About Us

Staff

Howard Rubin
Interim Executive Director

Dean Rubin’s lifetime career of public service is reflected in his 27 years as director of the DePaul Legal Clinic, providing legal services to the working poor and indigent prisoners while supervising students in the practice of law and encouraging careers in public service. He was honored with a Cook County Board of Commissioners resolution to recognize legal services to ensure constitutional rights of indigent criminal appellants. As associate dean, he carries out his commitment to the belief that a quality skills curriculum is essential to a well-rounded legal education. Prior to joining DePaul, Dean Rubin served as chief administrative law judge for the State of Illinois Fair Employment Practices Commission, and he worked for the Prison Legal Services Project as a senior staff attorney.

Catherine Diebel, BA MA JD
Associate Director
cdiebel@depaul.edu 312-362-5385

Catherine Diebel is the Associate Director at the International Human Rights Law Institute, and directs all programs, educational, and student aspects of IHRLI. Catherine earned her JD from DePaul University College of Law in 2009 with a Certificate in International and Comparative Law and is licensed to practice law in the state of Illinois. Prior to joining IHRLI, Catherine directed emergency medical interventions in conflict and post-conflict countries including Sudan and Liberia, as well as directing programs in China and Morocco. Her professional focus is on complex emergencies in the developing world. She has worked with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), US Peace Corps and Medical Emergency Relief International (MERLIN). She holds an MA in International and Intercultural Management from the School for International Training in Vermont, and a BA in literature from Gettysburg College.

Elizabeth Ward, BA, JD
Project Director

Elisabeth Ward is the Project Director of the Iraq grants at the International Human Rights Law Institute (IHRLI). Since 2009 Elisabeth has managed 5 of IHRLI’s U.S. Department of State grants in Iraq, which include the Legal Education Reform Project, the Women’s Leadership Project, the NGO Training Project, the Supporting Democracy in Iraq grant and the Building Gender Capacity grant. Elisabeth travels to Iraq frequently to monitor the implementation of IHRLI’s grants. She is a licensed attorney in the State of Illinois. She received her J.D. from Michigan State University’s College of Law and her B.A. from James Madison College at Michigan State University

Erika Roditis, BS
Business Manager

Erika Roditis is the Business Director at the International Human Rights Law Institute. She is the primary director responsible for the financial grant management and administration for IHRLI’s national and international programs including budgeting, reporting and human resources. Prior to joining the institute, Roditis worked as a Financial Accountant for the University of Chicago in the Restricted Funds Section of the Comptroller’s Office, working with federal and non-federal grants and contracts. Erika received her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from DePaul University’s College of Commerce.

Matt Krause, BA
Financial Coordinator

Matthew Krause is responsible for the budgeting and coordinating of all IHRLI financial activity outside the scope of Iraq grants. He came directly from the law firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP, where he was its Pro Bono & Philanthropy Coordinator. For many years, Matt was also busy acting on the stages of various theaters around Chicago, including Steppenwolf and Goodman Theatres. When not in the office, Matt is pursuing his MBA at DePaul and spending as much time as possible with his wife, Maureen, and two young children, Oliver and Amalie. He can be reached at (312) 362-5068 or at mkrause2@depaul.edu.

Ruth Chojnacki
Outreach Director

Ruth Chojnacki began human rights work defending refugees from Central America’s wars against deportation during the 1980s. Working from her congressman’s office, she founded what is now the National Security Archives, an indexed repository of U.S. foreign policy documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act now housed at George Washington University. While conducting dissertation field work among Mexico’s highland Maya 1993-95, she worked with the Centro de Derechos Humanos, “Fray Bartolome de Las Casas,” in Chiapas, Mexico. She holds the M.Div. from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and the Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Her book on contemporary religious change among the Tzotzil Maya , Indigenous Apostles, was published in March, 2010. Ruth also regularly teaches evening classes in social ethics to Spanish-speaking ministry candidates for the Instituto de Liderazgo Pastoral, University of St. Mary of the Lake.