Our Staff

Dakota (she/her/hers) is a recent college graduate from Cornell University where she double majored in biology & society and government as well as double minored in inequality studies and law & society. She hopes to become a human rights lawyer and pursue her interest between the intersection of social justice, law, politics, and science.

Gisselle (she/her/hers) is a graduate of NYU where she received her bachelor’s degree in psychology. Prior to joining the Bronx Defender’s, Gisselle worked as an Office Assistant at the NYU Silver School of Social Work. As a Bronx native, Gisselle understands the struggles and hardships the Bronx community faces. Her goal is to work within the social services sector in order to provide underprivileged communities with the necessary resources.

Kiara Santiago (she/her/hers) is a Bronx resident that is passionate about advocating for the community and its residents. She has assisted survivors of domestic violence with trauma informed care, career and educational development, and resource attainment. She recognizes the systemic barriers that perpetuate a cycle of poverty and immobility, and seeks to continue advocating for residents in hopes to bridge the gap between health, resources, and economic inequity.

Kiara earned her B.A. in sociology from Brooklyn College and earned her Master’s in Public Affairs with a concentration in urban development and sustainability at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College. Her area of study is exploring environmental racism, past land use decisions, poor urban planning projects and lack of engagement with local community members.