Claudia Bistyaga,
a paralegal in the New Castle office of Neighborhood
Legal Services Association, is the rare paralegal who has developed legal
skills and extensive knowledge in every area of law that a legal services
office encounters.
John P. Bogdanovicz, Esq., Director of Advocacy, North Penn Legal
Services,
has a long and distinguished history of representing legal aid clients and
now supervises the overall work of his program. He is an outstanding
individual and provides guidance for new legal aid attorneys.
John Dodds,
is the director of the Philadelphia Unemployment Project. He is a tireless
advocate for the unemployed and the poor, with many successes in areas
important to these people, including mortgage foreclosures, health care, and
unemployment compensation benefits.
Harry Geller, Esq.,
is the executive director of the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project. Harry is
regarded as the “go to” person and statewide spokesperson for low-income
utility consumers by Pennsylvania legislators and others.
Catherine Herman, Fiscal Manager for Legal Aid of Southeastern
Pennsylvania and
Evelyn Pankey, Administrative Coordinator of Community Legal Services,
have both demonstrated how fiscal and administrative employees are crucial
to the mission of the legal aid community.
John Kane, Esq.,
recently retired as Chief Counsel to the Pennsylvania Department of Public
Welfare, where he took seriously the complaints of legal services counsel on
behalf of their clients and he worked hard to insure that his client, DPW
respected and honored its own mission of assisting the Commonwealth’s most
vulnerable residents.
James Kearney, Esq., Director of Development at MidPenn Legal Services
and
Donald F. Smith, Jr., Esq., Member, MidPenn Legal Services Board of
Directors,
are helping to build bridges and relationships with non-traditional partners
in local communities. Their work is resulting in dramatically increased
support for MidPenn, financial and otherwise.
Kenneth L. Klothen, Esq., Deputy Secretary for Community Affairs,
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and
Congressman Jim Gerlach,
helped to change policies and secure funding for the Brandywine Health &
Housing Center which will serve the poorest community in Chester County, the
City of Coatesville.
Maureen P. Kelly, Esq., Babst, Calland, Clements & Zomnir, PC,
is Chair of the Pennsylvania IOLTA Board. Ms. Kelly is being honored with
the Outstanding Leadership in Legal Services Award for her
consistent support and leadership on matters affecting the provision of
legal aid to those in need of these services.
