It's election time

Kentucky Equal Justice Center seeks legal services Staff Representatives to our Board to help oversee our operation and development as a civil legal advocacy center for low-income Kentuckians. Nominees who chose to provide a bio and statement are listed below in alphabetical order by position and last name with the information they provided.

Attorney Staff Representative Candidate Seneka S. Land

Program: AppalReD Legal Aid

Office: Somerset

Job title: Staff Attorney; Interim VOCA Attorney

How long have you been at your program? Two years

Job responsibilities: I represent clients with a common denominator: economic instability that prohibits them from obtaining legal assistance otherwise. Clients seek help with unemployment, Medicaid denials, expungement, bankruptcy, and housing. As a VOCA Attorney, I assist victims of crimes with protective orders, custody, and divorce so they can create a new life.

Past or other current relevant experience: Before AppalReD, I worked for the Commonwealth Attorney. I assisted with everything from an appeal on expungements to a capital murder trial. In solo practice, I focused on estate planning. These experiences helped me grow as an attorney but don’t compare to the opportunity to serve I have at AppalReD.

Candidate’s statement: I hope for the opportunity to serve on KEJC’s board as a liaison between the Center and the Legal Aids of Kentucky. I consider myself lucky to be a part of AppalReD. Not only do I get a chance to serve my fellow Kentuckians, but each new case and each new area of law that I take on presents a challenge. I look forward to each challenge because we do not learn, grow, and become better lawyers by doing the same thing every day. We accomplish this when we must do more, work harder, and expand our capabilities. I hope to be given the opportunity to face the new challenges this position will bring. But even if not, I sincerely appreciate the good work that KEJC does for low-income Kentuckians. I will make myself available to assist them in any capacity needed from me in the future.

Attorney Staff Representative Candidate Katina Miner

Program: Kentucky Legal Aid (KLA)

Office: Bowling Green

Job title: Advocacy

Director and Attorney

How long have you been at your program? 6 years

Job responsibilities: Coordinate KLA’s comprehensive approach to advocacy, collaborating across our offices and programs to identify and address systemic barriers to justice. And… trying to defend every person I possibly can against baseless SNAP trafficking allegations.

Past or other current relevant experience: I have served on the Board of Directors for Hope Harbor, the rape crisis and sexual trauma recovery center in the BRADD for several years, currently chairing the Board’s Personnel Committee. I currently co-chair the statewide Family Law Task Force.

Candidate’s statement: I believe KEJC holds a critical role in advocating for our clients in spaces we LSC-organizations cannot. I would be honored to serve as a liaison between the LSC programs and KEJC and help our programs grow stronger together.

The pandemic put a bit of a damper on my first term on the KEJC Board as we were hardly able to meet in person. I would appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve and help to achieve the objectives identified in last year’s strategic planning process. I remain passionate about strengthening our statewide network and brain trust of legal aid staff and attorneys.

In my “former life,” I was an employment law attorney and gained years of experience advising companies and non-profits. From this background, I bring a practical eye to organizational management.

Paralegal Staff Representative Candidate Kristin B. Alexander

Program: AppalReD Legal Aid

Office: Somerset

Job title: Intake Paralegal

How long have you been at your program? Since 2017

Job responsibilities: Intake paralegals at AppalReD take calls every day from people experiencing varying levels of crisis in their lives. We gather information and perform a telephone triage of their legal needs determining who we are able to help and who we aren’t.

Past or other current relevant experience: I volunteered for AppalReD’s Strategic Planning Committee several years ago because I recognize the importance of planning for our organization’s future. I was also elected to the Site Based Decision Making Council at Burnside Elementary in Pulaski Co. and served for several years before my son graduated.

Candidate’s statement: If you want to see big changes in the world it starts with making a commitment to make positive changes within ourselves and the communities we are living in. After making my home in Kentucky, I started working with AppalReD and graduated from Eastern Kentucky University. I talk to people from thirty-seven counties in Eastern Kentucky and hear stories of heartbreak and injustice, but the most challenging part of my job is telling people we can’t help them because of our limited resources. Working together with other legal aid organizations to share information and advocate for policy change is one of the best things we can do to increase access to justice.

Support Staff Representative Candidate Kristie Stephens

Program: AppalReD Legal Aid

Office: Prestonsburg

Job title: Chief Legal Secretary

How long have you been at your program? 14 years

Job responsibilities: Assist attorneys with case work. Cover reception/intake and phone calls. Meeting with clients. Organize and monitor schedules. Attend community partner and interagency meetings.

Past or other current relevant experience: Currently sitting as Vice Chair for the Big Sandy Council on Elder Maltreatment. Core member of several partnering grants with Mountain Comprehensive Care Center including Disability Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Sexual Assault DV Interagency Team, Project Management Team & Coordinated Community Response Team.

Candidate’s statement: I have been a legal assistant for 23 years and it would be my pleasure to serve on your board.

Support Staff Representative Candidate Jacob Taulbee

Program: Legal Aid of the Bluegrass (LABG)

Office: Morehead

Job title: Human Resource Manager & Proposal Writer

How long have you been at your program? Since 2013

Job responsibilities: Jacob is the HR Manager and Grant Writer for LABG. He primarily supports LABG’s HR operations in recruitment, onboarding, and benefits administration. As a grant writer, he works with LABG’s leadership and administrative teams to research and write proposals and source and maintain funding streams.

Past or other current relevant experience: Jacob has served as the support staff representative for KEJC’s Board of Directors for two years. As a board member, he has helped steer KEJC toward a sustainable future by helping to adopt sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management to help advance its mission.