National Center for Youth Law welcomes four new board members, new board president

Brainerd, Durán, Rieger, and Vergara arrive with deep experience advocating for youth

OAKLAND, Calif. — The National Center for Youth Law welcomes four highly respected and accomplished professionals onto its board of directors, including a familiar face with more than a quarter-century of experience on the NCYL board. Each of the new members, and the returning member, brings a deep wealth of experience in advocating on behalf of children and communities.

Alexander "Lex" Brainerd, Mishaela Durán, Lisa Rieger and Luis Vergara this year joined NCYL's governing board, which helps guide the organization and its strategic focus. Their vision and insight, particularly amid the current political and policy climate, will help bolster the impact of NCYL, which for more than 50 years has worked alongside youth and communities to improve public systems to better serve and support young people and their families.

"At a time when the rights and well-being of young people are increasingly under threat, Mishaela, Lisa, and Luis bring the vision, experience, and dedication we need to push forward," said Shakti Belway, NCYL's Executive Director. "Their leadership will help us strengthen our fight for a future where every child is valued, protected, and given the opportunity to thrive."

Meet the newest board members:

• Alexander "Lex" Brainerd, who previously served on NCYL's board for more than 25 years, is an arbitrator, mediator and special master specializing in complex intellectual property matters with JAMS. He returns to the NCYL board after a four-year hiatus. Before JAMS, he was a trial lawyer for more than 40 years and was a litigation partner in the law firms of Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon, Quinn Emanuel and Heller Ehrman. Throughout his career, he has engaged in a wide range of pro bono activities, including extensive appellate work, criminal defense, and a death penalty case.
• Mishaela Durán is the inaugural research scholar at Arizona State University's Latinx Oral History Lab. Prior to joining the Lab, she served in various leadership roles advocating for children and family policy at the local, state and federal levels. Mishaela has used her own lived experience to fuel her advocacy, which has included leading public policy for the National PTA, National Network for Youth, and working with Congress and presidential administrations on a wide range of child policy issues.
• Lisa Rieger is a semi-retired general counsel who has served as Chief Legal Officer of Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC), a tribal nonprofit that provides social services to Alaska Natives and American Indians. Lisa, who previously worked as a public defender in Oakland, Calif., has also served on several statewide commissions and nonprofit boards that support young people and communities.
• Luis Vergara is a Partner and Head of Practice at La Piana Consulting, where he leads a broad array of development initiatives for nonprofits and foundations. His expertise spans strategy development and planning, business planning, governance and leadership development, as well as mergers and strategic alliances. He was also previously Executive Director of Youth Radio, a nationally acclaimed youth media organization, through which he championed the voices of young people.

In addition, Sophie Fanelli has been elected as President of the Board, bringing to that position a wealth of experience in nonprofit management, policy advocacy, social justice, and philanthropy. Sophie is the President of the Stuart Foundation, where she advances initiatives that transform education systems and improve life outcomes for young people. 

“I am honored to step into this role and extend my deepest gratitude to Mary Bissell for her extraordinary leadership as outgoing Board President,” said Sophie Fanelli. “Building upon the strong foundation she established, I’m eager to collaborate with both our current and incoming Board members at this pivotal moment for NCYL as we amplify our advocacy for the rights and well-being of children and youth. With the collective passion and expertise of this Board, we have an incredible opportunity to expand NCYL’s 54-year legacy of justice, ensuring that every young person’s rights and well-being are protected.” 

Visit here to learn more about Fanelli, Brainerd, Durán, Rieger and Vergara, or to learn more about NCYL's Board of Directors.

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The National Center for Youth Law centers youth through research, community collaboration, impact litigation, and policy advocacy that fundamentally transforms our nation's approach to education, health, immigration, foster care, and youth justice. Our vision is a world in which every child thrives and has a full and fair opportunity to achieve the future they envision for themselves.