Our Staff
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Dakota Stennett-Neris (Benefits Advocate)
Dakota Stennett-Neris (Benefits Advocate)
contactDakota (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.
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Gisselle Gonzalez-Lopez (Benefits Advocate)
Gisselle Gonzalez-Lopez (Benefits Advocate)
contactGisselle (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.
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Kiara Santiago (Benefits Advocate)
Kiara Santiago (Benefits Advocate)
contactKiara 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.
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Samantha Bayonne
Supervising Attorney, Civil Action PracticeSamantha Bayonne
Supervising Attorney, Civil Action Practice contactSamantha Valentin received her J.D. from Touro Law Center. During law school, she was a part of the Criminal Defense Clinic at Touro, interned at Brooklyn Defender Services and externed for the Honorable Matthew J. D’Emic, Administrative Judge for Criminal Matters in Kings County Supreme Court. In law school, Samantha served as a student representative for the Student Bar Association, on the executive board of the Women’s Bar Association, and as a member of the Black Law Student Bar Association. She also served as a competition team member for the Trial Advocacy and Practice Society. Prior to law school, Samantha worked at a boutique immigration law firm where she helped clients file individual petitions for citizenship and asylum. She is a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she received a B.A. in Humanities and Justice with a minor in Philosophy.
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Rosa Jaffe-Geffner
Director of Social Work, Civil Action PracticeRosa Jaffe-Geffner
Director of Social Work, Civil Action Practice contactRosa (she/her/mx) received her Master of Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work. Since graduating, she has been a social worker in defense settings, including the Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice and the Urban Justice Center’s Mental Health Project. As Director of Social Work at the Mental Health Project, Rosa oversaw and provided direct advocacy services and community education for individuals with mental health concerns. Her work focused on systemic advocacy for housing and public benefits. Rosa is a New Yorker who is passionate about practicing social work from a social justice lens. She graduated from SUNY Purchase College in 2010 with a B.A. in Sociology and a double minor in Global Black Studies and Women Studies.