Shaye Belcon
National Projects and Investigations Coordinator (she/her)
As National Projects and Investigations Coordinator, Shaye works closely with the National Field Consultant to oversee investigations and training programs across the country, with a special emphasis on lender testing. She returned to the FHJC in her current role in 2022 after previously working for the organization as an Investigative Coordinator and Senior Investigative Coordinator from 2016 – 2019. In 2019, Shaye moved back to her home state of Ohio, where she worked as a Project Director for a local university, overseeing a federal grant from the Office on Violence Against Women to reduce and prevent gender-based violence across campus. Shaye’s fair housing career began in 2013 in Ohio at the Fair Housing Contact Service in Akron where she worked as the FHIP PEI Program Manager. Shaye holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Akron and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Cleveland State University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her wife and dogs and drinking lots of coffee.
Paul Carlson
Finance Manager (he/him)
As Finance Manager, Paul has been overseeing the FHJC’s finances since 2012. In addition to his FHJC experience, he has over 20 years of experience with New York-based nonprofits including fair housing testing, door-to-door canvassing, environmental education, computer programming, database management, and bookkeeping. Paul has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Binghamton University in Environmental Studies and also studied accounting and database management at NYU.
Evan Dash
Investigative Coordinator (he/him)
As part of the FHJC’s Investigative Coordinator team, Evan conducts research and leads and structures housing discrimination investigations. Before joining the FHJC in 2022, he spent two years at the Center for Urban Studies at the University at Buffalo, where he was a project assistant focusing on Geographic Information Systems analyses of underdeveloped and segregated communities. Evan has also worked as a fair housing tester at Housing Opportunities Made Equal. He holds a Master of Urban Planning degree from the University at Buffalo and a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo where he majored in geography and minored in urban studies and political science. Evan’s hobbies include hiking and traveling.
Laurel Devaney
Intake & Outreach Specialist (she/her)
As an Intake and Outreach Specialist, Laurel assists individuals with housing discrimination complaints and conducts outreach regarding fair housing rights and responsibilities. She has been a member of the FHJC team since its inception, working in several different capacities before assuming her current position in 2023. Laurel holds a BA in theatre and film from Occidental College, and has worked extensively as a professional actor. She has maintained a commitment to social justice and activism throughout her career, including several years with the Braking AIDS Ride (300+ miles from Boston to NYC) benefiting Housing Works. Her hobbies include hiking, dance, songwriting, sculpture, and knitwear/upcycling design.
Lucille Duncan
Office Manager (she/her)
In her current role as Office Manager, Lucille is responsible for the FHJC’s administrative and office operations and assists the Executive Director in the development and implementation of personnel, procurement, and office policies and procedures. She previously worked as a tester with Westchester Residential Opportunities and with the FHJC before joining the staff in her current position in 2021. As an actress specializing in devised, immersive theater, Lucille has enjoyed an eclectic career Off-Broadway and regionally. She has been privileged to contribute her time and talents to various community development and rights organizations over the years such as The New Voices Project, working in schools with Theatre for a New Audience; The Watts Village Theater Company, co-directing their first production at the WLCAC and Theaters Against War, formed to protest the war in Iraq.
Alaine Dungee
Director of Investigations (she/her)
As the FHJC’s first-ever Director of Investigations, Alaine manages all investigative activities and supervises investigative staff. Since joining the FHJC as an Investigative Coordinator in 2015, she has coordinated hundreds of testing investigations, including complex systemic investigations, and testified in several legal cases. She was promoted to Senior Investigative Coordinator in 2017 and to her current position in 2021. Prior to joining the FHJC, Alaine worked as a Court Advocate for a New York based non-profit organization dedicated to criminal justice reform. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern University of Arizona in Criminal Justice and a Juris Doctorate degree from Vermont Law School. During her law school career, Alaine interned for the Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS) in Washington DC as well as the Orange County State’s Attorney’s office in Chelsea Vermont.
Fred Freiberg
National Field Consultant (he/him)
Fred, who co-founded the FHJC in 2004, is recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts on the use of testing as an investigative tool for enforcing civil rights laws. He previously served as the FHJC’s Executive Director for nine years before transitioning to his current position in 2021. As National Field Consultant, Fred works part-time on fair housing projects of national significance. Fred was a founder and the first Executive Director of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council from 1977-1981. In 1992, he helped to establish and later directed a national testing program at the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice. From 1999-2002, Fred directed the fieldwork in two national research projects conducted by the Urban Institute involving testing – a study of mortgage lending practices and the national Housing Discrimination Study (HDS). His career in fair housing spans more than forty-five years during which time he has testified in dozens of fair housing cases, published fair housing articles, and received numerous awards for his accomplishments in the fair housing field. During his time with the FHJC, he has been involved in special projects including serving as the Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary A Matter of Place, appearing in an episode from the EPIX docu-series America Divided titled “A House Divided,” and consulting with Newsday on the Peabody award-winning investigative series “Long Island Divided” and appearing in the accompanying video documentary Testing the Divide.
Robert Gomes
Evidence Manager (he/him)
As Evidence Manager, Rob’s duties include supporting the Investigative Coordinators, preserving and transferring evidence, and maintaining testing equipment. Rob worked as a tester with FHJC’s Acting for Justice program from 2008 to 2020 before joining the staff in his current position. As a filmmaker, he produced pieces for the news magazine Out at the Center, and also produced the award-winning short film Deflated, a snapshot of a boy’s gender crisis. In the nonprofit field, he has worked in development as a campaign associate for both Amnesty International and Human Rights First. Rob holds a BFA in acting from New York University. Also, he moonlights as a personal assistant to a dachshund.
Elizabeth Grossman
Executive Director/General Counsel (she/her)
Elizabeth joined the FHJC in 2021. In her wide-ranging career working to vindicate the rights of underserved people, Elizabeth has fought to eliminate discrimination through litigation, advocacy, training, and outreach. Previously, she served as Interim Chief Legal Officer at the Southern Poverty Law Center in conjunction with her private consulting practice. Prior to that, Elizabeth was the Director of Legal Advocacy at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, where she managed operations for a department representing individuals and families living in poverty in cases relating to housing, health care, and public benefits. Before that, she held Program Director roles at Disability Rights New York, where she supervised teams that protected and advocated for the legal rights of people with disabilities. Elizabeth began her career at the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where she worked for twenty years, ultimately as Regional Attorney, running the litigation program in the New York District and as Senior Litigation Project Manager, where she had national responsibilities in support of the agency’s systemic litigation program. She attended the University of Michigan and the University of Michigan Law School.
Rachel Handler
Investigative Coordinator (she/her)
As a member of the FHJC’s Investigative Coordinator team, Rachel conducts systemic research and designs and leads housing discrimination investigations. Prior to joining the FHJC in 2023, she worked as a Special Projects Coordinator at the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center while on a gap year from college during the COVID-19 pandemic. During college, Rachel coordinated volunteers and prepared tax returns for low-income clients free of charge through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and led community-based outdoor programming as an intern at an environmental justice nonprofit. Rachel holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Yale University. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, reading poetry, and solving crossword puzzles.
NéAndrea Harrington
Intake & Outreach Specialist (she/her)
As an Intake & Outreach Specialist, NéAndrea provides direct assistance to individuals who wish to file housing discrimination complaints. She also conducts targeted outreach and oversees FHJC’s F.A.S.T. Initiative, assisting tenants using rental subsidies to exercise their fair housing rights. Prior to joining the FHJC in 2022, NéAndrea worked for several years at Riseboro Community Partnership, a Brooklyn nonprofit dedicated to homelessness prevention, where she held various positions including Intake Specialist. She began her professional career working in corporate human resources and transitioned to the social services field in search of something more fulfilling. Working in the nonprofit space has inspired her passion for service and social equality. NéAndrea’s hobbies include event planning, interior decorating, and being a foodie.
Andrea Hayward
Senior Investigative Coordinator (she/her)
In her role as an Investigative Coordinator, Andrea designs and leads housing discrimination investigations and performs systemic research. She joined the FHJC in 2021. Previously, she spent eight years advocating for adults with developmental disabilities and training direct support professional staff at YAI National Institute for Disabilities. She also spent over ten years working in the arts as an Actors Equity Association Stage Manager where she worked at regional theaters, national tours, and off-Broadway. Andrea has a master’s in public administration from Baruch College and a Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University.
Noa Kipnis
Outreach, Education, and Policy Fellow (she/her)
As the Outreach, Education, and Policy Fellow, Noa is responsible for assisting the FHJC’s communication team, facilitating fair housing trainings and workshops, and supporting the FHJC’s policy team in their research and programs. She also serves as a 2023-2024 Service Corps member for Avodah, a social justice organization that works to fight domestic poverty in the United States. Noa holds a bachelor’s degree in Political & Social Thought from the University of Virginia. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, thrift shopping, and reading.
Britny McKenzie
Policy Manager (she/her)
In her role as Policy Manager, Britny is responsible for the development and execution of policy-related activities, programs, research, and communications that advance the FHJC’s mission and vision. She joined the FHJC in 2019, after working on advancing racial equity on Long Island in education and housing at ERASE Racism. Britny has a master’s degree in social work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, specializing in community organizing, planning and development, public policy, and aging. She is deeply passionate about the impact of social injustice in areas such as housing, education, and healthcare.
Madhulika Murali
Legal Coordinator (she/her)
As Legal Coordinator, Madhulika’s duties include managing the FHJC’s legal docket and coordinating with the FHJC’s cooperating attorneys, including non-profit partners and law firms. Prior to joining the FHJC in 2021, she served as the Masiyiwa-Bernstein Fellow at the Community Justice Project in Miami, where she focused on eviction defense and racial justice work. During her law school career, she gained experience interning at several nonprofit organizations including the Center for Art Law in Brooklyn, the Anti-Trafficking and Labor Exploitation Unit in London and the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics in Singapore. Madhulika holds an undergraduate law degree from the University of Oxford, a Master of Laws degree from New York University School of Law, and was admitted to the New York bar in 2021. Outside of work, she is a classical pianist and vocalist and enjoys crocheting.
Frank Oleszko
Senior Investigative Coordinator (he/him)
As part of the FHJC’s team of Investigative Coordinators, Frank conducts research and leads and structures housing discrimination investigations. He began working with the FHJC in 2017 as Office Manager before assuming his current role in 2019. Before that, Frank spent six years working in Arts Administration in fundraising, development, marketing, and production for various performing arts centers in the New York metropolitan area. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Arts Management from the State University of New York College at Purchase where he received the Senatorial Appreciation Award in recognition of outstanding service as Chairman of the Public Arts Council and School of the Arts Senator. Frank is also a musician, playing drums and percussion in various genres of music.
Madelin Perez (she/her)
Bilingual Intake & Outreach Specialist
As Bilingual Intake and Outreach Specialist, Madelin assists individuals with housing discrimination complaints, and conducts outreach regarding fair housing rights and responsibilities. Prior to joining the FHJC in 2023, she worked with Cayuga Centers, assisting with family reunification for unaccompanied minors coming to the U.S. She began her social services career in 2018, working as a Community Resource Coordinator in the Mentoring and Advocacy Program at the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services (CASES), a nonprofit focused on criminal justice reforms. Madelin graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a minor in Latin American and Latinx Studies. Through John Jay’s Rossanna Rosado Fellows Program, she had the opportunity to work as a Youth Court Advocate for the Manhattan and Bronx family courts. Outside of work, Madelin enjoys running, hiking, and cycling, as well as being an advocate for the National Kidney Foundation.
Eric Petersen
Director of Development (he/him)
As Director of Development, Eric oversees all of the FHJC’s fundraising, grant writing, and reporting. He joined the FHJC in 2022. Since 2014, Eric has worked at New York based nonprofits with a focus on equity in employment and housing. Most recently, he served as the Director of Development at Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, helping out-of-school and out-of-work young adults to access education and employment. Previously, he had worked in fundraising and development at ICD-Institute for Career Development, and has worked with The Doe Fund, helping residents of homeless shelters to find housing and employment. Eric holds a master’s degree in Urban Policy from Hunter College, and a bachelor’s degree in history from SUNY Plattsburgh. When not working, he’s an avid cyclist and reader of American history.
Cassaddee Sicherer
Disability and Accessibility Legal Fellow (they/them)
As the FHJC’s Disability and Accessibility Legal Fellow, Cass assists with the Adele Friedman Housing Accessibility Fund and provides education, outreach, and training on disability rights and housing discrimination. Cass comes to the FHJC with a passion for disability rights and justice. In undergrad, Cass interned with the American Association of People with Disabilities where they received a certificate in disability advocacy. In law school, Cass interned with the Public Defenders of DC in their Special Education Unit and served as the ARC of DC’s Paul Marchand Fellow. They also worked in the Rutgers Education and Health Law Clinic as an advanced clinical student and completed a summer clerkship with the Disability Rights Advocates (DRA). Cass received a Juris Doctorate from Rutgers Law School in the Spring of 2023 and a BFA in visual arts from Rutgers Mason Gross in 2020. In their free-time, Cass is a visual artist with a studio practice that includes photography, drawing, and video art.
Gabrielle Vera
Investigative Coordinator (she/her)
Gabrielle is part of the FHJC’s Investigative Coordinator team, designing and leading housing discrimination investigations and performing systemic research. Prior to joining the FHJC in 2022, she was a pathways trainee at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where she worked in the Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity division. During college, Gabrielle interned and worked with the NJ State Legislature and NJ Essex County Prosecutors Office. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Rutgers University where she was a member of the Honors Living Learning Community (HLLC), and is currently a candidate for a Masters of Arts in Human Rights Studies at Columbia University. During her free time, Gabrielle enjoys writing and performing spoken word poetry.
Craig Waletzko
Community Engagement Coordinator (he/him)
As Community Engagement Coordinator, Craig manages the FHJC’s communications and social media presence, and designs and conducts fair housing trainings and workshops. He has been involved with the FHJC since he began working as a tester in 2009, and in his current role since 2019. Like all FHJC testers, Craig is also a professional actor. He has worked extensively in film, television, regional theaters, national tours, and on Broadway, and holds a BFA degree in drama from Carnegie Mellon University. He is also a long-suffering fan of the New York Mets.