On Thursday, October 2, the Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) Committee and the Center for Public Interest Law (CPIL) hosted its eleventh annual LRAP Awards Reception in the College of Law Rinn Law Library Rare Book Room. This year, ten DePaul alumni were recognized for their outstanding contributions to public interest law. The recipients include:
- Hallie Bezner (’10) - McLean County Public Defender’s Office, Bloomington, IL
- Megan Blatt (’10) - Life Span, Chicago, IL
- Chastidy Burns (’12) - Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender, Chicago, IL
- Anita Gupta (’13) - National Immigrant Justice Center, Chicago, IL
- Courtney Kelledes (’13) – Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Chicago, IL
- Jarrett Knox (’08) - Office of the Cook County Public Guardian, Chicago, IL
- Jessica Schneider (’10) - Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Inc., Chicago, IL
- Ashley Shambley (’10) - Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender, Chicago, IL
- Robert Simmons (’06) - Winnebago County Public Defender’s Office, Rockford, IL
- Lindsay VanFleet (’10) - Vermillion County Public Defender’s Office, Danville, IL
Following CPIL executive director Shaye Loughlin and LRAP Committee chair Professor Patty Gerstenblith's presentation of the awards, recipients delivered inspiring remarks to students, faculty, staff, alumni, co-workers, community supporters and family. The LRAP celebrates the outstanding DePaul public interest law alumni in the Chicago community and across the country.