Staff Directory

Dana Barnett, VIP paralegal, joined the staff in January 2008. Dana acts primarily as a referral agent for VIP clients to volunteer attorneys at large firms. She is responsible for coordinating the monthly case list and VIP's Continuing Legal Education programs. Dana comes to Philadelphia from Poughkeepsie, NY, where she worked for several years in the field of conflict resolution. She received her BA and a Masters of Professional Studies from SUNY New Paltz.

Javius Cain

Javius Cain, LawWorks Paralegal, joined the staff in May 2008. He is responsible for referring Homeownership and Probate cases to various attorneys and law firms throughout Philadelphia. Javius received his B.A. in Political Science and Criminal Justice from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2007. Throughout his college career, Javius was involved in community service in which he spent several weeks in Laredo, TX and New Orleans, LA working alongside fellow Temple students building homes with Habitat for Humanity. Javius was born and raised in Baltimore, MD.

Martin Costello has been a staff attorney with Philadelphia LawWorks, the community economic development project of Philadelphia VIP, since August 2005. Martin's primary responsibility is matching community organizations, small businesses, and low-income homeowners with volunteer attorneys who will provide pro bono legal assistance. He is a graduate of West Chester University and the Villanova University School of Law.

Kelly Gastley Kelly J. Gastley joined Philadelphia VIP in September 2005 as an Independence Fellow, working on our homeownership ("tangled title") project. Now a staff attorney, Kelly works with VIP's homeownership, nonprofit, and small business clients. She also participates in community outreaches, and mentors and trains VIP’s volunteer attorneys. Kelly received her B.A. in Sociology and Government from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 2002, and her J.D. from the Marshall-Wythe William and Mary School of Law in 2005.

Kate Jadin is a Jesuit Volunteer and paralegal at Philadelphia VIP. She is one of the coordinators for Pro Bono Opportunities Day, the Low Income Tax Clinic and Summer Pro Bono Program. Kate recently graduated from St. Olaf College, in Minnesota, where she studied Social Work and Family Studies.

Theresa L. Jett joined Philadelphia VIP in 1992 as a part-time receptionist. Her current position is Executive Assistant. She works directly with the Executive Director and helps with grants, Board activity and office administration. She enjoys working with numbers and is responsible for many of the firm, volunteer, and case statistics. She serves on the Resource Development and Communications committee of the VIP Board.

Janine LaBletta is a bilingual paralegal at Philadelphia VIP. Janine joined the Philadelphia VIP team in March 2007. Janine prepares cases for referrals, walks clients through the referral process, and communicates regularly with volunteers about opportunities to help VIP clients. Janine works mostly with solo practitioner and small firm volunteers.

Christina J. Ortiz has been working as a Secretary for Philadelphia VIP since January of 2007. She is bilingual and very helpful to client by directing their calls and referring them to other resources. Christina's responsibilities include answering phones, data entry, preparing engagement letters to volunteer attorneys and clients, and various other administrative duties.

Ourania Papademetriou Ourania (Rainy) Papademetriou is a Managing Attorney at Philadelphia VIP. She manages the litigation cases of VIP. Rainy is an active member of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Family Law Section, Public Interest Section and the Delivery Legal Services Committee (DLSC) where she served as co-chair for several years. She received her B.A. degree from Salve Regina College in Newport, Rhode Island and her J.D. from Temple University School of Law. Her prior experience includes serving as an Assistant District Attorney for the City of Philadelphia and as Legal Center Director for Women Against Abuse, Inc.

Tanya L. Rambert joined Philadelphia VIP in 1993 as a secretary. She is currently the Director of Administration responsible for the day-to-day operation of VIP. Through the many relationships with clients, fellow co-workers, volunteers, Board members and Public Interest friends, she enjoys and loves public interest work and the pursuit of justice for all.

Stefanie Fleischer Seldin is a Managing Attorney at Philadelphia VIP. She manages the LawWorks project as well our Low Income Tax Clinic and the tax cases. From 2000 to 2003, she developed and managed the legislative agenda for the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance in Boston. Prior to that, Stefanie was a staff attorney with the Support Center for Child Advocates, an agency dedicated to lawyers' pro bono service for abused and neglected children. Previously Stefanie served as an Assistant City Solicitor in the City of Philadelphia's Law Department and as a law clerk for Judge Joseph E. Irenas of U.S. District Court of New Jersey. Stefanie is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University Law Center.

Sara L. Woods, Esq. is privileged to serve as the Executive Director of Philadelphia VIP. Before joining VIP, she served as the Director of Public Service Careers & Pro Bono Programs at Villanova University School of Law for five years. Prior to her tenure at Villanova, Sara worked as a staff attorney at Women Against Abuse Legal Center and the Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County. Sara received a B.A. with honors from the Pennsylvania State University, a J.D. cum laude from Villanova University School of Law, and a Master of Public Administration from Villanova University. After graduating from Penn State, Sara worked as a counselor and advocate at Delaware County Women Against Rape. She is an adjunct Professor at Villanova University School of Law, where she teaches a Public Interest Lawyering course. She serves on the Board of Directors of Women's Way, where she is the Board Secretary and member of the Young Women's Initiative Advisory Board, and as the Vice President of the Lion's Paw Alumni Association Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Crime Victims Law Project.

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