RCP Staff

^{Mentor Diana Carreras has spent the last 25 years advocating for those recovering from addiction, mental health conditions, and other trauma. She has 33 years of sobriety and is a former client of RCP. For the last 20 years, she has given free swim lessons to traumatized children. Diana is a member of the Board of Directors at Recovery Cafe, where, since 2015, she has been a peer mentor, facilitating classes in trauma recovery and running peer support groups. In 2017 she was trained by the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) to mentor NAMI's recovery programs. Diana has broadly shared her story of recovery from drugs, trauma, and homelessness as a motivational speaker to give hope and illustrate the power of resilience. Diana is excited to guide people on an individual level as they prepare for their futures. She speaks fluent Spanish.} 

^{Project Assistant Everett Glynn retired from competitive gymnastics in 2019 to pursue a degree in Justice Studies from San Jose State University. Everett has a background in Police Studies and served as a volunteer with the Santa Cruz Police Department for six years. After discovering the impact and power of the RCP, Everett has decided to continue working with the project after he graduates in Spring 2023. His goal is to pursue a graduate education at SJSU to develop replicable solutions that address contemporary issues facing the criminal justice system. Everett is grateful for the opportunity to assist individuals navigate the complexities of the legal system and is proud to work alongside the dedicated RCP team.}

^{Project Assistant Diana Huynh grew up in San Jose and joined RCP in Fall 2022. She graduated Spring 2023 with a degree in Justice Studies with a focus on Criminology with a minor in Legal Studies and in Creative Writing. Working in the Record Clearance Program has solidified Diana’s goal of going to law school and her passion towards giving a voice to people whose voices may be suppressed by the criminal justice system. Diana firmly believes that everyone has a story to be told and every story should be heard. She is grateful to be part of a program that gives hope back to the community through legal assistance. Diana understands Vietnamese.} 

^{Project Assistant Kanita Ilic is a first-generation college student from Pleasanton, CA. Kanita graduated in May 2022 with a major in Justice Studies with a concentration in Criminology, and a minor in Forensic Studies. Kanita enrolled in the RCP in Fall 2020, and worked as a Student Assistant during her last semester. Kanita plans to attend law school. She is grateful to be able to provide legal assistance to those whose voices have been lost in the criminal justice system. Kanita speaks Bosnian.}

^{Mentor Victoria Kirschner had her record expunged in 2011 and has been volunteering as a motivational speaker with the RCP ever since. After decades of addiction, Victoria began living a life of sobriety in August 2002. She has sponsored other women in recovery and been the manager of a recovery home. She is active in her church and community. Victoria has worked in the transportation industry for years. She enthusiastically embraces her work as a guide to people moving from custody to create their individual stories of success.}

^{Project Assistant Erika Larios joined RCP in Spring 2022. She is a first generation college graduate who grew up in Bay Point, a small town located in the East Bay region of San Francisco Bay Area. She graduated from SJSU in May 2022 with a B.S. in Political Science and minors in Justice Studies and Philosophy. The Record Clearance Project has solidified her passion for law. Erika is dedicated to increasing the diversity of the legal profession and promoting social justice by providing information and resources to undergraduates who otherwise lack access. She plans to attend law school to help those whose voices have been silenced, expecting to work in either criminal or immigration law. Erika speaks fluent Spanish.}

^{Program Manager Jesse Mejia enrolled in RCP as a student in Spring 2018. Jesse is leading the Mentoring Program in which former clients are hired as peer mentors to connect people leaving custody with needed services as they move forward in their lives. Jesse is a first-generation college student who transferred to SJSU from Hartnell Community College with an AS-T in Administration of Justice in Fall 2016. Jesse majored in Justice Studies and graduated in Spring 2019 with plans to attend law school. He hopes to work on expungement law after law school and take this experience back with him to Monterey County. Jesse grew up speaking Spanish.} 

^{Student Assistant Huda Mirza spent her childhood in Canada before moving to Florida and then the Bay Area. Huda joined the Record Clearance Project in Fall 2022 and was moved by the impact of its work. After she graduates, Huda plans to continue working in law or policy. She is passionate about the importance of education, improving our justice system to better serve our communities, and about lowering barriers of entry. Huda speaks fluent Urdu and Arabic, and moderate French.}

^{Administrative Coordinator Serey Nouth was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and grew up in the Bay Area. Serey joined the Record Clearance Project as a student in Spring 2019, which solidified her passion for empowering and supporting those negatively impacted by the justice system. She plans to become an attorney specializing in criminal law. She is a firm believer in second chances and aspires to serve her marginalized community. Serey graduated from SJSU in Fall 2020 with a degree in Kinesiology and a double minor in Sociology and Justice Studies. Serey is fluent in Khmer.}

^{Mentor Stacy Quezada grew up in Gilroy, CA. She has over three years of experience mentoring mothers with substance abuse and mental health issues to navigate the Child Welfare system. After graduating from the program, Stacy participated in Women's drug intervention as a client and supported other women as a guest speaker. She has been involved in several committees with the NA recovery community, including the "Annual NA Barbeque Meeting," where she oversees children's activities. Stacy is knowledgeable about available resources in South County and has done presentations for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and social workers in training. Having lived experience with obstacles of homeless, addiction, incarceration, and poverty, Stacy is passionate about helping community members better themselves and move forward on the right path. Stacy speaks Spanish.}

^{Student Assistant Quetzalli Sanchez was born and raised in San José. She is a Justice Studies major and plans to attend law school. Quetzalli's passion for social justice stems from the under-representation and discrimination that her Purépecha community faces in Michoacán, Mexico. Quetzalli joined RCP because she saw first hand how the criminal system impacts the lives of so many people and believes that everyone deserves a second chance. She is fluent in Spanish and is able to understand Purépecha.} 

^{RCP Project Director Margaret (Peggy) Stevenson has taught students to provide legal services to low-income clients since 1994, including 12 years of teaching Stanford and Santa Clara law students in community-based clinics. She began teaching at SJSU in 2007. Peggy received the CSU Chancellor's Award for Faculty Innovation and Leadership in Fall 2018 for her work in establishing the Record Clearance Project. She has also received the SJSU Equity and Diversity Outstanding Faculty award, SJSU College of Applied Sciences and Arts, SJSU Service Learning and Community Engagement, and other university and community recognition awards. Prior to teaching, Peggy was a legal services attorney for 10 years and clerked for a federal judge following UCLA Law School, where she earned her J.D. She has a B.A. from Stanford University. She speaks Spanish.}

^{Case Manager Magali Urresti grew up in Santa Clara and enrolled in RCP in Spring 2022. Magali graduated in May 2023 as a double major with a B.A. in History and a B.S. in Justice Studies. Her experience with RCP has motivated Magali to help the formerly incarcerated actualize possibilities for their futures and take steps in reaching their goals.  Magali plans to use her knowledge and experience to advocate for policy changes that would optimize the re-entry process. Magali understands Spanish.}