Public Rights Project announces 2026 Affirmative Leaders Fellows

Oakland, CA. – Today, Public Rights Project (PRP) announced 36 government attorneys will participate in its 2026 Affirmative Leaders Fellowship. The four-month fellowship is an opportunity for fellows to strengthen and apply skills in affirmative litigation, equitable enforcement, and public leadership.

Launched in 2019, the program is PRP’s flagship fellowship, providing training on litigation against federal actions – from unlawful grant conditions to attempts to control local policies on immigration and diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

“Over the last year and a half, cities and counties have become a battleground over civil rights and democracy,” Jill Habig, founder and CEO of Public Rights Project. “Amid relentless attacks and federal retaliation, it’s more important than ever that local governments stand up together against the administration’s abuses of power. The Affirmative Leaders Fellowship provides local leaders with the tools, strategies and networks needed to protect their people and their communities.”

PRP has trained and supported nearly 280 fellows across 27 states through its multiple fellowship programs. The 2026 cohort is the largest in the program’s history. 

2026 Affirmative Leaders Fellows

• Abigail Durkin, Assistant Attorney General II, Illinois Attorney General’s Office
• Bailey Axe, Senior Attorney, City of Philadelphia Department of Law
• Blake Giosa, Assistant Attorney General, Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office
• Bobby Yu, Deputy County Attorney, Pima County Attorney’s Office
• Bora Lee, Neighborhood Law Corps Attorney, Oakland City Attorney’s Office
• Cindy Nguyen, Deputy County Attorney, Pima County Attorney’s Office
• Cristy Craig, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
• Edward Swidriski, Senior Assistant County Attorney, Harris County County Attorney’s Office
• Elizabeth Oquendo, Chief of Civil Enforcement, Deputy District Attorney, Bucks County District Attorney’s Office
• Erin King-Clancy, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
• Etie-Lee Schaub, Senior Assistant City Solicitor, Providence City Attorney’s Office
• Hannah Godbey, Deputy City Attorney, Santa Clara County Counsel’s Office
• Hannah Odekirk, Deputy County Counsel, San Jose City Attorney’s Office
• Ida Anbarian, Deputy County Counsel, Los Angeles County Counsel’s Office
• JaCelynn Porter, Senior Assistant District Attorney, Fulton Office of the County Attorney’s Office
• James Kieburtz, Senior Counsel – Safety and Labor Management Relations, Office of Chief Counsel, Department of Labor & Industry, City of Rochester Law Department
• James van Wagtendonk, Municipal Attorney, Pennsylvania Governor’s Office
• Jason Allen, Senior Deputy County Counsel, Alameda County County Counsel’s Office
• Katrina Tattoli, Legal Specialist, New Jersey Division on Civil Rights
• Kyle Johnson, Deputy County Attorney, Pima County Attorney’s Office
• Laura Riba, Assistant County Solicitor, Bucks County Law Department
• Lori Yount, Senior Assistant County Attorney, Harris County County Attorney’s Office
• Maria del Pilar (Pilar) Castillo, Senior Operations and Litigation Counsel, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Office of General Counsel
• Megan Corrigan, Policy Counsel, City of Boston Law Department
• Michelle Saavedra, Lead Civil Litigation Attorney, Tucson City Attorney’s Office
• Noah McLaughlin, Assistant City Attorney, Austin City Attorney’s Office
• Psalm Brown, Assistant Corporation Counsel, Affirmative Litigation Division, City of Chicago Department of Law
• Rachel Zemke, Assistant Corporation Counsel III, City of Chicago Department of Law
• Rebecca Holschuh, Assistant City Solicitor, Hennepin County Attorney’s Office
• Rebecca Salley, Senior Assistant County Attorney, City of Cincinnati Solicitor’s Office
• Ruth Kwon, Assistant Counsel and Mayor’s Ethics Officer, Los Angeles Mayor’s Office
• Sarah Chaplin, Senior Assistant City Attorney, Bellingham City Attorney’s Office
• Sylvia Kramarius, Senior Attorney, Columbus City Attorney’s Office
• Thomas Broom, Senior Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Boston Law Department
• Tiffany Tejeda-Rodriguez, Deputy City Attorney, Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office
• Yesica Hernandez, Deputy Director – Strategic Legal Affairs, Seattle City Attorney’s Office