Staff

 

Cheryl Zalenski, Counsel, Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and Director, Center for Pro Bono The Center is a project of the ABA’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and provides technical assistance and means for encouraging pro bono activity to and among pro bono programs, bar associations, legal services programs, law firms, corporate legal departments, government attorney offices, law schools, and other segments of the legal profession. Her particular areas of interest include nonprofit and volunteer management. Ms. Zalenski joined the Center for Pro Bono in 1999. Previously, she was Managing Attorney and Pro Bono Coordinator at Legal Services Organization of Southcentral Michigan in Battle Creek, Michigan. She graduated from Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1993 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bradley University. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and a licensed attorney in Michigan and Illinois. Ms. Zalenski is also a member of the National Association of Pro Bono Professionals.

Bill Jones, Technology, Information and Content Coordinator, Center for Pro Bono Mr. Jones maintains the Center’s databases, online directories and clearinghouse as well as performing webmaster duties for the Center’s web pages. In addition, Mr. Jones supports the National Pro Bono Opportunities Guide, Celebrate Pro Bono and National Disaster Legal Aid websites. Mr. Jones has published technology articles, most recently in the ABA’s GPSolo Journal and the M.I.E. Journal. He helped plan the LSC’s National Summit on the Use of Technology to Expand Access to Justice and contributed to the Summit’s white papers. Before the ABA, Bill was involved in developing distance learning courses at UNext.com a corporation building a virtual university offering MBA courses for credit.

Marissa LaVette, Assistant Staff Counsel, Center for Pro Bono Marissa supports the Center for Pro Bono by providing technical assistance and support to pro bono programs, bar associations, legal services organizations, law firms, corporate legal departments, and others, with a focus on providing support to law school pro bono programs. Prior to joining the Center for Pro Bono in 2016, Ms. LaVette worked with the Legal Advocacy Center in Chicago as a Staff Attorney, where her work included representing children and families in education and disability related matters.  Ms. LaVette graduated from DePaul University College of Law in 2010 and received a Bachelor of Science degree with Distinction in Psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.