Chloe (she/her) joined KEJC in October 2022 as our Health Justice Attorney. Through litigation, advocacy, lobbying, and centering systemically oppressed and marginalized groups, Chloe is committed to achieving a Kentucky in which income and identity no longer predict healthcare access and health outcomes. A proud Kentucky native and Berean-turned-Lexingtonian, Chloe attended the University of Kentucky for seven consecutive years, where she earned her BA in political science and her law degree. Now tethered to Lexington by her deep commitments to the local community and the Kentucky Wildcats, Chloe is a dog mom, a burgeoning home cook, and the product of twenty years of Kentucky public education.

"I'm excited to use my legal education to make it easier for Kentuckians to get and pay for high-quality healthcare. The road to health is full of trapdoors and tripwires, and it's a great honor to help my people navigate that." 

Charles Bates joined Maxwell Street Legal Clinic an Immigration Attorney in March of 2024. A native of Campbellsville, KY, Charles graduated from Campbellsville University with a degree in Communications with a Theater emphasis. He graduated from Roger Williams University
School of Law located in picturesque Bristol, RI.

While at Roger Williams, Charles participated in
the RWU Criminal Defense Clinic.

Charles was admitted to the Kentucky Bar Association in 2005 and spent more than a decade with the Department of Public Advocacy working with
indigent clients.

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In July 2024, Charles was appointed Program Director of Maxwell Street Legal Clinic.

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A masterful storyteller with almost 20 years of experience in communications, Natalie specializes in advancing the missions of progressive issues-focused organizations by crafting and sharing narratives that truly matter.

After beginning her public relations career in Miami’s luxury real estate industry, Natalie transitioned to the public service sector when she joined the state of Florida’s employment services division as a policy analyst and program developer. From there, Natalie managed communications and events for the American Cancer Society, curated national level partnerships and advocacy strategies for the Department of Veterans Affairs Homeless Programs Office, developed communications strategies for almost 40 organizations serving under-represented communities that were partnered with a large scale federally funded clinical research initiative, and created communications strategies focused on health equity for a non-profit women's health organization. 

Outside of work, Natalie is an avid rower and holds a  Bachelor of Science in Event Management from the University of Florida and a Master of Arts in Legal Studies with a focus on criminal justice and police reform from American Public University. As a proud Gator grad, Natalie also spends her fall Saturdays cheering on Gator football and hoping for another season like 2006. She has thus far been sorely disappointed.

A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Jackson attended the University of Louisville on a full scholarship, where he earned a degree in Computer Information Systems. He spent a decade as an IT professional before pursuing a career in law at DePaul University College of Law, graduating cum laude with a Juris Doctor and a certificate in Information Technology Law.

Jackson's legal career began with ten years as a prosecutor in the Jefferson County Attorney’s office, where he honed his skills as a trial attorney and developed a passion for advocacy and justice. He transitioned from prosecution to serve marginalized communities in Kentucky, aiming to defend the rights of those lacking adequate legal representation. Jackson is licensed to practice in both Kentucky state and federal courts.

Jackson’s role encompasses all legal programming for KEJC. He serves as a mentor to our legal staff as well as provides support for advocacy, executive leadership for the organization’s advancement, and strategic direction for the KEJC mission. 

Outside of his professional achievements, Jackson is an avid outdoorsman. His passion for nature began during his time as an Eagle Scout, and he continues to enjoy camping and hiking with his wife and their three dogs.

Heather (she/her) has been with KEJC since September of 2023. As our Director of Operations, Heather helps ensure our team has the resources they need to successfully support Kentuckians. 

A Kentucky native, Heather obtained her Master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus on Nonprofit Management in 2015 at UK’s Martin School. Since then, she has dedicated her career to charitable organizations focusing on human rights. Heather has a strong background in grants management, administrative oversight, and developing streamlined processes and protocols. 

Heather lives in Georgetown with her partner, 5-year-old daughter, and zoo of animals. An avid indoorsman, Heather loves to sew, crochet, and check things off of to-do lists. 

Gaby joined Maxwell Street Legal Clinic in November 2018. A native of Venezuela and now a long-time Lexingtonian, she has had many years of legal and medical office experience. She became a DOJ-accredited representative in August of 2023. Before that, she received a certification as an immigration paralegal and worked with our VOCA clients. Gaby is also a certified medical interpreter. She loves working as a DOJ Accredited Rep, having her own caseload, and helping our clients bridge the language barrier. She enjoys traveling, reading, eating pasta, and hanging out with her hubby and her furry babies: Harper (golden), Nala (pit), and Phoebe, the feisty cat.

For nearly two decades, Kate has been fighting against injustices, advocating for systemic reforms, and defending people’s rights. Born in Louisville and raised in Southern Indiana, Kate worked her way through college and earned her bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science from Western Kentucky University in 2005.

Stemming from her own personal experiences, Kate has long felt a strong draw to doing justice work and fixing harms as a way of caring for others and her community. She went to law school in pursuit of skills to help solve problems. A foundational piece of her education was interning at the public defender’s office throughout law school, including with the Kentucky Innocence Project. There, she learned how to empower and fight hard alongside the people she represented, especially those who had been harmed or disadvantaged by systems.
 

Following graduation from the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law in 2008, Kate began her career as a public defender. Working with clients to fix injustices in the criminal legal system, she investigated and litigated constitutional violations in post-conviction cases in state trial and appellate courts and federal courts. Kate expanded her practice to include immigration law, taking on deportation defense and family-based immigration matters. She later returned
to the state public defender agency to work on systemic injustices in the criminal legal system, including police misconduct, through teaching, litigating, and creating resources.
 

Kate’s work has taught her that an important part of advocacy is changing the stories and beliefs that shape public policy, which are often at the root of harm, injustice, and systems that don’t work for everyone. As the staff attorney for the SUD Discrimination Project, Kate is working to raise awareness of SUD discrimination, empower people who are directly impacted, and provide legal assistance so that Kentuckians have access to healthcare and effective SUD treatment.
 

Kate has been engaged in her community over the years in volunteer and leadership roles in legal clinics, community organizations, and running for office in 2024. She currently serves as the president of the Women Lawyers Association of Jefferson County. Kate lives in Louisville with her husband, two children, and three dogs. Her favorite things to do are spending time
with the people she loves, cooking, running, and learning something new.

Raaziq (all pronouns) joined Kentucky Equal Justice Center in 2020 as the organization’s first full-time staff member focused on fundraising. As the Director of Development, Raaziq oversees all foundation, corporate, and community fundraising activities and is passionate about helping people use their resources to achieve equity and belonging.

Prior to joining Kentucky Equal Justice Center, Raaziq worked for a nonprofit coworking center and helped small Lexington nonprofits grow their missions. Raaziq also served as an AmeriCorps VISTA and graduated from Transylvania University with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology/Sociology and Educational Studies.

Raaziq’s favorite things include that first sip of coffee in the morning, the affirming laugh of a friend when you actually tell a good joke, and the absolute bliss of finding forgotten money in the pocket of your jeans.

Shay Hutchinson brings nearly 15 years of dedicated nonprofit leadership experience to her role as Executive Director of KEJC. With a profound commitment to philanthropy and advocacy, Shay has spent her career fostering positive workplace cultures and forging connections between donors and impactful causes.
Before joining KEJC, Shay served as the Regional Advancement Director for the Ohio River Valley Region of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, where she led efforts in revenue advancement, donor cultivation, and expanding market outreach strategies. Her strategic leadership not only drove substantial growth but also deepened community engagement and support for critical initiatives.
Shay holds a diverse educational background, including an undergraduate degree in theater studies, a master's of divinity, and a master's in arts administration. This unique blend of studies reflects her creative interests and her ability to engage with individuals from all walks of life.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Shay enjoys spending time with her husband, Adam, and their energetic toddler, Llewyn. Together, they cherish weekends exploring public parks with their beloved dogs, Lucy and Barney. An avid sports enthusiast, Shay and her family enthusiastically support the Pittsburgh Steelers during football season and cheer for the Kentucky Wildcats in college sports.

Robin joined KEJC to strengthen and support the Kentucky Food Action Network in August 2023. A lifelong Kentuckian, she has spent the last seven years organizing in the south with Fight Toxic Prisons, an abolitionist environmental justice network. She has also organized with the Central Kentucky chapter of SURJ and the Take Back Cheapside campaign, which successfully removed two confederate statues from the site of a former auction block at the now renamed Henry A. Tandy Centennial Park. She believes that all struggles intersect and we can only make true progress by standing together and ensuring everyone's basic needs are met no matter what. 

When not focusing on social justice work, she spends time stage managing various central Kentucky theaters, sewing, and gardening. 

Ana Pineda, a native from Mexico, joined Maxwell Street Legal Clinic in March of 2024 as a DOJ Accredited Representative.

Ana strives to provide her clients with excellent communication about and understanding of their immigration proceedings. Having gone through the immigration process herself, she is uniquely able to relate to clients’ needs and concerns and understands the life changing opportunities that come with citizenship.

Ana has practiced immigration law since 2019 and enjoys traveling, gardening, and spending time with her family.

Abigail Rundell joined Maxwell Street Legal Clinic in the summer of 2023. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2019 with a B.A. in Foreign Language and International Economics. She earned her law degree from the American University Washington College of Law in 2023, where she was a member of the Refugee Law and Policy Brief and the Immigrant Justice Clinic. Abigail speaks conversational French and German. 

Hailing from Brownsville, TX, Carmen moved to Lexington Kentucky six years ago. As a dedicated community advocate, she currently works as Legal Intake Coordinator and Court Advocate and Facilitator at The Nest as well as with the YAP Program as a Youth Advocate guiding youth at risk. She is also a Certified Medical Interpreter as qualified by the Commonwealth of Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Language Access Section.

When she isn't working, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading motivational books, and playing kickball.