VISTA: Meet our Members

Connor Hollenback

Born and raised in Ventura, CA, Connor Hollenback has a background in math and previously worked with a research team at the UCSB Marine Science Institute. More recently, Connor has become interested in criminal justice reform and the importance of outstanding representation for all individuals accused of a crime. He will be serving as Database Systems Manager at the Public Defender of Santa Barbara. He is thrilled to be returning home to California’s central coast and is particularly excited to learn how data science and database management can be effectively wielded as tools to help build a more equitable society. Upon completing his term of service with AmeriCorps VISTA, Connor plans to return to UCSB where he will be finishing his degree in math.

Conor McCambridge

Conor McCambridge recently graduated from the College of William & Mary with a BA in Public Policy and a minor in economics. Originally from Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, Conor is now serving as an NLADA VISTA reentry coordinator at the Delaware County Public Defender’s office, just minutes away from his hometown. He will focus on expanding the county’s capacity to provide resources such as housing, education, and employment to those reentering society after being incarcerated. He considers the cause of advancing progressive policy in the criminal justice system to be of the utmost importance, especially in a nation that has for too long used its courts and law enforcement as a weapon against its most vulnerable and impoverished citizens. Conor hopes his service will be a small but significant step in leveling the playing field for these marginalized communities. In his free time Conor is an avid gym goer, pickup basketball player, and movie/music nerd. He also hosts a weekly radio show at Swarthmore College, a hobby he picked up during his time at W&M. After his service, he plans to attend law school.

Jalena Jones

Jalena Jones is a recent graduate of Claflin University where she received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Computer Engineering. Her long-term goals involve using technology to meet the holistic needs to underserved communities in the areas of mental health, disability, and other factors that contribute to low socioeconomic status. She is currently serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Santa Barbara Public Defender. Through the implementation of sustainable, data-driven solutions, she strives to increase their capacity to meet the needs of those living in poverty and who have been traditionally marginalized.

Latagia Copeland-Tyronce, MSW, CADAS

Latagia Copeland-Tyronce, MSW, CADAS, is a longtime parental rights and social justice advocate, child welfare reform activist, writer/blogger, and journalist whose work has been featured in BlackMattersUs and Rise Magazine. She is the founder, president, and executive director of the National African American Families First and Preservation Association (NAFPA) a groundbreaking 501c4 nonprofit origination, the first of its kind, devoted exclusively to the protection and preservation of the African American (Black) Family though policy and legislative advocacy. She is joining the VISTA team at Neighborhood Defender Services in Detroit.

Murphy Boccher

Murphy joins the Americorps VISTA program with a background in writing, data work, and community engagement. They are joining the VISTA team at Neighborhood Defender Services in Harlem to assist in capacity building for public defender offices. Murphy holds a B.A. in Political Science and Journalism from Rutgers University.

Stephanie Castillo

Stephanie Castillo is serving the Office for Appellate Litigation in NYC on the mitigation team. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Buffalo State University in Business Administration and a minor in Spanish. After college, she relocated to Florida and earned a Master of Science in Criminal Justice. She is a proud Afro-Latina, born in the Bronx, and raised in the Dominican Republic. She's spent over 10 years in the criminal justice system serving the underserved and is delighted to utilize her past experiences and skills to fight poverty and for economic justice. Stephanie plans to attend law school with a focus on constitutional law and aspires to become a judge.

Jack Mok

Jack graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Political Science and Economics. As a student, Jack was involved with the Asian American Student Association and helped advocate for the creation of an Asian American Studies program. Additionally, Jack’s passion for local politics led him to work on several municipal and judicial campaigns throughout his time in Nashville. This year, Jack will be working as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Center for Appellate Litigation to provide access to appeals for indigent New Yorkers. After his year of service, Jack hopes to attend law school and pursue a fulfilling career in public interest law.

Zoe Muse-Markle

Zoe is a recent graduate of UC Berkeley where she earned a degree in Global Studies: Peace and Conflict and minored in Public Policy and Human Rights. Following her college career and internship with the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office, Zoe became an AmeriCorps VISTA member where she moved across the country to join the Access to Appeals (A2A) project with the Center for Appellate Litigation in New York City. As a current member of the A2A team, she will increase access to appellate representation and help indigent New Yorkers secure their right to appeal. After her service, Zoe plans to pursue a JD/Master’s in Public Policy dual degree.

Wyatt Ensley

Wyatt has called South Louisiana home all of his life. He grew up going to Jazzfest every year and was in the Superdome for the Saints first game back after Katrina. After attending LSU he has returned to New Orleans. As a data analyst Wyatt hopes to improve the capacity of the Orleans Public Defenders office by exploring how data analytics and warehousing can improve services, accountability, and outcomes for the community he serves. In his spare time, you can find Wyatt sitting down with a history book, working out and doing yoga. He also enjoys spending a lazy afternoon at a museum; especially NOMA and the World War 2 museum right here in New Orleans.

Vince Cunningham

Vince graduated from Cal State Fullerton University with a degree in Economics. He participated in Air Force ROTC attended UCLA and graduated with a Master's Degree from University of Wisconsin in Supply Chain Management. Vince has been involved with the Riverside County Courts System as a community partner. He helped advocate for the creation of Riverside County Veterans Court Program in 2011. Vince served as the Veterans Court Mentor Coordinator for Riverside County while advocating for those in need. This year, Vince will be working as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Riverside County Office of Public Defender. Vince attended Rio Hondo Police Academy in 2018 and is an active member registered with the Cailfornia Peace Officer Standards Training (P.O.S.T.). Vince is working to bring together community partners to help educated and advocate in an effort to remove structural racism and inequality within the criminal justice system in America.

Dawn Ippolito

Serving as a data engineer in Delaware's Office of Defense Services, Dawn conducts data collection and analysis and helps boost the public defender office's ability to listen to and communicate with clients, communities, and policymakers. She has produced digital and visual storytelling for nonprofits around the country and supports anti-poverty and human rights initiatives. Her favorite place to rock climb is Joshua Tree, and her favorite place to run is the beaches in her home state of Florida.

Alexander Saltzman

Alexander Saltzman is currently attending Northeastern University pursuing a Master’s in Public Health. His previous work experience in social services in New York City where he worked with low-income and unhoused populations who either needed to pay off their rent arrears or needed housing. He is passionate about the fight for justice and equity. For fun Alexander likes to work out, paint, make music and play basketball.

Abigail Hustead

Abigail Hustead is originally from Northwest Arkansas. After a few years stay in Frisco, TX and Springfield, MO, she returned to obtain her bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Here, she was heavily involved in the Undergraduate Mock Trial program and interned at the Washington County Public Defender's Office. Almost a year post-undergrad, Abigail has joined the Office of the Appellate Defender in NYC as a Mitigation Specialist through NLADA and the Americorps VISTA Program to aid in the development of the OAD's mitigation advocacy practice. After completing the VISTA Program, she plans to continue her education by attending law school.

Wil Sanders

Wil is an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer with the NLADA at their office in Washington DC. During their year of service, they will help develop a community engagement plan to better serve NLADA's community advocates and stakeholders. Wil graduated with an M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy and a B.A. in Geography and Spanish from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Erika Tugas

Erika (she/her) is a NLDA VISTA, Data System Fellow who inform improvements and recommendations using the case management system, extensive data cleanup, and provide concise data visualizations using PowerBi. She recently graduated in Fall 2022 with a BS in Information Systems at San Francisco State University. Being a fresh graduate, she is eager to find the unknowns and have an impact through success and triumph. Outside of work, she strengthens her physical and mental capabilities through lifting weights, reading short stories, and taking a stroll outdoors. * Currently reading "The Black Swan: The impact of the highly improbable.

Marcia Evans

Marcia E. Humphries-Evans is a long-time Community Supporter. She graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree majoring in Accounting. Marcia has volunteered her services to many groups such as AARP Tax Preparation Project; VITA Tax preparation Project: Music Hall Theater; the Fox Theater, Volunteer and Group Leader; Detroit Grand Prix Association; Channel 56 Auction; and Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, proudly serving as Chapter President for 3 years. Currently Marcia is serving in Detroit, MI (her hometown) with Neighborhood Defender Services as an NDS Operations Fellow. She will be tasked with building the capacity of their existing services through system, process, and procedure development and documentation, and coordinating and training material development. The is Marcia’s fourth tour of service with AmeriCorps, (she served two tours as a regular AmeriCorps member and two tours serving as AmeriCorps VISTA).

Jack McGinn

Jack McGinn is a recent graduate of Boston University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, in addition to minors in History and Religion. Originally from San Francisco, Jack saw the way that people facing pressing local issues, like housing instability and a lack of accessible resources for mental health and substance use disorders, were disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. This led him to internships with several organizations including the Massachusetts General Court’s Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery, and the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington D.C. Jack is currently serving as a VISTA for West Virginia’s Public Defender Services, and plans to go to law school and become a public defender.

Natifah Tolbert

Natifah Tolbert is a dedicated individual with a passion for public interest and a drive to make a positive impact in the field of law. With a strong educational background, Natifah has equipped herself with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in her career.

Natifah graduated from Johnson C. Smith University, where she obtained her bachelor's degree in business administration. During her time at Johnson C. Smith University, Natifah demonstrated her commitment to academic excellence and leadership, earning her a place at the prestigious National HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Currently, Natifah is pursuing her master's in business administration, further expanding her understanding of the business aspects of law. This additional education will undoubtedly enhance her ability to navigate the legal field effectively.

In addition to her business education, Natifah is also a law student, investing her time and energy into acquiring the necessary legal knowledge and skills. With a focus on criminal defense, Natifah aspires to become a criminal defense attorney, utilizing her expertise and passion to advocate for justice and fairness within the legal system.

Natifah's passion for public interest is evident in her dedication to pursuing a career in criminal defense. She believes in the importance of ensuring that every individual has access to competent legal representation, regardless of their circumstances. Natifah's drive to make a difference and fight for justice fuels her aspirations to become a criminal defense attorney, where she hopes to advocate for those who are marginalized and underserved.

Ryan Goetz

Ryan moved to Santa Barbara about a year ago, after spending most of his life in the small Appalachian town of Athens, Ohio. There he attended Ohio University, where he earned bachelor's degrees in physics and Spanish, and a master’s degree in math. Before moving west, he served a year in AmeriCorps in nearby Nelsonville, Ohio, as a Wellness Coordinator for a local school district.

Ryan has a strong teaching background, having worked as a college math lecturer during his master’s program and as a “food educator” for second-grade students during his previous AmeriCorps stint (quite the turnaround!) He has also spent the past year tutoring local high school and college students in math and physics.

Ryan has always been a numbers guy, and he’s passionate about using data to tell stories and to drive informed decision-making. He hopes to use his quantitative background to help the Santa Barbara Public Defender make decisions that will drive more equitable outcomes for its clients.

In his free time, Ryan enjoys spending time with his family and friends, staying active, reading, writing, and playing board games. He is an avid fan and player of soccer and basketball, and is always happy to converse about both sports.