Staff
Bill Hirsh, Esq.
Executive Director
Bill has more than ten years of experience in community-based
nonprofit organizations ranging from alternative mental health
programs to legal services for the mentally and developmentally
disabled. After graduating from law school, Billl served as a
welfare rights attorney and helped organize homeless San Francisco
residents. He served as Directing Attorney for the Mental Health
Advocacy Project of the Santa Clara County Bar Association Law
Foundation, which provides free legal representation in the areas
of patients' rights, housing and public benefits. He has also
served as the President of the Board of Directors of San Francisco's
Patients' Rights Advocacy Services, Inc. For the last five years,
before joining ALRP in March of 2000, Bill directed the Mental
Health Association of San Francisco, where he coordinated a broad-based
public policy advocacy effort to increase affordable and supportive
housing for people with mental health disabilities. Send
Bill an e-mail.
Betsy Johnsen, Esq.
Client Services Manager
Betsy has always worked for non-profit groups that provide human
services. Since 1995, she has offered benefits and employment
advice to clients at ALRP. She has also been involved in the Disability
Rights movement ever since she graduated from law school. "It's
an exciting field," she says, "working on policy issues
to ensure that those previously powerless can now assert their
rights to employment and public services."
Education
1991: J.D. : Hastings College of the Law , San Francisco, CA
1981: Masters in Human Services Management: Brandeis University,
Waltham, MA
1976: BA: SUNY at Binghamton, NY
Joyce Jordan, Esq.
Senior Housing Attorney
As Housing Attorney for the AIDS Housing Advocacy Project, Joyce
represents clients in Unlawful Detainer proceedings and administrative
hearings. Volunteer attorneys interested in working as co-counsel
or offering mentoring skills for the Housing Project, please e-mail Joyce.
- Ali Hall, Esq.
- Client Advocate Attorney
- Originally from Los Angeles, Ali attended Occidental College,
where she earned her A.B. Ali earned an M.S. in Industrial and
Labor Relations, and a J.D. from Cornell University, Before joining
ALRP, Ali was an attorney with Littler, Mendelson, Fastiff &
Tichy, and Berman, Berkley & Lasky. Away from ALRP, Ali leads
a busy life. She is an active volunteer for "Healing Waters",
an organization that takes HIV+ people on outdoor adventures.
As Client Advocate, Ali addresses requests for wills and powers
of attorney, and helps clients with benefits, credit, and bankruptcy
issues. As part of her position, Ali conducts seminars at Positive
Resource Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation in her
areas of responsibility. You maye-mail Alir at ali@alrp.org.
Jason Stein, Esq.
- Interim Outreach Attorney
- A graduate of New College of California, School of Law in
1997, Jason already has extensive experience. As a law student,
Jason interned at the Office of the State Public Defender, where
he assisted with capital appeals and habeas corpus writs. Additionally,
Jason interned for Prisoner Legal Services, where he assisted
inmates in the San Francisco County Jails, particularly in the
gay and transgendered tiers, in civil law matters. This work
led to being awarded the Steven Richter Law Student Fellowship
by NEFIR (National Educational Foundation for Individual Rights)
for work benefiting the Lesbian/Gay/Bi/Transgender/HIV/AIDS communities.
Jason used the grant that came with this award to establish and
co-direct the Prisoner Legal Services HIV Project to better assess
the needs of persons incarcerated with HIV. After being admitted
to the Bar in 1997, he worked primarily doing criminal defense.
He began his service to the ALRP in 1999 as a volunteer conducting
housing clinics. He joined the ALRP staff in September 2000.
You may contact Jason by e-mailing him at jason@alrp.org.
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- F. Ross Woodall
- Volunteer Coordinator
- Formerly the Director of Operations of a corporate travel
management firm, Ross was diagnosed with AIDS in 1994 and was
forced to retire. While :"retired", Ross assisted in
publishing the AIDS treatment journal, BETA, and
coordinated 500 volunteers for "Clasical Action...a concerted
effort against AIDS." Ross has guided thousands of callers
on the California AIDS Hotline, and frequently presents as an
HIV/AIDS educator. A member of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation's
Board of Directors, Ross sserves on the Board's Executive Committee,
and as Chair of the Committee on Directors. Because of an AIDS
complication, Ross has been legally blind for four years. His
health stabilized, Ross began full-time work at ALRP in May 2000.
He also publishes "Panel Notes", ALRP's newsletter,
coordinates MCLE trainings for Panel attorneys, and maintains
the ALRP website. Send Ross an
e-mail.
John Polanco
Office Manager
John Polanco moved to San Francisco in 1998, and became active
in the gay, lesbian, transgender communities. John's HIV-related
work experience include previous employment at the Gay & Lesbian
Center in Hollywood, Ward 86 in San Francisco, and numerous volunteer
activities for various programs in San Francisco & Los Angeles
Counties. E-mail John.
Danny Guevarra
Bookkeeper
Danny has been ALRP's bookkeeper since 1996. To send Danny an
e-mail, click here.
Board of Directors
Tom Burns, Board Co-Chair
Law Offices of Thomas R. Burns
Janet Seldon, Board Co-Chair
Bar Association of San Francisco, Volunteer Legal Services Program
Andrew Mead, Board Secretary
Carol Gee, Board Treasurer
University of San Francisco Law School
Board, Chinese Newcomers Service Center
Jo Aranda
MJMB Marketing
- Diane Cash
Law Office of Diane R. Cash
Karl Christensen
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Sarah Colby
Employment Law Center
Advisory Board, National Hemophilia Society
Rhonda Harndem
- Leon & Leon
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- Danielle Lacampagne
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- Nancy Marmol
- Attorney at Law
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- Andrew Mead
- Attorney at Law
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- Jay Pond
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- Michael Steel
- Pillsbury Madison & Sutro
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- Virginia Villegas
- La Raza Centro Legal
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- Kevin Voccia
- Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison
