Board Candidate Bios

Wes Caines

Wesley Caines is a Bronx native of Caribbean heritage and the proud father of two children, Ashley and Gregory. A graduate of Bard College and New York Theological Seminary, his life’s journey has enriched him with a perspective on the importance of human connection and community engagement. Wes is a frequent speaker at colleges and universities as well as on panels and in conferences across the country on his exceptional personal journey and how it informs his work in criminal justice reform. 

As Chief of Staff, at The Bronx Defenders, Wes spearheads the organization’s systemic reform efforts which includes overseeing the policy, impact litigation, strategic communications and community organizing teams. Prior to his current role, he was Director of Reentry & Community Engagement, roles which allowed him to work closely with directly impacted communities in understanding and developing strategies to overcome barriers that perpetually punish those ensnared in government systems. 
 

Julie Kowitz Margolies

Throughout my career as an attorney and mediator, I have devoted my work to civil rights and civil liberties, including reproductive rights, employment, and the rights of incarcerated women. I was honored to re-join the NYCLU Board in 2020, and during that time have held several leadership positions, including Vice President, Executive Committee member, and chair of several governance committees, including the Succession Planning Committee and the Long-Term Planning Committee. At this moment, when government and the courts are slashing constitutional protections of our fundamental rights and our very democracy is under siege, New York State must stand as a bulwark against new and old threats to our civil liberties – and the NYCLU must continue to be a powerful leader in that fight. I remain fiercely committed to the NYCLU’s mission, and if re-elected I will continue to bring my passion, institutional knowledge, and skills to my work on behalf of the NYCLU. 

Daniel Stewart

The NYCLU remains central to securing and protecting fundamental human rights across the state of New York – and in turn, shaping and advocating for their elaboration and enforcement across the United States. Over almost 8 years, I have had the privilege and the responsibility to serve on the Board and it still feels as vital and as refreshingly urgent as ever. The Board has been undertaking a slow evolution to make itself fit for purpose for the next 25 years of service, and I remain committed to completing this evolution to better serve the organization, its staff, its members and most of all its constituents. My own activities running a global-human dignity focused non-profit has underlined the strategic value of Board leadership – and with the never-ending diligence needed to fight for civil liberties, I am exceedingly eager to continue my service.

Keisha Williams

I am writing to express my interest in continuing to serve as a member of the NYCLU Board of Directors. The NYCLU is a stalwart champion for civil liberties and civil rights, and being a board member has given me the opportunity to contribute to the mission of the organization.

In 2021, I served on the Statewide Presence Committee. A common thread in the conversations between Committee members and regional staff was the need for greater coordination and synergy statewide. Fast forward to 2023, and the central office has been actively engaging the local community in Buffalo around the issue of school suspensions. I believe this work is important to maintaining and increasing the visibility of the NYCLU in Western New York. I and my organization are supporting this effort, and I look forward to advancing this and all other NYCLU initiatives. Thank you for your consideration.

Ellen Yaroshefsky

This statement is offered in support of my application to be reappointed as a Board member. I am a long-time supporter of the amazing and varied work of the organization. I have been involved, directly and indirectly with NYCLU staff in litigation in civil rights cases, criminal legal system reform and in its educational work. On the NYLCU board, I have worked on its economic rights policy, a range of criminal justice issues, ethics-related issues and its DEI committee. I also consult on various ethics issues for the organization. I work well with a wide range of people and hope that my more than 45 years of involvement in social justice work will help the NYCLU to address the profound challenges raised by the current state of the assault on democracy in N.Y. State. I am honored to serve on the Board.

Daeyna Grant

I’m honored to be nominated to serve on the NYCLU board. I am a corporate attorney in private practice, and I’ve lived in New York City for much of my adult life. As a woman, a person of color and an immigrant, I am deeply concerned about the direction the country is heading in, especially around reproductive and immigrants’ rights as well as issues around race and racial inequities. The work that the NYCLU does is critical to stemming the tide of legal decisions and laws that threaten to undo the progress we have made as a country in creating a democracy that represents its citizenry. I believe my career as a lawyer and my own personal experience would further strengthen the Board and I look forward, if elected, to bringing that knowledge, skill and experience to bear in the NYCLU’s ever important work.

Nina Lauro

My name is Nina Lauro and I am honored to be nominated to the New York Civil Liberties Union Board of Directors. I am originally from Rhode Island, where I also attended college at Brown University and studied Community Health. I spent the first six years of my post-college career at Planned Parenthood Federation of America in New York City. During my time there, I worked closely with a committee of the PPFA Board of Directors and on initiatives related to financial sustainability for Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country. I received my Master of Public Administration from the NYU Wagner School of Public Service in 2017, and in 2018 I transitioned to a new position at NYC Health + Hospitals. I currently lead a team that supports program planning through financial analysis and budget modeling. I live in Harlem with my partner Michael and our cat, Jack.

Lynnise E. Pantin

Growing up as a black woman on the south side of Chicago, a massively segregated city, I have seen firsthand the ways that systematic racism and discrimination impacts and affects communities. Now a New Yorker, I have long been interested in and a supporter of the work of NYCLU. Currently I am on the faculty of Columbia Law School, where I direct and teach the Entrepreneurship and Community Development clinic, a program that puts economic justice at its core and in its approach to representing low-income entrepreneurs, social enterprises and nonprofit organizations. As our country moves through dynamic change at a rapid pace, NYCLU will continue to have a vital role to play in responding to these challenging times. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to those conversations ahead as a Board member and I hope that you will support my candidacy.

James Vasile

James Vasile is a founding partner at Open Tech Strategies, a consultancy that specializes in open source technology. In that role, he advises non-profits, governments, and businesses on making intentional open source investments In addition to his work with OTS, he serves on the board of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which defends civil liberties online. He also advises Brave New Software, a maker of censorship circumvention technology. His work extends beyond the technology sector — he advises Horizons, which produces the “Perspectives on Psychedelics” conferences in New York and Portland. For more information about James, please see https://opentechstrategies.com/#team.

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