Elizabeth Binczik (she/her) joined ACS in February 2023 as Director of Policy and Program for Economic Justice. In this role, she works with ACS’s members, stakeholders, and partners to advance economic justice and opportunity.
Before joining ACS, Binczik was a policy advisor with the Office of Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, where she provided advice on matters related to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry and Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, among others. Prior to joining the Governor’s Office, she was an associate attorney with Fabian May & Anderson, PLLP, where she represented clients in employment-related matters, including discrimination claims, retaliation claims, and matters related to non-competes.
Other past professional experiences include working as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Edward J. Cleary, Chief Judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals, and an internship with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Minneapolis Office.
Binczik received her J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and her B.A. from the University of Minnesota, Morris.
Taonga Leslie (he/him), joined ACS in January 2023 as Director of Policy and Program for Racial Justice. In this role, he works with ACS’ members, stakeholders, and partners to advance a more racially just and equitable future.
Before joining ACS, Taonga was a senior consultant with Public Equity Group, a boutique consulting firm that helps nonprofits, foundations and other social impact groups develop strategic plans to advance racial and economic justice. Prior to consulting, he was an associate with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where he investigated violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in Latin America and represented a diverse portfolio of pro bono clients, including asylum seekers, survivors of domestic violence, nonprofit arts organizations, and police accountability groups.
Other past professional experiences include supporting efforts to reduce youth incarceration and advance alternative justice models at Impact Justice, and internships with Equal Justice Initiative and the Southern Center for Human Rights.
Taonga is a graduate of Yale Law School, where he served as a Coker Fellow, and of Harvard University, where he earned a B.A. in Sociology.
Doris Zhang joined ACS in September 2022 as a Policy and Program Associate.
Prior to joining ACS, she served as an intern at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, working with the communications teams to publicize the organization's litigation on behalf of journalists. She has also interned with PEN America, Planned Parenthood, the Feminist Majority Foundation, and U.S. Rep. Grace Meng.
Doris earned a B.A. in Philosophy (Honors) and Math from Georgetown University in May 2022. She is based in Washington, D.C.
Michelle Juma (she/her) joined ACS in August 2022 and serves as the 2022-2023 ACS Law Fellow. Michelle is a 2022 graduate of The University of Texas School of Law, where she served as a Staff Editor for the American Journal of Criminal Law. She spent her entire career, before and during law school, dedicated to public service work. She has previously worked for the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, the City of Austin, the progressive Travis County District Attorney's Office, and the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. Holding both American and Canadian citizenship, Michelle received her B.A. in Criminology and Justice Studies from Ontario Tech University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Lindsay Langholz joined ACS in September 2019 and currently serves as Senior Director of Policy and Program in charge of the “Democracy and Voting” and “Equality and Liberty” portfolios.
In this capacity, she works with legal scholars and advocates to protect and expand the right to vote, ensure that our elections are fair and accessible, and promote laws and policies that protect individual liberty and address inequality resulting from discrimination. She represents the organization in coalition meetings and works with experts in the field to develop issue briefs and blog posts.
Before joining ACS, Langholz directed voter protection programs on behalf of two presidential campaigns, a national party, and two state party organizations. She has also advised nonprofit voting rights organizations, managed several political campaigns, and worked as a campaign coordinator for the AFL-CIO.
Langholz received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and her B.A. in Politics from New York University.
Valerie M. Nannery joined ACS in 2019 and serves as Senior Director of Policy and Program. She oversees the State Attorneys General Project.
Before joining ACS, Nannery was an Assistant Attorney General in the Public Advocacy Division of the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia where her practice was focused on federal affirmative civil litigation of constitutional and administrative law issues. Prior to her work as an Assistant Attorney General, Nannery was a fellow in the Supreme Court Fellows Program. Previously, she practiced at the Center for Constitutional Litigation, P.C. and at Quinn Emanuel’s Los Angeles office. She began her legal career as the Supreme Court Assistance Project Fellow at Public Citizen.
Nannery is an elected member of the American Law Institute, and a member of the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia and the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia. She received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and her B.A. in American Studies from Cornell University.
