Dr. Kevonne Small joined Maryland Legal Aid in September 2025 as Chief Legal Director, bringing more than two decades of experience in civil rights enforcement, litigation, and policy leadership. Prior to this role, Kevonne spent 18 years at the U.S. Department of Justice where she litigated cases involving human trafficking, hate crimes, and police misconduct; enforced Title VI civil rights obligations; led legal and policy initiatives; and negotiated solutions to complex problems involving environmental justice, language access, and other multi-layered civil rights violations. Most recently, she served as Director of the Office for Civil Rights within the Office of Justice Programs, where she spearheaded efforts to improve productivity and compliance through team building and systems reform, earning recognition for her exceptional leadership. Kevonne holds a PhD in Justice, Law and Society and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Policy. Her research, conducted for institutions such as the Urban Institute and ICF International, has focused on civil justice issues impacting low-income and marginalized communities, including examining and redesigning intake procedures for a legal services program in California. Throughout her career, Kevonne has remained deeply committed to protecting the rights of historically marginalized communities. Her blend of legal expertise, policy insight, and collaborative leadership makes her a vital force at Maryland Legal Aid, where she is helping to expand access to justice across the state.

Larry Dupuis is the Chief Advocacy & Legal Officer of Legal Action of Wisconsin. He is a 1996 graduate of New York University Law School, where he was a Root-Tilden public interest scholar. After a clerkship with th Hon. Robert W. Sweet in the Southern District of New York, he was a Skadden Fellow at Legal Action of Wisconsin. Prior to his current stint at Legal Action, he was the Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin Foundation for 20 years.