Alissa Lopez

Experience

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  Durham Solidarity Center

  Nov 2011 - Jun 2019

  Advisory Board Member & Coordinator

  In this role, I helped support a resource hub for organizers and activists in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area. I also stewarded our bond fund and provided technical assistance to community groups interested in our solidarity center and bond fund models.

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  Guilford County Public Defender's Office

  May 2014 - Sept 2014

  Certified Student Practioner

  Represented clients at all stages of the criminal process, from bond motions to final disposition; Second chair on felony assault by strangulation case resulting in dismissal at end of State’s evidence; Handled all pretrial matters in an on-going felony child abuse case; Drafted motions to suppress, to compel discovery, to appoint experts, and to obtain medical records; Researched various areas of law to support a robust legal defense for all clients; Conducted client, witness, and law enforcement officer interviews Show less

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  Law Office of George P Doyle

  Oct 2014 - Dec 2014

  Pro Bono Legal Assistant

  Assisted with preparation for a jury trial for an attempted first-degree murder case; Pretrial responsibilities: review discovery, develop a theory of the case, and draft proposed jury instructions; Trial responsibilities: sit second-chair to assist with jury selection, legal research on admission of experts and other evidence, and the development of opening/closing arguments

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  Mannette & Thomas

  Aug 2015 - Oct 2015

  Legal Assistant

  Assisted with discovery documentation using Case Map 9 software for a capital murder case.

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  IBM

  Oct 2015 - Jul 2016

  Case Manager

  I handled daily administration and case management of U.S. non-immigration matters including request for evidence (RFEs). I regularly with employees, managers, and outside immigration team regarding full life cycle of the beneficiary’s non-immigrant case status (i.e. obtain and preserve client documentation, review and organize client documentation, analyze and summarize all data). I also handled premium processing upgrades and escalations for critical resources.

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  Marian Cheek Jackson Center

  Jun 2016 - Jan 2017

  Deputy Director

  Hired as the first Deputy Director to develop, on-board, and evaluate new strategies and systems for organization-wide internal operations functions including: HR, development (grant management, individual donor cultivation, and annual giving campaigns), organizational development, and project management systems.

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  Southern Vision Alliance

  Jan 2017 - Dec 2018

  Deputy Director

  I oversaw operations - both programmatic and organizational - for a large state-based nonprofit dedicated to social justice. My work involved strategic support and direction for our core programs, member organizations, fiscal sponsorships, mini-grant funds, and rapid response networks.

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  ACLU of North Carolina

  Jan 2019 - Dec 2019

  Regional Immigrants' Rights Strategist

  Based in the ACLU-NC affiliate, this role was a contract position charged with building out a Southeastern regional strategy in partnership with the National ACLU's Political Advocacy Department to disrupt the deportation pipeline through organizing, policy advocacy, and legal strategies.

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  Carolina Abortion Fund

  Aug 2019 - Mar 2024

  Board Member

  I supported CAF's mission to increase abortion access for North and South Carolinians, focusing on organizational development, entry into advocacy spaces, and fundraising.

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  Democracy North Carolina

  Nov 2019 - Jun 2021

  Advocacy Director

  I was responsible for determining substantive policy advocacy and research priorities, planning and implementing legislative and administrative agency advocacy strategies, and leading advocacy-related programming. I worked closely with our organizing and communiations teams to support mobilization campaigns and programs in coordination with our advocacy strategies. I was involved in joint efforts with coalition partners, including: organizing, legal advocacy, and direct advocacy to public officials. Under my leadership, we built the largest external advocacy programs in the organization's history, including: county level board of elections monitoring, early voting advocacy, election protection programming, and post-election canvass monitoring. Show less

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  La Fuerza

  Jan 2020 - now

  Board Vice President

  I am a founding board member for an emergent 501c4 working to build political power for Latinx communities across North Carolina. I support our organizational development and provide fundraising assistance.

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  Equality North Carolina

  Mar 2021 - now

  PAC Board Member

  I am a member of the Statewide Team. I focus on sourcing a pipeline of exciting, progressive BIPOC candidates and providing fundraising assistance.

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  American Oversight

  Jun 2021 - now

  Strategic Partnerships Director

  I was hired as the first Strategic Partnerships Director to help expand American Oversight's open records impact by building relationships with advocacy organizations, congress, and other stakeholders on a variety of issue areas including: voting rights, immigration, policing & incarceration, reproductive access, good governance, transparency, and others. I develop partnerships strategy, structures, and metrics in alignment with our legal, investigations, and communications teams. I also manage federal-level engagement with agencies, the White House, and Congress to promote transparency, mainly focusing on FOIA and PRA reform. Show less