Alisa De Luna

Executive Director adeluna@vlsoct.org

In concert with the Board of Directors, Alisa is responsible for the direction and administration of the organization, including program operations, fundraising and volunteer and community relations.

Contact Alisa regarding:

• Organizational matters
• Firm and individual volunteer participation
• Media matters

Susanne Pringle

Director of Legal Services springle@vlsoct.org

Susanne directs the VLS Legal Services Division. Her job as Director is to ensure that VLS achieves its mission to help low-income clients access the civil justice system. Susanne leads, manages, and supports VLS Staff Attorneys who supervise direct client representation, legal advice, and assisted pro se services. The Director also assures staff knowledge remains up-to-date and that client services satisfy VLS’ standards of practice.

Contact Susanne regarding:

• Assistance and mentorship for attorney volunteers handling cases
• Escalated client concerns
• Concerns regarding Legal Services Division
• Legal Clinic issues

Hollie Toups

Director of Pro Bono Services htoups@vlsoct.org

Hollie supervises VLS’ pro bono outreach efforts, including volunteer recruitment and community outreach activities. She maintains our volunteer website, VolunteerHub, and manages our CLE trainings. Hollie serves as an organizational point of contact for new and existing volunteers and new and existing community relationships.

Contact Hollie regarding:

• Volunteer opportunities/programs
• VLS’ menu of services
• Questions about CLE trainings and outreach clinics

Carl Guthrie

Housing Stability Staff Attorney
cguthrie@vlsoct.org

VLS’s Housing Stability Program seeks to prevent unprecedented disruption to housing stability posed by COVID’s enduring financial impact. As Housing Stability Attorney, Carl directs teams of attorneys at Travis County JP Court dockets who provide direct legal assistance to low income families facing eviction. Carl assists tenants and supports attorney volunteers serving at the dockets.

Contact Carl regarding:

• Forms and answers to questions for attorney volunteers handling eviction cases
• Client concerns
• Expertise on COVID-related rules in eviction cases

Matt Johnston

General Law Staff Attorney mjohnston@vlsoct.org

Matt manages VLS General Law matters covering an array of legal issues including housing, consumer, debt, employment, government benefits, torts, criminal justice, and other areas of law. Matt supports attorney volunteers in General Law cases by giving strategic and practical advice, reviewing filings, discussing client concerns, and assisting with the coordination of pro bono mediations & depositions.

Contact Matt regarding:

• Forms and answers to questions for attorney volunteers handling general law cases
• Client concerns
• Scheduling mediators, court reporters for depositions, interpreters, and translators

Willa Staats

Family Law Staff Attorney wstaats@vlsoct.org

Willa manages VLS Family Law matters covering an array of legal issues including divorce, child custody, child support and other areas of law. Willa supports attorney volunteers in Family Law cases by giving strategic and practical advice, reviewing filings, discussing client concerns, and assisting with the coordination of pro bono mediations & depositions.

Contact Willa regarding:

• Forms and answers to questions for attorney volunteers handling family law cases
• Client concerns
• Scheduling mediators, court reporters for depositions, interpreters, and translators

Martha Contreras

Family Law Case Supervisor mcontreras@vlsoct.org

Martha interviews all family law applicants. She is also responsible for referring these cases to attorney volunteers for representation. She is a Spanish-speaker and helps with translation and interpretation for our Spanish-speaking clients. Martha also helps with the assisted pro se clinics and attends the Monday night legal advice clinics to help clients and volunteers.

Contact Martha regarding:

• Placement of family law cases
• Clients with family law cases

Maria Font

General Law Case Placement Coordinator
mfont@vlsoct.org

Maria works closely with the General Law Staff Attorney to manage our high volume pro bono caseload through attorney volunteer engagement and case management. She speaks Spanish and helps with translation and interpretation for our Spanish-speaking clients.

Contact Maria regarding:

• Placement of general law cases
• Clients with general law cases

Molly Otte

Development & Communications Coordinator motte@vlsoct.org

Molly works closely with the Executive Director to oversee management of the VLS donor database, coordinate outward facing communication and social media efforts, and serves as the organizational point of contact for new and existing donors.

Contact Molly regarding:

• Donating to VLS efforts by phone, mail, or EFT
• Joining VLS’ monthly Community Newsletter
• Social media initiatives

Angelica Martinez

Pro Bono Outreach Coordinator amartinez@vlsoct.org

Angelica supports VLS community relations efforts, including volunteer and community outreach activities. She maintains legal clinic schedules via VolunteerHub and coordinates logistics for CLE trainings. Angelica serves as an organizational point of contact for new and existing non-attorney volunteers.

Contact Angelica regarding:

• Signing up as a volunteer
• Volunteer scheduling questions
• Questions about CLE trainings and outreach clinics

Sachiko Nakauma

Program Assistant snakauma@vlsoct.org

Sachiko processes all the information that we receive on our clients and from our attorney volunteers. She prepares all the documentation for our attorney volunteers for their cases and maintains contact throughout the entirety of the case. Sachiko also assists clients with questions and problems and keeps the in-house assisted pro se clinics running smoothly. She is fluent in Spanish and assists with translation and interpretation for clients.

Contact Sachiko regarding:

• Case updates and final disposition forms
• Scheduling rooms for client meetings
• Legal assistance if you are not a current client
• Anything else that’s not listed above and when you don’t know who to call

Sara Sanchez Alarcon

Housing Stability Coordinator salarcon@vlsoct.org

Sara is responsible for working closely with the Housing Stability Staff Attorney and other VLS staff in implementing and facilitating VLS Eviction Dockets and serving families facing eviction through VLS’s other programs, including VLS’s legal clinics.

Contact Sara regarding:

• Rental and housing assistance
• Questions about existing case with VLS
• Spanish-English translation