Alison is an attorney with over 20 years of experience in the non-profit and government sectors advocating on behalf of women, children and marginalized individuals. She comes to Miami from New York, where she served most recently as the Director of Policy Initiatives for Maternal, Infant, and Reproductive Health at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Her work included collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to identify new policy and program initiatives, conducting analyses and developing policy briefs to support the generation of policy initiatives, and advocating for or against enactment of policies at all levels of government.

After graduating from UCLA School of Law’s Program in Public Interest Law and Policy in 2001, Ms. Yager was awarded an Equal Justice Works fellowship to provide legal services to young people at The Door’s Legal Service Center in Manhattan, and subsequently worked as a Staff Attorney serving young people experiencing intimate partner violence at Break the Cycle- New York (now Day One). From 2006 to 2014, Alison worked at HIV Law Project in New York, first as a Staff Attorney and then as Supervising Attorney for HIV Policy. She began her career as a Community Organizer for the Children’s Defense Fund-NY.

Lynn joined our team in 2023, bringing expertise from her 25 years of diverse legal practice in the public and private sectors.  Prior to joining FHJP, Lynn was the Legal Advocate for the Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, which operates to protect the health, safety, welfare and rights of residents of long-term care facilities. There, in addition to providing legal guidance to the program and the approximately 200 certified ombudsmen who work directly with long-term care residents, she undertook a project with legal service providers throughout the State to enhance the availability of legal services for these residents.  
Prior to her work with the Ombudsman Program, Lynn was in private practice with Meyer, Brooks, Blohm and Hearn, P.A. for more than ten years where she represented individuals and organizations in education, employment, and election-related litigation.  She assisted countless public school teachers and professors in protecting their employment and professional licenses.  She was also instrumental in successfully blocking a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution which would have eliminated the exclusive authority of local school boards to establish and operate public schools in their respective districts.  Before this, Lynn served in state government, as General Counsel for the Florida Department of State and Deputy Solicitor General.  She graduated from the Florida State University College of Law (J.D.) and the College of William and Mary (B.A. in Economics).

Miriam, one of Florida’s leading Medicaid advocates, founded the Florida Health Justice Project in 2017. She served as FHJP’s Executive Director for four years and Advocacy Director for three years.

Miriam holds a life-long belief in healthcare as a human right, and has devoted her career to helping ensure access to care for low income Floridians. Prior to founding FHJP, she was a leading poverty health lawyer at state and local legal services programs and an adjunct professor in the Health Law Clinic at Florida International University College of Law. Miriam served on the Board of the National Health Law Program (NHeLP).

Miriam was lead counsel on multiple federal court cases resulting in statewide relief for Medicaid beneficiaries. These successful outcomes, including federal court cases of first impression and with national import, are the result of highly collaborative work with NHeLP attorneys, Florida legal aid lawyers and pro bono attorneys. On a local level, Miriam led collaborative efforts that improved access and transparency at Miami-Dade County’s publicly funded hospital. This work includes administrative complaints successfully challenging outpatient and inpatient admission deposit policies, discrimination against foreign-born county residents, and violations of consumer protections provided under the Affordable Care Act, the first complaint of its kind in the nation.

Megan has over ten years of experience working on nationally recognized quality improvement projects, most notably the CMS Initiative to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations among Nursing Home Residents, called the New York – Reducing Avoidable Hospitalizations (NY-RAH) project in New York State. As the Senior Director of Grants and Programs at the Greater New York Hospital Association, Megan managed the NY-RAH project and worked with over 50 nursing homes across New York State to improve workflows that would improve patient care through payment incentives in addition to reducing errors and avoidable transfers. Her work on improving the quality of life for the elderly has brought her to FHJP and is currently working with FHJP on projects related to streamlining and improving Florida Medicaid’s Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Long Term Care Waiver Program.

Megan received her Bachelor of Art in Communications and Rhetoric from the University at Albany and her Master of Health Administration from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Megan is the Principal of Rockwell Health Solutions, LLC, a quality improvement based consulting firm located in Miami, FL. 

Esq. is a dedicated advocate with a multifaceted background encompassing law, business, and community service. With experience in criminal defense and corporate law gained from his tenure at a prestigious law firm, Ronnie brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his current role as the Pro Bono Director at the Florida Health Justice Project (FHJP). He holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Master of Business Administration from Florida A&M University (FAMU). He is also a proud graduate of the University of Miami School of Law.

Ronnie’s passion for achieving health justice stems from his previous work as a Field Coordinator of research at the University of Florida, where he investigated food deserts and SNAP recipients’ access to nutritious food in Tallahassee.

Since graduating from the University of Miami School of Law in 2021, Ronnie has since been actively engaged in various legal and civic endeavors. Specifically, Ronnie has previously served as Vice-Chair of the Jacksonville Bar Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and as an associate member of the prestigious Chester Bedell Inn of Court. He is also a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the D.W. Perkins Bar Association.

Jay has over 20 years of experience in multimedia production and communication technologies. Having collaborated on various technology projects with numerous colleges and universities throughout New York State as well as the New York State Department of Education, he has served in the roles of Distance Learning Project Manager, Production Manager, Content Manager, Technology Coordinator, Training Facilitator and Education Lobbyist.
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Jay is deeply committed to FHJP’s mission of supporting health care as a human right and the belief that America cannot have health justice without racial justice or racial justice without heath justice.
 
Since moving to Florida, Jay has worked with a variety of clients as an independent consultant in multimedia production and communication technologies. Additionally, he has continued his commitment to education by having served on the Executive Boards and Committees of several non-profit entities throughout Florida and Miami-Dade County; Florida State Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Miami-Dade County Council PTA, African American Children with Learning Disabilities, Coconut Grove Drug Free Community Coalition, and Coconut Grove Ministerial Alliance. Jay’s work in the community earned him the PTA President of the Year Award from the Miami-Dade County Council PTA and Miami-Dade County Public School’s Family of the Year Award.
 
Jay is an alum of New York University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management, a Master of Science in Tourism and Travel Management and obtained a Professional Certificate in Strategic Marketing. During his undergraduate and graduate studies, he was honored with the President’s Service Award for Student Leadership and the Founders’ Academic Scholar Award.

​Nicole is our team Social Worker and Health Rights Advocate. She has over a decade of experience working with non-profit hospital systems in South Florida prior to joining Florida Health Justice Project. A devoted social justice change agent, Nicole has dedicated her career to advocating for health equity.

Previously, Nicole led our team in the Connecting Kids to Coverage initiative where she championed to promote health care access for children in Miami-Dade. Her lived experiences, commitment to outreach and creative approach to community partnerships made her an asset to the project.

Nicole continues to work on Medicaid advocacy and engages in local community outreach and education. Her unwavering dedication to social justice and health equity is at the forefront of her work with clients as she works diligently to enhance health care access for the communities she serves. She is particularly adept at collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and community partners to develop and implement programs that promote micro and macro level well-being.

Nicole holds a master’s degree in Social Work and a master’s degree in Public Health from Florida International University. She is Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

Maira is a native of Cartagena, Colombia, who grew up around community meetings led by her mom to improve the quality of life of their low-income neighborhood. Kitchen table conversations, Socratic circles, or simply engaging in meaningful conversations has always been present in her life.
As a communicator (sometimes as a journalist, others as a strategist), she has always been passionate about building bridges so marginalized populations can have access to a thriving life. Activating communities’ voices so they can use their natural power is the motto that has guided her professional experience for over two decades.
Maira has more than a decade of teaching experience as a college professor in Colombia, Mexico and the United States. She also has worked as a research consultant in Colombia and Mexico, evaluating several programs that involved community engagement.

Maira completed a doctorate in educational leadership at the University of North Florida, writing her dissertation on early literacy practices at home and beliefs about education among the Hispanic community in Jacksonville. Based on the results of her dissertation, Duval County Public School created the first bilingual Voluntary Prekindergarten Program at West Riverside Elementary School. In addition to her doctorate, Maira holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication.

Maira currently serves on the board of 904ward, and Volunteers in Medicine.

Maira worked at the Jacksonville Public Education Fund for over 8 years. During this time, she led the ONE by ONE Movement that achieved the passing of the Half Penny for Schools in Duval county (a tax referendum to improve facilities in one of the largest urban districts in the United States).

Jared joined our team in the Winter of 2024. He has worked for a food justice initiative in Chicago’s farmers markets, taught in a Montessori school in Mexico City, and made sourdough bread at an artisan bakery in Miami. Jared is committed to working toward a world where healthcare and the means to flourish are accessible to all.

Jared received his Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Philosophy from the University of Chicago.

Bryan joined our team in the Summer of 2021. After working as an AmeriCorps VISTA in the University of Miami, he developed an interest in public health and the work done by nonprofit organizations. With almost five years of professional experience working in customer service and in administrative roles, he seeks to pursue his newfound interest in science journalism and public health sciences. 

Bryan received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico and his Master of Science in Environmental Sciences, Policy & Management from Central European University. 

Jerron is a dedicated legal professional with a passion for advocating for the rights of vulnerable populations, particularly children. As a Staff Attorney at the Florida Health Justice Project, Jerron leverages his diverse background and extensive experience to champion children’s rights and ensure access to essential healthcare services for all.

Jerron has a breadth of litigation skills honed through years of experience representing clients in a wide range of legal matters. As an Assistant Public Defender in the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Jerron has successfully navigated criminal defense litigation, including handling felony and misdemeanor jury trials. Additionally, his experience in civil private practice has equipped him with the skills to handle diverse litigation matters, in both state and federal court.

Jerron is deeply passionate about serving youth and making a positive impact through community service. His involvement as a Board Member for Communities in Schools of Jacksonville underscores his dedication to supporting underserved communities and providing valuable resources and mentorship to young people. Moreover, his past experience serving youth in the University of Florida Gator TeamChild Law Clinic and as an Attorney Ad Litem at Crossroads for Florida Kids reflects his unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child has access to the support and resources they need to thrive.

Paul, a national leader in the world of legal services and elder justice, has dedicated his career to ensuring that legal services lawyers on the national, state and local level can effectively fight senior poverty and address barriers for those who face the largest disparities in health and wealth.  Paul founded Justice in Aging (formerly the National Senior Citizens law Center) and was the Executive Director from 1972-1980.

He returned to lead Justice in Aging from 2008-13 and currently serves as special counsel, working on projects such as the organization’s efforts to restore and improve the Supplemental Security Income program. In between, he was the director of the University of New Mexico (UNM) Institute of Public Law, and a member of the UNM law school faculty where he is now emeritus. Paul has returned to his home state of Florida,  and he is committed to increasing advocacy resources and advancing health and economic justice in Florida and other Southern states.
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Paul is a past president of the American Society on Aging and a founding member of the ABA Commission on Law and Aging.  He has also served as National Secretary of the Gray Panthers and is a past Chair of the Board of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security  and Medicare (NCPSSM); he is currently on the NCPSSM Board. Paul is a graduate of Duke University (JD) and the University of Chicago (MCompLaw).

Taffy is a retired neurologist who has spent her career caring for individual patients and addressing the challenges of ensuring access to quality affordable health care for her patients. Even though she had two young children, 6 and 8 years old, Taffy decided to go to medical school after she and a close family member experienced life threatening health events. 

She received her M.D. from Tufts University Medical School and did her residency at New England Medical Center and Duke University Medical Center.  As a medical student, she also trained in the People’s Republic of China, where she was exposed to traditional Chinese medicine as well as “Western” medicine.

Taffy has also taught at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda through Health Volunteers Overseas, where she learned first-hand the special challenges of practicing medicine in a resource-poor environment.   Throughout her career, Taffy has cared for patients on Medicaid, as well as patients with no insurance.  She is well aware of the “social determinants of health” and challenges faced by her low- income patients in being able to access affordable quality health care.

While Taffy and her husband, renowned mathematician Phillip A. Griffiths, split their time between Princeton, the eastern shore of Maryland and Miami, they are committed to the mission of ensuring that low incomes Floridians have access to health care.

Cherie started her non-profit career working for a regional museum, primarily in finance and operations. In 2007 she joined Disability Rights Florida; she currently serves as the Director of Operations/Chief Financial Officer. She was fortunate to spend several years traveling throughout Florida visiting nursing homes, group homes, half-way houses, and assisted living facilities.  This experience opened her eyes to the gaps in service and resources to individuals with disabilities and created a passion for service to those who often must fight for equal standing.
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She currently services as a board member of the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council. Previously she’s served on such boards as the GFWC Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs, Tallahassee Museum, Association of Government Accountants, Big Bend Homeless Coalition, and many others.  Cherie spends her free time with her family enjoying the beautiful waterways and red hills of the Big Bend. 

Zinzi (she/her/hers) is a social epidemiologist focused on the health impacts of and policy solutions for structural and institutional racism, the use of data in equitable policy and management, and cancer health disparities. She is the CEO and Managing Director of Health Equity Research Solutions, LLC and based at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Jay Weiss Institute for Health Equity at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Prior to these positions, she was the Director of Research and Evaluation at the Center for Health Equity in the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Zinzi serves as not only a board member of Florida Health Justice Project, but also an Associate Director to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Interdisciplinary Research Leaders program and a mentor for the Health Policy Research Scholars program, also funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

She received her B.A. from Princeton University, an MSPH from Emory University and her ScD from Harvard University.

Shawn, Executive Director of Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, is committed to advancing human rights and health care justice for all. Shawn was inspired to begin his legal career as a Skadden fellow with the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund of Kentucky (“Appalred” ) after spending time in the coal mining hollows of Eastern Kentucky.   While working at Appalred, he represented clients in  Kentucky’s most rural and impoverished  counties on a number of health justice issues, including claims for federal black lung benefits for disabled coal miners.

After leaving Kentucky and prior to undertaking a leadership role in  Maryland’s legal aid program, Shawn worked for 12 years  in 3 of Florida’s largest legal services programs, including Legal Services of Greater  Miami, Coast to Coast Legal Services and Broward Legal Aid. His work and expertise span a range of civil legal aid substantive  areas that impact the social determinants of health—including housing, health, consumer and elder law.

As Project Director for the HIV/AIDS Law Project and Director of Advocacy at Broward legal Aid,  Shawn also co-counseled major statewide Medicaid class actions. Shawn has deep ties to Florida and an enduring commitment to health care justice for all.

Dr. Anderson graduated from University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine and trained in Family Medicine at the University of Miami. His career focus has been on caring for medically underserved populations and seeking innovative ways to build effective interdisciplinary teams to address their health care needs.

He began as a National Health Service Corps participant at a community clinic in Little Havana, Miami. While working at the county’s community clinics, he was promoted to medical director and also served as Medical Supervisor for the county’s Medical Care-a-vans, where he oversaw mobile outreach efforts in Miami-Dade County.

He joined Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in June 2012. Dr. Anderson currently acts as the Medical Director for the Green Family Foundation Mobile Health Centers and Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities, Health, and Society.  He oversees quality improvement efforts in the department, works on developing clinical services for underserved populations, and seeks to integrate legal offerings with medical services through the NHELP Medical-Legal Partnership.

His projects include incorporating social determinants of health into the medical plan of care, integrating behavioral health with primary care, and the use of health information technology to provide improved care to vulnerable communities. He is board certified in Family Medicine.

Brian serves as the CFO and COO for Catalyst Miami. He is a lawyer and CPA and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica. He worked for 20 years for CARE, an international humanitarian and development organization, living mostly in Africa.

In his spare time, Brian runs marathons and is pursuing an MFA degree.

Aidil Oscariz is the founder and president of Advance Justice Consulting, which develops strategies and programming to support social justice organizations. Her services include policy and legal assistance and strategizing as well as community engagement and coalition-building. She previously served as Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Catalyst Miami. She provides support to various other organizations to further social justice in Miami, as well as across Florida. Towards this goal, she also serves on several boards including the Miami Workers Center, the Anthropocene Alliance, Miami-Dade County’s Commission on Human Rights, Unity through Creativity, and is the President of the South Florida Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. 

Previously, Aidil was an attorney and pro bono coordinator for Americans for Immigrant Justice, where she represented and advocated on behalf of immigrants, including unaccompanied children, and oversaw the pro bono program.  She has also worked for various other nonprofits and served as a consultant to various community organizations and groups to empower and improve the lives of vulnerable and underserved populations. In 2009, her research was published in Churches and Charity in the Immigrant City: Religion, Immigration, and Civic Engagement in Miami. 

Aidil holds a Master’s degree in Comparative Sociology from Florida International University and a JD from Fordham University. She is a writer and is very passionate about protecting our planet and making the world a healthier and more just, mindful, joyful, and equitable home for us all. 

Dr. Stephens has spent most of his career working to improve the lives of children. He cares deeply about oral health care equity, particularly for vulnerable children. To this end, he established the pediatric dental specialty practice at Jessie Trice Community Health Center, Florida’s oldest federally qualified community health center. His practice is located in one of Miami’s most neglected neighborhoods, Liberty City.

Dr. Stephens received a B.A. from Williams College in 2000. He graduated from Columbia University in 2010 after completing a dual degree program with the College of Dental Medicine and the Graduate School of Business. His specialty training in pediatric dentistry was done at Miami Children’s Hospital (now Nicklaus Children’s). In 2016, he was selected to the Miami Fellows program, South Florida’s premier civic leadership development program for young professionals. In 2017, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry chose him for their Samuel D. Harris Fellowship in Oral Health Care Policy. ​

Chris McAliley served as a United States Magistrate Judge, for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Miami) from 2004 until she retired in 2023. While on the Court, Chris presided over civil and criminal cases. Chris graduated from the NYU School of Law in 1983 and for 21 years before she joined the bench she worked as a litigator. Her practice included criminal defense, commercial civil litigation, and nine years as an Assistant U. S. Attorney in the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office (Miami), where she founded and served as Chief of the Environmental Crimes Section. Chris has also developed an expertise in alternative dispute resolution. She is now actively involved in pro bono community engagement.