Through her position as RILA’s staff attorney, Kolleen provides clients with the legal tools they need to articulate their own expertise. When she writes briefs or represents clients in asylum hearings, she hopes to uplift their strengths and assist them in achieving their goals.

Prior to joining RILA in 2024, Kolleen attended UVA Law and was awarded the Claire M. Corcoran Award for extraordinary commitment to public service. as well as the 2021 Pro Bono Award. She had a fellowship doing direct services and impact litigation with Housing Works, and she worked at Legal Aid DC in domestic violence law.

For Kolleen, RILA’s work also has personal resonance—her hometown was destroyed by the largest tornado in modern history when she was 15, and it solidified her interest in working with displaced individuals. When she works with clients, she wants to honor them and their stories, loving the sojourner as herself.