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About VRLC |
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Who We AreBOARD OF DIRECTORS
Birgitta Dickerson, Esq. Susan Estrich, Esq. George Gendron Michelle Harper, Esq. Lois Kanter, Esq. Stacy Malone, Esq. Georgia Murray Ilene Seidman, Esq. Leadership Council Ellen Bublick, Esq. Stephanie Lary, Esq. Karen O'Malley Esq. Susan Vickers, Esq. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lydia Watts, Esq. Ms. Watts began her career in legal work for assault victims in 1995, when she and three classmates in their third year of law school founded WEAVE (Women Empowered Against Violence, Inc.), a Washington D.C.-based agency which provides teen and adult victims of domestic violence with a wide range of services, including legal, counseling, clinical case management, economic literacy and empowerment, outreach, and education. She served as WEAVE’s Co-Executive Director from September 1997 through April 1999 and as sole Executive Director until June 2005. During that time, WEAVE grew from a staff of two with an annual budget of $130,000 to a staff of 24 with an annual budget of $2.5 million, and merged with two sister-organizations: the Women Economic Development Fund and the Emergency Domestic Relations Project. Since moving back to her home state of Massachusetts, Ms. Watts has served as Principal of Greater Good Consulting (GGC) a firm that specializes in not-for-profit start-ups, mergers, board development, board-staff relations, public relations and marketing, and staff retention, and as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy in Boston. Ms. Watts is a member of the Leadership Washington Class of 2003, was named “Washingtonian of the Year” by Washingtonian magazine in 2001, and was a recipient of the First Annual Peter Cicchino Award for Excellence in Public Advocacy from Washington College of Law of American University in April 2000. She graduated summa cum laude from Washington College of Law of American University in June 1996 and from Boston University in January 1991. STAFF Lindy Aldrich Lindy Aldrich is a staff attorney at the Victim Rights Law Center, in Boston, MA. Lindy Aldrich represents victims of sexual assault across the Commonwealth in a wide range of legal areas, including her specialty of federal and state government benefits. She also coordinates the VRLC’s pro bono panel, the Rape Survivors Law Project, providing trainings and case facilitation for attorneys and paraprofessionals throughout Massachusetts. Lindy graduated from Suffolk University Law School in May 2006. Prior to attending Suffolk, Lindy had a 10 year career in advertising and marketing. Brandi Cutler Brandi joined the Victim Rights Law Center in August 2007 after graduating with a Sociology degree from Framingham State College, where she was a Resident Assistant and leader in clubs such as Women’s Empowerment and Amnesty International. Brandi is currently enrolled in the Gender/Cultural Studies program at Simmons where she focuses on feminist theory. Brandi also enjoys pursuing her interests in photography, reading and travel. Annette Florczak Annette is a native southern Californian who loves New England seasons. Annette obtained a B.S. in Biology with an option in Physiology and an MBA at Boston’s public business school, UMass Boston. Over the last decade, her career experience includes working with a number of nonprofit agencies focusing on women's rights issues and the environment. Prior to joining the VRLC team, Annette worked with the YWCA for over 5 years as Finance and Operations Manager with the YWCA in Pasadena, CA, and most recently as Controller at the YWCA Boston. In her spare time, Annette volunteers financial management services to small, start-up non-profits, and is an avid reader. Becky Harmon Becky joined the VRLC in January 2007 with ten years of experience in human services and healthcare Development. Her background is primarily in individual, corporate and foundation giving, volunteer relations, and special events. Becky graduated with honors from Lafayette College in 1995 with a double major in Spanish and International Affairs. In addition to her Development duties, Becky occasionally translates for the VRLC's Spanish-speaking clients. Kate Lawson, Esq. As a staff attorney at the Victim Rights Law Center, Kate Lawson represents victims of sexual assault across the Commonwealth in a wide range of legal areas, including safety, housing, employment, privacy, education, and financial compensation. In addition, she coordinates the VRLC’s statewide outreach and training efforts, providing trainings on the VRLC’s services for and regularly collaborating with community partners, including legal aid agencies, domestic violence advocacy centers, rape crisis centers, law enforcement, and medical providers. She graduated from Suffolk University Law School in May 2006. Prior to attending Suffolk, she worked in reproductive rights, and sexual and domestic violence prevention in a variety of capacities. Jessica Mindlin, Esq. Jessica is VRLC's Senior Legal Counsel. Prior to joining the VRLC, she was the Senior Staff Attorney for the National Crime Victim Law Institute and the Center for Law & Public Policy on Sexual Violence, and a clinical instructor at Lewis and Clark Law School. Jessica has served as the statewide Support Unit Attorney for the Oregon Law Center and Legal Aid Services of Oregon, Coordinator of the Oregon Supreme Court-Oregon State Bar Task Force on Gender Fairness, and Legal Access Project Director for the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. Prior to law school, Jessica worked as a rape victim advocate, counselor and legal advocate for battered women, and a counselor for runaway youth. Jessica graduated with honors from the University of Washington School of Law. She is the co-author and editor of "Rights and Remedies: Meeting the Civil Legal Needs of Sexual Violence Survivors," and author of "Child Sexual Abuse and Criminal Statutes of Limitation: A Model For Reform," 65 Wash. L.Rev.(1990), and other publications. Jessica serves as on the Advisory Council for the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Jessica is admitted to practice in Oregon and Washington, and also to the US District Court of Oregon and the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington. Maria Muti, Esq. Maria Muti joined the Victim Rights Law Center after graduating from Northeastern University School of Law in 2006. Maria graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. While at Carnegie Mellon, Maria volunteered for Pittsburgh Action Against Rape as well as Carnegie Mellon's sexual assault support network. After graduation, Maria spent two years in Jordan as a Peace Corps volunteer. She lived and worked in a rural Jordanian village, teaching English at the local girls school. Upon completing her Peace Corps service, Maria worked at a human services organization in Boston prior to attending law school. She worked as a legal intern for several organizations, including the Tahirih Justice Center in Falls Church, VA and the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation Project in Boston. While working at the VRLC, Maria plans to further develop her specialization in working with immigrant victims of crime. Maria is proficient in Arabic and hopes to learn Spanish as well. Kathryn Reardon, Esq. Kathryn Reardon joined the Victim Rights Law Center in 2002 as a Staff Attorney providing direct civil legal services to victims of sexual assault, working primarily with high school and university students who struggle with education related issues. She is currently one of the Center's Project Attorneys, providing technical assistance and consultations for attorneys and sexual assault advocates across the country serving the civil legal needs of victims. She is co-editor and a contributing author to the Law Center's Attorney Practice Manual, Beyond the Criminal Justice System: Transforming Our Nation's Response to Rape. Her most recent article is entitled Acquaintance Rape at Private Colleges and Universities: Providing for Victim's Educational and Civil Rights, published Spring 2005 by the Suffolk Law Review. Ms. Reardon is a graduate of the University of Vermont and Northeastern University School of Law. FOUNDER Susan H. Vickers, Esq. Ms. Vickers began her legal work with sexual assault victims in 1995 as a volunteer advocate with the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. Since then, Ms. Vickers has won several awards for her legal work on behalf of rape victims, including two Kaufman Public Interest Awards from Harvard Law School. She has presented both domestically and internationally on the legal rights of sexual assault victims. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts. Ms. Vickers is a graduate of Duke University and Harvard Law School.
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