The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund Expand Communications, Campaign Staff

WASHINGTON – The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and its sister organization, The Leadership Conference Education Fund, announced the addition of four new staff members: Sarah Edwards, senior writer; Lynda Garcia, policing campaign director; Kristen Voorhees, communications manager; and LaGloria Wheatfall, communications manager.

“We are thrilled to welcome these new faces to our dedicated team,” said Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund. “As we continue to grow, this expansion will allow more hands-on-deck to support our organization’s ongoing work in the fight for justice, equality, and inclusion for all.”

Sarah Edwards is the senior writer. Prior to joining The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund, Sarah was the Communications and Development Manager at the National Juvenile Defender Center, working to protect children’s constitutional right to counsel in juvenile court. Edwards earned a master’s degree in journalism and public affairs at American University, where she completed a year-long fellowship at the Investigative Reporting Workshop. Sarah served two terms as an AmeriCorps VISTA in New Orleans, La., for the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights, the city’s juvenile public defender. Sarah also worked with the Vera Institute of Justice and the Center for Children’s Law and Policy. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Lynda Garcia is the policing campaign director. Before joining The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund, Lynda served as a trial attorney in the Special Litigation Section in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, where she conducted pattern-or-practice investigations of law enforcement agencies and enforced consent decrees to ensure constitutional, bias-free policing. Prior to the Civil Rights Division, Lynda was a Soros Justice Fellow at the ACLU national office and the ACLU of New Jersey – challenging discriminatory police practices in communities of color. She also served as a law clerk to Judge John Gleeson in the Eastern District of New York. Lynda graduated summa cum laude from Hunter College and cum laude from Fordham Law School. While at Fordham, Garcia was a Stein Scholar for the Public Interest and was honored as the Public Service Valedictorian for completing the most pro-bono hours at organizations including at the Bronx Defenders, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia.

Kristen Voorhees is communications manager. Prior to joining The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund, Kristen served as Communications and Events Coordinator for the Master of Science in Foreign Service program at Georgetown University. Before that, she worked for several years in international human rights protection and civic engagement. Kristen earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Binghamton University and a master’s degree in public administration from the George Washington University.

LaGloria Wheatfall is communications manager. Prior to joining The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund, LaGloria served as a digital communications associate for the National Association of Elementary School Principals, where she provided digital strategy and advocacy support. Before that, Wheatfall supported the PICO National Network communications team and served as multimedia and digital editor for The Defender Newspaper, a Houston-based African American publication. A native Houstonian, Wheatfall graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications from Clark Atlanta University and earned a master’s degree in international studies from the University of St. Thomas-Houston.

 The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

The Leadership Conference Education Fund builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. The Education Fund’s campaigns empower and mobilize advocates around the country to push for progressive change in the United States. It was founded in 1969 as the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. For more information on The Education Fund, visit http://leadershipconferenceedfund.org/.