Somil Trivedi is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Democracy Forward, where he develops and executes multidisciplinary projects across litigation, policy, and public advocacy to ensure that democracy truly works for our communities. Somil was previously the Chief Legal & Advocacy Director at Maryland Legal Aid, leading a 200+ person legal and policy department covering all aspects of poverty reduction, including housing, consumer protection, and public benefits. Somil has also served as a Senior Staff Attorney at the National ACLU, focusing on criminal justice reform and voting rights; a Trial Attorney in the DOJ’s Fraud Section; and a Senior Associate at WilmerHale LLP. Somil has litigated cases at all levels of the justice system, including the U.S. Supreme Court and several state high courts, and contributed to bill passage at the federal, state, and local levels. He is a frequent contributor to public discourse via TV appearances, op-eds, podcasts, and policy briefings, with appearances on CNN and Bloomberg, and in the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, among other outlets. Somil earned his BA from Georgetown University and his JD from Boston University School of Law. He lives in Maryland with his wife and two children, and is always up for barbecue, tennis, or live music.

Sam Feineh is a Senior Advocacy Strategist in Vera’s Advocacy and Partnerships Department. In this role, he leads the development of policy positions and advocacy strategies on emerging criminal justice issues. Most recently, Sam has been helping to shape Vera’s response to Trump’s anticipated crime bill—working in coalition to minimize potential harm while advancing a proactive criminal justice platform grounded in safety, accountability, and justice. He is the co-author of an upcoming report outlining practical strategies local governments can use to revitalize communities, make public spaces welcoming for all, and address community disorder. Sam also played a pivotal role in Vera’s advocacy campaign to restore funding to more than 220 organizations whose Department of Justice grants were terminated in April. He holds a BA in Political Science from Stanford University and a JD from Yale Law School.

Rupa Bhattacharyya is the Legal Director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP).  ICAP is a non-partisan institute within Georgetown Law that uses strategic legal advocacy—including litigation and policy development—to defend constitutional rights and values while working to hold our democratic institutions to the highest standards of integrity and accountability.  Rupa’s work focuses on the threats to democracy posed by political violence, authoritarianism, and the spread of mis- and dis-information.  Prior to joining ICAP in 2022, Rupa spent her career in government service, mostly at the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), as a litigator defending the United States, its agencies, and its employees, and, most recently, as the Special Master for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF), which is administered by DOJ, and compensates those who suffered personal injuries or died as a result of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.  Rupa holds a B.A. from Tulane University, an M.A.L.D. from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. 

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick is Senior Fellow at the American Immigration Council, where he supports the Council’s administrative and legislative advocacy efforts to provide lawmakers, policymakers, advocates, and the general public with accurate and timely information about the role of immigrants in the United States. Since 2021, he has testified in front of Congress multiple times on issues relating to immigration policy. He previously served as the Policy Director where he led the Council’s advocacy work. Prior to joining the Council, he was an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow placed as a Staff Attorney at the Immigration Law Unit of The Legal Aid Society in New York City. Aaron holds a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. from Brandeis University.