LSC is supported and governed by a volunteer board of directors. The board meets quarterly to review LSC’s programs and services, and ensures its fiscal health.
Ann Alpers is the president and CEO of the S.H. Cowell Foundation. Prior to joining the Cowell Foundation in 2005, she was a faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco where she taught health law and medical ethics. She has been a visiting professor at Stanford Law School, St. Louis University Law School and the University of California, Berkeley. In 1999, Ann took a sabbatical to hold public office during which she served in the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office as Deputy City Attorney for Health and Human Services.
James Bell currently serves as the Executive Director of the W. Haywood Burns Institute for Juvenile Justice Fairness and Equity. James was a staff attorney at the Youth Law Center for over 20 years. He is a national expert on juvenile justice issues, and joined the Board in January 2002. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Death Penalty Focus, and works closely with Critical Resistance, Asian Pacific Island Law Offices, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the Lawyers Committee for Urban Affairs, the National Indian Justice Center and the National Conference of Black Lawyers.
Jahmal T. Davis is a partner at Hanson Bridgett LLP. He represents public and private employers in state and federal employment litigation, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination and wage and hour claims. Jahmal also provides preventative advice and training to clients in employment matters. Prior to joining Hanson Bridgett, Jahmal developed substantial trial experience as a staff trial attorney for the Alameda County Public Defender’s office. He also developed a breadth of civil litigation experience, representing public and private sector clients in matters involving health care litigation, commercial disputes and insurance defense.
Donna Wickham Furth came to Legal Services for Children some 30 years ago, after a stint working for Chief Justice Rose Bird at the Supreme Court of California. She is now semi-retired, but still represents children in appeals and writ proceedings. She also serves as a director and officer of the Northern California Association of Counsel for Children (NCACC) and Chairperson of the NCACC Amicus Committee. Formerly, she taught juvenile law at the University of San Francisco School of Law and served as a director of the National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC), the National Juvenile Attorney Certification Advisory Board, the San Francisco Education Fund, Enterprise for High School Students, the Chinese-American Bilingual School, and the Furth Family Foundation.
Stacey Giamalis is a business and technology lawyer who specializes in advising and protecting public and private technology companies in the business software, business data services, online advertising and online search media sectors. She currently serves as the Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Adchemy, Inc., a digital marketing technology company. Stacey earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of California Berkeley, School of Law (Boalt Hall). In her free time, she seeks adventure outdoors and improves her teamwork by singing alto with the San Francisco Choral Society.
Geoff Howard is the managing partner of Bingham McCutchen’s San Francisco office. He has represented a diverse assortment of communications, technology and distribution companies in intellectual property, antitrust and commercial disputes, and has authored several pieces of state legislation. In 2006, Geoff was chosen as one of the “Top 20 Lawyers under 40” by the Daily Journal, and recognized on Lawdragon.com’s “Lawdragon 500, New Stars New World” list as one of the 500 up-and-coming attorneys in the nation. Geoff has previously volunteered with Legal Services for Children as member of the Law Firm Committee, and has also taken on pro bono guardianship cases. Geoff joined the board in July 2006.
Karen J. Nardi is a partner in Arnold & Porter’s San Francisco office. She counsels clients on a wide range of environmental, health and safety laws and works with companies to manage these liabilities in business transactions. She also represents clients in environmental and OSHA enforcement actions. Starting in 2004, Karen has each year been named a “Super Lawyer” in her field. In 2008, she was named top environmental compliance lawyer in California in a client poll published in GC Magazine. She has a master’s degree in Public Policy and a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley. She has volunteered at Legal Services for Children as a pro bono lawyer assisting children and youth in obtaining guardianships for the past twelve years. Karen joined the board in April 2005.
John F. O’Toole is the Director of the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL), a position he has held for the past 27 years. Under his leadership, the Center has built a national reputation for successful advocacy on behalf of poor children nationwide. In 2007, John was appointed to the California Blue Ribbon Commission on Foster Care by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald M. George. John joined the Board in April 1997 and chairs its Development Committee.
Stephanie P. Skaff is a partner at Farella Braun + Martel LLP. Her active trial practice focuses on complex litigation, including fraud, securities, class action, false claims, antitrust and intellectual property litigation. In 2006, Stephanie was chosen by the Daily Journal as one of California’s “Top 20 Lawyers Under 40″ and she has been repeatedly recognized by San Francisco Magazine as a Northern California “Super Lawyer.” Stephanie currently serves as the Secretary-elect of the Bar Association of San Francisco and will become the 101st President of the Association in 2014.
R. James Slaughter is a partner at Keker & Van Nest. His practice focuses on complex civil and white collar criminal litigation. He has tried, arbitrated, and mediated disputes involving commercial contracts, product defects, partnership matters, legal malpractice, accounting malpractice and others. Prior to practicing law Jamie was a political consultant, working on local and statewide campaigns. In addition to Legal Services for Children, Jamie is a member of the Boards of Directors of the San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation and the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation.
Elizabeth Butler Steyer worked with Legal Services for Children for twelve years as a Staff Attorney, Managing Attorney, Acting Executive Director and then as the Associate Director. She has an extensive background in youth advocacy and non-profit management. Liz joined the LSC Board in March 2004 and served as Chair from 2007 to 2010. In addition, she serves on the Board of the Giants Community Fund as the Chair of their Violence Prevention Committee and as the Co-Chair of the John Gardner Fellowship Alumni Board.
Suzanne Stuckwisch is a Managing Director at Alvarez and Marsal, Inc. and specializes in the application of economics, finance, statistics, and valuation principles to questions that arise in a variety of contexts, including litigation. Suzanne’s over 15 years of professional experience includes testimony in complex commercial litigation, employment, intellectual property and fraud matters. She also serves as a public arbitrator in employment and securities matters and has written publications that have been included in “Litigation Services Handbook: The Role of Financial Expert and Environmental Compliance Litigation Strategy.” To balance her daily litigation work, Suzanne is a certified Bikram Yoga teacher.
Carol Lynn Thompson is an attorney and shareholder at Heller, Ehrman LLP where she leads a complex commercial litigation practice. She has been with Heller since 1994, where she co-chairs the San Francisco Litigation department. Carol Lynn joined the board in April 2005.
Kim Thompson is a principal in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s Office of the General Counsel. She provides legal advice on a wide range of issues to the firm’s audit and business advisory professionals. Prior to joining PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1999, Kim was a litigator with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Kim joined the board in 2007.
Michael Wald is Jackson Eli Reynolds Professor at Law Emeritus at Stanford University. He rejoined the Board in September 2003. He is recognized nationwide for his expertise in all aspects of children’s advocacy. He has served as the Director of the San Francisco Department of Human Services and as Deputy General Counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services for the Clinton Administration.
Christopher N. Wu was formerly the Executive Director of Legal Services for Children. He is a Supervising Attorney at the California Administrative Office of the Courts, Center for Families, Children & the Courts and serves as the Executive Director of the California Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care. He is the Board Secretary and joined the LSC Board in September 1996. He is Past Chair of the Board of the National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC), is on the board of the National Center for Youth Law, and is President of the Northern California Association of Counsel for Children.
