National Advisory Council on Children’s Legal Representation
The National Advisory Council on Children’s Legal Representation (NACCLR) guides NACC’s work.
The National Advisory Council on Children’s Legal Representation guides NACC’s work. Members of the Advisory Council are young professionals with lived expertise in the child welfare system. They advise the Board of Directors, provide guidance to staff, and help the organization pursue its mission.
NACC believes the perspectives of people with lived experience in unjust systems should be central in reform efforts. People without personal experience lack the insight of someone who has navigated the child welfare system. Lived experience experts see what others cannot. The field should always authentically, intentionally, and thoughtfully engage lived experience experts when pursuing justice, equity, and systems change.
The Advisory Council helps NACC center the perspectives and priorities of people with lived experience and stay true to our values of inclusion, justice, and empowerment.
National Advisory Council Members
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Alistair (they/them)
Based in Missouri
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Gina Cabiddu, MSW (she/her)
Based in Washington
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Arique Dross III, JD (he/him)
Based in New York
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Louis Gasper
Based in Maryland
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Parker, MSW (ze/zir)
Based in California
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Kayla Powell (she/her)
Based in Iowa
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Kristen Powell
Based in Kansas
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Laura Singer, JD, Ms.Ed (she/her/hers)
Based in District of Columbia
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Jordan Sosa
Based in California
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Danielle Whittaker, JD (she/her)
Based in Georgia
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Nicole Wong, JD, MST
Based in New York
Lived Expertise in The Guardian
Lived experience experts publish articles in NACC’s law journal, The Guardian, to share their
stories and recommendations for an improved system.
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Trapped By Circumstances, Transformed By Choice
Kristen Powell, March 2024
- The Guardian
- Learning from Lived Expertise
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Beyond the Dates and Deadlines: Leveraging the Calendar for Culturally Responsive Advocacy in Child Welfare
April Dinwoodie, December 2023
- The Guardian
- Learning from Lived Expertise
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Adoption is Loss, Gratitude, and Confliction: A Lived Experience Reflection
Gina Cabiddu, MSW, September 2023
- The Guardian
- Learning from Lived Expertise
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Education is Key (But the Doors Are Heavy)
Nicole Wong, JD, MST, June 2023
- The Guardian
- Learning from Lived Expertise
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How Redefining Neglect Can Shift Outcomes for Children, Youth, and Families: Ten Potential Strategies Child Welfare Systems Can Use to Work Toward Equity
Louie Gasper, March 2023
- The Guardian
- Learning from Lived Expertise
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Top 10 Ways to Cultivate a Culture of Engagement in the Courtroom
Kayla Powell, December 2022
- The Guardian
- Learning from Lived Expertise
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EXTRA! EXTRA! Here’s a SEAT…with Exceptions
Aliyah Zeien, September 2022
- The Guardian
- Learning from Lived Expertise
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Universal Healing Through a Reimagined System of Care
Jas Snell, June 2022
- The Guardian
- Learning from Lived Expertise
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Every Youth Deserves a Good-Quality Education!
Duane Price, December 2021
- The Guardian
- Learning from Lived Expertise
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Express Yourself: ‘Dear DACA’ and ‘Law school doesn’t teach you this’
Ivory Bennett, TyAsia Nicholson, September 2021
- The Guardian
- Learning from Lived Expertise
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Making History in Louisiana: The State’s First Foster Youth’s Bill of Rights
Aliyah Zeien, September 2021
- The Guardian
- Learning from Lived Expertise
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Radical Self-Love: An Alternative Trauma Response
Ivory Bennett with Lauren Lynch-Novakovic, June 2021
- The Guardian
- Learning from Lived Expertise
Learn More
Contact Cristal Ramirez, MS, NACC Youth Engagement Manager for more information on the National Advisory Council on Children’s Legal Representation or on how to authentically engage youth.