ACLU of Virginia announces new board, staff

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Virginia is pleased to announce the election of new officers and members to its Board of Directors and the addition of its Tony Dunn Legal Fellow.

“Our organization’s outstanding record and presence has continued to expand over recent years,” said Claire Guthrie Gastañaga, Executive Director of the ACLU of Virginia. “The diversity and experience of our slate of officers and our newest board members is critical in continuing our work to achieve a Commonwealth where the civil liberties and civil rights of all are protected.”

Joining the Board are new members David Baluarte, Greg Hicks, Wornie Reed, and Alan Rudnick. Baluarte is a clinical professor of law at Washington and Lee Law School in Lexington, VA where he directs the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic. Hicks is a career Foreign Service Officer who has proudly represented the United States abroad. Reed is the director of the Racial and Social Policy Research Center at Virginia Tech. Rudnick is a principal in a corporate governance advisory firm, which he co-founded.

The Board also elected the following officers:

• Jeffrey Kerr has been re-elected for another term as ACLU of Virginia President. Kerr is the General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at The peta Foundation.
• Stephen Levinson has been re-elected for another term as ACLU of Virginia Vice-President. Levinson is the Complaint Adjudication Team at the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
• Sandy Smith was re-elected ACLU of Virginia Treasurer. Smith is a physician at Kenner Army Health Clinic.
• Elizabeth Witt was re-elected ACLU of Virginia Secretary. Witt is a Program Officer with the U.S. Department of Education.
• Elizabeth Gilchrist was also re-elected as ACLU of Virginia National Board Representative. Gilchrist is the Vice President of Operations and Administration with the Advanced Energy Economy.

The ACLU of Virginia is also pleased to announce the addition of Rob Poggenklass to our staff as the Tony Dunn Legal Fellow. In this role, Poggenklass will work to reform Virginia’s broken criminal justice system.