ACBF STAFF
David A. Blaner
Executive Director
412-402-6601
[email protected]
Mr. Blaner is responsible for the overall operation of the ACBA, and ACBF. He is responsible for initiating and maintaining relationships with the legal community that the bar serves, including the judicial community. He directs ACBA activities and plans for future growth. He also oversees the financial condition of the organizations.
Thomas C. Petropoulos
Assistant Executive Director
412-402-6682
[email protected]
Mr. Petropoulos assists in overseeing overall operations of both the Association and Foundation. His role includes coordinating and assisting in personnel management, financial management and leading special projects, including strategic planning for the organizations.
Lorrie K. Albert, Esq.
Associate Executive Director
412-402-6640
[email protected]
Ms. Albert is responsible for overseeing, managing, and administering the daily operations of the foundation and its fundraising activities, which include the endowment, Attorneys Against Hunger and dues check-off campaigns, and the Fellows, loans and scholarships, LRAP and grants programs. She is also responsible for the Zittrian Forums speaker series and the annual golf tournament. Duties include strategic planning and marketing and implementation of long-range fundraising goals.
Michael Diana
Director of Finance
412-402-6632
[email protected]
Mr. Diana is responsible for overseeing the finance, accounting and operations areas for the ACBA and ACBF.
Juli M. Marhefka, Esq.
Director of Administration and Human Resources
412-402-6621
[email protected]
Ms. Marhefka is responsible for managing the human resource functions for the Bar Association and Bar Foundation. Her duties include the administration of various employee benefits plans, leave scheduling, performance appraisals and hiring. She maintains the personnel policies, job descriptions, salary classification plan and all employee records.
Stephanie Selya
Programs and Project Manager
412-402-6674
[email protected]
Ms. Selya manages and administers the annual programs and projects of the Foundation and assists the Associate Executive Director with fundraising activities and special events. In addition, she assists the Pro Bono Center Director in planning, implementing and supporting legal aid efforts.
Mya Ras
Development Assistant
412-402-6681
[email protected]
Ms. Ras is responsible for coordinating development efforts at the direction of the Associate Executive Director and the Programs and Projects Manager. Ms. Ras also assists with planning and implementation of special events, as well as facilitating appointments and meetings, maintaining donor records and recognition, and liaising to various committees of the ACBF.
PRO BONO CENTER STAFF
Barbara Griffin, Esq.
Director of the Pro Bono Center
412-402-6622
[email protected]
Ms. Griffin develops, manages, and monitors programs that provide free legal services to low-income residents of Allegheny County using staff and volunteer attorneys. She is responsible for developing educational programs and materials for volunteer attorneys, law students, paralegals, and the general public, recruits and recognizes volunteers, and promotes pro bono initiatives to the bar and members of the community.
Patricia O. Jones, Esq.
Pro Bono Staff Attorney
412-402-6628
[email protected]
Ms. Jones manages programs that deliver legal services to low-income individuals, as well as programs that match volunteer lawyers with low-income individuals in need of legal representation. Ms. Jones is primarily responsible for managing the Divorce Law Project, which uses staff attorneys, volunteer attorneys and law student interns to represent low-income individuals seeking simple, uncontested divorces.
Olivia P. Hilborn, Esq.
Pro Bono Staff Attorney
412-402-6641
[email protected]
Ms. Hilborn is responsible for providing free legal services to individuals with low-incomes and promoting pro bono initiatives. Ms. Hilborn primarily represents clients in free, uncontested divorces through the Divorce Law Project, monitors calls on the Pro Bono Center’s legal helpline, and assists individuals with criminal records clearing through the Pardons Project.
JUVENILE COURT PROJECT STAFF
Erin Work, Esq.
Director
Phone: 412-391-4467
[email protected]
Ms. Work is the Director of the Juvenile Court Project. The Juvenile Court Project represents indigent parents in Dependency and Termination of Parental Rights cases in Allegheny County. The Juvenile Court Project provides an interdisciplinary model of parent representation that includes in addition to courtroom representation attendance with or on behalf of clients at various meetings with family service providers.