Journal’s Legal Excellence Award. 

    Mary Beth has devoted her career to expanding access to justice and empowering both clients and colleagues through mentorship, advocacy, and innovation in the delivery of legal services.  


Dariel Guerra, Paralegal

  • As a Paralegal at JustCause, Dariel Guerra supports the Tenant Defense Program by answering hotline calls, screening clients for eligibility, assisting in pro bono legal clinics at housing court, and working with the supervising attorneys to connect Monroe County tenants with free legal assistance. He provides legal information and resources to tenants facing eviction, ensuring that those most vulnerable to displacement have access to justice and the support they need to remain housed. As a bilingual speaker of Spanish and English, Dariel provides equal access to justice for the residents of Monroe County, minimizing the barriers that language may pose for prospective clients of the Tenant Defense Project. 

     

    Before joining JustCause, Dariel worked with the Enlace (formerly the WNY Coalition) as a Case Manager and Outreach Advocate, conducting outreach to migrant workers, coordinating legal clinics, and strengthening partnerships to expand access to immigration and labor resources. Dariel recently graduated from the University of Rochester as a Ronald E. McNair scholar with a Bachelor of Arts in History, concentrating in Latin American History with minors in Legal Studies and Chinese. He also served as a student senator and founder of Adelante Juntos, a civic engagement organization fostering collaboration between University of Rochester students and the local Latino community. Through these various initiatives, Dariel was awarded the Civic Engagement Award from the David T. Kearns Center and has since continued his commitment to ensuring advocacy and social justice in his hometown of Rochester, NY.



Tina Foster, Executive Director

  • Tina Monshipour Foster is the Executive Director of JustCause, where she leads the organization’s mission to expand access to justice for individuals and families across the Greater Rochester area. In her role, Tina oversees the strategic direction, operations, partnerships, and programs at JustCause, working to broaden the organization’s impact and further opportunities to support clients facing serious civil legal challenges. 

    Tina is a graduate of Cornell Law School and a long-time civil rights attorney and international human rights advocate committed to universal access to justice. Over the past two decades, her work has centered on pro bono initiatives that protect the rights of minorities and marginalized communities, particularly those unfairly targeted under U.S. national security policies. She previously worked with the Center for Constitutional Rights, where she co-founded the Guantánamo Global Justice Initiative to defend individuals detained at Guantánamo Bay.

    In 2006, Tina founded the International Justice Network (IJN), a nonprofit organization providing pro bono legal assistance to survivors of human rights abuses and their families around the world. Through IJN and her broader advocacy work, she has built a career dedicated to advancing human rights, supporting vulnerable communities, and ensuring that legal systems serve everyone equitably.

    Tina brings this deep commitment to justice into local focus leading the efforts to remove barriers, strengthen community partnerships, and ensure that all residents, regardless of income, have meaningful access to high-quality legal support.



Kristin Johnson, Supervising Attorney

  • Kristin Johnson is a Supervising Attorney with JustCause, where she currently supervises the Consumer Unit.. Kristin is a 2007 graduate of Western New England University School of Law and a 2004 graduate of the State University of New York College at Brockport.

    Kristin’s current practice areas include consumer debt, bankruptcy, name changes, landlord and tenant law, foreclosure, the Federal Court Pro Se Assistance Program, and Federal Court Pro Se Assistance Program for Prisoners, the Federal Court Pro Bono Appointment Program, unemployment insurance benefits, the Tenant Defense Project, estate administration, small business and, nonprofit. Before joining JustCause in 2019, Kristin worked for Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY) where she practiced family, landlord and tenant, public benefits, elder, and fair housing law.

    Kristin’s additional legal experience includes drafting wills and powers of attorney, advocating for clients with the Monroe County Department of Human Services, acting as Project Director for Homeless Legal Services and Resolving Credit Issues Grants at LawNY, working with the Homeless Services Network to provide services to unsheltered persons in Monroe County, assisting with technology issues at LawNY, and providing representation of Veterans in various areas of the law.


Brian Jacek, Deputy Executive Director

  • Brian Jacek is the Deputy Executive Director at JustCause, where he helps advance the organization’s mission to expand access to justice to people in the Rochester area by strengthening partnerships, expanding pro bono services, and developing innovative programs that connect people with the legal help they need.

    A dedicated advocate for equity and community empowerment, Brian brings a deep commitment to public service shaped by more than a decade of experience in private practice, government service, and the not-for-profit sector.  

    Brian earned his Juris Doctor from Seton Hall University School of Law, and his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Islamic Civilization and Societies from Boston College.  He also studied at the American University in Cairo.

    Before joining JustCause, Brian served as a law clerk and Special Counsel in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, and as an attorney at Nixon Peabody LLP.  He has taught courses at St. John Fisher University and the University at Buffalo School of Law, hoping to inspire the next generation of justice-minded advocates. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Monroe County Bar Association.   

    Through his work, Brian strives to create a more equitable and accessible justice system for all members of the Rochester community. 


Richard Link, Staff Attorney

  • Richard Link is a Staff Attorney in the Immigration Unit at JustCause, where he mentors and trains pro bono attorneys assisting the immigrant community in and around Rochester, NY. Richard formerly ran a solo immigration law practice in Rochester and worked as a legal editor for the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). He is a past chair of the AILA Upstate NY Chapter and currently serves on AILA's Pro Bono Committee. His undergraduate degree is from the University of California at Santa Cruz and he received his J.D. from the University of California at Davis. 


Curtis Jones, Staff Attorney

  • Curtis R. Jones,  is a Staff Attorney in the Tenant Defense Program/Housing Unit. Curtis has been practicing landlord-tenant law, providing legal advice and direct representation to tenants facing eviction in Monroe County, since the summer of 2024. Before joining JustCause, Curtis worked in Estate Planning. Curtis received his J.D. from the University of Buffalo School of Law and his B.A. from Canisius University in Buffalo, New York.



Keyshla Lozada, Paralegal

  • Keyshla Lozada is a Bilingual Paralegal (English/Spanish) at JustCause, where she helps members of underserved communities navigate housing and immigration challenges. She’s been working in private law firms since 2018, gaining experience in areas like personal injury, civil litigation, trusts and estates, and labor law.

    A proud Latina, Keyshla’s passion for pro bono and community-based work grew after spending years in law firms and seeing how many people in her own community struggled to access legal help. That realization inspired her to use her skills where they could make the most significant difference.

    Keyshla earned her Paralegal Certificate from Monroe Community College in 2023 and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education with a minor in Drama. She is dedicated to using her legal expertise to expand access to justice and help build a more equitable and inclusive Rochester every day.


Brittany Long, Volunteer & Outreach

  • As the Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator at JustCause, Brittany ensures volunteers have access to up-to-date opportunities and resources to support their work, while creating outreach and media efforts that keep both the community and our volunteers informed and engaged in our mission.

    Brittany is a human rights advocate with a degree in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida. She has dedicated her career to advancing refugee and migrant rights.

    Before joining JustCause in 2023, Brittany worked internationally, volunteering in refugee camps and participating in refugee boat watches in Greece, providing critical support to displaced individuals seeking safety and stability. Her professional experience includes serving as Outreach Coordinator at Justicia Lab, Site Coordinator at CRIBS International (Athens, Greece), Site Director at The Unmentionables (Athens, Greece), and Education Specialist at World Relief (Nashville, Tennessee).

    Throughout her career, Brittany has remained committed to creating equitable access to justice and empowering communities through advocacy, outreach, and service.


Dianne Millard, Senior Paralegal

  • Dianne Millard  is a Senior Paralegal in the Family Law Unit where she assists clients with issues such as divorce, custody and support. She also helps lead the day-to-date operations of the intake team which processes all applications received by JustCause, and develops strategies to improve the applicants' experience and make each person feel respected and heard. Dianne plans and organizes the custody clinics where clients can speak with a Volunteer Attorney and potentially receive assistance with filling out a petition. Dianne also helps our Veterans at a monthly Veterans Clinic, which is held once a month at the Veterans Outreach Center.

    Dianne has a Bachelors Degree in Speech Corrections and received her Paralegal Certificate in 2001.

    Before joining JustCause in 2020, Dianne worked as a Family Law Paralegal at a private practice for 7 years. She has always worked in an administrative role, whether directly or indirectly assisting those in need.

    Dianne has always strived to improve those around her, assisting in any capacity. She takes the needs of others before her own, making sure those around her receive the best care and attention.



Anne Machi, Senior Paralegal

  • Anne Machi is a Senior Paralegal at the 7th Judicial District Court Help Center, a collaboration between the NYS Unified Court System and JustCause. She helps individuals access justice by guiding them through the legal system, connecting them with resources, and coordinating pro bono attorney volunteers to ensure they receive the legal support they need.

    A cum laude graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Criminal Justice/Police Science, Anne brings more than 15 years of legal experience from Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, Carestream Health Inc., and Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP. Her background spans litigation, corporate law, foreclosure, consumer law, employee benefits, executive compensation, and family law—giving her broad expertise in legal administration, client support, and case management.

    Outside of her professional work, Anne volunteers as a Trail Steward with the Friends of Webster Trails, Inc. and as an active parent volunteer with her daughter’s Girl Scout troop, supporting community engagement and youth development.

    Anne is dedicated to promoting equitable access to justice and empowering individuals to navigate legal challenges. She combines deep legal knowledge with practical guidance and an approachable style to ensure every client receives the support, clarity, and solutions they need.



Nasrat Mureed, Staff Paralegal

  • Nasrat Mureed is an Immigration Staff Paralegal at JustCause, where he ensures that all casework and documentation are completed accurately and in compliance with immigration procedures and organizational standards. He has dedicated his career to serving communities through nonprofit work.

    Before joining JustCause, Nasrat worked with a USAID-funded project in Afghanistan as a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing trainings, town halls, and community engagement initiatives to ensure compliance with USAID procedures. The beneficiaries of these programs included government officials, civil society organizations, and local residents.

    Throughout his career, Nasrat has been deeply committed to creating access to education and empowerment for civilians—especially women in Afghanistan—helping them understand and advocate for their rights. His passion for social justice and community development continues to guide his work in supporting immigrant communities today.


Vetania Rodriguez, Administrative Assistant

  • Vetania is the JustCause Administrative Assistant. Before joining JustCause, Vetania worked for Monroe County ARPA Program under the Finance Department as a Senior Office Account Clerk with the responsibility of reviewing the vouchers submitted for the grantees under the ARPA Program. 

     Vetania's professional experience includes working in many non-profit organizations, with the  role of administrative assistant for Mary Cariola, Catholic Family Center, Action for a Better Community, the City of Rochester as Program Coordinator, and other organizations providing support to management teams.

    Vetania came from Puerto Rico in 2000 and has three children: a son, who is 27, and two daughters, who are 23. In her free time, Vetania enjoys taking care of her garden, feeding the birds and cats, and spending time with her family.  

    Vetania enjoys helping and advocating for others; working at JustCause is another way to contribute to and help the community.


Sophie Mowers, Staff Paralegal

  • Sophie Mowers is a Staff Paralegal in the Tenant Defense Program with JustCause. As a paralegal, Sophie answers hotline calls, screens clients for eligibility, assists in pro bono legal clinics at housing court, and works with the supervising attorneys to connect Monroe County tenants with free legal assistance. Sophie provides legal information and resources to tenants facing eviction, ensuring that those most vulnerable to displacement have access to justice and the support they need to remain housed. 

    Sophie has a Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Forensic Science. She completed her undergraduate degree from SUNY Brockport in 2022.

    Before joining JustCause, Sophie worked as a paralegal for three years at a corporate law firm in its banking and finance division, specializing in low-income housing tax credits and construction loans for low-income housing construction projects across the country for veterans, domestic violence survivors, people with disabilities, and low-income families. 

    Sophie has further not-for-profit experience working with the American Red Cross from 2018-2022, part of which was spent working with donors during the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Sophie was part of the original team that orchestrated the Convalescent Plasma Program to help provide life saving plasma donations for patients hospitalized with Covid-19. Sophie comes from a family of public service workers including Rochester City School District educators and Rochester Fire Department firefighters.

     Sophie has a strong passion for justice and strives to provide excellent service to the community members in Monroe County. 


Fred Owen, Staff Paralegal

  • Fred Owen is a staff paralegal for the Trans Family Stabilization Unit, providing comprehensive civil legal services for transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary (TGNCNB) individuals and their chosen family members. Fred is a trans non-binary legal worker who has first hand experience creating chosen family and navigating related life issues.

    Before joining JustCause, Fred began their work in legal services as an AmeriCorp member at Legal Assistance of Western New York (LawNY). Later becoming a full time paralegal in the Reentry unit helping individuals alleviate barriers to obtain stable employment through various licensure and clearance.

    Fred then worked at the Center for Community Alternatives (CCA) assisting students in the Rochester City School District (RCSD) with attaining better educational outcomes. Most recently, Fred worked at the Legal Aid Society of Rochester New York (LASROC) as an accredited representative where they screened and assisted clients with obtaining legal status in the United States while providing access to better employment, housing, and educational options. Fred has dedicated their career to building relationships with community partners to ensure wrap-around services, promote change, and educate the public of their legal rights.

Mosunmola Ojo, Staff Attorney

  • As a Staff Attorney at JustCause, Mosunmola Ojo manages the operations of the Tenant Defense Program. She advises tenants of their legal rights and unrepresented tenants who have eviction cases in Town/Village courts. She also conducts training and mentors volunteer attorneys to provide representation of tenants in eviction proceedings at JustCause’s eviction clinics in Brighton and Irondequoit Town Courts, where she also represents clients in eviction proceedings. Mosunmola supervises staff paralegals, volunteer paralegals, interns, and law students working in the Housing Unit.

    Mosunmola is a 2012 graduate of University of Maine School of Law and a 2007 graduate of Lehman College, a City University of New York.  

    Prior to joining JustCause in 2020, Mosunmola worked at Lawyers Clearinghouse, where she conducted orientation and facilitated training for volunteer lawyers prior to legal clinics. She managed the operation of legal clinics at shelters and social service organizations and legal intake with clients seeking legal representation for various issues such as housing and immigration. Mosunmola also recruited law firms and corporate legal departments to participate in legal clinics.

    Outside of her legal work, Mosunmola serves as a Youth Leader at her local church, the Father’s House and serves as co-host of Married Women’s Corner (MWOC), an online group of Married Women. She recently became a Board Member of Medical Motor Services. 



Rashid Muhammad, Director of Community Partnerships

  • As the Director of Community Partnerships at JustCause, Rashid Muhammad develops strategic relationships and collaboration efforts that support community collective impact initiatives and JustCause’s organizational objectives.

    Rashid is a community dialogue advocate and earned his Doctorate in Education from St. John Fisher University with field work at the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. Throughout his career, Rashid pursued his passion for community building activities.

    Before joining JustCause in 2019, Rashid  worked closely with a wide array of government, corporate, academic, nonprofit, and community organizations. His professional experience includes serving as a United States Air Force officer with over 20 years on active duty (various stateside and overseas locations), Aerospace Engineering, Science and Program Manager (Rochester, NY), Nonprofit Operations and Community Partnerships Director (Rochester, NY), and Adjunct Professor (Rochester, NY).  In his professional and personal responsibilities, Rashid is a quiet, yet deeply committed advocate working with others to build a pluralistic, welcoming, and vibrant society.




Brittany Woloshyn, Grants Manager

  • As Grants Manager at JustCause, Brittany oversees the organization’s grant development, reporting, and compliance processes to ensure that critical civil legal services remain accessible to Monroe County residents. With more than 11 years of experience at JustCause, Brittany has played an integral role in sustaining and expanding funding for programs that keep families safely housed, support immigrants on their path to stability, and promote economic security for low-income individuals and families.

    Brittany holds a Master’s degree in History from SUNY Brockport and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from St. John Fisher University. She has dedicated her career to advancing equity and access to justice by connecting community needs with the resources that make JustCause’s work possible.

Bethany Weber, Staff Paralegal

  • Bethany Weber is a Staff Paralegal in the Consumer Unit and has been with JustCause since 2023. She graduated from Empire State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management in 2018.

    Her current focus areas include bankruptcy, consumer debt, name changes, estate administration, foreclosure prevention, the Federal Pro Se Assistance Program, small business, and non-profit. Prior to joining JustCause, Bethany worked at Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP in the intellectual property department. 

    Bethany’s professional experience includes preparing and drafting legal documents and correspondence, communicating and working effectively with colleagues and clients on various projects, and implementing new technologies to improve efficiency. 

    Over the course of her career, Bethany has committed to being of service to others and understanding the legal needs of the community. 



Carla Perez, Staff Attorney

  • Carla N. Perez is currently a Staff Attorney at JustCause (formerly VLSP). Prior to this role, Carla held the same position at Disability Rights New York and ECBA Volunteer Lawyers Project - VLP. Carla also has experience working with the Pro Se Unit at the United States District Court for the Western District of New York. Carla earned their Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University at Buffalo School of Law in 2014 and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Child & Family Studies with minors in Forensic Science & Psychology from Syracuse University in 2008.

    As an Employment Opportunity Legal Corps Fellow, Carla provided civil legal assistance to former criminal offenders and other disadvantaged persons in removing barriers to employment, such as applications for Certificates of Relief, correcting criminal record errors, assisting with driver’s license and occupational license issues and enforcing compliance with New York’s Civil Rights Law. Aside from direct legal services, a significant component of the project is outreach to the client population and educating/training for human services providers to assist in re-entry work.

    Carla increased the capacity of the Rochester office to help disadvantaged individuals secure employment and replicate that success throughout the Rochester community.

Gwen Hargrave, Operations Manager

  • Gwen Hargrave is an operations and administrative leader with over a decade of experience supporting complex organizations through clear systems, practical processes, and steady leadership. She currently serves as Operations Manager at JustCause, a nonprofit legal services organization that connects low-income individuals and families with pro bono legal assistance for civil legal matters in Monroe County.

    At JustCause, Gwen oversees day-to-day administrative operations and ensures accurate recordkeeping, effective internal systems, and alignment with leadership priorities. Her work spans human resources coordination, payroll and benefits administration, vendor and technology oversight, facilities management, financial tracking and audits, and operational support for the administration team.

    Previously, Gwen held operations and deployment leadership roles in the aviation technology space, where she implemented organization-wide initiatives, developed training and onboarding programs, managed vendors and logistics, and supported executive and emergency-response functions. Earlier in her career, she oversaw operations for a preservation Samoyed breeder, overseeing sales, marketing, client relationships, and daily operations while coordinating international partnerships and veterinary collaborations with Cornell University.

    Gwen holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Technology Management from Alfred State University. She resides in Ontario, NY with her husband, two daughters, three dogs, and one cat. She is actively involved in her community, serving as Vice President of the Wayne United Youth Soccer League and volunteering with local animal welfare organizations.

Erin Hess, Paralegal

  • Erin Hess is the Tenant Defense Program Paralegal at JustCause, where she supports tenant defense and housing stability efforts through client intake, referrals, and direct informative assistance to tenants navigating housing-related legal challenges.

    Erin holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Rochester, with a concentration in colonialism, which informs her interest in systems of power, access, and justice.

    Prior to joining JustCause, she worked for over a year in the Reentry Project at Legal Assistance of Western New York, assisting individuals facing barriers to housing, employment, and stability after criminal conviction. A long-time member of the Rochester community,

    Erin is deeply committed to local advocacy and community-based initiatives.