Staff

Kay Acholonu
Staff Accountant
206-957-6286
kay@legalfoundation.org

Kay handles the day-to-day accounting duties for LFW. She is a longtime resident of Washington, growing up in Kirkland and attending the University of Washington. She has more than 14 years of experience in accounting including as treasurer of her local political organization and for political candidate campaigns. Outside of the office Kay enjoys movies, walking outdoors, and photographing the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Laura Berry
Annual Campaign Director
laura@legalfoundation.org

Laura manages several fundraising initiatives including our Law Firm and Associates Campaigns as well as statewide Beer and Justice events and appeals for the Campaign for Equal Justice. LFW’s commitment to anti-racism aligns with her personal commitment to identify opportunities for systemic change. With a background in music and nonprofit arts management, she comes to LFW after a seven-year tenure as Development Director with the Washington State Historical Society and work as a consultant with a variety of Puget Sound charitable organizations. In her time outside the office, Laura enjoys keeping up with her energetic son, two rescue pups, and a backyard that may well require its own second career.

Caitlin Davis
Executive Director
206-957-6288
caitlindc@legalfoundation.org

Caitlin has served as LFW’s Executive Director since 2005. Active in Washington’s legal aid community for more than two decades, Caitlin coordinated the King County Bar Association’s revenue enhancement and membership programs before joining LFW as Grants Manager. At LFW, Caitlin implemented a statewide case management system for grantees and provided training and technical assistance in fundraising, technology and leadership development to expand the network of legal aid providers. Later, as Associate Director, Caitlin worked closely with the Board of Trustees and other stakeholders to develop new revenue streams for legal aid and strategize on how best to leverage existing resources to ensure equal justice for all Washingtonians. Caitlin is a member of the Washington Supreme Court’s Limited License Legal Technician (LLLT) Board and the KCBA’s Judicial Screening Committee.

Alexandra Deas
Communications & Advocacy Director
alexandra@ejc.org

Alex (she/her) spearheads LFW press and outreach and staffs the Equal Justice Coalition, advocating for more federal, state, and local funding for civil legal aid. Alex received her B.A. from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and then went on to intern for a civic engagement platform while working at a law firm in California. After moving to Seattle in 2018, Alex began advocating for disability justice as the Communications Coordinator for Disability Rights Washington. While working at DRW, she graduated from UW with a Master’s in Communications in 2021. Her experience with advocacy and working in the realm of legal aid brought her to her role at LFW and the EJC in 2022. In her free time, Alex enjoys cooking and hiking with her dog, Roo.

Linda D. Graham
Special Accounts Receivable Manager
206-957-6282
ldgraham@legalfoundation.org

Linda is the Special Accounts Receivables Manager for IOLTA and cy pres awards. She is an expert on IOLTA rules and regulations and liaises with financial institutions and attorneys to help them establish IOLTA accounts. Outside of the office, Linda enjoys bowling, reading fantasy and science fiction series, and family movie time.

Arielle Handforth
Grants Coordinator
arielle@legalfoundation.org

Arielle supports the administration of LFW’s portfolio of grants and grant support services. She is originally from Hermiston, Oregon, and after graduating from Stanford University she worked as an AmeriCorps member at a public high school in Boston, providing support in and out of the classroom. Following her year of service, Arielle relocated to Washington, D.C. to join a nonprofit consulting company, where she provided operational assistance to a portfolio of fiscally sponsored projects focused on domestic and international grantmaking. She enjoys hiking, quilting, and wakeboarding (when the weather permits).

Kathryn Karcher
Development Coordinator
kathryn@legalfoundation.org

Katie is a Development Coordinator for both the Campaign and Endowment for Equal Justice. She grew up on Bainbridge Island and moved to Seattle to attend UW. She graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and minors in History and Gender Studies. She previously fundraised for UW programs and scholarships and was the President for Pro-Choice Washington’s UW chapter. In her free time, she cuddles her cat, reads about gender and race equity, and volunteers for Washington’s state-wide counseling and crisis hotline.

Kristin Parker
Office Manager
206-957-6280
kristin@legalfoundation.org

Kristin handles the day-to-day operations of the LFW office, provides administrative support to the LFW Board of Trustees, and serves as staff coordinator for the Goldmark Internship Program. She has more than 10 years of experience managing professional continuing education programs and supporting nonprofit boards. Outside of the office she can be found playing mandolin, gardening, and serving on the leadership team for the Westcrest Garden P-Patch.

Annie Ramirez
Endowment Director
annie@legalfoundation.org

Annie (she/her) oversees the Endowment for Equal Justice, as the Endowment Director. She has nearly 14 years’ experience in fundraising for various non-profits (mostly in the Human Services sector) that focused on supporting women and their families, including most recently serving as the Development Director for NW Children’s Foundation (NWCF) and Domestic Abuse Women’s Network (DAWN). She is passionate about the protection of women’s rights and ensuring that BIPOC communities have equitable access to resources in order to thrive, which is what led her to join the Legal Foundation of WA in August 2023. She has a BA (Honors) in Anthropology from UT San Antonio and an MSc (with Distinction) in Social Anthropology from Edinburgh University, Scotland. In her spare time, Annie enjoys serving the community as a Rotarian. She also enjoys spin classes and strength-training with Peloton, travelling, trying new restaurants, reading, and adventures with her husband and two rescue dogs.

Gervasio Sapriza-Uribe
Development Coordinator
206-957-6280
gervasio@legalfoundation.org

Gervasio helps to raise critical funds for the Campaign for Equal Justice. He holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Marist College and B.A. in Political Science from Quinnipiac University. Outside of the office, Gervasio enjoys everything outdoorsy, ranging from hiking and biking to swimming and soccer.

Nancy Smith
Consulting CFO
206-957-6295
nancy@legalfoundation.org

Nancy is LFW’s Chief Financial Officer, on contract with CFO Selections. She holds an M.B.A. from the University of Washington and she is a Certified Public Accountant. When she is not maximizing funds available for civil legal aid, Nancy helps other organizations leverage great financial results and goes on long hikes up big mountains.

Emily Van Yuga
Director of Grant Programs
206-957-6290
emily@legalfoundation.org

Emily oversees LFW’s grant portfolio of civil justice work across the state. Dedicated to social justice, Emily has more than 15 years of non-profit management experience advancing reproductive rights, juvenile justice, housing access, and health equity. She holds an M.Ed from Widener University and B.A. from Oberlin College, and currently serves on the board of GLSEN-Washington.