Youth Advocacy Division Administrative Office
44 Bromfield Street, Floor 2
Boston, MA 02108
617.482.6212 (p)
617.988.8484 (f)
The mission of YAD is to ensure that every child in Massachusetts has access to zealous legal representation that employs a Youth Development Approach to traditional criminal defense. To be effective these advocates must be highly skilled criminal defense attorneys, as all adult criminal law and procedure applies in Massachusetts Juvenile Court. They must also be expert in juvenile law and procedure, Positive Youth Development (the leading evidence based framework for promoting life success for adolescents), adolescent brain development, navigating DCF and DYS, and education advocacy. Accordingly, the YAD leadership team provides leadership, training, support and oversight to a diverse and collaborative juvenile defense bar across the state, consisting of over four hundred private attorneys and nine staff offices.
Juvenile Defenders and forensic social workers or social service advocates are encouraged to call or email YAD administration at any time for consultation or assistance on cases, to request training, to inquire about certification or other billing matters, to raise concerns regarding anything having to do with the quality of representation or the fairness of court proceedings.
YAD ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
Director, Joshua Dohan
jdohan@publiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5712
Assistant Director, Priscilla Duffy
pduffy@publiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5808
Training Director, Wendy Wolf
wwolf@pubiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5814
Trial Panel Director, Erica Cushna
ecushna@publiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5807
Director of Juvenile Appeals, Afton Templin
atemplin@publiccounsel.net
(508) 484-5785
Director of Social Work, Claudia Dunne
cdunne@publiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5753
Juvenile Appeals Staff Attorney, Laura Chrismer Edmonds
lchrismeredmonds@publiccounsel.net
(413) 355-5208
Trial Panel Oversight Attorney, Melissa Ellis
mellis@publiccounsel.net
(508) 484-5787
Revocation Advocacy Coordinator, Mara Voukydis
mvoukydis@publiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5813
EdLaw Director of Education Advocacy, Marlies Spanjaard
mspanjaard@publiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5841
EdLaw Staff Attorney, Michele Scavongelli
mscavongelli@publiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5845
EdLaw Staff Attorney, Erin O’Sullivan
eosullivan@publiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5842
EdLaw Staff Attorney, Elizabeth Levitan
elevitan@publiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5812
EdLaw Staff Attorney, Rosa Cortez
rcortez@publiccounsel.net
(508) 484-5773
Administrative Assistant, Pamela Lewis
plewis@publiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5809
Administrative Assistant, Angela Childs
achilds@publiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5725
Administrative Assistant, Craig Gimbrone
cgimbrone@publiccounsel.net
(617) 910-5816