The Equal Justice Society board of directors elected Michael Harris as its new chair at the board’s September 30, 2019, meeting. Michael, who joined the EJS board in April 2015, is an attorney and Senior Director, Legal Advocacy & Juvenile Justice, at the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL).
At NCYL, Michael works on reducing incarceration and racial disparities in statewide juvenile corrections systems. He leads NCYL’s campaigns to challenge the “school-to-prison pipeline” in Texas and California. Michael also works on the issue of implicit bias and has delivered presentations to local and national gatherings on the role implicit bias plays in decision making within the school-to-prison-pipeline and the juvenile justice system.
“Michael is not only an extraordinary board member, but in his role at NCYL he also partners with us on litigation and in formulating legal strategies,” said EJS President Eva Paterson. “He is trusted adviser to EJS and our staff in so many ways. We are thrilled that Michael is our board chair.”
The board and staff also bid farewell to former board chair Prof. Priscilla Ocen and Prof. Jayashri Srikantiah who are leaving the board.
Priscilla received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Uganda and is currently in Kampala. She is a Professor of Law at Loyola Law School, where she teaches criminal law, family law and a seminar on race, gender and the law. Priscilla joined the EJS board in March 2013 and was our immediate past board chair.
Stanford Law School appointed Jayashri as Associate Dean of Clinical Education and Director of the Stanford Law School Mills Legal Clinic. She founded and directed the Stanford Law School Immigrants’ Rights Clinic for the past fifteen years. Jayashri served on the EJS board since March 2013.
“Priscilla and Jayashri were board members who we held in high regard. Their departures from our board are a big loss for EJS,” said Eva Paterson. “Our efforts on countless issues, programs, and strategies were improved in so many ways by their advice and participation. They will always be part of the EJS family. We thank Priscilla and Jayashri for their invaluable service. They are smart fierce sisters whose hearts and intellects make the world a better place.”
In addition to board chair Michael Harris, EJS board members include: John Bonifaz, Kelly Dermody, Alfred Fraijo, Jr., Raymond C. Marshall, Kelly McCreary, Eva Paterson, and Sheila Warren.