2020 Fellows
Linette Duluc
School: Suffolk University Law School
Fellowship Placement: Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services
Project Description: Interning at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Linette conducted research and drafted memoranda about Medicaid exemptions, inpatient appeals, and systemic racial bias.
“I want to use my education and my skills to uplift Black and Brown communities. I just want to help people make their lives easier.” “The Fellowship allows me a chance to share my story, which might resonate with someone else with a similar story, and I can pull them up and bring them into it."
Robert Gipson II
School: Boston University School of Law
Fellowship Placement: Office of Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu
Project Description: In response to this summer’s racial justice protests, the Office of City Councilor Michelle Wu immersed Robert in the legal and policy reforms that will holistically transform Boston’s public safety infrastructure. Developing public messages, contributing to Wu’s BPD oversight and 911 diversion proposal, and conducting civilian review board analysis and outreach characterize Robert’s work experience.
“It seems like all of our conversations are lacking the complexity and an intellectual honesty that is going to help us not only reconcile the differences, but then move forward.”
Vannessa Lawrence
School: Boston College Law School
Fellowship Placement: Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office
Project Description: As an intern in the Civil Rights Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, Vannessa has been busy addressing concerns posed by members of the Commonwealth regarding COVID 19 and housing, immigration, and police brutality.
“The Fellowship allows me a chance to share my story, which might resonate with someone else with a similar story, and I can pull them up and bring them into it."
Cate McAnulty
School: Harvard Law School
Fellowship Placement: Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office
Project Description: As an intern in the Health Care Division of the Attorney General’s Office, Cate worked on a range of issues, from researching and developing COVID-19 health policy recommendations to tracking health data privacy violations.
“Working on health policy issues in the middle of a global pandemic, learning how to make real changes to the racial inequities that we have right now, it’s just a really intense and educational time to be doing this kind of work.”
Chris McDonough
School: Northeastern University School of Law
Fellowship Placement: City of Boston Law Department
Project Description: As a legal intern for the City of Boston Law Department, Chris has contributed to a number of the City’s active litigations, including a brief filed with the First Circuit on a constitutional challenge.
“I have always believed in the power and responsibility of government to improve people’s lives. I wanted to contribute to that work.”
Kris Phipps
School: Boston College Law School
Fellowship Placement: Massachusetts Inspector General’s Office
Project Description: Kris joined the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General as its first Rappaport Fellow where he prepared an internal memo on interrogatory rights, assisted with a potential fraud investigation, and helped prepare municipal training lessons on real property.
“I knew just how close I was to my whole world kind of falling apart. I was just eking by. I knew I had a support system, but that the people I was helping didn’t have the same privilege that I have.”
Kristen Rosa
School: Boston College Law School
Fellowship Placement: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Project Description: At the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Kristen supported an incredible team of practitioners in work on a range of issues, from the COVID-19 fall guidelines to the new Title IX regulations.
"This is cheesy, but the most patriotic I have ever felt is considering the promise of public education, and the most angry I get is seeing the ways it has failed.”
Julia Sauve
School: Boston College Law School
Fellowship Placement: Committee for Public Counsel Services
Project Description: As an intern in the Youth Advocacy Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, Julia researched the impact that racial biases, childhood trauma, and adolescent brain development have in the juvenile justice system.
“It was either go home and call it a day, or stay. I decided to stay."
Jaime Watson
School: Northeastern University School of Law
Fellowship Placement: Office of Representative Natalie Higgins, Massachusetts House of Representatives
Project Description: As a Fellow, Jaime worked with Representative Natalie Higgins on legislation to assist domestic and sexual violence survivors and on issues of police reform.
“If you’re too far removed from what's actually happening in communities, whatever policy you’re working on is probably not going to be very effective in changing people's lives.”
Caitlin Whitman
School: New England Law | Boston
Fellowship Placement: Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD)
Project Description: Caitlin worked in the General Counsel’s Office at the MCAD. She had extensive training as to how the MCAD works, reviewed their statutes and regulations, and met with several Commissioners and staff members. She worked on a special assignment for the Commissioners and wrote several investigative case dispositions.
“Sometimes it’s to my own detriment, but I tend to find myself in the position of speaking out.”
Rachael Wyant
School: Northeastern University School of Law
Fellowship Placement: Office of Massachusetts State Senator Joan Lovely
Project Description: Interning with State Senator Joan Lovely, Rachael researched constitutional issues during public health emergencies, affordable housing and substance abuse legislation, and analyzed consent in state sexual assault statutes. She also liaised with constituents regarding unemployment assistance and police reform debates.
“I understand that that's the reality of a democracy and how things work, but I just want to be on the side of pushing for things I believe in.”
Adam Zwetchkenbaum
School: University of Massachusetts School of Law
Fellowship Placement: Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
Project Description: At the Department of Higher Education, Adam created reports on refund policies of public colleges under an initiative to track fiscal health of Massachusetts campuses.
“There's always a higher priority, always a reason not to do something. The thing about this particular population is that there's no one really huddling up for them and making sure things are taken care of.”