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Commission on Ethics & Public Trust Annual Report for 2009 (2)~. iami-Dade County Commission on Ethics & Public Trust ETHICS COMMISSIONERS April 15, 2010 Kerry E. Rosenthal, Chair The Honorable Mayor Carlos Alvarez Dawn E. Addy, Vice-Chair Judge Seymour Gelber The Honorable Chairman Dennis Moss and Magda Abdo-Gomez Members of the Board of County Commissioners Erica Wright Mr. George Burgess, County Manager ROBERT MEYERS Miami-Dade County Residents EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MICHAEL P. MURAWSKI The Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust is pleased ADVOCATE to present its 2009 Annual Report. ARDYTH WALKER STAFF GENERAE coUNSEE With a reduction in resources, but thanks to greater efficiencies, the Ethics Commission surpassed its goals set at the beginning of the year. Demand for ethics training and presentations was at an all-time high as was the number of investigations opened by the enforcement unit. During the same time, the Ethics Commission's legal staff responded to more than 300 requests for opinions. Community collaborations remained a critical component of the Ethics Commission's educational activities. Altogether, staff conducted almost 400 workshops, training sessions and seminars during the year. The expansion of the Model Students Ethics Program into the private and parochial schools was very well received, and attendance at the annual Procurement Ethics Training Workshop also grew in 2009. The Ethics Commission's collaboration with the University of Miami School of Communications to host a daylong conference on "Ethics and the Media" was attended by 200 participants, panelists and speakers. Also popular were the ethics luncheons for city attorneys hosted by the Ethics Commission legal staff. In 2009, more than 50 city attorneys gathered to hear two former County Attorneys and the current Miami City Attorney discuss attorney- client privilege in the context of local government law. Also in 2009, the Ethics Commission brought back the popular Ethics Debate Forums for local candidates; four debates were held during the year with several dozen candidates participating. Investigations and ethics prosecutions still represent the lifeblood of our organization. Although fewer complaints were filed in 2009 than in the prior year, the Ethics Commission saw a significant increase in the number of investigations conducted. During the same time, the Ethics Commission invested substantial resources to investigate whistleblower complaints. Fines assessed against violators were higher than in the previous year, and several Ethics Commission investigations led to criminal charges and arrests by the State Attorney's Office. The Ethics Commission also utilized the expedited hearing process for the first time in 2009. More hearings are expected to be held on an expedited basis in 2010. Outside of Miami-Dade County, the Ethics Commission assisted other governments to initiate ethics reform and enforcement. In this regard, Ethics Commission members and staff provided training and resources to the cities of Jacksonville and New Orleans as well as to the counties of Palm Beach, Monroe and Broward. Within Miami-Dade County, the Ethics Commission agreed to participate in a training program for lobbyists in the City of Miami. Many of the recommendations proposed by the Ethics Task Force were presented to the Board of County Commissioners in 2009 and will continue to be considered in 2010. Of special interest is legislation to provide budget independence for the Ethics Commission and authorization to investigate and report on possible conflicts of interest by County-retained lobbyists. As always, I appreciate your support of our operations and your pledge to promote the highest standard of public service within our County government and the municipal governments located within Miami-Dade County. Sincerely, Robert Meyers Executive Director Table of Contents Mission Statement 1 History 2 An Independent Authority 3 Staff & Budget 6 Education & Outreach 7 Enforcement Procedure 10 Formal Complaint Process 11 Advice-Giving Actions 12 Inquiries Summary 13 Enforcement Summary 14 Goals for 2010 15 Mission Statement The Ethics Commission was founded on the principle that integrity is essential to both governmental decision-making and the process in which candidates are elected. Toward this end, we seek to strictly enforce the ethics ordinances within our purview. Another critical component of our mandate includes educating members of the public as well as those serving in government. Each group has an important role to play in ensuring that our community leaders and staff are accountable and public trust in them is warranted. Only by requiring the highest ethical behavior from those in public service can fairness, openness and transparency in government be achieved. FUNCTIONS & AUTHORITY The Ethics Commission has jurisdiction in Miami-Dade County and the 35 municipalities within its borders, provided the subject matter falls within one of the following ordinances under its authority: Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance Election Campaign Financing Trust Fund Ordinance Citizens' Bill of Rights Ethical Campaign Practices Ordinance Specific statutory authority is derived from Miami-Dade County Code §2-1072. This ordinance grants the Ethics Commission the power to review, interpret, enforce and render opinions regarding the above-mentioned County ordinances as well as municipal ordinances. Page 1. History In 1996, the citizens of Miami-Dade County voted to amend the Home Rule Charter to create an Ethics Commission. Subsequently, the Board of County Commissioners, through Ordinance 97-105, established the Commission on Ethics and Public Trust, an independent agency with advice-giving and quasi judicial powers. Since then, additional legislation has been adopted governing public purchasing and procurement and regulating campaign and lobbying activities at both the County and municipal levels. In 1999, the County's Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance was amended to enable the State Attorney, the Inspector General and the Ethics Commission Advocate to file complaints directly with the Ethics Commission-a procedural change to ensure more cases of misconduct will be heard. The Board of County Commissioners also adopted amendments to the Lobbyist Registration and Reporting Ordinance. The most significant changes included banning contingency and success fees and imposing fines on lobbyists who do not file expenditure statements on time. The County Election Campaign Financing Trust Fund Ordinance was amended in 2001 to give the Ethics Commission the responsibility of conducting post-election audits of candidates receiving disbursements from the Election Trust Fund. In 2006, the Board of County Commissioners adopted tougher sanctions for the Ethics Commission to impose by increasing the size of the fines in cases of intentional wrongdoing and ordering restitution when appropriate. The County Employee Protection Ordinance was amended in 2006 authorizing the Ethics Commission to hear complaints of retaliation by whistleblowers and to subject those who retaliate to disciplinary action. In the summer of 2008, the Ethics, Integrity and Accountability Task Force, which was formed to study the effectiveness of current rules, issued its final report. It included recommendations to strengthen and expand existing laws and establish new standards to improve transparency, accountability and integrity in election campaigns and public office. Many of those proposals have been presented to the Board of County Commissioners and are scheduled to be acted on during 2010. Page 2. An Independent Authority The Ethics Commission is composed of five volunteers who serve staggered terms of four years that may be repeated. Members are appointed by the following individuals or institutions: The Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit makes two selections with the following qualifications: (1) Former Federal Judge, or former U.S. Magistrate, or former State Court Judge (2) Former U.S. Attorney or Assistant U.S. Attorney, former State or Assistant State Attorney, former County or Assistant County Attorney, or former City or Assistant City Attorney. The Dean of the University of Miami School of Law and the Dean of the St. Thomas University School of Law share one appointment. The individual must be a law school faculty member who has taught a course, published or performed services in the field of professional legal ethics. The Miami-Dade League of Cities chooses one member who has held local elective office. The Director of the Florida International University Center for Labor Research and Studies has one appointment. Each member must be a resident of Miami-Dade County and cannot hold or campaign for an elective office or hold office in any political party or political committee while serving on the Ethics Commission. The current members of the Ethics Commission are as follows: KERRY E. ROSENTHAL, CHAIR Kerry Rosenthal was appointed to the Commission on Ethics by the Miami-Dade League of Cities in 1998 and has since been reappointed. In addition to his activities with the County and Florida Leagues of Cities, Mr. Rosenthal is a former Vice-Mayor and Councilman of the Town of Golden Beach. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Florida and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami. Mr. Rosenthal is a partner with the law firm of Rosenthal, Rosenthal, Rasco, Kaplan LLC, focusing on real estate and development, business transactions and corporations. Mr. Rosenthal currently serves as pro-bono legal counsel for Stop Hunger, Inc., and volunteers for the University of Miami's Project Newborn. He has held leadership positions in several bar associations and charitable organizations. Page 3. An Independent Authority DAWN E. ADDY, VICE CHAIR Dawn E. Addy, Ph.D., serves as Director of the Center for Labor Research and Studies at Florida International University (F.I.U.) where her efforts have focused primarily on issues of workplace diversity and community building. Prior to her work at F.I.U., Dr. Addy was on the faculty of the Labor Education Service of the Industrial Relations Center at the University of Minnesota, where she earned a Master's degree in Industrial Relations and a Ph.D. in Work, Community, and Family Education. Professor Addy has been President of the group "Many Voices: One Community," which facilitates dialogue on issues of racism and immigration throughout South Florida. She was Diversity Committee Chair for F.I.U.'s Access and Equity Committee. Ms. Addy served on the Equal Opportunity Board of Miami-Dade County for five years prior to her appointment to the Ethics Commission in the fall of 2001. SEYMOUR GELBER Seymour Gelber was appointed to the Commission on Ethics in 2005 by the Chief Judge of the Eleventh Circuit, where he served as a Senior Judge in the Juvenile Division and, since his retirement, as an Administrative Court Judge. Judge Gelber has held positions with the Miami-Dade State Attorney and the Florida Attorney General and was Mayor of Miami Beach from 1991 to 1997. A graduate of the University of Miami School of Law, Judge Gelber earned a Master's degree in Criminal Justice and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Florida State University. He has taught at four Florida colleges. Among his many civic roles, Judge Gelber has held leadership positions with the Miami- Dade Criminal Justice Council, American Bar Association Committee on Juvenile Justice, School Board Committee on Ethics, Dade County Boys Club After-Care Program, Friends of the Miami Beach Regional Library and Bass Museum of Art. MAGDA ABDO-GOMEZ Magda Abdo-Gomez was appointed to the Ethics Commission in March 2007 by the Dean of St. Thomas University School of Law. In addition to her private practice, Ms. Abdo-Gomez is an Adjunct Professor at St. Thomas University School of Law, where she teaches Debtor- Creditor Rights, Bankruptcy Law and Law Office Management. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami and earned both a Juris Doctorate and L.L.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida. Her past experience includes work with the Chief Counsel's Office of the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami, where she participated in Tax Court and Bankruptcy Court litigation. Ms. Abdo-Gomez is an active volunteer in public education; she has held leadership roles in PTAs, Booster Clubs and the Educational Excellence School Advisory Council. Page 4. An Independent Authority ERICA WRIGHT Erica Wright was appointed to the Commission on Ethics by the Chief Judge of the Eleventh Circuit in 2008. Ms. Wright has served as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Miami and as an Assistant City Attorney for Sunny Isles Beach. She has been Florida Bar board- certified in City, County and Local Government Law since 2004 and focuses her private practice on land use and zoning, contract procurement and economic development. Ms. Wright is past President of the Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association. She serves on the Boards of Directors of the University of Miami School of Law Alumni Association, the Planned Giving Council of Miami-Dade County and other organizations. Ms. Wright obtained her Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Spelman College. Ms. Wright resigned her position on December 4, 2009, to run for public office. ROBERT MEYERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Ethics Commission is empowered to appoint the Executive Director, who must be a member of the Florida Bar. Robert Meyers has served in that capacity since 1998. Previously, Mr. Meyers was a professor at the University of Tennessee, where he taught courses in Criminal Law, Legal Ethics, Government Law and Public Administration. His work is frequently published in newspapers and journals, and he regularly addresses audiences on government and ethics. Mr. Meyers makes regular appearances on local television programs and on panels sponsored by municipalities, chambers of commerce, bar associations and universities. Mr. Meyers holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida, a Master's degree in Public Administration from Florida International University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law. Page 5. Staff & Budget The Ethics Commission operates in four major areas: Advice-Giving Ethics Code Enforcement Education and Community Outreach Legislative Analysis and Review In 2009, the Ethics Commission issued 129 opinions and 201 responses to inquiries. Requests for ethics training, conferences and workshops from both the public and private sectors have steadily increased each year. BUDGET In 2009, the Ethics Commission staff was comprised of 17 employees. Budget projections for 2009-2010 are shown below. These percentages reflect personnel costs, which comprise the majority of the Ethics Commission general budget of $2.2 million. Approximately $175,000 is budgeted for training materials, office supplies and equipment. Budget Breakdown 2009-2010 ^ Education/Outreach ^ Enforcement Advice-Giving Administration Page 6. Education & Outreach The Ethics Commission conducted approximately 390 briefings and seminars and participated in several special projects in and around Miami-Dade County as part of its community education and outreach campaign. WORKSHOPS. CONFERENCES. FORUMS Ethics and the Media Conference: In the fall of 2009, the Commission on Ethics, in collaboration with the University of Miami and the Society of Professional Journalists South Florida Chapter, hosted aday-long conference at the University of Miami School of Communication. Nearly 200 professionals, ethics experts, attorneys and academicians explored the ethical challenges for governments and news outlets in conveying information through new communication tools and practices. Campaign Skills Seminars: In March, August and September, the Ethics Commission, the Miami-Dade County Elections Department, the State Attorney's Office and the Miami- Dade League of Cities conducted training for candidates and their staffs. These free functions provided information regarding the Ethical Campaign Practices Ordinance, rules governing financial contributions, post-election audits, prohibited uses of public funds and other regulations related to running for office. Similar events are planned in 2010. Ethics Debates: Throughout 2009, the Ethics Commission sponsored forums for candidates seeking public office in the cities of North Miami, Homestead, Miami Beach and Miami that focused on the ethical issues facing elected officials. Municipal Attorneys Luncheon: In March, the Ethics Commission sponsored a gathering for city attorneys to discuss the prohibition on recommending professional and other services. Participating attorneys received two free Continuing Legal Education credits in Ethics from the Florida Bar. The continued major focus of the Ethics Commission for 2009 was to increase citizen understanding and participation in governmental accountability efforts. Several projects, discussed on the following pages, were part of this community education and outreach campaign. Page 7. Education & Outreach PRESENTATIONS & SPEECHES Representatives of the Commission on Ethics continue to brief professional and private organizations, chambers of commerce and educational institutions on the agency's work and issues of local concern. The Executive Director, Ethics Commissioners, and staff made presentations and advised several jurisdictions, including Palm Beach and Broward Counties and the cities of New Orleans and Jacksonville, on establishing local ethics agencies. In February 2009, staff members met with a delegation from Africa and provided information on the mission of the Miami-Dade Ethics Commission. The delegation was also briefed on the Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance and other anti-corruption efforts in Miami-Dade County. In April 2009, Ethics Commission staff and the University of Miami School of Communications met with Iraqi journalists who were participating in a project titled "The Role of the Media in the U.S." The delegation received a briefing on Florida Sunshine Law and the public's right to access government information. TRAINING Education is a key component of the Miami-Dade Ethics Commission's mission. That effort continued in 2009. Municipal Ethics Training: The Ethics Commission continues to provide atwo-hour overview of the County Code of Ethics, the Florida Government in the Sunshine Law and the Public Records Act to elected and appointed County and municipal officials, managers, department directors, employees and advisory board members. During 2009, 390 training sessions were presented throughout Miami-Dade County. (A few were also conducted for Monroe County employees at the expense of the Monroe County government.) Employee Ethics Training: In the first full year of implementation of a self-study on-line course, 587 Miami-Dade County workers took part in ethics training over the Internet. Page 8. Education & Outreach COLLABORATIONS The Ethics Commission operates under the principle that community collaboration is fundamental to the success of its outreach and education campaign. The following is a typical example. Model Student Ethics Program: This program is geared to elementary through high school students. The young people participate in workshops, group discussions and role playing to better understand how to behave ethically. In addition to programs provided to public schools throughout Miami-Dade County, the Ethics Commission expanded this series to include charter and private schools. In 2009, more than 200 school sessions were provided to public and private school students. PUBLICATIONS The Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance as amended through June 2009. The Ethics Commission publishes the County Ethics Ordinance in a brochure format for the convenience of those within its jurisdiction. The Code establishes the minimum standard of ethical conduct and behavior for elected officials, public employees, members of County and municipal advisory boards and quasi judicial bodies. The New Ethics Beat, Fall 2009, Issue 10. The newsletter highlighted conferences sponsored by the Ethics Commission during the past year, offered advice on evaluating gifts of air travel, and provided commentary on disciplinary actions for ethics violations. Page 9. Enforcement Procedure FILING A COMPLAINT Citizens can register a grievance with the Ethics Commission by submitting a written notarized complaint on a form prescribed by the Ethics Commission. The complaint must allege a violation within the jurisdiction of the Ethics Commission, be based on substantial personal knowledge of the complainant and include as much evidence as possible. Within 30 days after receipt of the complaint, the Ethics Commission shall send a copy of the complaint to the alleged violator. In addition, citizens can leave information and tips anonymously on the Ethics Commission hotline at (786) 314-9560. The legal unit of the Ethics Commission reviews this information, and the Advocate may, in good faith, file a complaint based on the information provided, even in the absence of personal knowledge. The Advocate is also authorized to initiate complaints without citizen initiative. The Ethics Commission does not hear complaints involving personnel matters. UASI-JUDICIAL PROCESS Section 2-1074 of the Miami-Dade County Code outlines the process and powers for conducting investigations. The Ethics Commission is empowered to subpoena, audit and investigate all facts and persons materially related to the complaint at issue. If the Ethics Commission finds no probable cause that a violation has been committed, it dismisses the complaint and issues a report to the complainant and alleged violator. However, if the Ethics Commission finds probable cause, it notifies the alleged violator and the complainant of the determination and schedules a public hearing. Penalties may include fines, letters of instruction, letters of reprimand, restitution and other consequences imposed by law. All final orders may be appealed pursuant to the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure. The following chart illustrates the process. Page 10. Formal Complaint Process Commission on Ethics & Public Trust Formal Complaint Process Complaint is not legally sufficient Complaint dismissed Complaint is legally sufficient Commission finds NO probable cause Complaint dismissed Commission finds probable cause Public hearing scheduled before Ethics Commission Ethics Commission finds NO violation ~~ Complaint ~~ dismissed Ethics Commission finds that a violation has been committed ~~ Penalties imposed ~~ against the violator All final orders are subject to appeal in accordance with the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure Page 11. Advice Giving Actions Anyone within the jurisdiction of the Ethics Commission may submit a written Request for an Opinion (RQO) or an Inquiry (INQ) as to the proper interpretation or applicability of ordinances within the Ethics Commission's purview. The request must pertain to the particular facts of the individual's situation. In 2009, the Ethics Commission issued 330 advisory opinions and responses to inquiries. SUMMARY OF 129 REQUESTS FOR OPINIONS (RQO~ CODE ~ ISSUES N0. OF CASES* (b) Definitions of Terms 1 (c) Doing Business with One's Government 82 (d) Voting Conflicts 81 (e) Gifts 2 (g) Exploitation of Official Position 2 (h) Disclosure of Confidential Information 3 (i) Financial Disclosure 2 (j) Conflicting Employment 5 (k) Outside Employment/Disclosure Requirements 1 (m) Appearances before County Boards 1 (n) Taking Official Action with Financial Interests 1 (p) Recommending Professional Service 1 (q) Two-year Rule 3 (s) Lobbying 2 (t) Cone of Silence 2 (u) Prohibition on Certain Business Transactions 1 (v) Voting Conflicts on Advisory Boards 1 (w) Accepting Travel Expenses from County Vendors 1 Other Contracting 12 Section 8 Housing 78 Citizen's Bill of Rights 1 No Jurisdiction 5 *Some requests apply to more than one provision of the Code. Page 12. Inquiries Summary Inquiries are informal advisory opinions rendered by the Ethics Commission legal staff and reviewed by the Executive Director. Often, officials or personnel may have questions that require immediate assistance, such as a pending issue regarding a voting conflict. An inquiry is rendered only when the issue is one that the Ethics Commission has formally addressed in previous opinions. SUMMARY OF 201 INQUIRIES RENDERED CODE ~ ISSUES N0. OF CASES* (a) Application of Ordinance to County and Municipality 2 (b) Definition of Terms 2 (c) Doing Business with One's Government 56 (d) Voting Conflicts 55 (e) Gifts 30 (g) Exploitation of Official Position 13 (h) Disclosure of Confidential Information 1 (i) Financial Disclosure 11 Q) Conflicting Employment 11 (k) Outside Employment/Disclosure Requirements 22 (m) Appearances before Government 7 (n) Taking Official Action with Financial Interests 1 (p) Recommending Professional Services 1 (q) Two-year Rule 7 (s) Lobbying 13 (t) Cone of Silence 1 (v) Voting Conflicts on Advisory Boards 35 (w) Prohibition on Accepting Travel Expenses from Vendors 5 Other Contracting/Miscellaneous 10 No Jurisdiction 3 *Some requests apply to more than one provision of the Code. Page 13. Enforcement Summary COMPLAINTS FILED The following individuals and agencies filed 39 complaints in 2009. ounty tics ommission ice o t e n epen ent vocate Public at-large 27 Office of the Inspector General 0 The following summarizes the outcome of the 39 caues* filed in 2009. Dismissed for lack of probable cause 5 Dismissed for legal insufficiency 8 Issuance of Letter of Instruction 1 Issuance of Letter of Reprimand 1 No contest pleas and/or settlement 2 Pending 16 Withdrawal of Complaint 6 Dismissed for procedural reasons 2 *Some cases resulted in more than one administrative action. Additionally, four whistleblower complaints were filed. INVESTIGATIONS INITIATED The Ethics Commission's Office of the Independent Advocate opened 187 investigations during 2009. These investigations were initiated in response to formal complaints, anonymous letters, "hotline" calls, newspaper articles, confidential informants and other sources. Page 14. Goals for 2010 ENFORCEMENT • Continue to collaborate with the Office of the State Attorney, the Miami-Dade Office of Inspector General, the Office of the United States Attorney, the Public Corruption Bureau of the Miami-Dade Police Department and other state and local licensing boards and regulatory authorities. • Assign personnel to monitor Conflict of Interest opinions to insure compliance by the requesters. • Allocate more resources to the investigation and enforcement of the County Employee Protection (Whistleblower) Ordinance. • Prepare a report examining the impact of campaign contributions by vendors and lobbyists. • Open more investigations and complete investigations faster. LEGISLATION • Bring additional recommendations of the Ethics Task Force before the Board of County Commissioners. • Support changes to the Ethics Commission's enabling ordinance and the County's Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics ordinance to impose stricter fines, ban all gifts and expand jurisdiction to cover part-time and contract employees. • Offer technical advice to municipal governments seeking to improve and strengthen ethics legislation. • Participate in discussions related to additional procurement reform. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH • Host a major conference in May on "Ethics and Accountability in Public Procurement" in collaboration with Florida Atlantic University. • Conduct training sessions for managers and employees on amendments to the Employee Protection (Whistleblower) Ordinance. • Create on-line training materials for the Employee Protection (Whistleblower) Ordinance. • Train lobbyists to meet a new City of Miami mandate, in conjunction with Florida International University and the Miami-Dade State Attorney. • Offer campaign skills seminars for individuals running for office in 2010. • Present ethics debate forums for candidates seeking office in 2010. • Conduct ethics workshops for board members and executives of nonprofit organizations, in collaboration with the Dade Community Foundation. • Create a more user-friendly, comprehensive Ethics Commission website. • Further expand the Model Student Ethics Commission Program by seeking grant funding. • Continue to provide ethics training to all County board members. • Continue to conduct ethics training for all County purchasing personnel, in conjunction with the Department of Procurement Management. • Continue to offer technical assistance to jurisdictions outside Miami-Dade County. Page 15. Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics & Public Trust 19 West Flagler Street, Suite 820 Miami, FL 33130 Main Number: (305) 579-2594 Fax Number: (305) 579-0273 Hotline: (786) 314-9560 Request a Speaker: (305) 350-0630 (305) 350-0631 Email: ethics@miamidade.gov Web: miamidadeethics.com COMMISSION MEMBERS Kerry E. Rosenthal, Chair Dawn E. Addy, Vice-Chair Judge Seymour Gelber Magda Abdo-Gomez Erica Wright STAFF MEMBERS Robert Meyers, Executive Director Ardyth Walker, Staff General Counsel Michael Murawski, Advocate Miriam Ramos, Assistant Advocate Victoria Frigo, Staff Attorney Christina Seymour, Auditor Sylvia Batista, Investigator Manuel Diaz, Investigator Breno Penichet, Investigator Kennedy Rosario, Investigator Karl Ross, Investigator Arthur Skinner, Investigator Robert Thompson, Community Outreach Coordinator Rhonda Victor Sibilia, Community Outreach Coordinator Rodzandra Sanchez, Coordinator of Administration Rachelle Cedeno-Ross, Administrative Assistant Karina Gonzalez, Intern