Meet Us

Libby Coles is founder and Executive Director of JM. Rooted in direct service provision, Libby has represented foreign national survivors of human trafficking and other traumas. A visionary leader, Libby has overseen the growth of JM from a volunteer effort to a robust nonprofit law firm with a talented staff of 17, a budget of $1.9M, and proven impact through direct services and systems-change efforts. Centering the experience and objectives of clients, Libby approaches law with a human rights and public health perspective, and has developed JM’s programmatic focus on strengthening protective factors and reducing risk factors to exploitation. Over the past decade, Libby has prioritized integrating trauma-informed principles at every organizational level for the well-being of clients and staff. Libby was appointed chair of the state’s Human Trafficking Commission upon its creation in 2014 and served in this role through 2019 by appointment of governors from both major political parties. Previously, Libby worked as a civil litigator with Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein in Raleigh and on the legislative staff of a U.S. Senator in Washington, D.C. Libby received her J.D. from Duke University School of Law.

Cheryl Chew is Managing Attorney of JM, overseeing the provision of trauma-informed family law and immigration legal services through a team of eleven attorneys and paralegals. Cheryl joined JM in 2013 as the agency’s first immigration staff attorney and then immigration section lead, specializing in humanitarian immigration law to serve survivors of human trafficking and other crimes. Cheryl continues to represent clients in seeking immigration relief before the Department of Homeland Security. Over the past 11 years, Cheryl has led in the development and implementation of trauma-informed design across all areas of the organization, particularly within JM’s direct services teams. Prior to JusticeMatters, Cheryl obtained immigration law experience with the North Carolina Justice Center’s Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project and UNC School of Law’s Immigration Clinic. Cheryl received her B.A. from Duke University and her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law. 

Santae Cooper is the Director of Business Operations at JM, where she leverages over 20 years of paralegal and managerial experience to oversee and optimize the organization’s operational efficiency. Since joining JM’s Family Law Section in 2018, Santae has specialized in trauma-informed legal services, particularly for kinship caregivers seeking legal permanency. Her leadership has been instrumental in developing JM’s Family Law Section and launching the Pro Se Center program. Santae holds a Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies from Wesley College and an MBA from Saint Leo University. She also dedicates her time as a Guardian Ad Litem volunteer with the Durham County Family Court.

Betsy Divers is Director of Education & Client Support Services with JM, overseeing both internal and external training and the provision of trauma-informed client support services. A member of the JM team since 2018, Betsy developed JM’s trauma-informed language access services and assisted in the provision of client support services. Born in Argentina to parents from Virginia and North Carolina, Betsy was raised speaking two languages and embracing life between cultures. She left Argentina to attend the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA, where she obtained a B.S. in Psychology and Spanish Language and Literature. Previously, Betsy worked in the field of Training and Instructional Design, which happily involved travel to many places, both domestic and abroad. JM is a space where the things that matter most to Betsy happen on a daily basis, and for that she is continually grateful.